GHANA, THE COUNTRY
Ghana is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. The word Ghana means “Warrior King” and is derived from the ancient Ghana Empire.
Ghana was inhabited in pre-colonial times by a number of ancient predominantly Akan kingdoms, including the inland Ashanti Empire, the Akwamu, the Akyem, the Bonoman, the Denkyira, and the Fante among others.English is the country’s official language and predominates in government and business affairs.
Christianity is the country’s largest religion, and predominates in southern areas and parts of the northern regions, while Islam is more populous in parts of the northern regions.
Textiles are very important in Ghanaian culture. These cloths are used to make traditional and modern attire. Different symbols and different colors mean different things. Kente is probably the most famous of all the Ghanaian cloths.
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an estimated urban population of 2,291,352 as of 2012. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is conterminous.
Accra is Ghana’s primary city, serving as the nation’s economic and administrative hub. It is furthermore a centre of culture and tourism, sporting a wide range of nightclubs, restaurants and hotels.
HISTORY OF FILMMAKING IN GHANA
FILM INDUSTRY
Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, in 1957 Ghana became the first country in colonial Africa to gain its independence.
HISTORY OF CINEMA FROM 1896-2000
Film exhibition in Ghana started as a private business with the opening of the first cinema in Accra in 1925. Film production, however, started as a government activity which eventually led to the establishment of the Gold Coast film unit in 1948. That year also saw the establishment of a film school by the Colonial British Administration in Ghana, with three students from Nigeria, Messrs. A.A. Fajemesin, J.A.Otigba and Malam Yakuba Auna, and three from Ghana, Messrs. Sam Areetey, R.O. Fenuku AND Bob Okanta as the pioneers.
As film developed worldwide, film in Ghana also grew steadily and provided much support for government information campaigns during the colonial period.
With independence, the new government saw film not only as a tool for disseminating information, but also as a powerful communication instrument to be exploited for national integration, social and economic development and for the preservation and further enrichment of the cultural heritage of Ghana. This saw the opening of Ghana’s TV station in 1965.
To provide an institutional base for the development of film and its utilization for these purposes, the government in 1962 established the Ghana film industry corporation (GFIC). For the following 28 years, the GFI produced a considerable amount of films and undertook the distribution and exhibition of both local and foreign films. This growth was accompanied by equally impressive advances in all other sectors of the film industry.
The most remarkable growth has been in “video film” production where growth has been phenomenal over the past decade and where the private sector has played an outstanding leadership role. Much of this role can be attributed to the electronic revolution which has led to major technological changes in the film industry worldwide and has made it possible for filmmakers of varying degrees of experience to attempt production experimentation which would have been out of reach a decade ago.
The film industry lost a major anchor in 1996, when as part of the divestiture programme of the government, GFIC was sold to a private company which abandoned film production and converted the technical facilities into a television station.
Although the movie industries continue to grow and the number of local productions continues to rise, the industry is plagued with a number of issues which works against the achievement of quality in productions and economic viability in the industry.
Poor technical, artistic and ethical standards associated with most of the current generation of films made in Ghana are attributed to the inadequate training of film personnel, not only for Ghana, but other African countries. The inadequacy of facilities, staff and financial resources, however, do not allow the institute to expand its training programme sufficiently to address the vast training needs which have arisen from the growth of the industry.
While there are extensive and powerful international networks for the distribution of foreign films, no such facilities cater to African film productions. The absence of an effective film distribution system, both within and outside the country, has been a major constraint to the achievement of economic viability in the film industry. Locally produced films do not have adequate exhibition throughout the towns and villages in the country and the major local productions, which have sought markets in other African markets, have fared rather poorly.
Almost all films currently produced in Ghana are made on videotape. This is partly because of production costs and partly because of the lack of relevant equipment. 35mm or HD equipment and other items required for complex productions are expensive and are usually hired for productions and not purchased.
In recent times there has been some collaboration between Ghanaian and Nigerian crew and cast with a number of productions being turned out. Among these co-productions were WEB and LOST HOPE, which received nominations at the Ghana Film Awards. Though Ghana shares borders with Francophone neighbors, so far there have not been any co-production to hit the Ghanaian screen. This has been attributed to the lack of funding as well as to language issues. Ben Musa Imora of Ghana, vice-president of the Video and Film Producers Association of Ghana in West-Africa, spoke about a video-boom in his country. He said the effort of networking with other African countries to sell products was a cheaper way of making and marketing films. Many filmmakers use their own family members in films as actors to produce videos which are very popular in Ghana. The videos are shown in humble venues such as garages, churches and community halls.
