WITH ACTOR KENNETH NGAMNE (USA)
Cam Movies (CM): Good day Mr. Kenneth
Kenneth: Good day Cam movies, and thanks for the opportunity to
share my views about Cameroon movies industry.
CM: Can you tell us about your place of origin?
Ken: I am born and breed in Buea in the South West province, but originally,
I am from the Western province of Cameroon, precisely Bayangam. Part of the 11
province I guess? hahahaha. I consider myself more a Bakweri person because I
am more vested with the Bakweri culture than the Bamilke culture
CM: Can you tell us about your academic background?
Ken: My academic background. I attended Government Primary school
Buea-Town and did my secondary and post secondary studies in P.H.S Kumba. The
quest for knowledge took me to A.B.U in Zaria Nigeria where I enrolled in the
department of Mass Communications. Due to the Christian/Muslim upheaval, I
returned to Cameroon where I obtained a B.A in Negro-African literature. I am
currently enrolled for my master's Program at DeVry University in Minnesota-U.S.A,
where i am studying Computer Sciences/network Security
CM: When did you start shooting Collywood Movies?
Ken: My interest and passion for movies goes as far back as when
i was a kid. I always feature in school drama, and during my secondary school
days, precisely form 1-3, I will play the role of a kid or Chinda in a movie.
My great acting skills landed me better roles and when i was in Lower 6th,I
helped my school win drama competition when i played the lead role ( Chief
Damba) in Ene Shinhor's "This is our Chance". Together with one great
guy, of late today Mr Augustine Teh-Che, we formed the dynamic Youth theatre in
Buea, and we played A/ level & O/ levels plays. I played Odewale in Ola
Rotimi's : The gods are not to blame". With that I continued with my
passion for it, and with the help of my late Professor Bate Bessong, I started
writing movies, and co-wrote "Bitter Life" with late Augustine
Teh-che
CM: where are you based?
Ken: I am based in USA in the state of Minnesota
CM: Do you have any other career other than Film Making/Acting?
Ken: I am an Account manager with Securitas while going to school
for my Master's Degree
CM: How many movies have you produced/Acted?
Ken: In terms of production, I am an up coming producer. I am a writer
and an actor. I have played in a couple of movies with different people. I
played in Kamwoods "Sister-In-Law" and "My Own Blood"
where I am the lead character. I also played in a movie produced by a Guinean
lady and directed by Akim Macauley titled "Nurses from hell". I am
currently shooting a movie with another Cameroonian based in Minnesota of
Editho productions. The movie title is " Menages".
In terms of writing, I have written 5 movies so
far "The Storm is Over", Victimized, Taboo decision, Bitter Life and
The real me. I am currently writing 4 other movies, and i have laid down plans
for about 6 more
CM: Do you feel that the CFI needs a movie award?
Ken: About my feelings with CFI, I bet you, anything that can
propel the Cameroon movie industry, I am game. CFI should be organized with
great Cameroonian producers, Directors involved. It should not be biased, but
should have great minds in place for its success. It should not be a thing
where people organize to self-propel themselves, like what I witnessed with CEA,
where the ideas of these great Cameroonian ladies were over taken by some overzealous
individuals, who wanted to prove what they are not.
CM: Were you at the last CEA, if not why not?
Ken: Yes, I was very much present at the last CEA Award. Like I said,
if these two beautiful Cameroonian ladies were allowed to put their well
planned ideas together without interference, I bet you bro it would have been a
greater success. I was very sad because their brilliant ideas were infiltrated
by some self-centered Cameroonians, who were there to show case the village
idea of how they think the Cameroon entertainment industry should be run, people
who were there just to sell themselves and get awards for what they do not
deserve. It is completely out of question that awards were given to people who
had nothing to show for it. I mean, even when I follow Nigerian/Ghanaian awards,
I see how actors/actresses take award for what they have done, and these movies
or music are shown on the screen before awards are given. But for actors/actress
like Kang Quintus, Taka Tanni, musicians like Naomi Achu, Pandita Etah who
merited their awards and producers like Agbor Gilbert and Penjo, the rest to me
was bullshit. Some producers or directors were mentioned in absentia, I wander
why directors like Akim Macauley were not mentioned. Like I said, i believe if
the ideas of these two ladies were not infiltrated by some bad seeds for their
selfish interest, it would have been a great show. I know for sure that these
beautiful ladies have learnt from their mistakes, and next time, they will do
enough research and contact the right people to help them with the next
organization. This is a Cameroonian thing, and it should be done for that purpose,
as originally initiated. I missed mentioning another great producer and actress
Mairo Sanda {before thunder fire me)ahahahahahaha
CM: We learned that you were a member of Kamwood
production but was fired for not obeying Kamwood internal rules, is that true?
