Ghanaian filmmaker and chairman of the Ghana Classification Board, Socrate Safo recently discussed the challenges facing the film industry in Ghana. He pointed out that one of the main reasons for the industry’s stagnation is the lack of proper orientation for newcomers.
During an interview on 3FM, Safo expressed his concern that many individuals, including himself, entered the industry driven solely by passion, without a comprehensive understanding of its workings. This lack of knowledge led to numerous difficulties and hindered the industry’s progress.
Safo also highlighted the absence of structured guidance and educational resources as significant issues. He emphasized that many talented individuals are ill-prepared for the industry’s realities due to the lack of necessary orientation.
He emphasized, “The industry isn’t growing as it should; it’s still facing challenges. It all started with ignorance. We made many decisions based on ignorance, which created challenges and setbacks.”
Safo stressed the importance of receiving proper orientation about the industry, stating, “We lacked understanding about the industry; most of us entered without the necessary orientation. We didn’t receive guidance about the industry; we pursued it solely out of passion.”
He added, “You might have the talent, but no one took the time to provide that orientation. No one sat us down and explained, ‘We do this because of ABCD, and we don’t do this because of ABCD’ – that guidance was missing.”