Before you click on the video that accompanies this article, you might want to read this first.
It’s hard, I believe for everyone that is more or less well-tethered to the internet, to not notice the growing number of web series from Cameroon. We have done two articles already on one of the most-popular of them (PAKGNE) using the series to explain why working on your craft with passion and consistency pays off, and later on, with the bad press surrounding the Canal 2OR ceremony, a second article explaining why it is important not to lose focus.
In any case, while we are it again, it is also hard to not notice that the majority of web series in existence from Cameroon right now are mostly from the francophone side of the Moungo. I can only think of one from the other side, but the name eludes me. Please drop some names in the comment section if you know of any.
If this shows anything, it is the democratisation of platforms via which art can be showcased. Years ago, you almost absolutely had to be on TV for your music to be seen and known; at least mostly for pop and urban musicians. Today it is quite the opposite I think Jovi has shown us that you don’t necessarily have to be on TRACE to make good revenue from your music. All you need is a good product and consistency and knowing when to milk the cow.
And while free acess to these platform is good, it has also brought the problem of what I like to call “content pollution.” Too many people fighting for our attention at same time and the people doing it the wrong way or doing the wrong thing are usually the loudest and thus the most heard. I am only comforted by the fact that, in the long run, only the best will survive after the audience itself will have some sort of “content fatigue” and choose to side with the best only.
Any-Ha
When we come back to the webseries, one of the reasons for its growing popularity amongst creatives in the performance sector is, I believe is in the low cost of production. I recently dallied in some video production myself and I spent around 20,000frs in equipment renting only, for the shoot. I used my own phone camera and only rented lights and a microphone. I did not pay for the location and a cousin edited the video for me.
That means that anyone who is serious enough can invest a small amount into equipment and make some good work out of it.
But to answer the question of whether or not web series are the way to go and perhaps what we need to thrive, I’ll answer with a resounding yes. Because, see naaa, if we have to extrapolate these web series in to the grander scheme of our contemporary movie industry, I think it is the necessary first step that we ought to have taken. Many of you might argue with me, but I strongly believe that our movie industry is not quite ready yet for the undertaking of what it is undertaking and of what it has underaken.
I mean, I applaud them for trying. It is not easy, but I can’t help but think that a lot of people, especially those whom hold the keys to grain store, skipped some necessary first steps.
The reason why I saw so is because, if you look at it critically, in terms of ACTUAL content in the movies we make, we are still very much behind. Our movies are most often 25 mins of actual content stretched over 90 mins of running time. The rest of that is spent on inexplicable plot holes and derivative scenes that do not lead to the actual story itself. And I think experience in a multitude of shorter productions would have helped cover that gap considerably.
Webseries, are essentially short movies. And I think it is a more challenging field than producing actual movies (at least in our performance arts industry). Because with web series you have to be able to write and film a different story every week, for example. This means that your creativity is tested over a larger basket of topics and themes.
The advantage here is that you are able to explore many different things and the actors themselves are able to act a large number of roles almost on a weekly basis. This puts their skill to the test and thus means they are capable of fine-tuning and becoming better actors faster; at least as far as the diversity of roles is concerned. With movies, you run the risk of becoming typecast.
Kanayo O. Kanayo is the quintessential borlor man, while Tony Umes is the person that immediately comes to mind when we think ‘f**kboy’. You get what I mean.
And finally, Web series re another way to build an audience which you can turn into cash later. This can come in to solve the big problem of visibility and even of distribution we have in our industry. Take for example the PAKGNE ladies. Were it not for PR mess they had, their following would have been on a steady climb. They have a good following, both on Ytube and on Instgm. This is essentially their community. If those ladies decide to do a movie today, they stand a strong chance of having it screened at the major cinemas in Yaoundé and Douala.
Not only that, they can sell merchandise on the day of screening as well as promise commemorative photos to movie-goers and other trinkets as well. You’d be surprised how many people will turn up.
All that to say, this is not a crusade against the status quo. This is instead a piece to shine a light on what I think is a vastly underserved market and an opportunity for creatives to test their skills and progressively make a name for themselves because whether we like it or not, Ytube remains the most visible window we have today in the performance arts sector. Today, Issa Rae, the lead character in the HBO show “Insecure” started that very show as a webseries. Today she is a writer and a producer on the show she started in her bathroom with a camera... and she is making millions out of it. Crazy huh?
But to come back to the video that accompanies this article, it is another web series I discovered which I encourage you all to subscribe to. It is called “Les Delires De Takam” and it is created by Ulrich Takam whom you see in the video. The series revolves around their lives as students. I am particularly enthralled by his co-lead, Joys Sa’a. She is an absolute delight to watch.
You can subscribe to his channel by clicking on the following link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFd3pKkg0XoKSsgPeipZSJA/videos
-Wandji Wilfred