For Sarah Dowuona, filmmaking is more than a creative profession. It is a vehicle for storytelling, social impact and, ultimately, an opportunity to create employment for other young creatives.
As the Founder, Creative Director and Scriptwriter at Film Etoile, Sarah has spent years building a production company in Ghana while navigating the uncertainty, financial pressures and opportunities that come with running a creative business.
In a recent conversation with Just4WomenAfrica, Sarah reflected on her journey, the evolution of Film Etoile and what she has learned since we first spoke with her in 2023.
From uncertainty to professional growth
Looking back over the past three years, Sarah says she has experienced significant personal and professional growth.
She describes herself as having matured not only as an individual but also in how she communicates with clients and approaches her work. She is currently pursuing an MA in Strategic Communication at the University of Ghana, which she says has strengthened her understanding of storytelling and impact.
Professionally, Film Etoile has also expanded its work with international organisations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Vision International, while Sarah has continued developing her skills and production quality.
But the journey to this point was far from straightforward.
“I wanted to give up”
Sarah recalls that when she started Film Etoile with her co-founder around 2018–2019, things were difficult.
The arrival of COVID-19 in 2020 made an already challenging situation even harder. At one point, she considered abandoning filmmaking altogether and joining the television industry as a TV director.
She also explored other opportunities, including Herbalife, because it appeared to offer a more immediate source of income.
Her co-founder, however, encouraged her to continue.
Looking back today, Sarah says she is grateful that she did.
Her experience taught her an important lesson about consistency and resilience. The woman who started Film Etoile would, in her words, be shocked to see the kind of clients and projects the company is working on today.
Film Etoile’s growing portfolio
Over the years, Film Etoile has secured international clients and delivered projects for organisations working across areas including education, sustainability, agriculture, water, environmental issues and social impact.
Sarah highlighted work involving organisations such as UNEP, World Vision International, UNICEF, the European Union, Nestlé, Ford Foundation, African Women’s Development Fund and others.
Some of the projects have also taken her team beyond Ghana, including productions in Kenya, Nigeria and Liberia. She has also worked with TRT and had opportunities to interview Ghana’s President for projects.
For Sarah, one of the significant developments has been the improvement in the quality of Film Etoile’s productions, alongside the growth of a stronger team.
She also sees referrals from previous clients as an important sign that the company is building credibility and trust.
Creating opportunities for young filmmakers
When Sarah started Film Etoile, one of her ambitions was to create employment opportunities for other young filmmakers.
She says the company has made progress towards that goal by working with editors, cinematographers, sound engineers and other creatives across different projects.
However, she is clear that she has not yet reached the point she envisioned.
Her long-term goal is to establish a larger physical space where more young filmmakers can be employed full-time and assigned to different projects.
For Sarah, building a stronger creative team remains part of the bigger vision for Film Etoile.
Creativity alone is not enough
One of Sarah’s biggest lessons from running a creative business is that creativity has to be accompanied by structure and business discipline.
She emphasises the importance of client relationships, saying that communication, listening and understanding clients can significantly influence a creative business.
She also believes that consistency builds trust and reputation.
But another lesson stands out:
“Creativity is not enough. You need structure as well.”
Sarah also stresses the importance of financial management. A production company can easily lose money if its finances are not carefully managed, particularly when project flow is unpredictable.
The challenge of unpredictable projects
One of the biggest challenges Sarah identifies for production companies in Ghana is unstable project flow.
Unlike a traditional nine-to-five job where income may arrive at regular intervals, production companies can experience periods with very little work followed by months with multiple projects.
Funding is another major challenge, particularly for independent productions.
Sarah recalls that when Film Etoile was starting out, she and her co-founder often funded their own projects simply to build a portfolio and create opportunities.
She also points to the difficulty of maintaining an office when project income is inconsistent.
Her advice to young creatives
For young filmmakers trying to turn their passion into a sustainable career, Sarah has a straightforward message:
Treat your creativity as a business.
She warns that passion alone can sometimes leave creatives vulnerable to people who offer “exposure” instead of proper compensation.
She encourages young creatives to understand their market, know their value, price appropriately, build relationships and consistently deliver quality work.
Financial discipline is equally important.
Rather than spending every payment immediately, Sarah encourages young creatives to reinvest in their businesses, including equipment and other resources that can improve their ability to deliver quality work.
AI: An opportunity, but not a replacement for human storytelling
Sarah views artificial intelligence as more of an opportunity than a threat to filmmakers.
She believes AI can complement creative work in areas such as music generation, editing, scripting and production planning.
However, she draws an important distinction between using AI as a tool and allowing it to replace the human element of filmmaking.
For Sarah, human storytelling and emotion cannot simply be replaced by technology.
She is particularly sceptical about AI replacing documentary filmmaking because documentaries are fundamentally connected to real-life experiences and factual storytelling.
Does Ghana have enough support for filmmakers?
Sarah believes Ghana’s film industry is still developing.
She points to funding, institutional support and infrastructure as areas where significant gaps remain, while also acknowledging the strength of Ghanaian creative talent.
For her, there is still considerable opportunity for growth and investment.
Telling authentic African stories
Perhaps one of the most compelling parts of Sarah’s vision is her desire to tell stories that preserve African history and culture for future generations.
She dreams of producing high-impact African documentaries about influential figures who helped shape Ghana and the continent.
She mentioned figures such as Kwame Nkrumah and Jerry John Rawlings, explaining that she believes there are important stories that younger generations should be able to experience through film.
She is also interested in documenting cultural traditions and has developed a project around Otofo, exploring puberty rites and their connection to Ghana’s history, including the slave trade.
For Sarah, filmmaking provides a way to preserve memories and experiences that could otherwise disappear.
“We need more of our true African stories.”
Looking towards 2028
As Film Etoile approaches its tenth year in 2028, Sarah’s ambition remains clear: to transform the company into a globally recognised production company capable of producing high-impact, authentic African documentaries and stories.
Her journey from considering giving up during the difficult years to working with international organisations offers an important lesson about the unpredictable nature of creative entrepreneurship.
Sarah’s story is ultimately about resilience, consistency, business discipline and the power of telling stories that matter.
Sarah Dowuona is Founder, Creative Director and Scriptwriter at Film Etoile.
This interview was conducted by Just4WomenAfrica, connecting and amplifying the voices, achievements and stories of African women across borders.
