The Ghallywood African Film Academy located at Dawa near Prampram has held its third graduation ceremony during which 450 skilled youth graduated from the academy.
This follows three months of intense theory and practical training in film production which falls under the Film Production module of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).
These young and fresh film graduates are expected to go back to their communities across the ten regions to begin working as TV, films and documentary producers and will join the first two batches who had graduated from the film academy.
Under the programme, graduates from the regional and district networks and network includes actors, directors, make-up artistes, scriptwriter and cameramen and receive the high quality technical equipment to make a complete video production from the beginning to the end, and then market their productions, though Ghallywood continues to support them with editing and advise on production.
Welcoming guests to the ceremony the President of Ghallywood, William Akuffo highlighted the importance of students’ contribution to the growing Ghanaian film industry.
According to him “In Ghana we have struck oil but with these students we have struck gold” adding that since the first graduation in 11 movies and three documentaries have been produced for sale and in the last year. He noted that a new batch of about 450 students will be taking their place in the school and go through a three month intensive training on directing, scriptwriting, modeling, acting, movie making by skilled and legendary Evans Hunter and Abeiku Sagoe.
Mr. Akuffo called on the Government to support the school and expressed gratitude to the NYEP, Ghallywood and students for what they have done. Prof Atukwei Okai, who was the special guest of honour noted that film industry is the richest in the world and the most sustainable industry in the whole world adding that in th efface of the global meltdown only the entertainment sector was not destroy.
He called for a professional approach to distribution adding that a film commission is also needed to regulate and source support for both the private and public sectors. The minister for Youth and Sports on his part said the description of Ghana as the gateway into Africa was no fluke saying it was as a result of deliberate programmes put in the place.
He said branding of Ghana was a major focus of the tourism and trading projects of government. He commended the trainees and urged them not only aim at making just any film but rather aim at competing with the best. The national coordinator of the NYEP also commended the school for its achievement.
