In #TheEngineRoom with movie star Adjetey Anang aka Pusher on Springboard, your Virtual University
In #TheEngineRoom with movie star Adjetey Anang aka Pusher on Springboard, your Virtual University
This is the third in our series of behind-the-scenes conversations with front liners from various fields. Make time to enjoy the first two episodes with 2021 Artiste of the Year, Diana Hamilton, and media personality Israel Laryea.
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My favourite lesson is PERSONAL ETHICS.
‘Favour’ is probably the word that best describes my life and journey
We need professionalism, competence and diligence in our show business in Ghana to put us on the global stage
I see bright opportunities looking into the future. It is no longer about Adjetey’s agenda but God’s agenda. I believe I am in the movie industry for a purpose
My wife Elom is a phenomenal gift. She has impacted my life so much. God purposefully placed her in my life for us to bring out the best in each other.
My grandmother’s scriptural advice that ‘a good name is better than riches’ has never left me. It may sound like a cliche, but it does magic when you focus on a good name
I have straddled two generations; one that did not know social media and a social media savvy generation. My inability to manage my social media presence initially created some difficulties for me.
My greatest fears are insincere feedback and acting out a play with no message for the audience
Your work does not feel like a chore if you take a keen interest in it and see it as a learning platform
I am keenly aware of many people looking up to me as a role model. Therefore, I am very careful about the choices I make so I do not lead people on the wrong path
I was able to make the right choice during a critical moment in my career because I consulted mentors and sought the counsel of God
Sometimes our audiences find it difficult to detach the characters we play from our real-life personalities; this is because some actors let their lifestyles on stage spillover into real life
Actors focusing on the more on the personalities they want to project on screen than the recommendation of industry professionals is doing more harm than good
There is a potentially long-term damage if actors put their entire focus on pleasing their social media fan base instead of focusing on perfecting their craft.
The movie industry is huge. There is an entire value chain that goes far beyond those we see on camera, from costume designers to artists, special effects, and a whole lot
People easily related to the ‘Pusher’ character because I visited places where I would find ‘Pushers’ to observe them. There is a ‘Pusher’ in every community
There is often a conflict when you try to use theatre to task the intellect because the audience often see theatre only as a way to unwind and destress
Our goal as actors and filmmakers should be to task people to think and create solutions to the challenges around them
Actors and filmmakers are creators with phenomenal influence. Whatever we put in the public domain will be consumed. We should therefore be responsible in the choices we make and what we put out.
Interestingly, movies that get acclaimed are often those that are thought-provoking and task your intellect
Acting is putting on the cloak of another character. You assume a different persona. You must take the cloak off once you finish acting
Serendipitously, my major break came when one character named Gabby in a GTV drama did not show up. I was asked to assume the role because I was consistently there watching the rehearsals.
My work was initially influenced by the advice I received from Brew Riverson Jnr. I always seek to impact the industry, and not to simply conform
I only saw my acting potential when people began to affirm my talent. I was motivated by commendations from people I looked up to in the industry
My first encounter in acting was in a school drama. I never asked for it. It was thrown at me
Growing up, I loved watching the ‘behind the scenes’ clips they showed after movies, but I never saw myself one day being in front of the cameras. –
LESSON 10 – TEMPTATIONS. The movie industry is fraught with temptation and nothing prepared me for it. I struggled to cope initially but my wife has been a great source of support and strength. –
LESSON 9 – FEEDBACK AND IMPACT. My greatest fear is insincere feedback. It is worrying when people hail you or praise you for work that you know feel short of the mark. My other fear is leaving my audience with nothing beneficial after a performance. –
LESSON 8 – EXCELLENCE. I will celebrate someone like Shirley Frimpong Manso who has the conviction and the guts to consistently insist on her standards of excellence. Shirley would typically make tough demands on A-List actors or actresses without pausing to consider who they are. –
LESSON 7 -PERSONAL ETHICS. I walked away from a very lucrative contract that required me to endorse and drink alcohol for ethical reasons. It was a very difficult decision that required consultation and counselling but I look back now with gratitude because God rewarded me for my decision. –
LESSON 6 – INVISIBLE ROLES. Most industries are far larger than the people you see on the frontline. People like costumers and those in charge of special effects take time to really analyze loads and loads of details in designing for the part. Film is really a science. –
LESSON 5 -ADAPTATION. Taking on a part involves research and adaptation. To help me act the role of ‘Pusher’ in ‘Things we do for love’, I had to visit a number of bars to appreciate the mannerisms of the larger-than-life character I was trying to portray. –
LESSON 4 -FORMAL TRAINING. After performing for a while, I honed my craft at the School of Performing arts where I was largely influenced by Prof. Martin Owusu. I later proceeded to lecture at NAFTI. –
LESSON 3 – INTELLECT & PHILOSOPHY. Theatre must make us think about societal change. It must not just be about humour and wit but also about sober reflection. –
LESSON 2 – PROFESSIONALISM. Theatre can give you a role opposed to your personality, but you have to wear it and take it off like a garment. The conflict arises when people actually perceive you as the ‘bad boy’ character and even go to the extent of shielding their children from you. –
LESSON 1 – OBSERVATION & OPPORTUNITY “In the beginning, I visited the places where actors rehearsed and just enjoyed them while learning by observation. I only seized my opportunity when one character failed to turn up.” – –