LOCAL film producers should improve the welfare of actors through better remunerations in order to boost confidence and professionalism in the sector, veteran movie players have said.
In an interview with Patriot Arts, actor, Yanai Psvuura, said acting in Zimbabwe has lost its professionalism due to poor remuneration.
He said as a result, most actors are not willing to participate in many productions or may do it, but with little motivation.
Many producers, said Psvuura, were concerned about low costs in choosing casts at the expense of quality productions.
“The film industry has been reduced to a platform where acting is now being done for charity and with less commitment,” said Psvuura.
“Most producers now opt for non experienced actors who at times do not have the talent to suit their productions as a way of minimising costs, a situation that usually compromises the quality of such productions.”
Psvuura said actors deserve to be paid better salaries in order for them to be motivated.
“There is now a new form of payment for acting where actors are rewarded by producers after printing and selling DVD copies of the film,” he said.
“However, the system is not consistent and leaves more room for producers to fleece (us) actors.”
“It is now difficult to take acting as a full time job because at the end of the day you cannot earn a living out of it due to poor remuneration.”
Psvuura has featured in a number of films since 1989 that included Zimlife produced by Dr Thompson Tsodzo, Murambiwa produced by Arnold Shoko, a local drama Chakafukidza Dzimba Matenga and many television commercials.
Another well known actress, Pretty Xaba, said a film can only be successful if it is supported by the best actors, but currently the future of producing good films is uncertain due to lack of experienced cast as a result of poor salaries.
She urged the Government to craft a new film policy that attracts new investors in the sector.
“With the current situation where acting is poorly paid, experienced actors are being eliminated from the local film scene,” Xaba said.
“We have families that are looking up to us and we need to upgrade our standards of living, but with this situation in the field of acting, our lives are being made very difficult.”
Xaba, who made headlines during her acting in the longest run soap opera in Zimbabwe, Studio 263, said poor salaries affected consistency in the production of ongoing films.
“Most productions that are supposed to run for a long time such as soap operas have collapsed due to poor rewarding as most actors cannot continue to support productions where they are given little money for doing a great job,” she said.
“This can also be characterised by changing of the same character by different people in some of our soap operas.”
The Zimbabwean film sector has already lost some experienced actors to other film industries abroad such as Hollywood.
Arnold Chirisa also known as ‘Detective Trevor Davies’ in Studio 263 is such an example.
He left the country in search of ‘greener pastures’ and has featured in several high-profile productions in the US and South Africa.
Last year, Chirisa landed a guest role on an American supernatural drama television series Sleepy Hollow that premiered on Fox Television.
He also made a guest appearance in NCIS: Los Angeles on M-Net in July last year, playing the role of an interrogator.
Previously, Chirisa co-starred with Leon Schuster in Mr Bones 2: Back from the Past, where he played the role of the ‘Hekule’, the King of Kuvukiland.
The Zimbabwean-born actor also appeared in several film projects that include, American Horror Story, Diamonds, Skin and Mrs Mandela.
Another actor who has fared equally well in South Africa is Leeroy Gopal who rose to fame in Zimbabwe as ‘Tiyane Tsumba’ in the film Yellow Card.
Gopal landed a guest role in the popular South African soapie Generations early last year where he played the role of a chauffeur for a wealthy businessman called ‘Mr Robert’.
Gopal became the second Zimbabwean actor to feature on Generations after Yvonne Katsande who starred as a wealthy cousin of media mogul Mawande Memela.
The Zimbabwean actor broke into the South African acting industry on the soapie Backstage where he played the role of ‘Duma Mzamo’.
Gopal has also appeared in top South African film productions like Hola Mpinji, Home Affairs, Jozi-H, One Way and Ses’Top La.