GHANAIAN filmmaker Leila Djansi has challenged filmmakers and audiences to rethink their understanding of filmmaking, arguing that releasing films on YouTube every few weeks or months should not automatically be regarded as an achievement in filmmaking.
She said there was a difference between producing films as a craft and consistently churning out content, stressing that filmmaking required careful attention to storytelling, development, financing, production and international standards.
In a Facebook post, the filmmaker criticised what she described as a lack of basic film literacy among Ghanaians, urging audiences to develop a deeper appreciation of cinema and filmmakers to pay greater attention to the quality of their work.
“Releasing a film on YouTube every two months is not an achievement. I daresay it is NOT filmmaking. That’s content creation,” she wrote.
She argued that the frequency with which some filmmakers released their productions raised questions about their production processes and the attention given to their stories and overall execution.
According to her, filmmaking involved more than using a camera to tell a story, requiring careful attention to elements such as mise-en-scène, storytelling and the overall production process.
“Some films take years to develop, finance, shoot, and complete. Major productions can cost millions of dollars,” she said, adding that filmmakers should distinguish between making films and producing content in quick succession.
Beyond production standards, Djansi also called on Ghanaian audiences to take greater responsibility for discovering and watching films rather than relying solely on filmmakers to publicise their work.
She said viewers could search online for films by their favourite actors and directors instead of repeatedly complaining about limited access to local productions.
“Filmmakers have a responsibility to market their work, of course. But audiences also have a responsibility to develop an interest in the art they consume,” she said.
Djansi also challenged the tendency to dismiss older films, arguing that productions should not be considered outdated simply because they were made years ago.
“A film you have never seen before is new to you,” she wrote, citing her experience teaching a class in which students watched films made in 1972.
She further called for the establishment of a central database for Ghanaian films, proposing a website or application where filmmakers could register their releases, provide information about their productions, upload trailers and direct audiences to legitimate viewing platforms. (Read We cast and bind their gods, then fly to India for treatment - Leila Djansi)
She said such a platform would make local films easier to discover while creating a record of Ghanaian cinema for future generations.
The filmmaker also urged her colleagues to look beyond the domestic market and explore international distribution opportunities.
She cited the international reach of some African filmmakers as an example of what Ghanaian producers could pursue through stronger industry relationships, a better understanding of distribution and more deliberate efforts to reach audiences outside the country.
Djansi pointed to the international performance of her films Like Cotton Twines, Where Children Play and And Then There Was You as evidence of the opportunities available beyond Ghana.
She said Ghanaian filmmakers needed to tell stories that could connect with audiences across different cultures and markets, rather than limiting their ambitions to local viewers.
