Mr. Francis Grant Kwesi Gbormittah

Francis Gbormittah lectures in media arts and practice. He obtained a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree in Media and Culture Studies at the Gilmorehill Centre for Theatre, Film and TV in the University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. Prior to this, he studied film and television production at the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI). 
He worked between 2001 and 2007 as a lecturer at NAFTI. His research interests are in film and television aesthetics (reception studies: narrative and the response to narrative, images and the perception of images, visual theory and culture); film and television technology (realism vs. cinema); African Cinema (the cultural context and the colonial legacy).
Francis’ research publications are in national and international journals such as Africa Today, Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies, The Performer: Ilorin Journal of the Performing Arts, African Agenda, and the Journal of Performing Arts. He co-edited The Performing Arts in Africa: Ghanaian Perspectives (A Reader). Francis served on numerous boards and committees, including the Editorial Board of the Journal of Performing Arts, 2010-2014; Graduate Committee of the Department of Theatre Arts, 2012-2014; Board of Faculty of Arts, 2012-2014; NAFTI Board of Governors, 2009-2011; Examiners Board, 2009-2010 and Ministry of Information Task Force/Committee on Archiving of Ghana’s Heritage Materials Project, 2003. He currently serves on the Ghana News Agency Board. Francis’ professional practice and freelance experience includes: Co-Director, The Trail of JJ, a political theatre rooted in musical drama based on the book “The Trial of JJ Rawlings by Kojo Yankah”; Art Director, Chronicles of Odumkrom: The Headmaster, a feature film,; Wedding Blues, a feature film; Writer/Director, Manya Krobo: Memories, Identity and Cultural Heritage, a documentary; Writer/Director, School of Performing Arts (SPA) at 50, a documentary; Producer/Production Designer/Actor, The Destiny of Lesser Animals, a feature film; Beggar’s Plight, short film; Aloma’s Playhouse, TV edutainment. He is affiliated to the following professional bodies: Ghana Association of Writers (GAW), African Literature Association (ALA), the Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA), University Film and Video Association (UFVA), Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts (GAFTA) and Art Directors Guild of Ghana.

Education/Qualifications
UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW, Glasgow. Scotland. United Kingdom.
M.Phil. in Screen Studies [Media and Culture], Dec. 2001.
Thesis: The Colonial Legacy: Anglophone and Francophone Cinemas in West Africa.

NATIONAL FILM AND TELEVISION INSTITUTE (NAFTI), Accra. Ghana.
Professional Diploma in Film and Television Production: with a major in Art Direction, July 1998.
Long Essay: Factors Affecting the Development of Set Design in Film and Television Production in Ghana.

Professional Practice and Freelance Experience

•  Set Designer, Langbodo: A Forest of a Thousand Daemons, a play written by Wale Ogunyemi and directed by Bernard Adjirackor, E.T. Sutherland Drama Studio – Oct. 25-27, 2012.
•  Set Designer, Alien King, a play written by Mohammed ben-Abdallah and directed by Africanus Aveh, E.T. Sutherland Drama Studio – Oct. 11-14, 2012.
•  Set Designer, The Leopard’s Choice, a play written by Yaw Asare and directed by Solomon Dartey, E.T. Sutherland Drama Studio – Oct. 20-23, 2012.
•  Part-Time Lecturer, University of Education, Winneba – since January, 2012.
•  Cameraman/Art Director, “SFAO in Action,” a University of Ghana Students Financial Aid Office promotional piece for the University of Ghana International Education Fair and Homecoming – Nov. 2011.
•  Stage Manager/Co-ordinator, The Beginning with the End in Mind, a Theatre for Awareness Project commissioned by the National Food and Agriculture Show (FAGRO) Planning Committee, performed on Oct. 16, 2011, at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park.
•  Inspection/Desk Copy Review, Basics Filmmaking 02 Screenwriting by Robert Edgar-Hunt, John Marland and James Richards, in-publication by AVA Publishing, UK - Sept./Oct., 2010.
•  Part-Time Lecturer and Curriculum Development Consultant, Creative Land School of Film and Media Arts – since July, 2010.
•  Consultant, Film Script Concept and Story Development Workshop organised by Dream House Productions for Children’s Film Project Competition, Accra – Dec., 2009.
•  Co-ordinator/Line Producer, Sobukwe-AGreat Soul, a Docu-Drama on the life of Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe, Founder of the Pan-African Congress in South Africa – Sept., 2009.
•  Producer/Production Designer/Actor, The Destiny of Lesser Animals – a feature film produced by Bright Noon Pictures in partnership with Francis Gbormittah – Feb./March, 2009. Also, Team Member, Bright Noon Pictures, Ghana/USA.
•  Special Effects Person, Scorned (2008), a feature film produced by Sparrow Productions Entertainment Ltd. – 2008
•  Art Director, ‘Investment Digest,’ a Talents and Resources International Weekly Investor Education Programme – since 2007
•  Art Director/Script Consultant, ‘Life and Living It,’ a Feature Film produced by Sparrow Productions Entertainment Ltd., - August, 2007
•  Co-ordinator, Pan-African Reality Show on HIV/AIDS. The Show was developed under the auspices of the African Broadcast Media Partnership Against HIV/AIDS as part of its multi-year Pan-African HIV/AIDS public awareness and education programme, 2007
• Director, PyroPaint, a Documentary on a Water-Base, Fire-Resistant Paint for I&H Speedway Ltd., subsidiary of Royal Touch Paint Ltd. – 2006.
•  Set Designer, MoneyLine, a Financial News Television by Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Nov. 2006.
•  Writer, Cameraman, Director, Documentary on NAFTI’s Participation in Market Mission and Windhoek Show 2006 held in Windhoek, Namibia from September 29 to October 7, 2006.
•  Art Director, ‘Twinkling Stars,’ a Demonstration and Education Project for Miss Ghana 2006, produced by Sparrow Productions Ltd., - Sept., 2006.
•  Art Director, “Personalities’ Kitchen,” a Television Cookery programme by Sparrow Productions, Accra – since, 2003.
•  Art Director, ‘2004 Calendar’ for Accra Brewery Ltd., an ORAKLE Advertising Production – April, 2003.
•  Art Director, Holsum Margarine Ad; NANKANI Electronic Imaging Production for Lever Brothers (Gh) Ltd., - May 2000.
•  Art Director, Omo Power Foam/Rexona Ad; AP LINTAS Production for Lever Brothers (Gh) Ltd. - Nov. 1999.