Ken: hahahahahahaha, that's a good one, fire abi? hahahahahahaa.
This makes me laugh bro trust me. I like the way it is being put out there. If
you know some real Kamwood actors/actresses, ask them if I was fired. I decided
to disassociate myself from Kamwood because i realized that kamwood did not
represent what it preach. I found out that Kamwod company is just like a bad
preacher who will go to the pulpit and tell the congregation to " Do what
I say, not what I do". The first thing you should know is that Kamwood do
not have any policies in place, and if they do, I never saw one. Also, i got
discouraged because it is out of question that actors/actresses will be called
for a movie production, and there is no script. We (Actors/Actresses),
literally work our asses out, to create scenes for movies. Cam Movies, have you
ever heard of something like that? And what is interesting is you cannot
comment. It was more like a Hitler/Mussolini style of government. Damn, this is
America, besides this is the 21st century. Even villages in Cameroon now are
very much civilized, so i doubt where Kamwood got its ideas from. Another issue
is Kamwod wants to own you, when they cannot pay you. How can kamwood be mad at
Actors/Actresses because they work with other companies? hahahahahahahaha. Even
my great grand parents in the village will not be so backward with their
mentalities. Also, I want you and the public to tell me, have you ever in your
life, even going back to the 12th/13th centuries, heard that a single person is
the CEO,PRODUCER,ACTOR,DIRECTOR,CAMERA MAN,EDITOR,MARKETER
and WRITER of his own company? hahahahahahahahaha. If all companies were like
this, I doubt where we will work. I mean, even in Hollywood, where we have
wealthy producers, they still do division of labor. This is a company which I
will call a jack of all, and not even an apprentice of any, not to talk of
being a master. What even makes the whole thing worse is the fact that Kamwood
will delete you from his page, if you work with other companies. I bet you, I
used my brain to produce the movies I played with Kamwood. I spent my money,
time and energy for the success of it. Today, Kamwood has released those
movies, and is selling them in hiding for their ego-like and selfish reasons.
It is our sweat; we worked for the success of it, and if he thinks he can reap
the fruits, let him go ahead. We have decided to leave Kamwood to its own
conscience. The truth will be revealed, when the time comes.
CM: You have acted in all these movies you mentioned
but we never knew you as an actor until now, why?
Ken: Very good question Cam movies. How can you know me, or even
the movies I have played, when i work with a company that does not even know
what it means to produce a movie, and determine who is a good actor/actress. It
is so sad that ignorant people will go into a field, just because they think
they can do it. I have no doubt about my talent and potentials, and it will be
made known to the public sooner or later. I believe I am a good actor/and a
good writer. I work with great people, and run away from bad ones. I like to associate
myself with great people like Akim macauley, and i know that I will one day
work with other great minds like Neba lawrence, Penjo, Agbor Gilbert, Achile
Brice, Tawie Elvis, Waa Musi, etc. I work and share ideas today with others
like Kang Quintus and Mairo Sanda. These are some the people I will call brains
of Cameroon movie industry, and with my upcoming movie, still to be shot, I bet
you, you will be amazed. I am taking my time, and as one of my actress told me
today," The race is not for the fastest, but for he/she who arrives".
Nah for las fight wey we go know actors. (Tory sweet sute tif man laf for
banda). ahahahahahahaha. Make I talk like Njinga man
CM: We learned that you are outspoken and have no
respect for your elders in the Industry is that true?
Ken: This is another interesting question. Outspoken, yes, I
speak my mind without fear or favor. Even if you sign my pay check, I do not
give you the chance to put garbage in my mouth. I tell people the truth,
because I like the truth. One thing you should know is that it is only a stupid
and ignorant man who is scared of criticism. When people criticize me, I take
everything into consideration, especially the ones who criticize me with very
negative tone. I take it seriously because I will go back home, after downing a
good plate of kwacoc or achu and a bottle of red wine, I will ponder about what
that person said. After which, if i find that bad aspect in me, I will correct
it tight away and tell that person thank you, I have made changes. Wisdom they
say is better than silver and gold, and a wise man like me, learn by listening,
and understand by reflecting.
