While perusing the web, I realized that a countdown of this caliber existed in other industries but was unavailable when you google search and linked it to Cameroon. Then I asked myself, why can’t my team and I make this available for our music video directors in Cameroon. This might be one way or the other a medium to export music video directing from Cameroon to the world. In a bid to execute this countdown and make the article rich in content and facts, we picked up our TOP20 list of Cameroon’s overall Best Music Video Directors, took a tour and contacted them one after the other as they confided in us what they charge for music videos and TV commercials.

Thus the countdown which exist in the paragraphs below is based on facts findings and every information about the costs for video shoots and TV commercials came from the horses mouth.

Below is a countdown of Cameroon’s TOP 10 Highest Paid Music Video Directors.

Read through and tell us what you think! However, we might not need your opinion on who takes a better spot because the figures are based on fact findings.

10. Mosima P Somtin

Mosima P Somtin takes our 10th spot! The young video director who was a step away from claiming the Bonteh Digital Media Awards in 2018 under the category for Best Music Video Director had a wonderful 2018 in his jobsite and field of work. His works are steadily gaining grounds and speaking for itself. As a young video director still trying to get to the top, Mosima P Somtin is very moderate when it comes to pricing music video concepts. As it stands, the man who stood behind the camera of music videos such as Day I Die by BANYE, Heba by Fashion Dee and Jeune Artiste by Wams doesn’t take anything less than CFA500.000 for a music video. He is more interested in getting his works out there at the moment. However, we don’t think we shall be seeing this same figure in one or two years to come.

9. Merlin Caren (Luxurious Visuals)

Merlin Caren, founder of the video production house Luxurious Visuals is one of Cameroon’s talented music video directors. The man behind the camera of Cameroonian female rapper ASKIA’S Mami Bakala is also one who doesn’t charge high for his luxurious services. Although he charges the same amount (CFA 5.00.000) like the director on our 10th spot, the Luxurious Visualist has executed projects which filled his money bag as a video director. Merlin has succeeded in bagging TV commercials which cost CFA1.800.000. He comfortably sits on our 9 spot. Apart from ASKIA’S Mami Bakala Video, Merlin has worked with many other artistes such as LABI, Tilla Tafari and Android Man. Although he charges for music videos, Merlin claims he can do some videos for free if the artiste is an upcoming one and if he feels the music. So for low budget music videos and upcoming artistes, Merlin Caren’s videos will make you look luxurious for little or less!

8. HD Filmworks

On our 8th spot is HD Filmworks. After reaching out to the team, they gathered the following information and channeled to us.

“HD Filmworks is involved in various motion picture productions such as Animation, TV commercials, Documentary, Movies and Music videos. Animation, Documentaries and most TV commercials are relatively expensive compared to music videos. Base on the subject at hand which is budget for music videos, it all varies from concept. The cheapest concept within our sphere is staged at CFA350.000 and our maximum range is CFA1.200.000 This statistics is base on the projects we have executed. Some concept in future can be higher but for now we have not broken our record of CFA1.200.000.”

For TV commercials, HD Filmworks has a full money bag taking into consideration the TV commercials they have handled over the years. For instance, all MTN commercials in Congo from 2016 till date, GLO in Nigeria and DSTV adverts. Now that’s it for international commercials. Coming to Cameroon, HD Filmworks have written their names on adverts such as Sparkle and Barma Butter. Notwithstanding, these adverts vary in terms of concept but the HD Filmworks production house charges from CFA1.500.000 to CFA6.000.000 for TV adverts.

7. Mr Adrenaline

Mr Adrenaline happens to be one of Cameroon’s most talented and popular video directors and filmmakers the country is blessed to have. Adrenaline rose to fame and became a force to reckon when he started working with the big names of the music industry. Mr Adrenaline has shared his set with top Cameroonian artistes such as Tzy Panchak, Stanley Enow, Franko and Koppo just to name a few. If you are looking for that Video Director who will shoot you a video and promote it afterwards on his very engaging Facebook and Instagram page, then Mr Adrenaline is who you should be working with.

The multi talented video director seems to have increased his charging fee as CFA800.000 to CFA1.000.000 is what he takes for a music video. From all indications, music video directors happen to be one of the richest celebrities in the industry at the moment. These guys are making money.

