Sunday 12 January 2014

It’s sweet working with girls - Adjetey Anang

Popular actor Adjetey Anang has told 'News-One'
that he finds it convenient and exciting working with
female filmmakers.
Adjetey, who was known as ‘Pusher’ in the TV series,
‘Things We Do For Love’, said female filmmakers are
flexible to work with.
He said the Female filmmakers are understanding
and treat their cast and crew with some decorum.
Pusher is married to Elorm, a beautiful lady he met
on the set of ‘Things We Do For Love’.
“It’s sweet. It is sweet, that’s the word. It’s sweet
working with female filmmakers because despite the
fact that they are very strong and they want to be
strong because they know that people can easily take
advantage of them, they have soft-spots.
They are more understanding.
“They are like mothers.
Even when they have challenges, they will ask of your
opinion, than the guys who will be like, hey this is my
way, just do it.
There is always a slight difference when it comes to
that human rapport. So yeah it is sweet working with
female filmmakers,” he told NEWS-ONE at the
media preview of his latest movie, ‘Announcement’.
Adjetey has worked with a number of Ghanaian
female producers and directors including award-
winning Shirley Frimpong- Manso on projects like ‘A
Sting In A Tale’, ‘Adams Apples’ and the recently,
‘Potomanto’, among others.
He also worked with Habiba Nelson on her
‘Masquerades’ film and subsequently with actress
Kafui Danku on ‘Letters To My Mother’.
His latest movie, ‘Announcement’, which premieres at
the National Theatre in Accra on January 31, was
also produced and directed by filmmaker Evelyn
Robinson, who is making her debut in Ghana’s movie
industry after studying filmmaking in the UK.
He described working with Evelyn as “refreshing.”
The new movie tells the story of Harriet, the 11-
year-old daughter of Rev. Martin Sam, who was
kidnapped by Samuel Mama, a young man who
managed to break out of prison seven years into his
life sentence.
Samuel Mama asked Rev. Sam to make a public
announcement that he committed the crime for
which (Samuel Mama) was imprisoned if he wants his
daughter alive.
Also in this movie are David Dontoh, Anthony Woode,
Doris Sackitey, Kafui Danku, Amanda Jissih, Fred
Amugi, Albert Jackson-Davis and Peter Ritchie,
among others.
Source: News-One

Ghana Djs Awards 2014(Full list of categories)

Full list of the 2014 Ghana DJ Awards Categories:
• Best DJ of the Year
• Lifetime Achievement Award
• Best International Non-Ghanaian DJ
• Best International Ghanaian DJ
• DJ Discovery of the Year
• Best Event DJ
• Artiste DJ of the Year
• Scratch DJ of the Year
• Best Mobile DJ of the Year
• Mitxtape of the Year
• Best Video Jockey of the Year
• Club MC of the Year
• Night Club DJ of the Year
• Best Campus DJ of the Year (New)
• Best Female Radio DJ of the Year
• Best Male Radio DJ of the Year
• Best Female DJ of the Year
• DJ’s Song of the Year (DJ’s Choice) (New)
• Reggae/Dancehall DJ of the Year
• Best Hip Life DJ of the Year
• High Life DJ of the Year
• DJ Mixtape of the Year

Ghana DJ Awards To Announce Nominees January 18

Come Saturday 18 January, the
nominees for the 2014 Ghana DJ Awards will be
announced at a special ceremony in Accra under
the theme Rhythm Nation, organizers Merqury
Republic have announced.
Set to hold at Club 45, formally XL, Ghana DJ
Awards main launch will officially unveil the
nominees for the 2014 awards and also throw light
on the main awards gala amidst performances by
DJ Mic Smith, DJ Gospol, Keche, DJ Master J and
Richie Mensah.
“We are thrilled to bring Ghana DJ Awards to life
in such an exciting way to the music industry, DJs
and fans”, says Merqury Quaye, founder of the
Awards.
Generating suspense and excitement on social
media, Ghana DJ Awards 2014 stems to be the
first major entertainment event of the year.
With 23 award categories including a Lifetime
Achievement Award and Best International DJ Of
The Year, the scheme is expected to draw DJs from
across the country and beyond for awards and
recognition.
Last year’s event held on February 15 saw Joy FM’s
DJ Black sweep three awards including the ultimate
Best DJ of the Year award whilst Kwesi Kyei
Darkwa and Tommy Annan Forson won honorary
awards.
GHANA DJ AWARDS 2014 will be held in honor of
the country’s most hardworking and dedicated Disk
Jockeys who promote Ghanaian culture through
music, as well as non Ghanaian DJs who promote
Ghana music and skillfully play music to entertain
music lovers in Ghana and other parts of the world.
This year, one song DJs would vote as their most
played in 2013 will be adjudged DJs’ Song Of The
Year.
According to Merqury Republic, The main awards
event will hold within the first quarter of 2014.

