Mediaage NG News – ABUJA, Nigeria
Acting is a profession with techniques involved, a beginning of a lifelong journey that never ends. It is not something you do without learning. No actor knows everything about acting, just the same way no doctor knows all about medicine.
These were the words of Linda Obasi on Friday as she spoke with Mediaage, while addressing challenges faced by actors, mostly young females in film production .
“Everyday should be a day of learning but, there should be some fundamental training, techniques, contracts, skills and professionalism. We should have order in Nollywood”, the actress said at the Women International Film Festival In Nigeria (WIFFEN) 2024, in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
“Though, there’s order but, it is mostly chaotic. There are some abuses that happen on set. Casting is not done professionally, it’s not done on skills but based on who you are dating or who gave you money.
“These are some of the things that Nollywood need to look at to keep us progressing that will make one to be proud as an actor or actress, just like a doctor or an engineer. There’s work and learning involved. So, we should take it seriously”, she added.
While addressing the audience at the film festival, she spoke on the craft of acting, how actors are chosen for roles, celebration of genre defining and career launching acting.
She said the conversations on abuse in movie set should continue and people should keep talking about these abuses.
“Like when a director slap an actress on set, that should be addressed and talked about. Agreeing to pay actors or actresses but, never paying them, it should be talked about. When it gets addressed, the environment will be corrected.
“You don’t put your hands on someone on set, you don’t shout at someone on set. You don’t threaten to blackmail someone’s career if they don’t sleep with you.
“If they keep getting called out, they will know that it is wrong. Silence is deadly, when people don’t talk, it becomes something that is agreed and acceptable. A director slaps a PA, let’s go on shooting, no big deal?
“Why they don’t speak out most times is because of fear. A lot of directors are seen as gods in a kingdom. A film is their kingdom and they are the kings. They are the absolute laws and deities, nothing goes against them. People kneel for directors, bring them their foods.
“A director is a collaboration in an action, no more or less important than an actor. There should be mutual respect for all parts of the collaboration”, actress Linda Obasi said.