They brought us the beautiful beginning to what would have a glorious epic trilogy but recent developments show that the partnership behind "I Sing of Well" was not meant to be.
Following the Daily Guide newspaper publication concerning the fallout from the movie and the subsequent reply from Akorfa Asiedu, film maker, Leisa Djansi has come out to clear the air about certain misconceptions in the Ghanaian media.
According to Leila, she spoke to the newspaper because she wants to disassociate herself from the work. Not because it is bad but, she just wants nothing more to do with it. �The partnership has to be dissolved. I won't say why. Too much has happened that I will not divulge and it is in my best interest to walk away. I can't buy peace of mind in a store. Right now, I crave it�, she comments.
Leila who is currently in the US working on new projects has read with shock and utter dismay, comments on various websites following the publications in the Daily Guide newspaper and hopes to address these issues as follows:
Why compare Kojo Antwi and Becca?
Comparing two public figures is no crime. They won't be comparable if they were both not superb in their chosen fields and if they have not made great impact. I have not JUDGED their work. I see Kojo Antwi's music as art, music to be savoured. I won't go to a concert to enjoy him. I'd enjoy him in a private setting. Becca is hip. She is a vivacious young girl, trendy and hot. She, I'll say makes mass music because her songs cut across rock, hip hop, highlife. She steps in and steps out. These are my two favorite musicians mind you.
If you put up a Becca show at 8pm, u will get a crowd of her followers. Kojo has almost the same crowd but then it branches out when you get to the conservatives. I am a conservative; yes we the conservatives love his music. It is conservative music - art. Conservatives hardly will want to go mix with a highly energetic young crowd.
Why would I compare them to Akorfa?
The Ghana film industry right now makes mass movies, not cinematic art. In the past, when Akorfa was in her element, she made art movies. Who is making art movies these days? The viewing appetite is now for the mass movies. You can say what ever you want to say, the younger generation who will fill seats are not familiar with her. The conservatives though are.
How many of them buy movies? They are thinking about petrol, and school fees. Reality is a bitter bill to swallow and if some people want to spin utter drivel out of a logical compare and contrast; it�s obvious how they analyze ideas. This is a purely marketing argument. It is not to disparage anyone. Certain things must be understood where huge money is involved.
Don't forget this is Ghana where we are known to chase after what is new, hot and in season. We get comfortable with what was before, put it away and go after what is new. Ghana media is not known to package its stars to keep them fresh.
I have managed Akofa's fanpage for 2 years we still have 120 members, no comments, no wall posts. There is a new actress who has 4679 fans within a matter of two months. When you are creating your film, create art. When you are marketing it, market it like you are selling goods at makola. Provide an element of attraction.
Did I know that before agreeing to direct?
I did. And I laid the cards down for Sister Akofa. The other producer laid the cards down and got fired. But there is only so much I can control. I came up with an exit strategy that was not followed. Market the movie, not the person. this movie was not meant to be an actors vehicle in anyway. it's an event movie. sell the event then tag the elements on. Then we had Jimmy Jean Louis, an international star but it all got lost in whatever it got lost in.
Am I controversial?
I am not. People tend to cling on to this Genevieve Nnaji drama and I find that very ridiculous; my movie, my money, my choice. If a man and woman find they are incompatible, they part ways. Not until the young lady's management went to grant some damaging interview did I see the need to react.
Not for me, but in defense of innocent Van Vicker. Other than that I would never have authorized my people to say a word. Charles Burnett, a legendary filmmaker who has his work is in the library of congress (I studied his work in film school) was signed on to direct a film for me but the studio disagreed. He and I are still good friends because these things happen all the time.
I made that terminating phone call myself. He was said sure thing; we know how these things are. We still get together to have coffee, he did not hate me, he did not abuse me, he did not send me a string of emails calling me names for daring to separate from a legend like him. So what on earth is the grand crime that Leila committed by saying Genevieve this might not work, maybe another time? Because of that I am controversial? Then Britney Spears or even Genevieve herself must have a place somewhere away from the Elysian Fields.
It gets annoying sometimes. There are times when I feel like forgetting about Ghana and staying here where I can have my peace. Everything I do must be tagged with Nnaji. Is she my judge now? I get insults from here and there. I don't go online anymore. I simply shake my head and say if only you knew; you won't sit across from your little computers and play Judge Judy.
You have no idea the pressure I was under. My choice was for my sanity. My judge has been and always will be God. When people can become so irrational over an event you know nothing about, its truth you know nothing about, and you pick a side and begin to figuratively eat a person up, It�s a shame.
Am I riding on their backs?
That�s a laugh. If its fame I wanted, I'd never set foot in Ghana. You�ll see who the star of my next project is soon. I had a Hollywood star in this dramatic �I sing of a well�. I have access to fame when I set foot into my office.
