Digital movie platforms should opens to growing entrepreneurs in the industry —Michaels

You are a travel agent and you also have penchant for producing, acting…

I am venturing into production because I am striving to change the narrative of ‘cartels’ of ‘I have been in this industry for a while’. I don’t like the idea of seeing some certain people anytime I watch TV. So, each time I say I want to produce a movie and if this or that is not in the movie, some people say they are not going to buy it. They even say things like ‘the director is a Yoruba man’ or ‘is it not part of Rok’ or ‘it is not Dstv’… My difference is always once the story is good and everything is well coordinated, why do I need to bring your clique. So, I am looking forward to changing the narrative in the next years.

How?

I would keep doing what I am good at doing. One thing is that there have been works from a lot of people over the years, not only from me. It doesn’t have to be movies only anyway. Once you are doing anything that is of good quality, it doesn’t matter where you are, people would look for you. So, if the movie is good, content is good, the story line is good, it will end up in joy.

Are you in talks with any agency in charge of this?

That is another problem, that is, getting in touch with these people. Hopefully, we will get a link someday. I can tell you how passionate I am. I was going to buy a house with the little money I had saved for six years.  I am not exaggerating. I actually got a loan and added to it to buy a house in Amen Estate there. While coming back from France, I met one of our Nollywood actresses at the airport. I told her, “I would like you feature in my movie”. She agreed to help me. And that was how I got myself in trouble.

The money I was supposed to use to buy a house, even after I had invested more than the money budget, I have not got a penny back.

Why?

The movie was titled ‘Igbekele’ and before I got a marketer to buy it for N600,000, I had spent about N2.1m on the movie. Before he bought it for that amount, he told me he was doing me a favour. Having seen all the faces in the movie, he said the best he could do was N600,000. And he is not just the only one. I had canvassed to others and they were giving a lower price and people were telling me that is how they do. Now, all the thirteen movies I have shot are still sitting on my table.

So would you say these actions are injurious to growing entrepreneurs?

Of course. A lot of people call me to say that “I give you one year, you would not have money to feed.” And honestly, they are not lying because I’m less than six months in the business, and I have spent N47million and I have not got a penny back. Also, I didn’t tell you that he wasn’t ready to pay the six hundred naira immediately. I think he said I would get it before February ending, in 2020. And this is what they do; they buy from us, sell to TV, sell to Rok and by the time they finish selling, they would have made millions from it.

Way forward?

I’m good at writing letters. I have written several letters to the Ministry of Tourism and other governmental agencies. What I think would help is for DSTV to open its doors because it is only few that can go to them. What some satellite TV companies do is call a few people and say “you take N100m and produce this movie for one year. You take this N50m and produce this movie for six weeks”. I am not asking for one naira. I have money to produce my own movies but at least see the content. I am even relieving you of giving me money.