Movie producer and actor, Louis Lamis known for his role in the hit TV series, Kejetia Vrs Makola has joined his colleagues like Yvonne Nelson and Kafui Danku to reply Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a high ranking member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) who expressed his disappointment with some Ghanaian movies.
Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, who is also a confidante of President Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo Addo, in a Facebook post sighted by zionfelix.net said he felt disheartened after watching 10 random Ghanaian movies.
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According to him, after watching the movies, “It brought home to me one major deficiency in our development. The apparent lack of deliberate consciousness on the part of the creative industry in the development conversation.”
“I took my time to watch randomly ten Ghanaian movies and never felt so disappointed. It brought home to me one major deficiency in our development. The apparent lack of deliberate consciousness on the part of the creative industry in the development conversation. The presence of the creative industry appears at best peripheral in Ghana’s development narrative. Our movies, our songs, our arts, by and large, do not impactfully plug into a greater development agenda. Hollywood, for the best part of a century, has been deliberately used by America to push successfully American cultural “supremacy” agenda; it has been used as an effective instrument of military or economic indoctrination. But, what has been the underlying consciousness behind our creative industry, if any?
What role, for instance, can actors in the creative industry play to define and realize this whole important concept of moving Ghana Beyond Aid? We must elevate consciousness in Ghana if we are serious about winning.” his post read.
Gabby’s comment has received harsh words from many Ghanaian filmmakers detailing what the local movie industry lacks and the latest to add his voice is Louis Lamis. In an Instagram post he tagged zionfelix.net, the producer of Kejetia Vrs Makola series asked Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko to point out the benefit the creative arts sector has enjoyed after NPP was voted into power on December 7, 2016.
Louis Lamis in the response to Otchere-Darko’s comment said the Ghanaian film industry lacks the government’s support so he was wrong to have expressed his disappointment about the local film industry on Facebook.
“Dear Sir,
The underlying consciousness that enables Hollywood producers to elevate themselves to successfully push America’s agenda is support.
Support from a nation that understands the role the creative arts industry plays in creating a world dominating empire.Big budget movie producers get huge tax cuts to shoot movies in certain locations.
Tax payers monies have been used to set up high tech studios that are available to any producer at affordable rates.
The Pentagon gives very friendly deals to producers who want to display American army prowess.
No one supports the Ghanian movie producer in anyway. All that happens is that everyone tries to exploit (read steal) every hard earned pesewa from their pockets in the name of supporting them.
Then to make matters worse, our TV stations, both public and private are more interested in paying for outdated telenovelas, Indian TV series and Korean dramas because they get them ridiculously cheap. Then they expect to pay Ghanaian content next to nothing.
How will people with passion to write/act/produce/film want to stay in an industry that has no support structures?
It’s a miracle we even have a semblance of a movie industry. More so, it’s another miracle that you got a number of 10 to watch and happily disparage. A time is coming and that time is fast looming, that if things don’t change especially on the part of the policymakers, you won’t even get one to critique like you have proudly done.
The point I’m trying to make is that, for the movie/TV industry to even begin to compete with Hollywood, there has to be a conscious effort by this country to invest heavily. This is simply not happening.
Dear Sir, kindly enumerate the things your government and previous governments have done to create that enabling environment for the Creative Arts industry and then we’ll proceed with a worthwhile discourse and action plan.Our mother has a very sharp knife in her kitchen yet she’s fuming, complaining bitterly that Aunty Mansa, the woman who lives 5 blocks away, has been chopping very beautiful onion rings to garnish the food she cooks. Mother, we have an equally sharp knife and onions. Use the knife!!!”