There has never been returns in films produced - Tene Francis

He is known for exceptionally combining duties such as producer, director, actor, and boss of the film label, CinéGlobe Entertainment.

He is no other person than Francis K. Tene who has a lot of movies to his credit. Here is how his interview with culturebene.com went.

You are an actor, producer, director and head of CinéGlobe Entertainment; is it not too much for you?

(Laughs) No, I do not think so because the world of business is too broad. I personally think all these responsibilities have no peak, so I must still stay in business.

Who inspired you to take this job?

A gentleman whom I respect, Pierre Abba, and that was in 2000.

We are in a "laboratory”, if you will permit me to call CinéGlobe Entertainment that, can you tell us the story on how it came about?

CinéGlobe Entertainment was named Sector 7 at its inception in 2005. But due to some problems within the group, we felt it obligatory to reorganize, hence the new name.

How many works has Francis K. Tene done?

My personal production is three, but overall I have produced 18 works, including short films. In 2008 I produced a 26 minutes movie entitled ‘The Horizon Evil’. This was the first film in which I played the lead role, in addition to being the producer. It was directed by John Romeo Ndameda. In 2010 ‘Transition Heart’, my first feature film lasted 1hr: 15 min. In 2013 also I created ‘The murder weapon’, a fiction of one hour and ten minutes, which was the only French film at the latest edition of the ‘Black Screens’. And in 2014, I co-produced with Linda Menfo from the United States, ‘Crack Girl’.

How much do you pay for the production of your movies? As I already disclosed to you, there is never a return on investment in film. You should only have a passion for daring to continue in this area. My first film ‘L'Horizon evil’ cost me 5.3 million (with credits) in all, the second cost me one million three hundred thousand but I could sell CDs. The third movie, I received grants, especially in terms of logistics. Your movies include popular and well paid actors and actresses names, how do you do it, especially when you know your reduced budget?

I'm just saying that we must be humble and believe in what we do. I have friends like Narcissus Wandji who asked me the same question. It turns out that I maintained a very good relationship with these seniors, and the way I approach them to offer them roles in my films was modest. It's a bit like that. They know that there is not much to support, but we sit, we talk, and we even sign contracts because it is already in the preparation of how to manage the post - film.

At this point, what project are you working on?

Now I am in fully preparing for the last film I told you about: ‘Prodigy Girl’. But I am also currently developing a TV program called ‘The Slope’. It will focus on the film and will certainly be broadcast on VoxAfrica.

Married?

No, I'm engaged, and proud father of a child, Ryan.