Ken/Carmela This has turned out to be an interesting thread. Are these video titles you describe available in the US or Canada (whether formally or informally distributed)? I know there's a huge black market for pirated Bollywood films, Hong Kong Action films, etc, mostly available in corresponding "ethnic" neighborhoods, do the African films you describe have a similar audience/draw from African communities in the diaspora? Leo Aristimuno --- kenneth w harrow <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > i am not competent to answer these questions. so i > asked carmela garritano, > who has written a dissertation and will be coming > out with a book on > ghanaian video. here is her answer: > > it looks like you've conflated analog video(smooth > gradations on magnetic > tape converted to electric impulses) and digital > video(stores data in binary > intervals). in ghana, they have been using analog > video -- to capture and > edit and duplicate. it is only very recently that > folks have been using > digital cameras and non-linear (digital) editing. > here is the reason i need to get back to ghana: > digital video is shaking up > the entire system all over again. now a > video-filmmaker can do everything > himself if he can purchase a computer and editing > software. in the past, the > editor was the one essential "professional" in the > video-filmmaking team > because it takes a lot of training to operate an > analog editing bench. with > the advent of digital video editing software, almost > anyone (who has access > to very expensive computer equipment and LOTS of > storage space) can edit his > own films. i know of at least two independent > filmmakers who are trying to > cut-out the editor and edit their own films on their > own PCs. > most duplication is done on VHS tape although Safo > [Socrates Safo is a > Ghanaian filmmaker] tells me that video CDs > are also very popular. yes, they are packaged with > exciting titles, enticing > blurbs, lively images and all the other trappings of > commodification. movies > run from 90 minutes to over two hours in length. the > last question is a > funny one -- this is the point of the first chapter > of my book!!! > [I guess > everyone will have to wait to get the answer on the > last question! but i > will introject that many who have started making > video films, and acting in > them, have not been trained previously in the film > industry...ken harrow] > > > > > At 09:22 AM 9/30/03 -0700, you wrote: > >Thanks, Ken, for the info about the use of video in > African movies. > >Nevertheless I have some questions about the > following: > > > ><all that started to change when the first > nigerians and then ghanaians > >dared to pick up a video camera, and even without > training began to turn > >films with their friends. they created an > astonishing industry in the > >past > >ten years, with more video films being produced and > exhibited in nigeria > >in > >one year (over a thousand) than in all the history > of celluloid film in > >africa. these are popular films, not socially > relevant or high culture > >films; they are filled with scenes involving magic, > romance, killing, > >etc., > >and can be made in a week or two on a shoestring > budget. they are hawked > >off the backs of trucks, shown in local parlors, > and have responded to > >the > >audience's expectations so successfully as to be > wildly popular. in > >short, > >digital has saved film in Africa> > > > >Are you talking of plain video or digital video? > Since you mention a > >time span of 10 years, I assume the former. > >What distribution format is being used: vhs? > >Are they packaged with titles, pictures, etc. so > customers know what > >they are buying? > >Do these movies stick to the usual 90 min length? > >Are they made by "filmmakers" or ordinary people? > >Thanks > >Jean-Pierre Geuens > > > >---- > >For past messages, visit the Screen-L Archives: > >http://bama.ua.edu/archives/screen-l.html > > > > Kenneth W. Harrow > Dept of English > Morrill Hall > Michigan State University > E. Lansing, MI 48824-1036 > ph 517 353-7243 > fax 517 353-3755 > e-mail [log in to unmask] > > ---- > For past messages, visit the Screen-L Archives: > http://bama.ua.edu/archives/screen-l.html __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search http://shopping.yahoo.com ---- Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the University of Alabama: http://www.tcf.ua.edu