Ghanaian Music Group Gallaxy explains why they went local

Ghana’s budding Afrobeat and Highlife duo Gallaxy
has finally explain why they switched to wearing of
African fabric as part of their branding. The ‘Wodo
Nti’ hit makers finally uncovered the secret when
they made an appearance on Etv Ghana’s ‘The Late
Nite Celebrity Show’ on Wednesday 1st January
2014 hosted by Giovani who was then sitting in for
the regular host Leila.
According to Gallaxy their sudden switch was
influenced by the kind of music they do. “Highlife
and Afrobeat” ,which are indigenously Ghanaian
and African at large? However, there is the need
to portray the origin of the genre and style of
their music.
Commenting on their brand name, Gallaxy debunk
the public sentiment that; they are taking
advantage of the Samsung brand ‘Galaxy’ to get
the popularity they want. In response they said;
“our name Gallaxy was coined from the scientific
word ‘Galaxy’ meaning a group of stars
representing the unique talent we both brought
together as a group” . They continue to add that,
they came together as a group during their days in
senior high school somewhere 2005 and Samsung
commercially released their Galaxy brand in 2009
which is not long ago.
Gallaxy is undoubtedly one of the fastest rising
music groups currently.They officially came into
the music industry in 2012 and they are doing
marvelously well with major radio and television
appearances and have good songs to their credit
under the management of Tema based Harbour
City recordz. Their latest Afrobeat release
BokoBoko(Slowly) is currently enjoying massive
airplay both in Ghana,Nigeria and other parts of
the continent.
Gallaxy on the social media
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Gallaxygh
Instagram: www.instagram.com/Gallaxygh
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GallaxyGH1
Music: www.reverbnation.com/Gallaxygh
Videos: www.youtube.com/GallaxyOfficial

Source: Afia English

Juliet Asante believes in Ghana film school and African movies


Juliet Asante; a Harvard University graduate, an
entrepreneur, a women's rights advocate, a
contributor to the Huffington Post and a lover of
film making believes the African film industry has
the potential to surpass itself and surprise many a
sceptic.
The actress, producer director and writer said this
in a conversation we had about her firm Eagle
Productions Limited and its latest brand; Mobile
Fliks, with which she is embarking on the production
of 5-10 minutes long film for adaptation to mobile
phones.
During our chat we talked about the African film
making industry with reference to Nollywood; the
Nigerian movie industry, which is the second largest
in the world today. She also shed some light on
Ghana's National Film and Television Institute
(NAFTI).
As an entrepreneur, Juliet still has hopes for NAFTI
and believes it could reach higher and churn more
quality productions and students if the public and
private sectors step in to help improve its
infrastructure quickly to enable it relive its glory
days.
NAFTI could be saved if the fact that its standards
needs improving is recognized quickly and
appropriately remedied to enable it become one of
the best film schools in Africa again she believes.
Even though governments in Africa are not equipped
with the expertise to help develop the movie making
industry, Juliet believes they can still play a major
role in its growth by providing an enabling
environment within which the industry can thrive.
This can be done by showing some level of interest
and also making it less tedious and cumbersome for
players in the sector to access resources like loans
and other things needed to take the industry to
where it really belongs--the top.
A lot of Africa's stories have not been told,
especially by Africans and in reference to a personal
example, Juliet mentions her attempts to make a
biopic on the life and legacy of Yaa Asantewaa, an
Ashanti female warrior who lived through 1840 to
1921. She was appointed Queen Mother of Ejisu in
then Ashanti Empire of now Ghana.
Recalling her experience, Juliet explained how she
simply could not find enough materials to build the
story in the way she really wanted it to be and how
the mere lack of information was enough to kill her
desire to tell the story of Yaa Asantewaa. Juliet was
named after the Queen Mother who in the 1900's led
the Ashanti rebellion against the British in the fight
to protect the legendary Golden Stool.
In praise of Nollywood, the Harvard graduate
acknowledged it has done such a great job of
disseminating a lot of African contents into the
international movie world. Juliet believes Africa can
do further by investing in telling a lot more of the
stories about the positives and greats of the
continent that the West is oblivious about.
With the right people in place and the desire for
change, the movie industry in Africa has the
potential to even surprise its expectations because
these are exciting times for the continent and we
must seize the moment and opportunity to shine in
all aspects she said.
Source: Oral Ofori