Movie producer and director, Ivan Quashigah, has expressed concern about the surge in online movie piracy on illegal platforms, stressing it poses a risk to the industry’s survival.
The renowned producer also mentioned that Ghana’s film industry has been hindered due to content conspiracy.
He said that relevant stakeholders, including regulatory bodies in the movie industry, should be given additional powers to tackle individuals who manipulate creative professionals’ properties on social media.
Mr. Quashigah added that he believes that this move could further support investor confidence and protect jobs in the film industry.
He said:
“People have found a way to load our content on these platforms for free. Some of the content we have on farmhouse movies, and DStv, among others, where people were supposed to pay and watch are being downloaded and shown for free.
“Piracy of our content has a negative impact on our economy and our creative professional’s ability to make meaningful earnings. If investors perceive us as a country that has no regard for the protection of intellectual property, they may not have the confidence to come in to invest”.
Ivan Quashigah
He further added:
“A giant like DStv should lead us the smaller production companies that are suffering from this piracy to take legal action. What we have to do now is to sue these platforms. When we start, maybe Nigeria could also join us because it is happening all over Africa. When they realize that this action will cost them a lot of money, they will begin to operate like the way YouTube does where you copyright your content and upload it on their site, and when someone infringes, they take it down.
“I have an app, Farmhouse Movies, where I produce content for people to pay and watch. I spend a lot of money to put this together and others put it out there for people to watch for free, you are collapsing the market and then they will come back and tell us the movie industry is dead”.
Ivan Quashigah
Ivan Quashigah says products in film placements should be considered
The Chief Executive Officer of Farmhouse Productions, Ivan Quashigah, urged corporate institutions to take advantage of film to market their products.
He said:
“Corporate organizations should also look at the film sector. It’s going to be a very vibrant film sector. And the structures that are being put in place led by the National Film Authority will make Ghana the hub for film production in Africa.
“So corporate organizations should look as film as a space that they can work in. To start with, they can think about product placement. The National Film Authority has a comprehensive program for product placement”.
Ivan Quashigah
Mr. Quashigah is of the firm belief that the measure currently being implemented by the National Film Authority will promote the development of the movie industry. According to him, the country’s film industry is pregnant with huge potential that needs serious investment.
With the help of Investors, the Ghana movie industry will grow and become better than before.
He said the movie sector appears to have been neglected at the expense of other creative sectors in recent times, such as skit makers and others.
The filmmaker, however, said that things are starting to change and that businesses should start looking at investing in the sector.
Mr. Ivan Quashigah is hopeful that with the right investment in the movie industry, Ghana will make substantial progress as a major player in film production on the continent and beyond.
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