The much talk about film industry which use to be celebrated in the days today has become a shadow of itself. The proliferation of adventures, ‘slay personalities’, novices, ‘dropouts’, aspirants, attention seekers just to name a few with the advent of the digital age has transformed this lovely intellectually creative milieu into a jamboree of ego centrism , hate, infighting, camp-erections and a multitude of overzealous moves that barely sustain the true interest of what an “INDUSTRY” basically represents.
Inspired by how the Hollywood studio system created a wholesome value to the interrelated seventh arts system, created cohesion and projected professionalism to its peak. It wasn’t different with the Nigerian multiple theatrical centers in the 50s which paved ways for the theater ‘dons’ into the mainstream film industry in the early nineties thus adding value to the already groomed ‘filmmakers’ who stormed into the new film digital age with alacrity and tenacity due to their theatrical backbone.
In a country termed “Africa in miniature” with a bi cultural representation and no mainstream system to oversee orientation (training), subventions (Funding) and compensation (copyright) through an organized checks and balance mechanism to contain these bi-cultural entities is a result of this gradual extinction of valuable artists and their lifetime exploited creative works never remunerated.
The counter force of “an industry” is it’s sustainable mechanism put in place to withstand and uphold professionalism in its devise disciplines to create continuity. This created mechanism is capable of attracting potential individuals, institutions and Governments due to its galvanized socio-economic potential to attract investment and do ‘business’ which is the end product of the entertainment industry (“Show-Business”). Without which the artist can’t guarantee livelihood and retain the public respect.
Cameroon is a unique country like her film industry where most of her artists are basically poor while suffering and smiling. Truth be told like in other African countries, we are living a ‘make believe’ lifestyles full of mise en scene like in our movies. Most aspect of our public representation is not even a quarter of whom we propagate in the eyes of our audiences why? We are poor not because we haven’t or are not working hard, it’s simply because the “system” is not well organized to give Ceaser what belongs to him and to God his creative potential He endowed in us.
The time we will realize that individualistic tendencies poised to inflame public attention to our egocentric over zealousness to bring “self-glory” will leave us with the crumbs of our arts at old age and literally nothing to recount to the proceeding generation other than “the industry is still growing” that’s when we will “confirm code” that we are not ready yet to be called “AN INDUSTRY”. It saddens my heart to see an influx of juveniles or youths on social media flaunting negative aspects about themselves to attract public attention in a quest to be incorporated into our mainstream limping industry due to poor orientation and the inability of the industry to systematically manage excesses through intra-modulated principles (laws) which will go a long way to protect these cultural entities.
The time has come for greater retrospection especially the filmmakers by asking these questions to ourselves, where are we coming from? Where are we heading to? After these years of endurance, persistence and hard work what next? Another movie project? After how long? What do you have to show for, is it your pictures on social media? Your movie, series? What’s your benefit after all this energy invested? Was it all about the show-show on social media? What’s your role as an individual or industry to bring social change, evolution to community/ society? The industry? What’s your present contribution to the industry’s growth? How can you contribute? Why don’t we receive the adequate attention we deserve from the public?
I think the remedy to this chaos right away is to first address the issue of “ARTIST SALARY”. Do you know we have a salary? Most of us are unaware that the compensation you receive as “pay” from a production or project is NOT our SALARY. An artist Salary is the AUTHORS RIGHTS he or she benefits after their creative works have been exploited. In Cameroon, it is managed by different corporations which as the case maybe because of ignorance and poor orientation into this prestigious art, filmmakers have been reduced to……..give them a name.
“A hungry man is an angry man” that’s what is responsible for all the antagonism, hate, camps erection for survival, ego centrism and names calling. The day filmmakers (artists) will understand this and orient their energies primarily towards a befitting structure which answers to this very important aspect of their lives as artists is the basis of a leap-forward for the industry. This neglect has given room for a few individuals to hijack artists sweat and swindle it in to the blue.
Ohh I remember when there was still love in the industry, when camp leaders use to be brother-keepers. When their grievances use to be to build, and the love for one another. When there was still profound advice and genuine aspirations not that of self-glory, egocentrism, power- mongery and the list goes on.
How can we turn back the hands of time? Reconcile with those we truly hurt? Accept to learn from those more experienced than us or castigate them?, accepting to be mentored even by those far younger than us? Supporting each other even when deeply we know they are better than us? Bypassing a gang or camps to develop arts even with those we don’t agree with? The answers are all in our individual hearts. Each one of us will choose either to stand with the truth we know that is bitter, unfavorable and painful on our egos to safe the limping film industry or live in our fake malicious verisimilar lies to please ourselves and social media concubines to continue with their empty praises and likes which leaves us hungry after all the fake glamour.
Once every “hungry man” in the industry must have eaten and their stomachs full, all the social inhibiting factors that held the always baby industry in captivity shall be completely eradicated giving room for reintegration in existing camps, and all ego-centric volumes shall be reduced to considerable levels which will accommodate all haters and enhance positive competition and support from each other. Without which we are all wasting our time because the ripple effect of our film ancestors are waiting for us in the days ahead as soon as our heads greys and the prices of dye rises… Guys its high time we re-strategize, the former approach isn’t working at all!
To conclude, my side of the story is not too romantic and glamorous but of persistence, endurance, dedication and of truth. I speak honorably today as a contributor, facilitator and director of the true side of Caesar’s coin. “Let he without sin cast the stone”
Tanwie Elvis De dadies