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leila djansi at tribeca“Slayers will always slay! Yvonne Nelson is totally wrong and she misunderstood the Era we are now! The Era of showbiz glamour sparkling across the Oscar’s, Grammy, Golden Globes, BAFTA, Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film festival, Berlin Film festival, AMVCA, etc.

The sum total of everything that’s wrong with the Ghana film industry presently can be found in this quote above.

I’d like to start by asking, which Ghanaian films, or films by Ghanaians have made it to Globes, Oscars, Cannes and the Venice film festivals? Unfortunately, the answer is none. Sinking Sands played at Marche Du Film at Cannes, but Marche due Film is a market where you screen for potential buyers. It’s not official. We wore jeans and T-shirts.

The Oscars and Cannes have earned the right to honor glamour. Ghana film industry has not. Cannes and Venice film festivals have become avenues for companies; automobile companies, event companies, fashion houses and brands to advertise their products. That is why Gucci will dress an actor on the red carpet. That is why Audi will chauffeur Sophia Coppla at Cannes. The glamour and fashion at these high profile events are all enshrined in advertising, product placement.

If my memory serves me right, the Ghanaian filmmakers and filmmakers of Ghanaian descent, who have been blessed to officially walk red carpets at industry recognized film festivals did so in clothes sewn by their seamstresses in Ghana. It did not diminish them in anyway.

This is how I presented Like Cotton Twines at the Bentonville film Festival.Leila Djansi

The Ghana film industry does not need financial injection; neither does it need slayers, neither is it dead.

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Ghana filmmakers have money. I say that because I see their lifestyles. Affluent lifestyles. If you are able to purchase and drive a range rover, you should also be able to finance a film because Ghana is cash and carry and that’s a 70,000 dollar car. I think.

Black Star International Film Festival returns to Accra, August 18- 21

The problem is not money, the problem is distribution.

Ghana has a mere 6 -10 screens at the cinema level. You are competing with foreign films for those few screens. You are also dealing with biased cinema bookers. Producers are negotiating the screens themselves, not through a distributor. The share is 70/30 in favor of the cinema after 2 weeks.

Nigeria currently has 60 plus screens if I am not wrong, and they use distributors to aggregate their films to the cinemas. It’s not a walk in the park. It has its pros and cons. The dividends are shared from the top and the producer is at the bottom. But, it saves the filmmaker some hustle.

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Nigeria has the population to back it up. You’ll fit Ghana into Nigeria 6 times and there’ll be overflow. But filmmakers from both countries make films on comparable budgets and Ghana has less distribution. It’s not easy when they take their films to Nigeria either because publicity becomes another cost they have to incur.

Nigerians are very good at investing and supporting each other. Ghana is not the same. If Bank A sponsors a Nigerian filmmaker, he tells his friends and they all go to bank A for sponsorship. If Bank A sponsors a Ghanaian filmmaker, he hides that information from all his colleagues. He doesn’t want anyone to know bank A sponsored otherwise bank A will sponsor others and maybe leave him out. Trust and insecurity. That’s the crabs in a bucket mentality. The mentality you have when you have very little and you’re afraid to share.

Ghana needs distribution structures. Opera square works for opera square. Opera Square cannot accommodate or does not want to accommodate evolving markets and forms. They are used to a certain way that guarantees them profit and some under the table gains from government, levies and bully taxes. They are not going to change. Opera Square is bread. Asking them to conform is taking away that bread.

Distributors do not pay well. Ghana and Nigerian filmmakers will have an advantage if they start looking into sales agencies. It doesn’t matter what part of the world they’re in. Do not worry about sharing your sale. It’s the nature of the business. Film festivals are not for recognition. Sales agents are there. Seek them out. Whether your film is selected or not, you should go and look for buyers and reps.

 

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THE SLAYERS

Yvonne Nelson has a point.

An actor is called to play someone who grew up in small town Volta Region. The actor wants to wear designer shoes, change them often, speak with an American accent, and behave as someone exposed to the elite of the world. The character calls for the exact opposite of what this person wants to do. What then happens to the film? It fails to have soul.

It’s all about the red carpet. It’s all about the delusions of grandeur. The fear of playing something that is not grand. The fear of connecting to ones core because that is not the ‘slayer” image. The fear of connecting to a real human being because that is not the instagram persona created.

Groundbreaking black historical fantasy film, 'Forever Tree' taps M.anifest for music

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I once had an actress tell me the make-up used on her was too dark, that people knew her to be light skinned. I said, “You’re not playing yourself though”. She was not happy!