6. Regis Talla

This is one man who has a mind blowing record when it comes to TV Commercials. You can call him Regis Talla or The Brand. At first, when music videos directed by Regis Talla comes to an end, what you normally will see back in the days is his names written with a lot of confidence on the screens as Regis Talla. However, the very talented music Video Director who begins his music video charges from CFA 800.000 now uses the latest signature “The Brand” to sign his music videos.

Regis has been the main man on most of Cameroonian rapper Maahlox’s music videos. Regis Talla’s Best budget rose up to CFA 2.500.000 in the year 2017 and in the year 2018, Bollar’s Ballin’ Video of CFA 1.850.000 was his best budget! He sure must be getting to CFA 3.000.000 as the days go by.

Apart from music videos, the additional credentials that boosted Regis Talla’s CV and earned him the 6th position is not just the budget for music videos but rather the touchstone of TV commercials he has created. He has done commercials for Canal+, MTN, Orange and happens to be the first Video Director in the world to shoot a commercial for Wikipedia! You might want to put down your phone and give him a round of applause! You can find the link to the commercial here

5. NS Pictures

NS Pictures is a group of young Cameroonians who started music video production in the year 2006 with a goal to put Cameroon on the map. Working conditions with them depends solely on concepts as they aren’t out for profit making. At least that’s what they say. It was a little difficult to convince NS Pictures to give us a fixed or minimum amount of budget they charge for music videos. However, all hope didn’t end up in a fiasco. NS Pictures like any other Video Director are bent on working with concepts and not purposely for money.

The sum of CFA1.000.000 is the normal price they will charge to shoot a good and professional video. The amount might rise up to CFA3.000.000 which happens to be their best budget so far. Notwithstanding, NS Pictures is interested in good projects. They are enthusiastic when it comes to artistes who are also serious with their careers. According to them, it cost a lot to shoot a music video but if you want to work with them, you need to have at least money for logistics. NS Pictures has succeeded in recording a good number of music videos such Balancé by Ko-C Featuring Tenor, Le Gars La Est Laid and Couper L’appétit by Minks. They comfortably sit on our 5th spot.

4. Adah Akenji

Here’s one camera jockey who needs no introduction in the rings of music videos in Cameroon. With his signature “Adah Has Spoken” boldly written at the end of all his music videos, Adah has been greatly acclaimed for his beautiful video coloring and quality productions. It’s easy to spot Adah Akenji’s music videos just by looking keenly at his colour grading. It takes a minimum of CFA1.500.000 to see the “Adah Has Spoken” signature in music videos. As per TV commercials, the charges vary depending on the product he says! Adah Akenji has worked with most of the big guns in the music industry. Blanche Bailly’s Bon Bon Video was directed by the Camera Berlusconi, Magasco’s Under My Bed, Sandrine Nanga’a’s MA’A, Amber’s LA and Nernos’ L’argent. It’s obvious Adah had a great 2018! He sits on the 4th spot

3. Mr Tcheck (Skystar Films)

Call him Mr Tcheck, The Ink or Skystar Films, he’s definitely going to respond to you. Here’s one man who has comfortably cemented his ties not just with the local artistes like Franko, Charlotte Dipanda just to name a few but he has been able to cut across the Cameroonian boundaries and export his services to the international industries. Mr Tcheck or Skystar Films has worked with the likes of the legendary Koffi Olomide, not just once but twice.

Their first project cost a whopping sum of CFA 3.000.000CFA while the second rose up to CFA. 5.000.000. Coming back to his base and home Industry, Mr Tcheck bagged a whopping sum of CFA. 3.000.000 on his latest music video project with the legendary singer Charlotte Dipanda. You might think he works with just legends, Skystar Films also has what he charges for upcoming artistes. These artistes have a specific amount he collects from them. It ranges from the sum of CFA 8.00.000 to CFA 1.000.000. However, when it comes to business and shooting music videos for artistes, Mr Tcheck charges a minimum of CFA 2.000.000. With all the millions he has, he sits comfortably on our 3rd spot.

2. Shammak Alharamadji

Shammak! He needs no introduction in the atmosphere of Cameroonian Entertainment. With several Afrimma nominations, Shammak rose to fame when he perfectly executed the hit song which brought the only MTV Awards so far in Cameroon by Stanley Enow. Hein Père gave Shammak an upper hand in the milieu of music video directing. Thereafter, he shot videos like Tumbu Boss by Stanley Enow and Rap Thug’s I Get Nkong back in the days. Although he has been greatly criticized for his inconsistency, Shammak always delivers when he steps out and stands behind the cameras. He comfortably sits on our second spot not because of what he charges but rather because he happens to have shot two of Cameroon’s most expensive music videos!

