HOW CAN WE BREED MORE HYBRID ACTORS?

Your imagination will run wild because you don’t know what a hybrid actor is.  Ghana film industry is divided into two blocks. The English language block and the local language block.                  Largely the English movies come from Accra and the local from Kumasi. An actor or actress that features successfully in both industries is the hybrid actor.

When the wheel of thought is spin only few names come up, Nana Ama McBrown is one.  Actors by their training possessed trait to act in the two categories except for those who have difficulty with the language. The situation has been compounded by filmmakers who have stereotype actors to specific roles. Where one sheep goes the others follow. Once cast for a particular role you will always play similar role in other movies. Which magic wand can be used to get out of the stereotype barrel?

     

Now that we have some actors moving in as producers and directors we can earnestly hope they contribute towards breeding the hybrids. The light has been shown by Van Vicker who cast Agya Koo in Jonnie Walker (2013).

 

The industry stands to benefit more when the hybridization continues. This will not only strengthen the bond between the two industries but will also broaden the market base for the movie. Irrespective of the language barrier we can look up to the Chinese and India movies. These movies are acted in their own languages making sales possible in the rural and urban centres. They again have sales internationally.  So why can’t the Ghana film industry do the same?

 

We seem to cherish more to be at each others throat and to protect our exclusive zones. Shouting at each other, I am Opera square! But I am Kejetia! The various association established to safe guard interests are bitterly differentiating themselves by their region instead of adopting a hybrid attitude.

I perceive you don’t need that much capital to shot a film of a hybrid cast. We should endeavour to promote hybrid films, for the sake of the industry, for the unity of the industry and for later generation.  

 

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