Another time I had another actress give me a hard time with her performance. I got tired and decided to move on. With the close ups, she did great! When I asked her why, she said “I saved my best performance for my close up”. I stammered, “What about continuity in the edit? Did you consider that? On big screen, everything is close”.

Then you have the actor whose rendition of a Ghanaian accent was to speak like a toddler. But yet she was born, raised and lives in Ghana.

I use these examples to say these actors were all thinking about one thing: Others. The fans. The slayer worshipers. The Instagram followers. The social media persona they needed to abide by.

The focus on slaying takes away from delving deep and becoming someone else. Unless of course that someone embodies Olivia Pope. Those are the roles slayers like. Range rover driving, high heels wearing, Gucci purse carrying. Rich girl. Those are the roles slayers like to play. When you ask them to do what Ama K Abebrese did with Pabi, or Adepero Oduye in Pariah, you’ve asked them to find someone too close to who they really are. It’s too much work, too much sacrifice.

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There is nothing wrong with slaying. But earn it. Earn it by doing amazing work so Cannes will INVITE you. VENICE will INVITE you. Oscars will INVITE you. Buying your own ticket and renting cars and clothes to go slay, there’s no reason in that.

What are you seeking the attention for? Is it because you have no love? Trust me, someone loves you. That’s why you are here.

The last thing you want to become is a narcissist and this industry easily turns us into that. “Narcissists are consumed with maintaining a shallow false self to others. They’re emotionally crippled souls that are addicted to attention. Because of this they use a multitude of games, in order to receive adoration”. Sharon Alder

Remember, there is danger in overexposure. You lose interest.

IS IT DEAD?

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Not exactly. The Ghana film industry is going through a phase. It’s looking for itself. People are looking for the best way to survive. There’s hate, there rancor, there’s jealousy, there’s lies, there is sabotage, there’s fabricating stories to ruin anyone doing well, there’s greed. Till date it baffles me that someone spent time, called studios to ask whether Ties That Bind was a Hollywood film. The sabotage. But, in all of these, there is hope.

Yvonne Nelson vs Lydia Forson…who nailed the seductive look better?

Ghanaians abroad are coming home to work from outside in. Ghanaians within are looking for lucrative forms.

 

I believe if the distribution issue can be solved, things will get much better. Netflix opening up in Africa offered hope, but there seems to a buying bias and some deception. Which is why sales agents will be a way out. Keep your budgets low enough to recoup, remember, the distributors need your content. Don’t settle for 5000 dollars for your brand new film from any of them. Push them. They have more. If filmmakers have to unite and come up with a rate card, so should it be. I know, some will go behind the united front and take the 5000. You always have those.

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Here is a link to some film sales agents: http://www.ifta-online.org/member-directory. Reach out to them.

PIRACY.

You can’t close this out without talking about piracy. The youth own computers not for their assignments, but for pirating films. They own hard drives for storing pirated films. The internet is for torrent, facebook, etc. TV stations show pirated films with impunity. No one holds anyone accountable. You can’t ask filmmakers to make better films when in the end you will not buy but pirate the film.

You can’t ask for films about Kwame Nkrumah and Yaa Asantwaa when you will not buy but rather pirate.

Then you have the “Ghana films lack creativity” people. What does that phrase even mean? If I paint rainbow colors on my nails, that’s being creative. You can never, ever accuse Ghanaian filmmakers of that. Ghana has been making films since 1967. Ghanaian filmmakers have been creating since that time.

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If you mean the films are not ‘good”. That’s a better word, and your opinion. Good is relative. If we continue to lump all films as one and brand them as not good, we’ll have the lemon problem.

So much goes into making good films. It’s teamwork. You need financial resources, human resources, and emotional resources. What the industry needs for making good films is training and watching good films. Our francophone neighbors make the best films out of Africa. Those are the type of films we need to consume.

Above all, art is life, if your motives are not right, it will not breathe for you. Your motives behind the story you’re telling need to be pure. It should not be abut the money and the praise you stand to gain. Tell an honest story. The crew needs to be committed to the project, not jump on because it’s a red camera. Respect the project and it will reciprocate.

The industry is not dead. It needs reform. It needs people like Yvonne Nelson and Juliet Ibrahim talking and engaging folks on twitter. It needs a lot more people talking, because I kid you not, we are all listening!

