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For the 27-year-old owner of Gurl Boss
Productions, it is the perfect crew to take on the
male-dominated world of film production in her central African
country and beyond.
"I have a lot of difficulties with my own colleagues, like the
other male directors who don't even want to accept me," Beyala
says on the set.
"I decided to have an all-female production team, firstly based
on my history, my experience, the difficulties I faced, which I
still face."
The shoot is a music video for Cameroonian rapper Lor's new
track "Stop".
"All these jokers think they've got something on me," Lor raps,
as masked actors crowd around her. The performer and the extras
are dressed in stark black, but other scenes from Beyala's
videos - including one for Lor's "On Connait" - burst with
bright colors.
"In style I am very colorful, yeah. In my videos you always see
lots of pink, blue," says Beyala who is working as scriptwriter,
director, choreographer and editor on the shoot.
"So, I try to leave the feminine soft-touch, even if am going
for a dark video."
She began her film career as a model in other people's videos,
then got a masters degree in cinematography and started
organizing her own productions. Two years ago she set up her
company which now employs a full-time staff of seven women.
So far she has worked on around 50 videos for Lor and other
artists that have spread far and wide online.
Many of her fans assume she is a man. "I have people (saying) 'Beyala
I like his work. I like his work' and when they come on set and
they realize it's a girl. They look at your age, they look at
your physical appearance.
"And even when you give them the good work ... they think you
are a joke."
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