Taking ‘Agesinkole 2’ to community cinemas paid off, I might do it again — Femi Adebayo

When Nollywood actor and producer, Femi Adebayo, announced that his latest movie, ‘Agesinkole 2’, was to be screened across community cinemas across various locations in Nigeria, bypassing the corporate cinema structures, in favour of the people, many critics thought it was a risky venture. By resurrecting the ‘travelling theatre’ model of his father’s generation and pivoting to community cinemas, Adebayo has sparked a movement. By generating N417 million reported from industry sources, the future of film distribution has become a hot topic. In this sit-down with Nollywood on Radio, Adebayo opens up about the risks of the journey, the logic behind the ‘community’ madness, and how he funded his vision this time. ROTIMI IGE brings excerpts from the interview.

Many people were worried for you because of how much it would have cost you to put that movie together, and the risks were huge. One of the risks was piracy. When you are dealing with community cinemas, the risk of piracy is higher. Then how do you collate your money and the rest of it? How were you able to do that and what made you take this decision?

First off, I must appreciate my partners on this journey, that is Circuit TV and Blue Pictures. The collaboration made this journey very smooth. The first worry, which is piracy, was fully handled by Circuit TV. They have an extremely wonderful structure such that there’s no way the content they have protected can be pirated. They gave me that assurance, and looking at the structure and framework, sitting down with Blue Pictures, we were able to put this together, considering the experience we all have in the industry.

No doubt about it, just like you were scared for me, so many people were scared. But instead of being scared, we saw it as a challenge, and we had no doubt that it was going to work if we got our logistics and framework right.

To put the record straight, can you tell us how much went into making the film?

This question has been asked so many times. It’s always better not to mention a figure. But if you have seen the film, you will see that so much effort—financial and professional—went into it. We spent quite a lot of money making the film, but it’s better to say we spent money without mentioning figures.

You didn’t have to sell a house this time around?

Not at all. Thank you.

Let’s go to the technicals of what you just did. A lot of people are curious. The community cinemas you used were event centres and halls. Did you pay them outright, or was there a commission arrangement?

Let me take you back. What provoked this idea? This idea is not new. It’s been done by our fathers. Being a son of a veteran in the industry, when we were much younger, they had what they called travelling theatre, where they went about doing stage performances and bringing entertainment close to the people. That came to my mind, and I felt many of our fans had been abandoned for years—those who couldn’t afford conventional cinemas or travel long distances. When you bring products close to customers, it’s easier for them to consume.

READ ALSO: Why I can ‘die’ for Femi Adebayo — Actor Monsuru Ayanfe

A cinema is simply a public place where people gather to watch movies. So we got halls, event centres, and some cinema halls close to people and ensured they were comfortable. The Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board inspected and approved the venues before licensing our distributor. That was what we did.

A lot of producers are angry with the current system because if you had made 417 million with conventional cinemas, your take might have been far less. What was the arrangement like?

The best way to satisfy curiosity is experience. I advise producers who are curious to try it. Frameworks work differently for different people. I have a positive testimony—that’s all I can say.

If you compare this with the conventional cinema run, which do you prefer?

Both are satisfying. Some audiences couldn’t attend community cinemas, and some couldn’t attend conventional cinemas. I believe both should run concurrently—like VIP and regular seats. That’s why I corrected the word “disruption”. It’s about reaching abandoned audiences.

We have Jagun Jagun Part Two coming. Will we see the same model?

Fingers crossed. But my testimony tells me I must continue with community cinemas.

What’s your opinion about what happened during the December cinema run?

It’s a sensitive matter. Many things happen behind the scenes. Most complaints were about showtimes, which are at the discretion of cinema owners. It’s expensive to maintain cinemas, and December is when they recoup costs. I won’t apportion blame. It’s an internal issue.

Finally, how was the 417 million verified? Was it through Comscore?

Screenings and box office numbers are independently verifiable through licensed cinemas. Comparing the two models is inaccurate. Community cinema is returning after over 30 years. Verification is between myself, my partners, and my bank. Nigerians saw the effort—we sold out community cinemas, travelled across the Southwest, and held rallies. This model is owned by us, so verification is left to us.

When will it be on streaming platforms?

Very soon.