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Gavi and UNICEF welcome approval of new oral cholera vaccine

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Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF welcome the news that a new oral cholera vaccine (OCV), Euvichol-S, has now received WHO prequalification and can be made available to countries around the world. The prequalification of this new product will help EuBiologics, the manufacturer, produce more volumes of vaccine, faster, and at a lower cost – a key step to expanding supply amidst the ongoing acute global upsurge of cholera outbreaks.

Today’s approval will help increase the overall supply of OCV available in 2024, with approximately 50 million doses now forecasted to be available to the global stockpile this year, compared to 38 million in 2023. Euvichol-S is an important product innovation: a simplified formulation of Euvichol-Plus that reduces the number of vaccine components – delivering a vaccine that studies have shown remains equally effective against key cholera serogroups while lowering production cost and complexity – thus allowing for larger volumes to be produced faster.

Cholera has been surging globally since 2021, with high case fatality rates despite availability of simple, effective and affordable treatment. The large number of outbreaks has led to unprecedented demand for vaccines from impacted countries. While global OCV supply has increased eighteen-fold between 2013 and 2023, the large and sustained spike in demand has put a strain on the global stockpile of OCV. Partners and countries are working urgently on cholera response, prevention and control measures in the face of this crisis, and have called on countries, manufacturers and others to support. Most recently, Gavi, UNICEF and partners announced the largest ever global deployment of cholera diagnostics to support surveillance and response.

“Prequalification of Euvichol-S represents a lifeline for vulnerable communities around the world,” said Dr Derrick Sim, Managing Director of Vaccine Markets & Health Security at Gavi. “Every vaccine dose delivered through Gavi programmes today represents years of planning and investment to shape the market so supply matches countries’ needs. The approval of this new product could not have come at a more important time given the acute upsurge of cholera outbreaks we are seeing worldwide. We commend EuBiologics for their role in ensuring countries around the world have access to cholera vaccine as part of their response toolkit.”

EuBiologics is currently the only supplier of OCV to the global stockpile, although other manufacturers are expected to have products available in the coming years. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance works to shape the OCV market, and funds the global stockpile of OCV doses, along with transport and vaccination activities in lower-income countries. UNICEF leads on procurement and delivery of doses to countries. Use of the stockpile for emergency response is overseen by the International Coordinating Group for Vaccine Provision (ICG), led by WHO.

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“Despite cholera being preventable and easily treatable, children continue to suffer from this potentially fatal disease. UNICEF has already secured access to all the available doses of the just-approved vaccine and will deliver these to the countries at the highest possible speed,” said Leila Pakkala, Director of UNICEF Supply Division. “The approval means that UNICEF can increase the procurement and delivery of cholera vaccines by more than 25%, pushing back harder on deadly cholera outbreaks.”

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Isap Music Drops ‘Naomi’ As First Single of The Year

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Ghanaian Hip-Life/Hip-Hop artiste, Isap Music has today officially released his premiere single of the year, “Naomi” on all digital streaming platforms.

The new single is an Afrobeats record that boarders on the thin line between love and obsession.

Isap Music opens with a reassurance for that special someone as he plans to put a ring on her finger soon. His sweet-singing voice together with the charming lyrics not only wins the heart of “Naomi,” but the listener as well.

On the DCM Records produced track, Isap Music brings a different energy to his first single of 2024, building a strong anticipation for subsequent releases as the year progresses.

However, until then, “Naomi” is simply one of the best Ghanaian Afrobeats songs released so far this year.

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Isap Music’s spectacular performance on the two minutes 27 seconds track has everything; vocals, lyrics, storytelling and ad-libs, all on point.

It’s hard to believe such a good song was produced from another person’s experience but that is exactly how the song came to life.

In an online interview with Amplify Ghana, Isap Music disclosed that “Naomi” was inspired by a friend.

“The love song was actually inspired by a friend who was so much into his girl that he couldn’t stay a day without hearing her voice,” he said.

The latest single comes after his collaboration with 2022 VGMA Best Rap Performance award winner Lyrical Joe, Suuparstar TZ and Siicie on “Yesu Frɛwo” released last year.

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Isap Music is one of the exciting new voices in the music scene. This new release, “Naomi” continues his streak of superb releases. Gaining recognition as one of the few street preachers, Isap Music’s versatility as an artist is of no doubt. He continues to share different messages and produce bangers in many genres.

“Naomi” by Isap Music is currently available on all digital streaming platforms.

