I go for talent not popularity – Shirley Frimpong Manso

CONTRARY to the perception that having an actor with huge following in a movie will translate into patronage and that is why producers prefer to use certain faces, renowned filmmaker, Shirley Frimpong Manso says that is not it for her.

According to her, she prefers people who are gifted and good at their job than those with numbers.

“I love to go in for talent instead of popularity, that is how the industry will survive,” she said in a recent interview with Graphic Showbiz.

Commenting on the perception that she in particular prefers to work with known faces rather than giving young people the opportunity when it comes to casting for her movies, Shirley said that was wrong.

“That is not true. I work with young actors, everyday we are scouting for young talents. In fact my assistant is a very young person who is good at this job,” she said.

Shirley Frimpong-Manso is one of Ghana's best producer/directors. She is the founder and CEO of Sparrow Productions, a film, television and advertising production company.

She won Best Director at the sixth Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). She is described as one who "seeks to raise the standard of film production in Ghana and Africa by telling progressive African stories as seen through the eyes of Africans."

Movies she has produced and directed include Perfect Picture, Scorned, Contract, Potato Potahto, Life and Living It, Adams Apples among others.

TV series she has to her credit include Peep, V-Republic, Shampaign among others.