Strategic investments, cultural emphasis key to Ghana’s creative growth – Danny Dammah
World-acclaimed producer, writer, and film director, Danny Dammah, has emphasized that Ghana’s ascent in the global creative arena hinges on strategic investments in infrastructure and robust stakeholder collaboration.
Speaking on Day 1 of Week Three of the on-air series during the 2024 Citi Business Festival, Dammah articulated how embracing Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, nurturing local talent, and leveraging digital platforms are essential for the country to carve out a distinct identity and establish its place among the world’s creative powerhouses.
Dammah highlighted the significant economic benefits that could accrue to Ghana if deliberate efforts are made to position the creative industry as a key driver of economic development.
“Collectively, there is no conscious effort to say we are trying to create cultural power. We have a very rich culture; everybody acknowledges it globally. There is no history book that mentions African culture that does not touch on our culture,” he stated.
He drew comparisons with other regions, noting, “You hear stuff about East Africa but you hear ours as well. South Africa as a country was looking at other countries around them. We are doing something but we are not formal enough. Japan was very focused on its cultural power dominance globally to the point where they excelled at it.”
Addressing the resources required to build a strong creative industry, Dammah pointed out the critical role of distribution, including marketing, exhibition, and placement, in ensuring the consumption of content.
“There are so many aspects of distribution. And there are two ways of making your money. Either an advertiser is paying it or it is transactional. The transactional part is the most difficult aspect of filmmaking,” he explained.
sourc: city newsroom