THE FILM INDUSTRY IN GHANA
RESEARCH FINDINGS IN BRIEF
Filmmaking in Ghana is concentrated mainly in the capital city Accra. The industry is a fast growing one based on the Nollywood model from Nigeria of straight- to-DVD video-based movies and entertainment. The industry there is called “Ghallywood” and there is a lot of activity in the non-fiction genre with a lot of Nigerian video filmmakers and producers also actively working in Accra. The distribution channel mirrors Nigeria as well. There are open market sales of DVD copies of films and very minimal defense against piracy and intellectual property theft. Corporate video production and advertising commercials for private businesses and companies are the staple source of income for filmmakers in the non-fiction sector of the industry. Non-fiction, fact-based, issue-driven documentaries are not numerous.
Filmmakers in Ghana need funding for productions, more training facilities especially dedicated to documentary filmmaking and government intervention into thebroadcasting of documentary on Government Television networks (without being charged exorbitant air ti me fees).
Professional Developmental Support
There is a semblance of structure in the Ghanaian film industry, though not as organised as in Nigeria. There is a video censorship board and there is a vibrant broadcasting landscape with The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the GTV — Ghana Television — which both broadcast throughout Ghana.
There has been a recent mention of funding from the government for filmmakers, called The National Media Fund, but filmmakers are skeptical of the availability of this fund as they say the criteria have not been made available. There is a government film school, National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) and documentary filmmaking is offered as a part of other courses, but there are no reputable private film institutions.
There are several film festivals in Ghana that are held yearly including the Environmental Film Festival Accra (EFFA), Real Life Documentary Film Festival and Festival of Films Africa (FOFA). Advocacy groups come in the form of the Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts (GAFTA) and other guilds.
Distribution and audience cultivation
Feature length movies can be found in DVD format and they are sold by street hawkers everywhere. Ghana has cinema houses, with the most popular being the Silverbird chain (Accra), and the other being The National Theatre. Audience cultivation is through TV and radio adverts, billboards, posters, Blackberry phones and the internet. Documentary films do not have a DVD market, they are primarily distributed via the internet (Facebook, YouTube, My Space) and film festivals.
Structure and Focus of Funding
Funding, as suggested by filmmakers on the ground, should be focused on training, the skill development of filmmakers, especially in the area of documentary filmmaking, acquiring equipment and the availability of funds for the production of documentaries.
The general consensus of filmmakers is that funding should be structured in such a way as to avoid going through government, preferably by a private organisation or NGO. Eligibility for funds should be based on the previous works and track record of a filmmaker, a committee should handle any issues that may arise.
QUALITATIVE STUDY
REGULATORY BODIES/POLICIES FOR MEDIA
NATIONAL MEDIA COMMISSION ACT 1993
The National Media Commission Act 1993 (Act No. 449) establishes the National Media Commission (NMC) provided for in the 1992 Constitution Act. The functions of the National Media Commission, which are set out both in Article 166 of the Constitution and in the NMC Act, include “to promote and ensure the freedom and independence of the media for mass communication or information”, and “to take all appropriate measures to ensure the establishment and maintenance of the highest journalistic standards in the mass media, including the investigation, mediation and settlement of complaints made against or by the press or other mass media”. The Constitution, and the NMC Act, provides for the NMC “to make regulations by Constitutional instrument for the registration of newspapers and other publications, except in terms of any direction and control over the professional functions of a person engaged in the production of newspapers or other means of mass communication”. It makes no specific provision for the making of regulations for broadcasting although this may be inferred from the general functions set out in Article 166 of the Constitution. At the time of the establishment of the NMC there were no independent broadcast media. The Constitution provides for NMC to be composed of eighteen commissioners. Of these, thirteen are nominated from named constituencies (Ghana Journalists Associates nominates two, two are appointed directly by the President and three are nominated by Parliament).
NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY ACT 1996
The National Communications Authority Act 1996 (Act No. 524) is established “to regulate communications by wire, cable, radio, television, satellite and similar means of technology for the orderly development and operation of efficient communications services in Ghana and to provide for related purposes”. In the absence of any other provision for broadcasting service authorisation this Act has been used to regulate the establishment of broadcasting services. The Act establishes the National Communications Authority which replaces the previous Ghana Frequency Registration and Control Board. The objectives of the NCA, set out in Section 2 of the NCA Act, include “to ensure that throughout the country, as far as practicable, there are such communication services as are reasonably necessary to satisfy demand for the services”, and “to ensure that communications system operators achieve the highest level of efficiency in the provision of communication services and are responsive to customer and community needs”. Communications services and communication systems are very broadly defined to include wired and wireless transmission and the conveyance of sounds, visual images and data.
