Saidi Balogun: How I made only N800k from film worth N24m in 2011 due to piracy

Saidi Balogun has recalled how he lost about N24 million to piracy in Nollywood in 2011.

Movie piracy refers to the illegal distribution of films without the permission or license of the content creators.

In an interview on the ‘WithChude’ podcast, the ace filmmaker revealed that two of his movies were pirated, with the first being pirated before its release date.

Balogun said he invested a substantial N24 million but earned only N800,000 due to piracy. He also recounted how he incurred debts and lost all his possessions.

The actor described the period as the “most difficult time” in his life. He said his mother’s unwavering support helped him through the challenging times.

‘Then I was in Germany, I did this movie ‘You or I’, all Caucasian actors, spending more than N24 million. The movie got pirated,” he said.

“I got a call very early in the morning, I called back, but nobody was talking. So, I flew back to Nigeria the following day and I went straight to our house on Lagos Island and I saw the pirated copy.

“That movie was supposed to be released in a week or two then and it had flooded everywhere.

“I lost a lot of money, a lot. Can you imagine producing a movie worth N24 million in 2011 and you lost everything? The highest money I made was N800k.

“My mum kept telling me I should keep doing it so that I would get there. So for a week, she was always beside me.

“I had had plans for the money. I already thought I could do a lot of things, and achieve dreams and visions but it didn’t happen.

“I was the first to produce a two-cast movie in the history of Africa, it was pirated and not well marketed. After that, then ‘You or I’ — the same thing, so I was like what is going on?

“…So those are the most difficult times I can ever forget. I can never. A lot of difficult times.

“In 2016 before my 50th birthday, I had no house, nothing. The movie thing when I lost N24 million, no house because I had to pay my house rent from the return on the investment.

“I now made N800k in four months. Meanwhile, I was owing a company 2 million so nothing, no house, everything empty.”

Balogun delved into the movie industry in 1978. He produced his first film titled ‘City Girl’ in 1989. Since then, he has solidified his spot in the film industry.