About being disrespectful, that is a big lie.
Ask even Akim or the actors/actresses I am working with now for my upcoming
movie. I bet you, they criticized my movies, and asked me to do corrections. I
took notes during audition for all what they said and I have changed and modified
the movie, and I know deep in my heart that I have met their demands. Nobody is
an island, and nobody knows too much to take correction. I take corrections
from anybody, and no idea to me is dump because i believe very strongly that even
the dull and the ignorant, they too have their own story. About respect,
despite all the huddles and embarrassment i went through working with kamwood, when
I went to Maryland for my audition, I respectfully called him, and left a
message on his phone, that I am in Maryland. That is respect. He is seeing me
as an enemy, I am seeing him as an ally, who just need to reduce the polish on
his shoes, to make it clean. Too much of a thing is a disease. People say I
talk a lot. Let me ask you a question, what do you expect of a product of late
Bate Bessong (The obasinjo Warrior).
He taught me that the greatest issue with fear is fear itself. He told me
believe in yourself, and do not be afraid to take the bull by the horn, if need
be. I am opened minded, I am a literalist, and i speak and act like one. Qui ride bene, ride L'ultimo
CM: We learned that girls want to sleep with you for a
role in your upcoming movie “THE STORM IS OVER” is that true?
Ken: This is another question that makes me laugh. Men, where does
such reasoning come from? Does it mean when you work with people, you should
not laugh and joke around? Come on people, this is entertainment and people
should know that it is fun fun fun and fun. I smile with all my
co-actors/co-actresses. We bond together like a family. We joke and laugh together,
why should we not? After all, the smile is given to us free of charge by the Almighty
God, why should we not be generous with it? We have to be generous with it
because it will only render us happiness and joy forever and ver. Like the
saying goes "Only happiness makes you happy" right? Life is too short
to complicate things. You know, these are the kind of accusations you should
expect if you are in the movie industry, and only the Lilly livered will run
away from them. People have right to what they say and think. I believe that
whatever runs in their minds, has a reality of its own. What i think is more important
is, who i know I am, not what the public try to make me to be. Ndedi Eyango
said it all in one of his music " ma
vie est devenir une histoire, chaqun la rencontre a sa manier,mais la vrai
version reste suir moi,vien de moi,tu sura qui je suis".
To those people who say this, I laugh. My
philosophy in life is that when people bother you in any way, it is because
their souls are trying to get your divine attention and your blessings. Unfortunately,
I cannot bless them, but if they need my attention, let them come, I need them,
I am in the entertainment industry. hahahahaha
CM: Do you agree on the name Collywood?
Ken: I have no issues with the name that we wanna call the
Cameroon movie industry. Even if they wanna call it "shit", in as
much as it does not smell like shit, that is fine with me. All I want is a
successful industry, with great mines, and respectable and responsible individuals,
who are ready to work together as a team, not trying to say I am the boss, or
it is my idea. It should be team work, and the more we buy the ideas of others,
the better for us as a team. Even a bad leader can have some good ideas right?
After all, Biya once said, “the world is a global village”
CM: Are you willing rejoin Kamwood if offered the
opportunity again, if not why?
Ken: I believe very strongly that with the kind of attitude
Kamwood has given me, and the way it has presented itself, if Kamwood has the slightest
chance to take me completely out of its movies, it will do so ASAP. Unfortunately,
it has to deal with that. Reason why i say this is because I got deleted from
kamwood page, which does not bother me; my profile was deleted from the web page,
which i term ignorance. Kamwood does not
pick my calls, which I term childish. Kamwood, made me spend my money in
Minnesota for a premiere that never took place, which I term uncivilized. One
thing i know is that if we stay too much in one spot, then we can never grow as
a group and humans. When we go places, then we are exposed and can be able to differentiate
between the left ear of a horse, and the right ear of that same horse
CM: What do you think we need to improve on as an
industry?
Ken: As an industry,
there’s just a lot we need to improve on. First, we need to try and fight those
people who are presenting us to the public in a very negative way. it is not
helping us even the least. We can never be taken seriously, if we do not erase
those negative forces that are out for self growth.
Secondly, we need to stop this idea of running
to Nigeria/Ghana every time we have a movie to produce. Those are Ghanaian/ Nigerian
finished products. When will we take ours to that level? We need to believe in ourselves
and show the world that we are capable. I am saying this to all producers and
directors from Cameroon, and the only person I give credit to about this is Eick
Ntang. He has made his industry a purely Cameroonian one. Eric Ntang thinks and
believes we have talents which need to be exploited. That's what i stand for,
and that is what I wish to see.
