Movies without stars don’t get patronage at the cinemas- Filmmaker

BOXES of her plot, storyline, cast and traditional and social media promotions all ticked green nicely but filmmaker Jay Ampofo’s new film, Time, still attracted a very low turnout when it premiered at Snap Cinemas, Accra, in September this year.

Jay, who is also a musician, puts all the blame on the fact that her movie was not star-studded. Her cast were all new faces and this, she describes, as the biggest hurdle confronting filmmakers.

This is because her first movie, Shredded Stitches was well patronised

In an interview with Graphic Showbiz on Monday, November 4, 2024, Jay Ampofo explained the crucial role popular actors play in drawing audiences to movie premieres and subsequent showings.

“My first film, Shredded Stitches, shown at Alisa Hotels in 2003, featured John Dumelo, Paulina Oduro, Jeffery Nortey, and other well-known actors so I didn’t have problems with patronage.

 “Cinema needs faces, and those faces come at a cost. Patronage is low when the film does not feature popular actors. And even when people do attend, they do so for photo opportunities with their stars rather than for the enjoyment of the movie.

“And that is really what is draining young film producers like myself. You invest a lot into a film production and people hardly show up because there is no Jackie Appiah, Yvonne Nelson, Nadia Buari, Majid Michel and other star powers. And if we don’t give new faces the chance, how will they also be stars?

“This has been one of the greatest woes of the cinema culture we are trying to re-build and until we encourage people to go to the cinema and enjoy a film, we will not see any progress.

“This is because it doesn't matter how good the story is; if they don't see their favourite actors in the movie, they won't come. However, if they see popular faces, even if the movie isn't good, they will be there,” she said.

Asked if the low patronage was due to lack of promotion, she answered, “I promoted my movie everywhere—I visited radio and TV stations and even did live sessions to spread the word but few people turned up and I made a huge loss. And this is not just me, I have colleagues who have experienced similar situations. It’s always hard when your cast is devoid of celebrities,” she said.

Undeterred, Jay Ampofo is giving Time a second chance, she is re-screening at Ozone Cinema, Oyarifa Mall, on Sunday, November 17.

“I made a movie that didn't attract many viewers because it didn't have any well-known actors. However, the few people who saw it enjoyed it. I'm showing it again so those who missed it or didn't want to watch it because it lacked big names, can give it a go. Just because there are no famous actors doesn’t mean it is a bad movie,” she noted.