In the year 2017, the bond between Cameroonian rapper Ngoma was evident as both of them worked back to back on two of Ngoma’s hip hop singles which has been acknowledged by the rapper from Awing in the Northwest Region of Cameroon to have cost a total of $26.000

Ngoma’s Mangosi Video is estimated by the rapper to cost the sum of $14.000 which when converted to CFA gets the sum of CFA 7.700.000 and his 2018 single All Les Day which was shot for $12.000 and that’s a whooping 6.600.000 when converted to CFA. It is worthy to note that these videos rose up to this amount due to the concept and taste Ngoma wanted in his music videos. However, for someone taking up to CFA 7.700.000 for a music video shouldn’t take less than CFA 2.500.000 as minimum for a shoot. He gains our 2nd spot.

1. Dr Nkeng Stephens

This countdown won’t be relevant if Dr Nkeng Stephens didn’t make it to the first position even if “We Took Another Shot“. We’re talking about someone who released more than 4 music videos in one week sometime in the year 2018. Dr Nkeng Stephens is unarguably the most popular music Video Director in the country as we speak. His 2018 was a great one for him as he is said to have directed more music videos than any other director. With his expensive services, people still run towards him because of his extraterrestrial deliveries and topnotch music videos.

It doesn’t matter if you are an upcoming artiste, mid career or legend, if you do not have a minimum of CFA 2.000.000 you don’t need to run after Dr Nkeng Stephens for his services. The Cameroon Phase Of Entertainment CEO confirmed to us that his highest budget stands at a whooping sum of CFA 5.000.000 as he believes that’s the highest Cameroonian artistes can pay.

However, what took him to the top position on our countdown isn’t what he charges for music videos but that of TV commercials. Dr Nkeng disclosed to us that depending on the product and concept of the TV commercials, his charges range from CFA 10.000.000 to CFA 15.000.000 right up to 20.000.000

When it comes to those who have worked with him on music videos, I think the whole industry has! Thus it will be needless writing down the names of almost all the artistes in the industry who have worked with him. I think the only person left out here is us.

In conclusion, it was very difficult putting together this particular countdown since the works of music video directors vary with concepts. However, with their minimum, output so far and highest prices they charge for music videos and TV commercials, we were able to bring forth something. We also want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the music video directors who responded to our messages and gave us all the details you find in our countdown. We hope to work hand in hand with the other stakeholders in the industry be it the producers, songwriters, artistes, models, photographers, makeup artistes. etc

What do you guys think about the countdown? Drop your thoughts in the comment section. Kindly share to encourage our efforts!

Victor Kange

(BloGod)

Everyday, we preach unity, togetherness and Holding Hands. None of such has been put into practice. How is it obvious entertainers work in a clique? (Man Know Man). First things first, artistes in New Bell Music tend to work only within the label. No one has been let in or out for either a collaboration or even accepted to share a stage with other artistes. How can we grow with such policies? It seems some are willing to take over whereas others are just contented with the peanuts that brings forth the crumps under the table.

Another clique is the Buea Superstars clique, where we see artistes from Alpha Better Records hooking up with Akwandor, Nkeng Stephens, Stevens Music and Ambe of RedEye Group. Lately, we can observe a little exposure from Buea to Empire Company of Pit Baccardi c/o of Magasco. Ask yourself, must it be Mr. Adrenaline the video director of Tzy Panchak and Skidi Boy Videos? Why can’t power change hands. If its not Ndukong on Jovi’s videos, its Regis Talla on Maahlox’s.

Furthermore, Motherland Empire. Their clique seems to be the international standard, sealing collaborations in and out of Africa, forgetting that Cameroon still has grass in its door steps needing uprooting.

The diaspora seems to be another clique. Artistes there find it hard to collaborate with their fellow colleagues in Cameroon. We’ve heard complaints ad such from many artistes in the diaspora.

Lastly, the upcoming artistes. This is another clique created unknowingly. The fact that they are often neglected, little or no finances automatically places them in a group of struggling career builders.

When will Cameroonian entertainers come together? Are the promoters, event planners, fans and bloggers working in vain? Its high time someone stepped up and bring us all together. Cameroon music is on a stretcher, we all have a chance to connect and plug in the life support.

Should we dissolve all cliques in order to evolve?

Victor Kange
(#NaTengiYesu)