Listen to “Naomi”

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Immediate Nexus: Your Gateway to Free Investment Education in 2024

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Within the ever-changing financial environment, it’s an issue of immense importance that an investor remains at the forefront. Immediate Nexus is a beacon that avails the indispensable resources and insight to navigate an investor through manning the complexities in investment come 2024 and thereafter. Let’s delve into why immediate-nexus-ai.com is your ultimate gateway to free investment education in 2024.

Understanding Immediate Nexus: Your Gateway to Free Investment Education in 2024

It is nothing less than a whole ecosystem to be built with the idea of allowing investors at different levels of experience to obtain the knowledge and tools needed to gain a foothold in this business. Whether you are a seasoned investor or one learning the ropes of how to dabble in the finance world, the Immediate Nexus has got your back.

The Evolution of Investment Education

Traditional teachings of investment have a very short shelf life due to the fast pace with which technology and the trend of the global markets move. Immediate Nexus fills that need by providing modern investors with current, readily accessible, practical information.

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Free Resources for All

But what really strikes the most is the kind of free education toward all people without having any expense of seminars or the elite high-cost memberships. Truly, Immediate Nexus advocates that financial literacy should be made available to all, no matter where you come from or belong in terms of background or current financial status.

Expert Insights and Analysis

Investment can be cumbersome to wade through, especially for beginners. Immediate Nexus makes it easier with an expert insight and analysis curated from none but the best sources. Be it market trends or effective investment strategies, everything is there to make your decision wise.

Harnessing the Power of Community

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It doesn’t need to be a lonely journey. Immediate Nexus is a dynamic, live community where investors network, share ideas, and draw wisdom from one another. That interactive approach makes it conducive to learning at the same time, availing valuable networking opportunities.

Why Choose Immediate Nexus?

While Immediate Nexus may be a new kind of educational platform, in many ways, it is poised to soon become the go-to solution for those seeking to grow and succeed in the world of investing. Here are ten great reasons why you need to make it your go-to resource this year.

  • Holistic Content: From the guidelines of a beginner investor to the strategies which are to be followed at an advanced level, Immediate Nexus encompasses and provides information relevant to every single stage an investor might be in.
  • User-Friendly Interface: The platform friendliness comes with ease of navigating through the site, intuitive design, and a friendly interface.
  • Timely Updates:** Actual happenings in the capital and financial markets, economic development, and investment opportunities.
  • Interactive Learning: Engjson Quizzes, Interactive Tutorials, and Live Webinars assist learners in polishing skills and strengthening their learning.
  • Community of Trust: Be a part of an elite community of like-minded investors, share knowledge and support each other in growth.

Conclusion

Your Gateway to Free Investment Education in 2024 is not a platform—it’s a revolution, an immediate nexus revolutionizing ways people think about investment education. Equip your financial future with all the expert insights and resources that you would have needed, including a lively community. Join the movement today and take your first steps toward financial freedom.

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Mastering Bitcoin Trading: The BitLQ Matrix Advantage: A Path to Financial Freedom

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The financial opportunities, though, in mastering the trading Bitcoin are huge in this dynamic world of cryptocurrency. BitLQ Matrix strategy stands like a beacon of assurance and profitability among the myriad strategies available. This paper, therefore, seeks to detail the encapsulated greater benefits within the bitlq.app Matrix and illustrate how one could optimize his trading to achieve financial freedom.

Understanding Bitcoin Trading

Bitcoins are the first and leading cryptocurrency ever to evolve, and it altered the thinking of how the world used to look at finances. Bitcoin trading is a process through which one can speculate on the price movements of them and, in turn, takes home profits by analyzing the markets and makes a deciding move. Trading in bitcoins is very demanding in nature since it is very unpredictable. Good knowledge and strategic acumen are expected to surge through the market fluctuations victoriously.

Embracing the BitLQ Matrix Advantage

Mastering Bitcoin Trading: The BitLQ Matrix Advantage

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The BitLQ Matrix is not some trading strategy but a whole, complete framework aiming to trade optimal results while controlling risks most efficiently. This revolutionarily uses LQ to guide traders through informed considerations in making decisions for the best possible profits with the least possible vulnerability to market volatility.

Liquidity: The Backbone of Trading Success

Liquidity is the base that underlies any trading pursuit to support transactional ease and participation in the market. Priority to the BitLQ Matrix trade is given, executed seamlessly without slippage, or at least at the most minimal level, for the efficient trade execution at the best entry and exit levels.

