- Leila Djansi says YouTube is unreliable and oversaturated for film distribution.
- She believes a government film fund is premature without proper distribution channels.
- Piracy and policy changes make YouTube financially unstable for filmmakers.
- Djansi announced a Film Crew Networking Fixer to address crew shortages.
- The event will be held on September 24 at Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.
Ghanaian-American filmmaker Leila Djansi has issued a stark warning to Ghana’s creative industry: relying on YouTube as the primary outlet for film distribution is a dead-end strategy. Speaking on Daybreak Hitz, Djansi argued that the platform’s volatility, oversaturation, and shifting policies make it unsustainable for serious filmmakers seeking long-term financial returns.
Her critique comes amid growing enthusiasm for a proposed government-backed film fund, which she believes is premature without a functioning distribution ecosystem. Djansi stressed that without proper channels to monetize content, any investment in production will be undermined by piracy and poor returns — especially if the default release strategy is YouTube.
She also raised alarm over the shortage of skilled crew members in Ghana’s film sector, noting that the lack of trained professionals continues to hold back the industry’s growth and global competitiveness. To address this, Djansi announced the upcoming Film Crew Networking Fixer, scheduled for September 24 at Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. The event aims to connect professionals across the production chain and foster collaboration, training, and resource-sharing.
Djansi’s comments reflect a broader frustration among industry veterans who say Ghana’s film infrastructure is lagging behind its creative potential. Her call to action is clear: build the crew, fix the distribution, and stop treating YouTube like a business plan.
