Ghanaian filmmaker Peter Sedufia has shared his perspective on the challenges of stage acting compared to filmmaking, stating that directing a movie is much easier than performing in stage plays.
Speaking during a one-on-one interview on Upside Down on Channel One TV on Sunday, February 9, the director and producer highlighted his experience in both fields.
According to Sedufia, directing films is enjoyable because it allows him to guide actors in portraying his vision. He explained that filmmaking gives him the power to shape narratives and influence audiences, making them believe in the stories he presents on screen.
If a film depicts a character committing a crime, viewers accept it as reality within that world. The ability to control storytelling in such a way is what excites him about filmmaking.
Peter Sedufia has directed numerous popular movies in both Ghana and Nigeria, including KETEKE, ALOEVERA, AWAY BUS, and ONE NIGHT GUEST, with famous actresses and actors from Ghana and Nigeria, as casts.
However, he believes stage acting is far more demanding. Having started as a stage actor in primary school and continuing through secondary school, Sedufia noted that performing live requires actors to memorize entire scripts, sometimes spanning 90 pages.
Unlike film, where actors can pause or redo a scene if necessary, stage performances require continuous delivery from start to finish without the chance to consult a director.
He emphasized that stage actors must have exceptional memory and adaptability since there are no opportunities to correct mistakes once the performance begins. This, he said, makes stage acting much more challenging than filmmaking.
“It is fun to direct because it is something I enjoy doing. It’s about telling people what to do and how to do it, and they follow your direction. It’s about letting the whole world see a certain narrative through your lens. What I tell you is what you believe if I show someone committing a crime in a film, you will believe that the crime happened.
The power to influence society and shape minds outside the set is what makes directing exciting. To me, filmmaking is easier than stage acting. I started as a stage actor myself, from primary school through senior secondary school.
“Memorizing a 90-page script and keeping it all in mind is challenging, especially since there’s no opportunity to pause or ask the director if you got it right. Once you start, you have to keep going until the end. Stage actors tend to have excellent memory because they are used to this process. Stage acting is very difficult.’ He revealed.
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