The NCA Act provides for the Board of the NCA to be appointed by the President and to consist of a Chairman, the Director General, one representative of the National Security Council and four other persons “with knowledge in matters relevant to the functions of the Authority”.
No legislation exists specifically to regulate or guide broadcasting content. A document titled Broadcasting Standards, which gives a guide on programme content and advertising, prepared by the National Media Commission in close consultation with the broadcasters is not legally binding. The Ghana Journalist Association has a Code of Ethics which it provides for its members including those in broadcasting.
GHANA BROADCASTING CORPORATION (GBC)
Source: http://gbcghana.com
A BRIEF HISTORY ON GHANA BROADCASTING CORPORATION (GBC)
The national broadcasting service commenced in 1935 as a radio relay service under the name Radio ZOY, later Gold Coast Broadcasting Service. Through telegraphic connections and local relay transmitters it sought to provide a single national radio service covering the whole of Ghana. With independence, the national broadcaster was renamed Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
Television was introduced later by GBC in 1965. Today GBC wholly owns controls and operates three national radio services, ten regional radio services, and the national television channel, GTV. The national radio services consist of two short wave services, Radio 1 and Radio 2 (at the time of the study only Radio 1 was operational) plus Accra-based, Uniiq FM, which covers a large part of the country with a primarily English language service.
Radio 1 broadcasts in six languages — Akan, Ga, Ewe, Nzema, Dagbani, and Hausa. The regional radio services cover each of the administrative regions. They have their own programmes and an emphasis on local languages but all carry GBC national news.
The present mandate for GBC is derived from the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation Decree 1968. It includes broadcasting programmes in the field of culture, education, information and entertainment, to reflect national progress and aspirations, and to broadcast in the main Ghanaian languages and in English.
GBC held a broadcasting monopoly until 1994 and is still a dominant force in radio and television broadcasting. When the National Communications Authority was established GBC was obliged to relinquish part of its control over the broadcast radio and television spectrum. However, GBC retained control over other frequencies which have been used later for expansion or to assist the establishment of commercial broadcasting services. In addition to the services that it wholly owns and operates, GBC holds 50 per cent of the shares and appoints the Chair of the Board of Metro TV, the first commercial television service. It also has minority shareholdings in the Multimedia Broadcasting Company which owns two local commercial radio services — Joy FM (Accra) and Adom FM (Tema). In practical terms though, GBC plays no role in the operations of the private companies in which it has shares and is yet to receive any income from them.
Funding for GBC is partly provided through direct government support for salaries and partly internally generated through commercial activities. Internally Generated Funding (IGF) accounts for around 50 per cent of the total revenues of GBC. IGF is generated through adverts and from selling airtime to private production companies. In 2004 the annual government support was 42billion Cedi (about US $4.5million), which contributed towards the costs of a staff base of around 1500 employees.
This government funding is negotiated annually with the Ministry of Finance and Planning and administered through the Ministry of Information.
Although there is a license fee collectable from all television viewers, it has not increased for many years and is set at just 3,000 Cedi per year (US $0.30). As a result of inflation, the television license fee is now worth less than the costs of collection.
GHANA TELEVISION (GTV)
GTV (Ghana Television) is the national public broadcaster of Ghana, run by the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. It commenced operations on July 31, 1965 and was originally known as GBC TV.
GTV broadcasts mainly local programming, with over 80% of the schedule consisting of original productions. Although its main production studio is located in Accra, capital city of Ghana, it has affiliations nationwide and covers 98% of the airwaves in Ghana, making it the most powerful mode of advertisement in Ghana. Although GTV is largely funded by the Ghanaian government, it also collects annual fees from viewers (defined as every Ghanaian who owns a TV and has an erected antenna, regardless of whether they watch GTV or not).
FILM EDUCATION IN GHANA
GOVERNMENT FILM SCHOOL
NATIONAL FILM AND TELEVISION INSTITUTE (NAFTI)
A brief History of the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI)
An agreement concluded in 1965 between the Government of Ghana and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation of West Germany for the establishment of a joint film project in Ghana laid the foundation for NAFTI.
In January 1975, the then Commissioner for information submitted proposals to the Government on the establishment of a Film Television Institute in Ghana. The government approved this principle. This in turn empowered the Ministry of Information to make a formal application through the external aid division of the then ministry of Economic Planning to UNESCO for assistance.
