THIS week I wanted to write about America’s Academy awards also known as the Oscars. I was going to sit throughout last Sunday night to watch everything until it dawned on me that there was no black nominee this year. Not a single one. It was, in fact, an all-white affair. All things being equal Selma’s leading actors, particularly David Oyeliwo, deserved nomination and even a gong or two. But then again Selma is not the kind of story organisers of the academy awards would love to bestow awards on. Most whites would rather have the whole world forget about such stories — they prefer blacks sniffing drugs, killing each other or “going down” onto some white man (excuse the French).
What I actually find funny is the fact that Hollywood continues to talk about diversity on one hand while on the other hand it continues to murder the spirit of diversity. Rather pissed off by the absence of actors of colour on the Oscars list I switched off the television and tried to catch up with my reading. To be honest this year’s Oscars were a non-event — at least according to me and a few others who passionately believe in diversity and equality.
It’s my hope that next year the organisers will not try to make up for this year’s blunder by awarding some mediocre black film or actor/actress. They have done it before — giving the gong to Halle Berry for that role in Monster’s Ball.
Anyway, back home it was very interesting to read a story about local rapper Stunner calling other artistes idiots. Understandably, Stunner was angry, and is still angry. But calling nearly the whole arts sector idiots is not a wise call.
True. There is a serious problem of undermining and undercutting each other in the sector. This is all because there is no organisation and no structures to protect serious artistes and uphold proper business ethics.
A day old artiste wants the same recognition as a tried and tested one. So it’s the survival of the fittest.
It is also true that many young artistes are offering themselves very cheap to promoters — they need to survive and also to be seen.
However, staying away from performances because one thinks others are idiots might not be the right reaction — the young ones need education.
These young artistes will always be there — remember some are just around for that 10 minutes of fame and the crumbs that come with that. But if left like that, the situation will never end.
It might even get worse. One artiste will fade and another one hit wonder will come. I honestly believe that instead of calling each other names we need serious dialogue around promotion, remuneration and product distribution. Only proper and professional dialogue can push the sector in the right direction. And Stunner needs to be part of the proper, professional dialogue to gain everyone’s respect — not to call everyone idiots, even on his Facebook page.
Finally, digitalisation is coming to our national broadcaster. Just last Monday artistes were invited to Montrose Studios for a meeting whose focus was digitalisation.
Local artistes were told digitalisation was upon us and that ZBC was positive it will meet the June deadline.
The exciting news was that digitalisation will bring six new channels — that means new and more platforms to showcase local content.
New players and new opportunities for creative people. However, one cannot stop to wonder whether we are really ready, especially for the six channels seeing we have been failing to pack just one channel with good and relevant content.
The big question I ask here for the umpteenth time is: Is Government through the national broadcaster and Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe ready to create a commissioning fund to help the creative sector supply ZBC with proper content? For without a fund we can talk until cows come home and nothing will happen.