Sunday, July 25, 2010

The Production

A good week to everyone out there. Not so good week or should I say it has not been a very good month for me. It has in fact been a very harrowing experience to be honest; one I would do well to learn from.

It all began when I was called by a producer through a director friend of mine to do a sixteen day movie production in Ghana. The production was slated to begin on the 28th of June and end on or before the 13th of July. I spoke with the producer, a lady, and on the strength of my relationship with my director friend, agreed to collect my fee when I got to the set. I didn’t think much of this, being excited at the prospect of working with him again and also the thought of working in Ghana again with its friendly people. I told them I had to come in the following day, Tuesday, as I had some work to complete and they agreed. On the Tuesday, I boarded the plane and called the director to let him know I was on my way only for him to tell me he had been trying to reach me the day before to postpone my flight till Friday as they still had some location problems. I was numb. I felt like my stomach had dropped from beneath me. I hadn’t even taken off and now this?! I told him I’d already boarded the plane and couldn’t turn back. And he said to come anyway as there was still choreography rehearsals to do.

I got to the hotel at about eight thirty and was met by the director, my friend, who told me there was no problem since I still had four days to choreograph my movement and learn some basic martial arts moves – it was a martial arts movie – before shoot began on Saturday. The producer came later on that morning and we were introduced to one another and she told me she would come to see me in my room later when she finished talking with the director. I did not see her again that day or the next. I had fun rehearsing though, learning moves that seemed so magical to me before and they were exhilaratingly exhausting. Days passed on to the sixth and then seventh day and still no shoot and were peppered with all sorts of reasons why we hadn’t commenced shoot. With some trouble I managed to get my money and began to wonder why the producer seemed to have no problem burning money on hotel bills and keeping us there doing nothing even after I had told her my days were going by. I had scheduled my projects with other producers for later in the month and the next so I wasn’t particularly bothered. I just knew when my time was up I would have to leave. The hotel where we were was on the outskirts of the city of Accra and to get into town was to grapple with horrendous traffic lasting up to five hours so I busied myself with rehearsing to perfect my character’s moves, studying my scripts for the next projects and browsing at the local internet cafes.

On Wednesday the 7th of July the director and I were moved to another hotel to gain better accessibility to town. We still hadn’t begun shoot. This was a first for me. I had never seen anything like it. The producer never came around and still did not communicate with me. I had asked her once before whether she was comfortable burning her money like that and she said she had everything under control. I thought then afterwards to keep my thoughts to myself. Oh I forgot another kicker! I was told that the Ghanaian minister for arts and culture had announced that every Nigerian artist or crew member would be charged three hundred US dollars for every project he or she worked on in Ghana and so the said amount would be deducted from my fees. I was astonished that such an edict would take effect immediately without me being forewarned about this. In the spirit of goodwill, bemused as I was, I acquiesced. Little was I to know that this was just the tip of the iceberg of things to come in the following days I was to spend there. There were many; armed robbery in my hotel, non payment of hotel bills, my abduction from my hotel in the middle of the night by soldiers among others.

I laugh mirthlessly as I write this because I am still traumatized over my experience in that production in that wonderful country called Ghana. I beg to be let off for now to continue the rest of the story in another post which will be coming up very soon. Have a great week everyone and God bless.

20 comments:

  1. a post on saturday?? hmm unusual.........hope u cool? like u said there is some kind of lesson to be learned from your experience, stay calm and pls no more mirthless laughter; its scary and depressing for both parties am sure , wishing you laughter filled with lots and lots of mirth! .................waiting patiently to read the concluding part. cheers

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  2. Ghana? Please complete the post soon!

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  3. What! My jaw hung to my chest as I read the last bit. My goodness, that must have been very traumatic. Don't tell me all that was cos of the new fees? Hmm...

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  4. so sorry to fear this, Kalu. Thank God you got out safe and sound! Will send you a message on FB

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  5. abducted from your hotel? and by soldiers too? lol...I'm sorry, but that sounds really funny...can't wait for the concluding post

    ...as for that producer and her production...what on earth?!

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  6. I sincerely apologize on behalf of all my ghanaians for this horrific experience you got from Ghana. If you decide not to visit again - we will understand. No one would want to experience what you went through. Its very unusual but it happened and I am sorry it happened. Peace

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  7. I just heard this news today and as a ghanaian I must say i was very heart broken for this horrific experience you received being that this is your first time visiting. ON behalf of my fellow ghanaians and the many fans you have in ghana we truly sincerely apologize for this bad experience. If you decide not to visit again i personally would understand cos i would NEVER want to experience such if i ever visit nigeria. Hope no grudges held. Peace and God Bless.

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  8. OMG, what an experience!! Something is fishing here Kalu. The whole thing looks very odd. I hope there`ll be a genuine explanation.

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  9. Ok i am glad you are back in one piece to niaja abeg reply my text.

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  10. What other explanations would they give? i lived in Ghana and worked there as an actor as well and i know how Nigerian Actors and Actresses were being treated, well Bro thanks you got out safe and you had no Cocaine planted in your room, or have a prostitute planted to hag you down.... enough said.. small word for the wise....

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  11. It looks like a country like Ghana is developing a different profile than what we knew of them before, moreso to a neighbour like Nigeria. The friendliness is being gradually eroded and turned to dislike for anything Nigerian. Even though Countries have the right to issue policies that best suits them, but when it infringes radically on respect for culture and people of a Country like Nigeria that has been one of their best political and economic partners, something must be amiss. I do hope both Countries will have to meet at a top level discussions on how to reduce the ongoing tensions between them, before worse situations arise. A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE.

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  12. Hi K, what an harrowing experience indeed. Sounds really terrifying. As anonymous 10.36 said, thank God you got out safe. So sorry.

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  13. This story sounds like someone didn´t do her homework well. And for the $300 deduction, I hope nollywood has taken note to deduct from gollywood actors/actresses who are working in Nigeria too because I thought the fees was a joke! So sad.

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  14. About the whole incident, take heart. God will surely bless you more.

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  15. kindly be careful next time. unusual from Ghanaians though. Take care.

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  16. Ghana, hmmmmmmmmm! that's all i can say but watch your back. Nigeria isn't a country you can joke with how much more touching our own. be ready for this WAR you have started.

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  17. thank God u came back in one piece dearie and am glad they didnt tamper wit ur fine face.experience they say is d best teacher so b careful nxt time.warm regard dear.

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  18. But why Ghana anyway? What is there in Ghana to be clamoring about?

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  19. oh dear sorry, u'll soon get over it... I hear different stories coming from ghana these days n they r not very nice...its well sha.

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  20. i have been always love to see other countries of africa but im shattered ius it going to be fine by me cause i dont know anyone from ghna or nigeria.

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