In May 1975, UNESCO sent its Regional Communications Advisor for Africa to discuss the matter with the Ghanaian authorities. It was evident that they wanted to help. Following up on this, the government of Ghana sent a delegation abroad to inspect film and television institutes in Britain.
As a result of the report submitted, a new partnership agreement was concluded between Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the Government of Ghana for the establishment of the Centre For Educational Feature Film.
The National Film and Television Institute was established by SMC Decree (SMCD.151) and published in the Government Gazette of 17 February 1987.
Today NAFTI has been influential in shaping the film and television industry in Ghana and Africa. In 2002 NAFTI established the African Cinema Research and Documentation Centre (ACREDOC) to work towards a language of film and television that will contribute to notions of socio-cultural development by researching and documenting indigenous African story telling for the screen and research purposes.
Mrs. Vincentia Akwetey, Dean of Studies, says NAFTI accepted 60 students for this academic year and all directing students (both TV and film) study documentary filmmaking. Officially only one or two students graduate as a documentary filmmaker. The school festival partners include: The Real Life Documentary Film Festival, The Environmental Film Festival and Animation Africa.
NAFTI hosts the African Student Film and Television Festival (ANIWA) every other year. Participants include film and television students in Africa and African students from the Diaspora.
COURSES OFFERED AT NAFTI
BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS
FILM DIRECTING/TELEVISION PRODUCTION
The directing course integrates theoretical elements, which culminate in the students writing and directing their own works in the form of short films, television drama, magazines and documentaries.
MOTION PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY
The department uses digital video cameras such as D9, Mini DV and HD as well as a Television studio equipped with a lighting system for film and television production to train students in the art of modern photography.
FILM SOUND PRODUCTIONS
Students are trained with state-of-the-art sound equipment which makes it feasible for students to creatively record, process, mix and edit sound for film and television.
EDITING
Editing students are trained in the art and technique of post–production. They are trained to work with modern professional editing software such as Adobe Premier, Pro, Avid and Final Cut Pro series in digital technology (non–linear).
DESIGN
Animation. Students in this section have access to a rostrum for stop motion with digital video camera, studios with facilities for painting/drawing and light boxes, and laboratories with workstations running 2D and 3D animation software.
ART DIRECTION
This section offers training that provides graduates with employment opportunities as versatile artists and influential operators in the fields of scenography, costume and make up design in film and television.
OTHER PROGRAMMES / SHORT COURSES
NAFTI CERTIFICATE IN FILM & TELEVISION PRODUCTION
PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION
The general course in FILM/TV provides an opportunity to prepare students in basic and relevant areas in film and TV production. The programme provides the introduction to the intellectual and technical expertise needed to gain a foothold in the film and TV industry.
Yearly intake at the institute startedat 30 students a year. The academic year 2010/2011 numbers increased to 46 and in the year 2011/2012 it went up to 60 students.
Documentary film making started as a specialization course at NAFTI in 2001, so the first batch of documentary filmmakers came out in the 2003-2004 academic year.
All Directing students (both TV and film) study documentary at level 300 before they decide whether to opt for fiction or documentary in the second semester. As such, most graduates end up making documentary films for survival since the feature film is more capital intensive.
Officially one or two students graduate from documentary filmmaking annually but all directing students and students from other areas of specialization engage in documentary filmmaking.
Festival partners of NAFTI include:
- Real Life Documentary Film Festival
- Environmental Film Festival of Accra
- Animation Festival by Animation Africa
FILM SCHOOLS IN GHANA
ANIMATION AFRICA
Animation Africa is an animation production and consultancy based in Ghana, West Africa. Over the last three years animation Africa has trained, produced and provided consultancy services to schools and institutions in the West Africa sub region. They are committed to the development of the animation industry in the region by building capacities, and exploring folklore and music for archiving and as ingredients for the production of animation films.
Animation Africa works in 2d animation, 3d models and objects design, web development, graphics, Flash Animation, Website Designing and post-production.
Source: http://www.animationafrica.org
Research, answered questionnaires and a personal visit to the country indicates there are no standard private film schools in Ghana.
AUDIO VISUAL/DOCUMENTARY ARCHIVES
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation lost a considerable amount (25 years) of its audiovisual material when a fire broke out in its audiovisual library in 1989. The state of these archives however is unknown, but all individuals interviewed believe that they may not be well kept.
Video and sound archives may be found at The Ministry of Information of Ghana, The Information Services Department.