Quantity: Balancing Risk and Reward

In this respect, good risk management becomes highly imperative while trading in Bitcoins, and with the BitLQ Matrix, there is a good balance since traders can put in the emphasis on the importance of trade quantity. By doing so, the traders will accurately calibrate the position sizes to market conditions and the risk-taker’s risk-bearing ability to ensure they make a better risk-reward ratio and protect the capital from likely losses.

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Quality: Elevating Trading Standards

Quality, in this case, regards the level of trades executed within BitLQ Matrix. This gives traders the opportunity to spike up their trading standards further, promoting the desired consistency and profitability from their undertakings.

Unveiling the Benefits

The BitLQ Matrix offers a plethora of benefits to traders seeking to master Bitcoin trading:

  • Increased Precision: With these details of liquidity, quantity, and quality at disposal, traders can be able to execute their trades with pinpoint accuracy, zero error tolerance, and hence reap all the profitability possible in their trades.
  • Risk Mitigation: The strategy of risk management integrated into BitLQ Matrix enables traders to be in a position where they could avert their possible losses and preserve capital in times of market downturn.
  • Consistent Profjson: The BitLQ Matrix principles will assure that you profit on a consistent basis, fostering sustainability for long-time success in trade.

Conclusion

This exciting journey into Bitcoin trading within the BitLQ Matrix soon turns into an adventure of financial independence and prosperity in one of the most lively and fast-changing cryptocurrency markets. You apply liquidity, quantity, and quality principles toward revealing limitless opportunities for profit multiplication and growth sustainability. Seize the advantage today and embark on your path to financial freedom with the BitLQ Matrix.

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Nana Quasi-Wusu Celebrates 10 Years In Broadcasting

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Renowned multiple Award winning Ghanaian media personality and a Humanitarian, Nana Quasi-Wusu, popularly known as PM, commemorates a decade in media as a broadcast journalist filled with exceptional stories and excellence. (more…)

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BLISS GVS PHARMA GHANA DONATES MEDICINES AGAIN TO CAPE COAST TEACHING HOSPITAL

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Spearheading the initiative for the fourth consecutive year, Bliss GVS Pharma’s campaign, “Act for Africa: A Malaria-Free Continent,” aims to provide crucial medical support to combat malaria, particularly in vulnerable communities.

In a significant stride towards eradicating malaria from the African continent, Bliss GVS Pharma Ghana reaffirms its commitment to corporate social responsibility by donating over GHC 250,000 worth of medicines to Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and Winneba Trauma Hospital to commemorate approaching World Malaria Day 2024.

The gesture underscores Bliss GVS Pharma’s dedication to ensuring that every individual gets access to high-quality medicines, particularly in regions heavily burdened by malaria. The donation encompasses anti-malarial and other essential medicines like LONART, GSUNATE, Fricks, Gacet and many more.

The driving force behind this noble vision is the Managing Director of Bliss GVS Pharma, Mr. Gagan Sharma. His unwavering belief in the fundamental right to healthcare motivates the company’s endeavours to make a tangible difference in the fight against malaria.

Pharm Rosemary, the representative of Bliss GVS Pharma, underscored the company’s steadfast commitment to malaria eradication, she said it is our social duty to contribute towards ensuring that no one is deprived of essential healthcare, especially in the battle against diseases like malaria. Through our ‘Act for Africa’ campaign, we aim to play our part in making Africa a malaria-free continent.”
Dr. Eric Kofi Nyedu, Chief Executive Officer of Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, who lead a delegation to receive the items expressed profound gratitude for Bliss GVS Pharma’s benevolent gesture, stating, ” We’re grateful for Bliss GVS Pharma’s generous antimalarial and other essential medicines donation, which strengthens our ability to treat patients, especially during peak malaria season and health outreaches in villages around the Cape Coast enclave. We have identified that Bliss GVS is dedication to improving community health through our partnership and we will always recommend them”
The donation of GHC 276,000 worth of medicine symbolizes Bliss GVS Pharma’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and its belief in the transformative power of collective action. By partnering with healthcare institutions such as the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and Winneba Trauma Hospital, the company endeavours to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve access to malaria treatments.

In addition, the students of the Cape Coast Nursing and Midwifery College were engaged in a health talk where resource persons equipped them with topics on personal and vaginal hygiene, malaria prevention, and spread.
On World Malaria Day 2024, as the global community unites to amplify efforts against malaria, Bliss GVS Pharma Ghana stands as a beacon of hope, illuminating the path towards a healthier, malaria-free future for Africa.

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