Film industry faces imminent collapse with dwindling demand
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Members of the Film Producers Association of Ghana say they are
incurring losses, while others fold up as the unending power crisis
continues to bite.
The industry has seen a drop in the number of movies released in a
month from 60 to about 12 as a result of the power challenge.
General Secretary, James Aboagye,says many of the 200 members have
shut down their production firms with 'defiant' ones battling with
medical conditions such as high blood pressure, all thanks to what has
become known as 'dumsor' in the Ghanaian parlance.
He recounts incidents where their members are chased by banks whowant
to recover loans advanced to them.
"Some producers have gone for loans to produce movies. They couldn't
even break even let alone making profit. They are losing their
properties to these financial institutions. I know a couple of
producers whose properties they used as collaterals have been taken
away by these financial institutions."
I know some of them who have fallen sick as a result of pressure from
the banks they took loans from.
So we just want to appeal to government that; if there is something
they can do, they have to expedite action," worried Mr. Aboagye
pleaded.
Mr. Aboagye's comments come as stakeholders in the film industry
prepare to hit the streets in Kumasi on Thursday to register their
anger with government over the unending energy crisis.
The protest march, dubbed "EsumAduruYen" is expected to draw several
movie producers, actresses and actors, and movie loving public.
Mr. Aboagye fears the industry may collapse if nothing urgent is done.
"If there is any industry that has seriously been hit by thedumsor, I
will say it is the film industry because film is photography and
photography is light. So if there is no energy to power the lights,
then there is no film. Right from production till you finish the
movie; you need light.
Then the consumption, you need light [power] so if there is no power
to create consumption, it means there is no demand."
Credit: Myjoyonline.com