Website of The Ministry of information: http://www. ghana.gov.gh.
GOVERNMENT REGULATORY BODIES FOR FILM IN GHANA
There are several mentions of the Ghana Cinematograph Board of Control in media publications about the film industry in Ghana.
However, filmmakers on the ground say that to their knowledge there is no Government regulatory body for film in Ghana.
PUBLICATIONS OF ACTIVITIES OF THE GHANA CINEMATOGRAPH BOARD OF CONTROL
CINEMATOGRAPH BOARD TO DEAL WITH PORNOGRAPHIC FILMS IN GHANA
Monday, 21 June 2010
Mr. John Tia Akologu, Minister of Information on Friday inaugurated a 25-member Cinematograph Exhibition Board of Control and charged it to look out particularly for, and deal with, pornographic, violent and culturally unacceptable films in the country.
The old Board was dissolved owing to the public outcry about its inability to avert objectionable material being shown on the television, public cinema and video theatres even though Act 76 of the Cinematograph Act of 1961 authorized it to censor films.
Mr. Akologu said the new Board “will constitute a preview and classification committee, and until the passage into law, the development and classification of a Film Bill to provide the machinery to deal with the production, previewing, distribution and marketing of films”.
He called on producers of audio-visual materials and television companies to produce films that were sensitive to the concerns of the Ghanaian public. “I wish to urge the industry practitioners to produce educational and positive films instead of films full of violence, pornography and other offensive sounds and images that are harmful to our minds, especially the fragile minds of our children”, he said.
Mr. Augustine Abbey, President of the Film Producers Association of Ghana and member of the new Board, on behalf of his colleagues, expressed the Board’s commitment to partner with government to bring sanity to the film industry through strict censorship. “I also hope that by the censorship, the move would not send creativity to exile”, he said.
Source: http://www.gbooza.com/group/nollywood/forum/ topics/cinematograph-board-to-deal#axzz28vX0xSTw
FUNDING FOR FILMMAKERS IN GHANA
There is no governmental or NGO funding available for filmmakers, including documentary filmmakers, in Ghana.
ADVOCACY GROUPS IN THE FILM INDUSTRY
There has been mention of
- The Film Association of Ghana (FIPAG) and
- The Ghanaian Film and Television Academy (GAFTA)
- Ghana Movie Makers Association (GMMA)
FILM PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (FIPAG)
FIPAG does not appear to have an established website, but mentioned is made in the media relatively frequently. FIPAG held long-awaited elections in August 2013 and has been going through major changes, according to reports:
PUBLICATIONS OF FIPAG IN THE MEDIA
FIPAG LAYS DOWN STRINGENT MEASURES TO IMPROVE FILM PRODUCTION IN GHANA
The newly elected executives of the film producers association of Ghana (FIPAG) led by Steve Asare Hackman is perhaps on the verge of revolutionizing the Ghanaian Film industry as after series of meetings and discussions with other stakeholders of the industry just some few weeks into office have outlined stringent policies to regulate the industry which has been left asunder for a while.
Starting November 1st, 2013, the new directive requires producers with the intention of shooting movies in Ghana to first furnish the FIPAG office; either in Kumasi (for those in the northern sector) or Accra (for those in the southern sector) with information concerning the production.
Refusal to do this according to the directive will lead to a halt in the production, until procedure has being followed and a penalty paid.
Read other directives per their meetings.
DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING:
New prices from producer to distributor, marketer and to retailers have being agreed on. Howbeit, this will not affect the final consumer price for now. Even though prices of commodities in the country have gone up over the years, prices of local movies have remained the same. We are not increasing the consumer price of the movies yet, but it is something still under consideration.
ACCREDITED DISTRIBUTORS:
Very soon names of accredited distributors of our movies would be communicated to all producers. It is advised that any producer due to release his/her movie, would use these accredited distributors only, in their best interest.
Any producer who is not registered with FIPAG, and desire to release his/her movie through our marketing channels, would be required to pay some amount of money before the movie would be given the green light.
This also applies to all foreign or non-Ghanaian owned movies, who intend to sell their movies through our market channels.
MOVIE RELEASING SCHEDULE:
Movies are released every week onto the market. This has proven to be very challenging for the producers. In this light, it has been agreed that movies, from November 4th, movies would be released every two.
This means that movies would be released only two (2) times in a month instead of the current four (4) times.
RELEVANCE:
This has become necessary to give the movies some extra time to sell before new ones are brought into the market.
