Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts

**Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts** (GAFTA) be private, professional organization wey dem dedicate to de advancement of excellence for art, craft den science of de motion picture industry — film, television den new media. De Academy be made up of de following guilds den associations: Directors Guild of Ghana (DGG), Cinematographers Guild of Ghana (CGG), Art Directors' den Designers' Guild of Ghana (ADGG), Animator's Association of Ghana (AAG), Screen Writers Guild of Ghana (SWGG), Film den Television Production Facilitators Guild of Ghana (FTPFGG), Producers Guild of Ghana (PGG), Motion Picture Sound Guild of Ghana (MPSGG) den Screen Editors Guild of Ghana (SEGG).

## Origins of GAFTA
Group of filmmakers cam togeda make dem form film organization wey go maintain high standard of professional practice; preserve den protect intellectual interests of all filmmakers for Ghana insyd: e go ensure order den discipline for film making den assist make dem set up appropriate den necessary structures for de art den science of film, television, video production den fresh media. For 2001 insyd, sam important film industry stakeholders wey dem consider as de founding fathers of de Academy legally form de Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts (GAFTA). Dem be Egbert Adjesu, Chris Tsui Hesse, Kwaw Ansah, Bill Marshall, King Ampaw, Ernest Abbeyquaye, Martin Loh, Setheli Ashong-Katai, Jim Fara Awindor, Ivan Annan, Ebenezer Aryee den Nana Adwoa Awindor.

## Structure of GAFTA

### De Governing Board

### De Executive Council

### De Guilds den Associations

### Standing Committees

* Finance
* Assessment and Enrollment (Accreditation)
* Discipline den Ethics
* Projects den Programmes

### Electoral College

## GAFTA Membership
Dem no dey open membership for GAFTA to individual professionals for de motion picture industry but dem obtain if dem dey belong to any professional guild anaa association under GAFTA. Membership for de Academy nanso dey for de following categories insyd; Council of Elders, Fellows, Corporate members, Honorary members, Associates, Affiliates den Students.

### Council of Elders
Dis dey consist for de founding members of GAFTA den persons wey, for de opinion for de Governing Board, contribute immensely, financially anaa otherwise, go de development of de Academy.

### Fellows
Dem confer Fellowship of de Academy by two-thirds (2/3) majority for de Governing Board for individuals anaa corporate members wey for ein opinion distinguished dema bodies for any of de creative branches for de motion picture industry give period no be less than ten years.

### Corporate Members
Ebe open for all Ghanaians den odas wey be, anaa dem dey practice de arts den craft for film den TV wey dem make valuable contributions to film, TV den video production for no be less than five years. De Governing Board sanso dey confer am.

### Honorary Members

### Associate Members

### Affiliate Members

### Students
De guilds den Associations go determine student membership. Students wey be members for guild anaa association for by extension be affiliate members of GAFTA. 

## Activities
Dem involve GAFTA insyd several initiatives dey assist insyd de improvement of de film industry by organizing workshops den programs give ein members den oda filmmakers to upgrade de status of demma professions. De Academy sanso be part of oda forums wey oda institutions such as de Ghana Cultural Forum den NAFTI dem hold. GAFTA be one of de organizations dat have been at de forefront of de enactment of de *Development and Classification of Film Act, 2016* (Act 935) wey GAFTA dey believe get de ability dey create necessary structures give de film industry to dey function properly den effectively.  

GAFTA held a press conference insyd 2005 to appeal to Government to take ova de running of de GAMA Film Company, sekof de TV3 Company Limited, wey Malaysians own am had failed to deliver for de contract terms of de divestiture program of de Ghana Film Industry Corporation (GFIC) wey damaged de county ein film industry. Apparently, de Malaysians no dey interested for cinema insyd but television. After dem sell GFIC to dem, dem turned de largest soundstage insyd West Africa into a TV station; dem get rid of film equipment, film strips, wey dey include all Ghana's film archives to dey create space dey store demma equipment's wey be dumped outside to de mercy of de weather. Dis outraged a lot of independent filmmakers wey pressed government to do something about de situation. GAFTA sanso called on de government to investigate into alleged breach of contract den violation of laid down procedures give de divestiture without Cabinet approval den Presidential accent wey law require. But all dis fell for deaf ears top.       

Insyd 2011 during de Awards night of de *National Film and Television Institute* (NAFTI) Film Lectures on de Ghanaian Motion Picture Industry in honor of legendary filmmaker, Kwaw Ansah de Academy honor am plus de GAFTA Osagyefo Lifetime Achievement Award give ein pioneering of de creation of an independent Ghanaian cinema. Dem institute *GAFTA Robert Johnson Silhouette Award for Exceptional Skills in Cinematography* insyd 2012 wey e honor final year cinematography students of NAFTI wey get creatively den aesthetically used cinematography insyd demma films. Dem present de award to ein first recipient, Stanley Adjetey give de film Skin Canvas (2010) wey Anita Afonu direct am during de 20th NAFTI Students' Film Festival insyd 2012.         

Dem name de award after de late Award-winning, Ace cinematographer den former President of de *Cinematographers Guild of Ghana* (CGG), Robert Bob J Johnson wey die insyd a motorcycle accident insyd 2010. De second recipient of de award be Richard Dodzi insyd 2014 at de 21st NAFTI Students' Film Festival give de film Tenso (2013),  wey  Fiona Ansa direct am. Insyd 2015, de third recipient be Ebenezer Aryetey. GAFTA sanso sponsored two oda awards at de same festival, de award give Best Picture for both 2012 & 2013 year batches give de animation Dzolali (2012) wey Jude Akwetey direct am den de film Kwaku's Web (2013) wey Antoni-Jordi Owusu direct am. Despite de Academy ein challenges, e be still dey do ein best to protect de interests of all ein members den filmmakers den dey continue to do wateva e fit dey contribute to de development of de industry.             

## Current members for de Executive Council of GAFTA
De current members for de Executive Council.

* Presido - Jim Fara Awindor
* Vice P - Yaw Boakye
* General Secretary - Koffi Zokko Nartey
* Organizing Secretary -  Aseye Tamakloe
* Secretary - Teddy Sabutey
* Deputy Secretary - Emmanuel Quist-Haynes
* Public Relations Officer - George Bosompim
* Communications Officer - Emmanuel Apea

## References