Celebrated actor Van Vicker has called for rigorous rehearsals when action scenes are to be produced in movies.
According to him, acting violent scenes and confrontation without necessary rehearsals can lead to injuries and dent on the career of actors.
His call follows reports that Nollywood actor Godwin Nnadiekwe sustained internal injuries after an unscripted kick from Zubby Michael during a film shoot.
Reacting to this in an Instagram post, Van Vicker described the incident as “extremely disquieting,” and underscored the need for rehearsals and safety precautions during action scenes in movie production.
“Scenes that have potential contact or actual contact should be rehearsed, ” he stated.
Van Vicker lamented that the African film industry did not have any insurance policy for actors, thus any action scenes should be carefully rehearsed to prevent damages.
”Especially in our film setting where there is no insurance, no body doubles, no stunt actors, and where real props are often used,” he said.
The light-skinned actor stated that many directors downplayed rehearsals since to them it would take away spontaneous performances.
He maintained that actors safety should be a first priority to curb any unforeseen occurrences.
“Acting in action scenes or violent scenes can be precarious. Great acting is when you know what to expect because you’ve read the script, received direction, and yet still make it look real.”
“Our industry’s growth isn’t just about sound, acting, or picture quality. The well-being of our actors is just as important,” Van Vicker added.
To him African movies could excel when key stakeholders were well protected, adding that “Long live African films. Long live actors. God bless us all.”
