Award-winning filmmaker and lecturer George Bosompim is using more than three decades of experience in Ghana’s film and television industry to prepare a new generation of creative professionals for the demands of the industry.
Now a lecturer at the UniMAC Institute of Film and Television, Mr Bosompim says one of his greatest sources of fulfilment is helping his students transition from the classroom into professional careers.
He said he often takes students along on his productions and helps them secure opportunities within the industry because he believes practical exposure is essential to their development.
“I am happy to be a teacher. I want to see my students go beyond just coming through school, so sometimes I look for jobs for them and take them on my productions as well,” he told the Ghana News Agency (GNA).
Mr Bosompim’s commitment to mentoring young creatives is rooted in his own journey, which began on stage at the Tema Parents Association School before eventually taking him into acting, directing, producing, documentary filmmaking and television production.
Although he initially aspired to become either a priest or lawyer because of his interest in justice and social issues, the performing arts gradually became his career path.
His first television appearance came in July 1990, when he featured in Poco Darling on Ghana Television (GTV).
The production emerged from a drama group formed during his National Service by Kofi Dankwah. The group staged performances around Tema before securing an opportunity to appear on television.
Mr Bosompim said Poco Darling attracted attention because it tackled the social issue of older men using money to influence young girls.
From acting to production
Determined to strengthen his skills, Mr Bosompim enrolled at the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) in 1995, where he trained in acting, production, directing and scriptwriting.
While still at NAFTI, he produced his first commercial for Kasapreko in 1997, working alongside lecturers who had taught him.
A year later, he joined Gama Film Company, where he spent 15 years working across television drama, documentaries, reality shows, commercials, music videos and magazine programmes.
One of the experiences that significantly broadened his expertise came when he was seconded to TV3’s marketing and advertising department.
Although he initially viewed the move as a departure from his preferred production work, he eventually spent two years there and produced about 75 television commercials.
He said the experience exposed him to radio, print and television advertising and expanded his understanding of the broader media industry.
Building successful television productions
Mr Bosompim later produced several popular television programmes, including District Colonial Court, which aired on TV3 from 2005 to 2009.
His documentary Save a Million Lives, an HIV/AIDS awareness project produced in 2002, won the Best Documentary award at the Ghana Film Awards.
His career also took an international turn after he secured a ScriptNet United Kingdom bursary and subsequently studied documentary filmmaking at Bournemouth University Media School.
Upon returning to Ghana, he worked on several television productions, including Hottest Host, Bands Alive and Chorkor Trotro.
It was through Chorkor Trotro that actor and comedian Funny Face received an opportunity that helped launch his acting career.
Mr Bosompim said Funny Face, who had been eliminated from Hottest Host, was encouraged to pursue acting after he saw his potential.
The two subsequently worked on Chorkor Trotro, which became a popular television series.
Mr Bosompim later produced two seasons of Bands Alive and created Baba and Shoeshine, which aired on TV3 from 2010 to 2013.
He has also worked with local and international production companies, including teams involved in the production of the CBS reality programme The Amazing Race.
Calling for collaboration in filmmaking
With the Ghanaian creative industry evolving rapidly, Mr Bosompim is encouraging young filmmakers to look beyond feature films and explore documentaries, animation, television and other areas of production.
“Film is not just feature films. We should be looking at all the other aspects of filmmaking and not get fixated on fiction,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of collaboration and apprenticeship, noting that filmmaking requires different specialists working together rather than one person attempting to handle every aspect of production.
Beyond filmmaking, Mr Bosompim has contributed to policy and institutional development within Ghana’s creative sector.
He was involved in drafting the Creative Arts Agency Act and its Legislative Instrument and contributed to the review of Ghana’s cultural policy.
He currently serves on the Board of the National Film Authority, is an Executive Member of the Ghana Culture Forum and the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts (GAFTA).
He is also a mentor and Executive Producer of Fresh Craft: Tales from the Blue Bus and Convener of the Film Task Team of Ghana, which contributed to the operationalisation of the National Film Authority Act, 2016 (Act 935).
Between 2021 and 2024, he served as an Honorary Fellow and Co-Lead on the University of Exeter’s Imagining Futures research projects, including initiatives focused on preserving Ghana’s television and film heritage.
Mentoring the next generation
Despite his extensive career, Mr Bosompim says his greatest satisfaction now comes from seeing young people he has mentored succeed.
He believes Ghana’s creative industry can make significant progress if experienced professionals deliberately transfer their knowledge to emerging talents.
He has also urged local filmmakers seeking international recognition to understand the rules governing major film awards before submitting their works.
According to him, filmmakers must be deliberate about meeting eligibility and submission requirements if Ghanaian productions are to compete successfully on the global stage.
For Mr Bosompim, the journey from a young performer in Tema to an award-winning filmmaker, educator and industry advocate has ultimately become an opportunity to ensure that those coming after him are better prepared to take Ghana’s film industry forward.
