Julius OkorieNigerian comedian and filmmaker, Bright Okpocha, better known as Basketmouth, has hauled pebbles at some Nollywood producers for diverting investment funds from streaming platforms including Netflix.
In a damning submission, the 46-year-old Sociologist and producer, revealed during an interview with Arise TV that movie producers are given huge amount by streaming platforms, adding however that many of them use only 10% of the money for production while the remaining 90% are used in purchasing exotic cars and houses.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAs if that was not ‘sinful’ enough, the producers he further said attempt to force actors to share their largesse with them in the event that streaming platforms bypass them to pay directly.
Basketmouth, who started initially as rap artist but dumped the trade when it failed to click, however refused to mention names of the league of fund diverters choosing instead to say “They know themselves.”
He said, “There was a lot of money when these streaming platforms came in and these producers use only 10 per cent of the monies to make the movies.
“More than 70 per cent of these producers were involved, to the extent that the streaming platforms had to pay the actors directly, but some of the producers coerce the actors to give up the monies. “They know themselves, but I won’t mention names.”
Although both producers and actors have heaved a sigh of relief following Netflix submission that exiting Nigeria is not in the pipeline, Basketmouth’s submission may be responsible for inability of some producers to present and produce high quality films that can appeal to the streaming platform.
Netflix is known to settle for quality storyline and which explains why the company pays well to enable producers present only the best.
READ ALSO: Netflix Re-affirms Commitment to Nigerian Market, Denies Exit Report
Meanwhile, veteran film producer, Kunle Afolayan, has clarified his statement implying that streaming platform, Netflix has stopped commissioning Nigerian original content.
The filmmaker during the 2024 Zuma International Film Festival in Abuja, said that Netflix’s management had informed filmmakers during a recent party that they would no longer fund Nigerian movies, noting that move will affect the income of producers who invest heavily in filmmaking
However, in an interview on Channels TV, Afolayan clarified that his statement was misinterpreted, adding that he did not mean Netflix would stop funding Nigerian films entirely but was corroborating Victor Okhai’s claim about the potential impact of Netflix leaving Nigeria.
His initial comment he added was intended as a “wake-up call” for filmmakers, emphasising the need for alternative distribution platforms.
“If Netflix parks and leaves, of course, it is going to affect all of us. I was addressing some of the government officials who were there at Zuma because Victor Okhai who is the moderator was a voice in the Nigeria film industry. I was not at the event he was talking about. I was not privy to whatever conversation must have happened there,” he said.
“I think there is a bit of a change in the structure and mode of operation. And this is open to people who supply them with films
“The last time they were here, we had a meeting, they were still reassuring us, saying, look, we are still here. We are going to do stuff but we might not be able to do the kind of volume that we used to do.
“What I was emphasising is that even if Netflix say they are not doing enough, or taking as many films as they should, why shouldn’t we as a country come up with other distribution platforms? Just like other people, put up their films on YouTube.
“I never said Netflix is leaving Nigeria. What I said was we just shot two seasons of ‘Anikulapo’ and I heard some people who were not quick enough to make their films say they can’t shoot again because they are cutting down on numbers.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
