Protecting the Brand - 50,000 vrs 500,000

A NORTHERN AFFAIR

I have come under a lot of fire from folks who have seen A Northern Affair. Even from my family. My sister Karin gave me a side glance and asked 'Why doesn't it look like anything else you've done"
Ama K Abebrese said. "Chic, I know you know this is far from your style of work"

Djimon Housou is back Y'all!! - Marvel's 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

Djimon Hounsou is back on big big screen (he's not been gone he's not done anything memorable per se).

Ok, he's back and he plays a villain named Korath the Pursuer.

10 Men Christian Women Should Never Marry

Don’t allow a man’s charm, looks or financial success (or his willingness to go to church with you) push you to compromise what you know is right. “Missionary dating” is never a wise strategy. If the guy is not a born-again Christian, scratch him off your list. He’s not right for you. I’ve yet to meet a Christian woman who didn’t regret marrying an unbeliever.

THERE ARE BITTER PEOPLE OUT THERE

Psalm 23, He shall lay a table before you, in the presence of your ENEMIES.
Seriously, if you don't have haters, how would God lay a table for you in their presence? If you don't have haters, people who hate you and call you names for no reason, then you are not doing something right!

Ghanaian Cinema - Have we sold our birthright?

There seems to be a thought abroad that Ghana needs to make more movies. As in, we need a lot more movies to have a successful industry. More producers, good or bad. Cattle.

Reason: To be noticed by CNN.

Not only do I find that submission preposterous to the arts, I find it very naive.
I doubt CNN is the standard. Being on CNN does not mean you've made a good film. Being on CNN means you are in the news. It can go both ways; good or bad.

New Faces vrs Old Faces. African Cinema

Jackie Appiah

In this blog post, I will teach aspiring actors how to get noticed by producers and casting directors the right way. Things you must do to shape your career and polish your skills.

AFRICAN CHRISTIANITY

Again, I'm browsing facebook and come across this article... Arabs Create Rain

Whiles Christian are seeking after material things, looking for who that witch is in their lineage and commanding wealth from heaven, the Muslims, we Christians consider to be sinners are making things happen. Using science to make rain. I am sure some of the scientists involved in this feat are even gay. Yep. Us Christians will judge them. Some have 4 wives and drink and smoke. yep, we goin' judge them alright.

Tyler Perry's The Single Moms Club

Supporting Black Cinema!

Lionsgate will release "Tyler Perry's Single Moms Club" on March 14, 2014, with Nia Long, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Zulay Henao starring, joined by William Levy, Terry Crews, Eddie Cibrian, Amy Smart, Cocoa Brown, Ryan Eggold and Tyler Perry. 

THE PASTOR, HIS BENTLEY AND YOUR TITHES

Today I want to speak very briefly about Pastors. In the last month, be it in Africa or in the West, news about Pastors and their utterances and their wealth has come under scrutiny.

Anytime you speak about Pastors, you have folks screaming "He's a man of God!". "Touch not my anointed!"

The last I checked, both members and Pastors are anointed.

MOVING ON

2013 was a learning year for me. I made discoveries and I grew up.

The key lesson I learned was and is, No matter what you do, people will always talk. You can't please everyone, therefore, do YOU.

My kind of movies are dark, and thematic. I'm not into romance and happy happy, happy, love stories or commercial material. Yeah I know it pays the bills but... But many people kept telling me my stories were too dark, I should make some light hear-ted happy films. Thus, I made And then there was You and A Northern Affair.

I LOVE the experience I had making the films but deep down, I feel very unsatisfied. Like I've lost a part of me. Today, my sister Pat told me she honestly prefers my dark dramas to the happy ones.

I needed that.

WHEN BEING SEXY BECOMES TOO MUCH

There are two things I love.
Being an artist and defending the arts and being a woman and defending womanhood.

When I speak about these, I am fierce, I am passionate and I'm aggressive. People may mistake it for an attack, but it's not. Its PASSION rising to the defense...

JACK OF ALL TRADES

Photo courtesy of residualicomelife.com

Last week, I received a call from Ghana, from one of the nations premiere radio stations JoyFm. They wanted to discuss actors going into filmmaking. The host asked me multiple times: Do you support an actor becoming a producer?

We are working with the premise: An actor, playing a lead role and being a producer.

My answer is no. I do not. I support the actor becoming an executive producer or to an extent, a director. But not a producer. Not in Ghana. Anywhere else, but not Ghana.

WELCOME TO THE PARTY

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Welcome to my new adventure. I hope it lasts.

I am supposed to be a writer but I have grown very lazy. 2014, the only resolution I made is to go back to my old self. Gosh! I don't remember the last time I read anything. See what facebook does to ya.

Well, the purpose of this blog is to discipline my personal self. WRITE MORE. WRITE BETTER. WRITE MORE.

 I can promise you one thing, it's going to be raw, honest, there might be some knife fights... but hey, who said life is boring huh? WELCOME. Get your popcorn and coke.

hugs
 leila