Where have our films gone to that I'd need the back of their stars to ride on? You need a back that can carry you and more people, not a back that is seeking to be carried. See this annoying situation I am dealing with now? It�s what I don't want. I love Africa, I love Ghana, I am a storyteller, and I want to tell stories about my home, my heritage. I want to praise what we got right and be honest about what we got wrong. It has nothing to do with fame. Fame is a shortcut to depression and anxiety. I have not complained about the long road I'm on.
Why do I think I have problems with some people?
I think differently. When I called Jimmy to do this voice over, he saw my passion and understood my understanding. In the end, he did the narration for totally free. I never knew him before. Just been an admirer of his work. For him, it was about the story. Not fame and not money. Before I work with anyone next time, we must think alike and have the same passions, goals and ambitions.
My problem is that I expect people to come as selflessly as we all should come. I have discovered that is not always possible. We do not live in an ideal world. If we can't adapt to each other, let�s not work together. I must understand your ultimate intentions, don't use me and I wont use you. It's not about us; it must be about the work at hand, period! Under those conditions, I will work with you.
My friend Sam showed me an article about me on a blog, I read and took out pieces of advice...who you work with determines your success, Leila, don't be distracted by these obstacles, move on. I found those words very wise; this has been a learning process for me. Right now, I have reduced my level of trust in people. It will take a lot for me to trust again, in every aspect.
STATEMENT
I, Leila J. Djansi do hereby sever all ties to the movie �I sing of a Well�. I do not wish to be recognized as director or any form of associate of the movie. My company and my associates contracted for the movie also do hereby sever all ties with the movie.
The script �I sing of a well� and the �Legion of Slaves� franchise remains my sole property. I have received no financial compensation for the intellectual property neither have I sold or loaned out the intellectual property to any 2nd or 3rd party.
I sincerely apologize to all who have been affected adversely by this procedure. I assure you all that it is in the best interest of my family, my friends and I.
Akorfa Reacted that it will be Childish to react to Leila
What do I think of Akorfa�s reaction?
I'd have done the same if I were in her shoes. Because she'll say something, I'll say something and it may never end. There comes a time when silence is golden, very admirable coming from her I'd say. But seriously, what could she have said? These are things I have said to her to her face, on set, and off set, in the form of advice and in the form of bitter arguments.
Cast members who put out fires on set have heard me say that to her on many occasions. I spoke to disassociate myself from the work for many reasons, to forestall certain future occurrences; most importantly, for my peace of mind. If the hunter wants to say all that transpires in the forest, let�s leave it be.
Will I work in Ghana again?
My father is buried in Ghana. It is my home, it takes more than this to steer me away from my mission. When God says Leila stop, then I will. Until then, I am not perturbed one bit. Let the media dissect, circumvent, paraphrase, hype, heighten, start a new war of the worlds. Glad we can help. Bring on the online abuse. You only make me stronger; what does not break you, makes you..
How hard was the set?
If your DP calls you aside and tells you he will quit if you do not bring on a ground producer, then you must know it was a nightmare. I had to beg Cosby to return to the production or I'd have walked off. The village we shot at was not the best of locations. I was my own AD, I did production design, special effect make-up.
I was practically screaming quiet on set, leaving the set to chase after a corn mill grinder, paying him to stop for few seconds. You have PAs standing round and kids are playing or walking past a window in shot. Goats were bleating everywhere. You are in a closed set and PAs are outside, producer is exhausted from performing, PM is gone somewhere.
PAs are waiting to be told to at least help us get quiet. Who was there to do that? Much time I leave a closed set, hold up the shoot and go threaten people. The amount of sound cleaning, looping and masking that went into this movie is beyond explanation. My DP collapsed in the middle of the stress. We were always behind schedule as there was no one to monitor transportation.
Production Manager is swamped being the only producer figure on set, how much can he do? Finally one day a compassionate cast member had pity on us, he turned producer and made sure we took first shot on schedule, he pretty much run set that day and we run smoothly. On a film set, a producer is God.
I had to remove certain scenes since there was no time to shoot them; the equipment had to go back to the States. When I said I was giving up the film some of the crew said "Leila after all we went through"? That is why I am angry at some things that have been said and that is why I have responded publicly and that is why I have chosen to give up the film.
The selfishness that went into the making leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If today PAs are saying they were not paid, I ask for what? Apart from a few of them I can count off one hand, the rest I ask for what, socializing? This whole thing unfortunately has been a bitter journey for some of us.
I have said much, I won't say more. I am completely disassociating myself from the movie. Time to go and heal! One day, the crab will explain why he has no head. The well will surely sing. For now how about we just fetch its waters?
Source: ghanacelebrities.com
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