Conferences/Seminars/Workshops/Film Festivals Attended

•  Departmental Seminar, Department of Theatre Arts, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon. Accra – September 27, 2012. Presented paper on Film Education, Storytelling and Identity Construction in a Multicultural Setting: Present Realities and Future Possibilities.
•   Theatre for Development (TfD) Seminar, Department of Theatre Arts, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon. Accra – April 25, 2012. Presented paper on Radio, Television,Video and Tourism: The Role of the Performing Artist in the Development of our Nation.
•   Departmental Seminar, Department of Dance Studies, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon. Accra – October 28, 2011. Presented paper on The Future is in the Eyes of the Innovators: Negotiations between Dance and the Audio-Visual Medium.
•  Participant, 37th African Literature Association (ALA) Conference, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA – April 13-17, 2011. Panel Member for Video Film Production: Challenges and Prospects. Presented paper on a specific topic of Knocking on Heaven’s Doors: Spirit and Lessons of International Co-productions and the Making of ‘The Destiny of Lesser Animals (Ghana, 2011).’
•  Participant, Workshop on Creative Writing organised by the Ghana Book Trust/CODE in conjunction with the Burt Award for African Writers, Miklin Hotel, Accra – April 4-6, 2011.
•  Participant, Workshop on The Legacy of Independence and its Impact on Creativity organised by the Adventures in the Diaspora IV Group, Golden Tulip, Accra – March 24, 2011.
•  Departmental Seminar, Department of Theatre Arts, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon. Accra – March 17, 2011. Presented paper on Knocking on Heaven’s Doors: Spirit and Lessons of International Co-productions and the Making of “The Destiny of Lesser Animals (Ghana, 2009).”
•  Participant, Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, FESPACO 2005, Burkina Faso – Feb 26-March 5, 2011.
•  Participant, University of Ghana Joint Publishing with Routledge and UNISA Press, Centre for African Wetlands, University of Ghana, Legon. Accra – Jan. 31, 2011.
•  Departmental Seminar, Department of Theatre Arts, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon. Accra – September 16, 2010. Presented paper on Conflicts in the Interface between Tradition and the Modern Media in Ghana.
•  Participant, 64th University Film and Video Association (UFVA) Conference, Champlain College, Burlington, Vermont, USA - August 10-14, 2010. Panel Member for Inside and Out: Filmmaking and Film Education in Ghana. Presented paper on the topic, On Ghanaian Film Industry and Education: Present Realities and Future Possibilities.
•  Participant, 8th Faculty of Arts Colloquium, Great Hall, University of Ghana, Legon. Accra – 14-15 April, 2010. Presented paper on Film and Television Education in a Multicultural Setting: the Experience of the School of Performing Arts (SPA), University of Ghana.
•  Participant, Reduced Class Size Workshop, University of Ghana, Legon – May 25-26, 2009.
•  Participant, 7th Faculty of Arts Colloquium, Great Hall, University of Ghana, Legon. Accra – 15-16 April, 2009. Presented paper on Tears, Fears and Laughter: Film and Emotion.
•  Participant, Final Workshop on National Strategy for Export of Non-Traditional Services in Ghana held at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel, Accra, under the auspices of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) – June 19, 2008
•  Participant, Workshop on Proposal Writing, University of Ghana, Legon. Accra – February 14, 2008.
•   Participant, Workshop on Examinations and Students’ Academic Records, University of Ghana, Legon. Accra – 24th-25th January, 2008.
•   Participant, Successful Services Exporting Workshop, organised by the International Trade Centre (ITC) of UNCTAD/WHO, Geneva, in collaboration with Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC), Accra – March 2007.
•  Participant, 16th International Screen Studies Conference, Gilmorehill Centre for Theatre, Film and Television Studies, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK – June 30- July 2, 2006. Presented paper on Functionality and Dysfunctionality of Vocalisation in Movies: The Ghanaian Video Experience.
• Observer, 14th Educational/Biennial Conference of Credit Union Association (CUA), Bonsu – May 23-27, 2006.
•   Participant, 32nd Annual Meeting and Conference of the African Literature Association (ALA), co-hosted by the CODESRIA African Humanities Institute, University of Ghana and the Institute of African and African-American Affairs, New York University – La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra – May 17-21, 2006. Presented a paper on Functionality and Dysfunctionality of Vocalisation in Movies: The Ghanaian Video Experience.
•  Participant, Workshop on Setting and Grading Objective Tests (Short-Answers, Matching and Multiple-Choice Items) organised by the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) in collaboration with, and resource persons from the University of Education, Winneba. Accra – Feb. 1-3, 2006.
•  Participant, Revamping the Ghana Film Industry Seminar organised by the Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts (GAFTA) in collaboration with the French Embassy in Accra, Marina Hotel, Dodowa – Nov. 18-20, 2005.
•  Participant, Film Criticism Workshop organised by the French Embassy in collaboration with the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), Accra. Ghana. – Oct. 3-7, 2005.
•  Participant, Framing Africa through Film, Music and the Visual Arts Conference, organised by the New York University in Ghana/Ashesi University, Accra, Ghana – Sept. 27, 2005.

