&w=64&q=75)
Renowned American-based Ghanaian movie producer Leila Jewel Djansi has shared a disturbing account of how actor-turned-politician John Dumelo narrowly escaped being stabbed on a movie set due to severe negligence.
The filmmaker criticised the Ghanaian film industry, calling it a "mirthless joke" and shedding light on the unprofessionalism she encountered.
Djansi recounted a particularly alarming incident involving a production designer who provided a real knife for a stabbing scene.
Should I talk about the production designer who passed a real knife to an actor for a stabbing scene? My God. If it wasn't for divine intervention, Vanessa Williams would have stabbed John Dumelo with a real knife that day. How is this not a joke?
MUST READ: Beyond Agbadza and Borborbor: Other traditional Ewe dances you may not know about
While the specific project was not named, it is believed to be the 2018 TV series 40 & Single, which aired on StarTimes Adepa TV.
In the series, Dumelo portrayed Charles, the fiancé of Vanessa Williams' character, Bertha Brown.
The filmmaker also highlighted other instances of unprofessional behaviour she witnessed in Ghana’s film industry.
Try an AD telling you he's going to sleep for a few minutes in the middle of a shoot. Try a crew demanding you stop filming, bring a TV so they can watch football, and then return to set after the match. Look for what Cary Fukunaga said about working in Ghana. Try telling wardrobe an actor they don't have an outfit for them because their role is not big enough
Djansi contrasted these experiences with her work in other countries, where she observed a high level of professionalism and meticulous attention to detail.
She shared an example from the Dominican Republic, where a props manager presented her with eight carefully arranged watches for a single scene.
READ MORE: Champions League: PSG host Liverpool, Bayern clash with Leverkusen—Predictions
Dominican Republic, where the props guy showed me eight different watches, properly arranged, for me to choose JUST ONE for the scene. Eight options. I cried tears of joy
In her post, Djansi urged industry players to "stop defending mediocrity" and embrace constructive criticism to drive growth and improvement.
Her revelations have sparked a broader discussion about the need for higher standards and professionalism within Ghana’s film industry.