Ernest Obi, a Nigerian film director, recently shared some alarming information about the treatment of personal assistants (PAs) and actors in the film industry. He spoke at a candlelight event held in Lagos to remember his late colleague, Junior Pope, and five other crew members who died at the Anam River.
Obi stressed the need for safety in movie production and urged actors to take necessary precautions to avoid accidents. He expressed his disappointment with the way film industry workers are mistreated, especially the underpayment of PAs. He revealed that some producers pay their assistants as little as N10,000 for 15 days of work. He believes this to be a grave injustice and a sin against God.
Obi encouraged actors to stand up for their rights and refuse to be exploited by producers. He advised them to contact their guild or president if they are members of the Guild and are being asked to perform dangerous tasks without proper safety measures.