Research Interests and Activities
Film and Television Aesthetics (reception studies: narrative and the response to narrative, images and the perception of images, visual theory and culture); Film and Television Technology (realism vs. cinema); African Cinema (the cultural context and the colonial legacy).

Research activities:

•  “Film Education, Storytelling and Identity Construction in a Multicultural Setting: Present Realities and Future Possibilities,” [2012]; 
•  “Spirit and Lessons of International Co-productions and the Making of The Destiny of Lesser Animals (Ghana, 2011),” in the Journal of Performing Arts, published by Black Mask Limited, Accra, [2011]
•  “Crossover Genre Narrative: Stylistic and Thematic Assessment of The Destiny of Lesser Animals (Ghana, 2009),” [2010].
•  “Framing History: Lessons of Dramatization and Documentation in “Sobukwe: A Great Soul (Ghana, 2009),” [2010].
•  “On Ghanaian Film Industry and Education: Present Realities and Future Possibilities,” *2010].
•  “Conflicts in the Interface between Tradition and the Modern Media in Ghana, [2009].
•  “Technological Innovations and Realism in Cinema: A Case Study of Steadicam and André Bazin’s Theory of Realism,” in the Journal of Performing Arts, published by the School of Communications Press, Legon. Accra, [2010].
•  “Film and Television Education in a Multicultural Setting: the Experience of the School of Performing Arts (SPA), University of Ghana,” [2010].
• “Tears, Fears and Laughter: Film and Emotion,” *2009].
•  “The Film Actor and Problems in General Linguistics: The Ghanaian Video Experience,” *2006].
•  “Space/Place/Time and Spectacle in Cinema (2001).

 Awards, Grants, Bursaries and Fellowships

•  University of Ghana, Office of Research, Innovation and Development (ORID) Conference Grant to attend African Literature Association (ALA) Conference in Athens, Ohio, USA – April 2011.
•  National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) Staff Production Grant. Used to attend Market Mission and Windhoek Show 2006 held from Sept. 29 – Oct. 7, 2006, in Windhoek, Namibia; and to produce a Documentary on NAFTI’s Participation in Market Mission and Windhoek Show 2006.
•  NAFTI/Government of Ghana Tuition and Maintenance Scholarship: used to finance M.Phil. Programme in the University of Glasgow, Scotland – 2000-2001.
•   Academic Excellence Award, NAFTI - Nov., 1998.
•  Best Art Direction Award, NAFTI Final Year Productions - Nov., 1998.
•  Best Design Award, Akosombo Textiles Ltd. (ATL) - 1994
•  Member, Ghana Association of Writers (GAW), since November, 2010.
•  Member, University Film and Video Association (UFVA), since April, 2010
•  Member, University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), since Oct. 2007
• Member, Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts (GAFTA), since 2006