MOVIE SCREENING ON TV:
It is being agreed and hereby directed that from November, this year, when these directives take full effect, no movie less than TWO (2) YEARS old should be given to any television station for broadcasting.
Any producer who violates this directive would be severely sanctioned by the FIPAG.
OIL MARKET:
It has being observed that the ‘oil market’ is one of the dangerous evils in the film industry. Some producers shoot anything at all, called movie, with the aim of selling them on the oil market. This has become a very dangerous practice since it has been one of the reasons why there are lots of poor standard productions on our market.
It is now being directed that a movie would have to be ONE (1) YEAR old before being admitted onto the oil market.
It is also being directed by the stakeholders, that the “oil price” to the final consumer should be the same as the price before the movie went on “oil market”; five (5) Ghana cedis for the two part disc.
MIGRATION FROM VCD TO DVD:
It has being agreed by the stakeholders, that starting February 2014, Ghanaian movies would be released straight on DVDs and not VCD.
All producers who would be releasing their movies from February next year, would have to do so in DVD format and not VCD.
This has become necessary because the equipment used in productions these days are of high quality, giving quality pictures but when converted to a lower format like the VCD, the quality of the pictures drop drastically, making nonsense of the usage of the quality equipment.
We believe that migrating to DVD would ensure that picture quality of our movies is improved, to compliment the expensive and quality equipments being used in productions today.
PIRACY:
Piracy is seen as dangerous evil of our trade. In this light we have decided to tackle the issues with all resources available to us and in collaboration with the law enforcement agencies of Ghana.
Undercover and secret informers and whistle blowers have being set up in various parts of the country to help us arrest pirates of our works.
Currently many pirates have been arrested and arranged before the courts of law in various parts of the country. This process will be going on until we finally win the battle over pirates.
SANCTIONS:
The leaders of the various stakeholders are very much aware of the fact that there will be members or non- members who might want to test or go contrary to these directives.
In that respect, various sanctions and punishments have being put in place to make sure that these directives are obeyed and respected by all film makers to help bring sanity and improvement in the industry.
.Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/ NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=289340
GHANA ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS (GAFTA)
Brief History on GAFTA
The Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts (GAFTA) was established in 2001 as a collective entity of professional filmmakers comprised of the various guilds within the Ghanaian motion picture industry. They are: the Director’s Guild of Ghana (DGG), The Screen Writers Guild of Ghana (SWGG), The Screen Editors Guild of Ghana (SEGG), The Producers Guild of Ghana (PPG), Cinematographers Guild of Ghana (CGG), Motion Picture Sound Guild of Ghana (MPSGG), Art Directors Guild of Ghana (ADGG), Animators Guild of Ghana (AGG), Film and Television Production Facilitators Guild of Ghana (FTPFGG) as well as other affiliate bodies.
In furtherance of its professional objective towards the advancement of excellence in the Ghanaian motion picture industry, the Academy, in partnership with other renowned local and international fine arts institutions such as the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS – United States), Pan-African Federation of Filmmakers (FEPACI) and FESPACO, the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), engages in the organisation of workshops and festivals, seminars, and conferences, as well as motion picture research. GAFTA also provides fellowships, scholarships and bursaries for its deserving members.
As the mother body of its constituent Guilds and Associations representing the various facets of the Ghanaian motion picture industry, it seeks to encourage a high level of discipline and professional ethics through the strengthening of its various cinematic branches. Moreover, the academy, in collaboration with the sector ministry, has been working assiduously towards the creation of a viable Ghanaian Film and Television industry as well as best practices in the world of cinema.
The main goals of GAFTA are:
- To promote and maintain high standards in film and TV arts;
- To maintain discipline and a code of ethics;
- To promote research and training;
- To maintain a library and archive;
- To award fellowships, scholarships and others;
- Above all, to seek to protect the interest of member
GHANA MOVIE MAKERS ASSOCIATION
Not much is known about this organization but it does have a Facebook page established in 2011: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ghana-Movie-Makers- Association-GMMA/242129915808839
FILM FESTIVALS IN GHANA
ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL OF ACCRA (EFFA)
About Environmental Film Festival of Accra
The Environmental Film Festival of Accra (EFFA) is a registered non-profit organisation in Ghana that was founded to raise awareness of environmental issues through film. Thanks to the partnership with Creative Storm, a leading Ghanaian digital production house and marketing firm, the festival has grown from a small event for film enthusiasts into Accra’s environmental educational event of the year. The main goal of the festival is to challenge and broaden the audience’s perception and understanding of the social and environmental problems faced in Ghana and abroad. For the past four years, EFFA has carefully screened selected international award-winning films that have the power to change the way we think about our environment.
