Unnecessary criticisms collapsed Ghana’s local film industry- NCC Director

Socrate Safo, the director for Creative Arts at the National Commission on Culture (NCC) has noted that unnecessary criticism from people collapsed the local film industry.

According to him, the critics are often those who don’t watch local movies and yet they make false claims about the movie industry.

Mr. Safo emphasized that before the attack on the local movie industry, the local film industry was producing movies that speak to the issues of Ghanaian society.

Citing movies like ‘Osofo Dadzie’, ‘Kyeiwa’ and others, Mr. Safo who happens to be a filmmaker as well, said movies that existed formerly were enjoyed by Ghanaians but now, false information from people indicating that local movies are of the same pattern has negatively influenced Ghanaians.

“Our model was working fine until we started listening to those who ‘know too much”.

“Meanwhile, those we were producing the movies for were enjoying it, yet the critics weren’t even watching, but we started listening to them and that’s when we started veering off.”

“As creatives, we’re not given much attention because of the age-old ‘concert’ perception. The thinking that creative arts refers to music and movies is problematic. The crew – stage managers, directors, stylists – are all creatives,” Safo said in an interview monitored by The Ghana Report on Asaase Radio.

Moreover, the NCC director encouraged Ghanaian filmmakers not to give up as countries like Burkina Faso are drawing lessons from them.

Speaking on how the creative sector provides employment for the youth, he said “As of the first quarter of 2021, data from Ghana’s Creative Arts Council showed that 2,860 persons were directly employed in the creative arts industry – including film”.