Thirdly, our Cameroonian brothers and sisters
should know that if they do not buy our products, then we will never grow. They
should support us. We have great Cameroonian movies in stores, buy them, watch
them and give constructive criticisms, don't stay in the back and instead
criticize us, without telling us how we can improve and grow. Cameroonians
don't attend our movie premieres, all they wanna hear is this or that Nigerian
actor or Ghanian actor/actress is attending. This is wrong, let's push ourselves
forward. Cameroonians have talents, raw talents I mean, we make them finished
products. Ghanaians and Nigerians started like us, they got to where they are
because their people supported them. We need to stop this negativity. Like i
said, so far, the only Cameroonian producer in the US, who is not guilty of
running to Ghana /Nigeria all the time is Ntang Erick, and I am proud of him
for that. I made it clear to my able director Akim Macauley that my movies, is
for Cameroonians, and I know we will pull it big time, and I know it will be a
success.
CM: How can Cameroonians out of the USA get copies of
your movies?
Ken: When you talk of where they can get my movies, I doubt what
you are talking about. If you are talking of movies I have written, then they
have not been shot yet. When the time comes, it will be made known to the
public where to get it. If you are talking of the ones I have played with others,
like "Nurses from hell" directed by Akim Macauley, it is not out yet,
so when it is out, you will know where to get it. As for the ones I played with
Kamwood "Sisters-In -Law” and "my own Bllood", kamwood is
selling them secretly, so i don't know how I can tell my fans to get them. The
reason why Kamwood is doing this is because
Kamwood does not wanna pay ussssssssssssss. Yes I am saying it loud and clear.
It is very very disrespectful, when a producer will sell a movie, without notifying
the actors/actresses who used their brains, to make the movie a success. When i
say used our brains, it is because we successfully played the movie without a
script. We created scenes out of our own imaginations. Like i said, from
Kamwood's reactions, if Kamwood had the means of deleting me from his movies he
will do so. I am not alone; others have also fallen apart with Kamwood because
we all speak the truth. Unfortunately, they cannot Photoshop it, so Kamwood
have us to deal with, sorryyyyyyyyyyyy. In any case, i don't care if the movies
sell or not. I have forgotten about it, and i don't think that is how i will be
known. My works will speak for themselves. “Life is not only about waiting for
the storm to be over; it is about learning how to dance in the rain"
CM: Do you have any projects in the pipeline?
Ken: About projects I have in the pipeline? Yes, i do have great
ones of course. If you have watched the advert for "DECODE" directed
by Akim and Penjo as DOP, then you should not expect anything less of that. I
am making huge research on how to make my movie a huge success. I am working
with the extremely good actors/actresses, who give me daily inspiration on how
to go about my movie. it is our thing, so we all have a say in it. With the
ideas they have given me so far, and with my personal research, i have decided
to call off the shooting of this movie in NOVEMBER. We have pushed it to JUNE
of 2013, because we need to be more prepared, financially, and more importantly
psychologically. I learn from great people like Tyler Perry. I watch his movies,
Nigerian/Ghanaian movies, Indian movies and Cameroonian movies, just to get
myself ready for what we need to do what we have to do. I bet you, with the
team i have and the advice i get daily, the sky is our limit. Cameroonians will
be trilled, when my stuff will be out. I will work with who so ever is ready to
work with me, but no bad spirits sha hahahahahahahaha. God be our helper,Allah
Inshala
CM: Thanks for taking out time to participate in this
interview with Cam Movies
Ken: No, I am the one to thank you for giving me such an opportunity
to air out my views. It is what i think. It might not be the best, but at least
it might help us. I hope people will not be disappointed with me for all what I
have said. It is the bitter truth, and it must be spoken. If we keep hiding
under the umbrella of hiding the truth, then we will never grow. We should be
more matured in life, and learn to accept and respect others, and know that no
matter how stupid people think we are, we still have our stories. WE should
learn to be in good terms with all persons. I try to avoid loud and aggressive
people because they are a vexation to my spirit. Yaounde was not built in a day,
so we should trend slowly, and take our time to do better things.
I wanna say thank you, thank you thank you; And
thank you being a moral treasure will not let it decay, so thank you, and God
bless us all SHALOM........PEACE>>>>>>>>>>
Thanks,
Cam Movies
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