My thoughts on Ghana Movie Awards 2013!

I?wish to welcome you all to 2014. I got lots of feedback in the Yuletide about this column. I have an opinion but I love to hear the opinions of others too. I’m already excited about those wonderful words. Like the previous year, I will try to write my mind on issues in 2014 but the most important thing is that I will stay as objective as I can.

By now, most Ghanaians have read that, the 2013 edition of the Ghana Movie Awards, which was also the fourth in the series, was nothing really spectacular. I think that, the organisers didn’t disappoint at all, they only managed to prove their critics right! It was more of confirming to them, what they already knew.

Due to its inability to take place on Christmas Day, December 25, a day that the previous three editions of the awards had taken place, last year’s Ghana Movie Awards became the official show to climax an eventful 2013 for players in the entertainment industry, notably the movie fraternity when it was hosted at the Accra International Conference Centre on December 30.

As I stated above, the awards organised by GP Limited since its inception in 2010 has always been held on December 25. For whatever reasons, the organisers didn’t swap the day or the date as Ghana’s satirist; KSM also puts up his Christmas shows also on the same day as the awards.

The awards didn’t take place on the usual December 25 date because according to the organisers, GP Limited they had contracted South African group, Mafikizolo, the voices behind the hit song Khona for the event. And since the group was going to be busy on Christmas Day, the organisers thought it wise to push the awards to December 30 so that the group can travel to Ghana to be part of the awards. However, the South Africans didn’t show up. Need I say more?

For the first time in four years, this year’s awards looked good. Immediately one entered the main gate of the Conference Centre through the foyer to the main auditorium, the atmosphere and branding were enough to announce the event is the Ghana Movie Awards. Previously, there was little or no branding at all and the set design was nothing to write home about but last year’s was totally different. In fact, the set design looked extremely beautiful. We can only say kudos to the designer, Tony Prince Tomety. It was well attended.

Red Carpet: The purpose of the red carpet was defeated at the Ghana Movie Awards 2013. The red carpet is to enable nominees and very important personalities pose for photographs and also have interviews with designated television stations. This gives an unforgettable experience after the awards. The Ghana Movie Awards red carpet experience was defeated because it wasn’t managed properly. Was there any manager at all?

Since red carpet is not just for anybody to experience, what is done internationally is that, a personality who is familiar with the known faces is placed somewhere close to the red carpet to manage it. He or she okays the known faces or the nominees to be on the red carpet. It goes on till all the celebrities on the night are exhausted.

The red carpet at last year’s awards was left for just anybody to walk on. This made it difficult for the photographers and camera men to capture great shots. The lighting on the red carpet was very poor making it difficult to take good shots.

The organiser of the awards, Phred Nuamah is always travelling to movie awards around the world. I doubt if he is able to ‘steal’ ideas. If he wants the awards to be big as the Oscars, then he must learn to ‘steal’ ideas when he goes abroad.

Award Winners: Many people were not happy with the outcome of the awards because an unreleased movie The Northern Affair picked as many as eight awards on the night which includes the Best Actor award to John Dumelo, the Best Supporting Actress to Joselyn Dumas and co-Best Director to Leila Djansi.

Many still do not think it was a good idea that, a movie which is not released officially is allowed to participate in the awards even though it’s an international practice. The Oscars is 86 years old whiles the Ghana Movie Awards is just four years. Copying Oscars ditto ditto will not be best for the awards. The Ghana Movie Awards and the Oscars may have similar statuettes but they can’t be same. I think unreleased movies should not be accepted as it will create confusion for the still young Ghana Movie Awards.

Rains Beating Patrons: It is true that we have no control over the weather. So like any other natural occurrence, when the rains come, we have to find a way to deal with it. The rains did take some shine off the awards. It was quite annoying however that the security officials at the main entrance to the venue wouldn’t allow patrons to take shelter from the pouring rain. They allowed the rains to beat them.

Commercial Break: One thing about carrying an event live is that, it is well planned. The awards was carried live on TV3 and when there was a commercial break, there was no activity on the stage to entertain the patrons.

I attended the maiden edition of the AfricaMagic Viewers Choice Awards in Nigeria which was also carried live via the AfricaMagic channels on DStv.

There was no dull moment on stage whenever there was a commercial break. Either a comedian or a musician performed to keep patrons entertained. Let’s employ such tactics if we want to do live productions.

Technical Hitches: It was a nightmare sitting through the awards as one technical challenge followed the other. One couldn’t help but ask ‘so when are we going to get it right at all?’

Immediately the organisers got the first awards presentation wrong, it was expected that, problems will follow throughout the awards ceremony and that’s exactly what happened on the night.

Wrong nominee videos were played for wrong award categories leaving the patrons very confused. Sometimes awards are announced before the nominee video is played. It continued like that all night and as a result, the suspense was taken from the awards. All these and more problems affected the beauty of the awards event.

Happy New Year!