Ernest Obi Voices His Concerns about Exploitative Practices of Filmmakers Toward Personal Assistants

Nollywood actor and filmmaker, Ernest Obi, has revealed how much producers pay their Personal Assistants (PAs) and actors in the film business.

Ernest made this revelation while speaking at a candlelight parade organized at the National Stadium in Lagos in memory of his late colleague, Junior Pope and the five other crew members who died at the Anam River.

Despite the Actor Guild of Nigeria (AGN) ‘s efforts to improve industry standards and enhance member welfare, little progress has been made.

The primary focus has always been on health, particularly for veterans and those soliciting financial donations. Even health insurance intended for actors and actresses has yet to be embraced by practitioners

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Speaking at the candlelight procession, Ernest Obi voiced his concerns about the exploitative practices of filmmakers toward actors, most especially their Personal Assistants.

Ernest who led the candle night possession stressed the significance of safety during the filmmaking process. He advised fellow actors to put their health first and take the required safety measures to prevent mishaps.

The thespian actor berates the way filmmakers mistreat the workers, especially the underpayment. He disclosed that some producers just provide their aides N10,000 for a fifteen-day shift.

He said: “How much are personal assistants paid? How can you employ someone to work for you for fifteen days and pay them N10,000? Even if it’s just seven days, the amount is meagre, and they will be lifting generators and carrying cables.

“When it rains, the PAs will be outside while the producers will be inside the room. That’s unfair. It’s not just a sin; it’s a sin against God.”

Mr Obi emphasised that producers engaging in such practices accrued substantial unfair debts for themselves.

Unfair treatment

Mr Obi further urged actors and actresses to stand up against unfair treatment from movie producers.

He added that while such practices are not new in the industry, they persist due to the mentality of actors and actresses who believe “it will get better.”

“If you’re a guild member, call your chairman or president and inform him that the producers you’re working with ask you to enter a forest where there are snakes, and you can’t do it—the guild should swing into action immediately, not afterwards,” he said.

The filmmaker shared an incident in which an actor almost died due to his producer’s negligence.

Mr Obi noted, “I just showed some people a video of Mr Emmanuel Ogun, who was almost killed on a set because the producer brought an actor who didn’t have a driver’s license, and he almost crushed him to death. Upon getting to the hospital, the producer said, “There’s nothing he/she can do.”

The 53-year-old joined Nollywood in 1995 and rose to fame when he appeared in the 1995 movie Rattlesnake as Sango. He was also known for Poka Messiah in 2016, The Seed 2 in 2005, and Idemili in 2014.

 

April 22, 2024