This film festival is unique. It is the first of its kind in Africa. While there are other wonderful film festivals on the continent, none have dedicated their efforts to bringing attention to important social and environmental issues touching the lives of people around the world, not least in Africa itself. The film festival has elicited excitement from filmmakers as well as potential donors because it offers such a positive way to strengthen an understanding of environmental issues while enriching the cultural scene.
EFFA has been made possible through the active collaboration of Accra’s cultural venues including: The Goethe-Institut, the British Council, Alliance Francaise, and Busy Internet, as well as the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI). These institutes have supported the festival in lending screening facilities and technical support as well as promoting the importance of the festival.
The broad mission of EFFA is to bring films to Ghana that raise awareness about environmental problems both locally and around the world, while also pointing the way to a new paradigm for healthy and sustainable development for all. Yhey have selected films about environmental issues in developed and developing countries, globalization and social justice issues. Styles range from animation to drama and from personal essay to investigative documentary. There are programmes suitable for all ages from kindergarten age through to adult.
The organisers are Claudea D’andrea, PH.D. (Festival founder & co-director), Kwesi Owusu, Ph.D. (festival co-director), Mildred Samuel, FCCA MBA (festival coordinator), and Creative Storm (leading communicators for social development in Ghana).
EFFA 2013 REPORT
REPORT – 9TH ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL OF ACCRA AND 3RD STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT FORUM
SUMMARY
Once again, it is our pleasure to bring you a report on the ninth edition of the annual international Environmental Film Festival of Accra held from 28 June to 5 July, 2013. EFFA received funding for various component of this Festival including – Young Film Makers’ Workshop, the Children’s Daytime Screening component of the project; the Open Air Screening at Kwame Nkrumah Circle on Saturday 29 June with the innovative Free Malaria Test for public; and the 3rd State of the Environment Forum.
The mix of funding and other support from our sponsors and donors for various aspects of the festival resulted in another successful edition of EFFA. Over 300 people including Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr. Ebenezer Ampah-Sampong, representative of the EU, Mr. Herve Delsol, Programme Officer at the Delegation, Officials from the French Embassy in Ghana, the Australian High Commission to Ghana, and other members of the diplomatic community, corporates, journalists and several school children gathered at KAMA Conference Centre, Osu for the festival launch with its focus on Environment and Health.
The week-long festival of film on the environment and State of the Environment Forum are organised annually to raise awareness on the relationship between the environment and sustainable development. The 9th Edition brought to the public, films from around the world including Australia, Denmark, Japan, Germany and Ghana with screenings at the Goethe Institute, British Council, Trashy Bags, and Alliance Française for schools and the general public. Participants, including people watched the films during the Festival period were well over 10,000.
The Festival critically engaged audiences and participants through its different components including Film Festival, Young Film Makers’ Workshop, and the State of the Environment. The Film Festival presented audiences with a variety of environmental films from the international community as well as films produced from Ghana and the Young Film Makers’ Workshop. The films from Young Film Makers’ Workshop told stories of the environment with hilarious accuracy to explain the relationship between the environment and health. The audience response was keen and reflected the emotive impact of the films produced by the school children. The quality of the films and depth of stories also showed continuous progress from previous festivals. On the other hand, films from the international community brought the audience face- to-face with the dire consequences of environmental degradation and neglect through real life challenges faced by communities of people as varied as the people of the Aral Sea Basin – Kazakhstan; the threats of degradation faced by the Islands of Tuvalu; and the e-waste menace facing the Korle Lagoon communities of Accra, Ghana among others.
A new addition to the festival this year was the Free Malaria Testing for the public during the Open-air screening at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle with support from the National Malaria Control Programme. EFFA intends to make malaria screenings a permanent feature of the festival towards eradication of this environmental disease among others.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
We are pleased to report on the eight edition of the annual international Environmental Film Festival of Accra held from 08 to 15 June 2012. Over 600 people including several school children gathered at British Council for the launch with its focus on water. The engaging image of two children at a water pump and other symbolic images of Ghana’s quest for safe and affordable water on the festival’s publicity materials attracted much public attention and got a lot of people talking about how we manage this critical resource and the environmental challenges facing us. The media response was keen and consistent with the steady progress of the festival over the last seven years ago. This year, we were pleased to receive the support of our longstanding partners, Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, Wienco Ghana Ltd, Royal Danish Embassy, French Embassy in Ghana, Third World Network, Australian High Commission, Canadian High Commission, European Union, UNICEF, Nestle Ghana, Yara Ghana, Zoomlion, British Council, Goethe-Institut and Alliance Francaise. We also welcomed African Women’s Development Fund.
