TIPTOPSTARS

The President of the Cameroon Filmmakers’ Guild, USA has enjoined movie directors and producers from the Central African country to come on board the organization which according to him, is already railing towards great achievements. Emmanuel Takusi was speaking on Afrikka Radio’s African Cocktail on Wednesday March 26, 2014 and hosted by Ernest Kanjo. Takusi who was main speaker on the show insisted that the Cameroonian film industry cannot be competitive enough if shot callers decide to work on individualistic basis.

Speaking on the 44^th edition of the show, the filmmaker who is producer of the upcoming The Storm said his country’s industry is blessed with very talented young people, many of whom have been making great effort to keep the sector alive. Takusi told the show he has been in a talking process with some of the frontline USA-based Cameroonian filmmakers and hopes that in a not-too-long distant future, everyone will be on board to run the movement with the few who have already taken the commitment.

As to whether the organization nurses plans to set up a production code, the Filmmakers’ Guild boss explained that CFI-USA is taking gradual steps, one after the other and cautiously grasping everything it does in the process just to ensure graving mistakes are not made. A production code is therefore highly considered and expert inputs will be definitely be sourced when the time comes, he mentioned.

Takusi whose ambition is see his country’s seventh art sector grow in movie production quantitatively and quality wise spoke of the importance of training. Within this framework he went further, workshops, seminars and other training forums are envisaged. This does not however mean artists and technicians should not embark on self-training. “They should buy film books, read, take classes in a bid to have a wider scope of knowledge on the art,” he advised. Takusi added: “If we do quality work, sponsors will undoubtedly be attracted.”

Humbly admitting, the main speaker on the show said CFI-USA would benefit a great deal by collaborating with platforms such as the Nollywood and African Film Critics’ Awards, NAFCA, the Golden Icons Academy and Movie Awards, GIAMA where Cameroon has been respectively recognized. To him, there is nothing wrong in opening up and learning from those industries that have succeeded to say the least. Prospects of collaborating with the world’s number one, Hollywood are equally not undermined, Takusi told us.

Takusi who runs Zonetak Studios, a film production outfit, also threw more light on The Storm movie which will officially be released on Saturday March 29, 2014. Starring in the movie, written by Kenneth Ngamne and directed by Obed Joe are some prominent Cameroonian and African actors in the USA including Ken Shally Monette, Mairo Sanda, Mat Atugon, Best Davis, obi Mcbright, etc.

Here is a cut of the African Cocktail interview……