By: Michael Walsh

We spent the weekend in Cape Coast at a 4-star coastal resort called Coconut Grove. The same resort was visited by people like Will Smith and Obama who had their (seemingly unbeknownst to them) pictures up on the walls of their reception area. From here, we visited two different slave castles; Elmina castle and Cape Coast castle. These castles have been around for more than 400 years, actively exporting Ghanaians until Ghana bought them back about 60 years ago. Ghana’s biggest export has historically been its people, and subsequently its workforce.

 

After getting a brief taste of my internship the previous Friday, I came into this week ready to step into my role as a producer intern for the largest advertising agency in Ghana, and a branch of one of the largest global advertising agencies in the world.

 

During my first week, I participated in four different productions for some of the largest companies and brands in Ghana. These productions included one of the largest wax fabric manufacturers in Ghana (a pre-production meeting [PPM] at GTP), a photo shoot at a local studio for a school schooling accountants (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ghana [ICAG]), a photo shoot for the largest mobile carrier in Africa and their new mobile plan (MTN), and an in-house photo shoot for ReZultZ Advertising (the adjacent advertising agency to my own within the same productions group called Ninani; containing 2 advertising agencies, a PR and events firm, and a digital productions studio).

 

Aside from helping on set, I was tasked with shooting and editing behind-the-scenes footage of ICAG and ReZultZ and used my own equipment and skillset to produce quality promotional material that these brands are currently using.

 

I came into this experience not really knowing what I would be doing. I realized immediately that I’m simply producing as a producer. I’m lending my skillset and equipment and time, being rewarded with opportunity and work that I can be ambitious about and be given support to do at the highest level of media production in Ghana.

 

I’ve also started to make incredible friends here and have been spending time in and out of work with them getting to experience what their lives are like and how this place really functions below the surface. I feel gracious to have been invited to things like local engagement ceremonies and going out to bars and restaurants with the friends I’ve made. I’ve been thrown into Ghanaian work and street culture and I’ve brought myself into every scenario I’ve had the pleasure to take part in no matter how spicy the food.