THE ENVIRONMENT CHANNEL
The second 15 part series of the Environment Channel Television series was completed in the course of the year and is now ready for broadcast on Ghana Television. A by-product of EFFA, this project, with its potential to embrace mass audiences across the country was produced with support from Wienco Ghana Ltd, Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology and Third World Network. We also produced a documentary on innovative solutions to sanitation challenges as part of our collaboration with the French Embassy in Ghana. These kinds of collaborations have broadened the scope of EFFA and expanded its role as public educator of the environment.
THE ENVIRONMENT FORUM
The second edition of the State of the Environment Forum took place on Tuesday, 12 June 2012 at British Council, bringing together 200 participants from across Ghana to deliberate and report on progress towards environmental sustainability in Ghana. The forum was supported by the European Union (through the National Authorising Officer for the EDF in Ghana, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning), Third World Network, African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) and Royal Danish Embassy. This year, the issues that inform the role of women in the environment were also highlighted in all the plenary sessions. AWDF supported us to bring more women participants and presenters to the forum. This enriched the sessions and turned out to be a much welcomed initiative. Presentations were made in three thematic areas: Climate Change, Degraded Environment & Flooding, Water and Sanitation and Natural Resources. These were followed by small group discussions and plenaries. The Forum was opened by a speech from Ms. Sherry Ayitey, Minister of the Environment, Science and Technology, read on her behalf by Mr. Samuel Anku, Director at the Environmental Protection Agency. Presentations were also made by Ms Theo Sowa, Chief Executive Officer, AWDF and Mr Bart Missinne, First Secretary, European Commission.
In all, the discussions were spirited and engaging as civil society organizations, NGOs, and corporate representatives interacted with government officials, policy makers and leading development agencies on environmental issues. Most participants suggested that the Environment Forum be made a permanent feature of the annual festival.
THE FILM PROGRAMME
This year’s festival brought over forty films on environmental and social issues to Accra’s popular cultural venues. As in previous years, the programme included award winning films from Ghana and from around the world – films that challenge us to broaden our perceptions and understanding about the environment around us. The 2012 selection included the internationally acclaimed film about Climate Change, A Thirsty World (La Soif du Monde), The Light Bulb Conspiracy, the Spanish film questioning unlimited global consumption and Up in Smoke, about the causes of deforestation and global warming.
The programme also included The 4th Revolution: Energy Autonomy, exploring technologies that will take us away from reliance on fossil fuels towards clean, renewable energy, Llueve (It Rains), a beautifully shot drama exploring environmental choices, Turning the Tide 2, exploring new trends in Ghana’s sanitation and waste management, Pfad, Vorgaten Kollaps, the critically acclaimed German film about the crucial next steps in an eco-friendly future. There were equally fascinating films about the impact of global warming, food security, pollution, on wildlife, energy conservation, fishing and electronic waste.
An innovation this year related to the Young Film Makers Workshop component of the festival. Six school children were given mobile phones with cameras to create a video report on various environmental issues. A series of one minute films were produced by the participants on:
- Noise pollution in markets, churches and public spaces
- Water wastage within urban areas
- Garbage pollution
- Health and environment etc
The Young Film Makers Workshop component has over the years been supported by UNICEF, Environmental Protection Agency and Zoom Lion. As in prior years, these short films turned out to be the festival’s favorites.
At the festival launch and schools screenings, the young ‘film stars’ spoke candidly about the wonderful experience the festival afforded them to allow their voices to be heard. They selected films of interest to them; that affected their daily lives at home, in schools and in their communities. After the film was premiered, the participants received enthusiastic applause from the audience for their refreshing films on Ghana’s environmental challenges.
http://www.effaccra.org/index.php/component/content/ article/2-uncategorised/293-sample-content
ANIMAFRIK
ANIMAFRIK is an animation festival dedicated to African and Caribbean animation and designed to promote its Art and animation. The festival projects films by African and Caribbean Animators on the continent and in the Diaspora. The festival has screening sessions, workshops and conferences.
WORKSHOP
The objective of the workshop is to bring to the festival practicing animators or instructors in academia who will direct and share their experience to help build capacities and raise awareness of the art of animation.
ACCRA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
This new festival on the scene in Accra “aims to inspire, educate, and entertain through an annual celebration of screening motion pictures, and also community outreach.”