Nollywood filmmaker Jade Osiberu has weighed in on ongoing debates about lifetime royalties for actors, advocating for a more balanced approach that considers both profits and risks across the film industry.
Responding to growing calls for actors to receive long-term royalties, Osiberu expressed support for the idea but emphasized that actors and crew members should also share in the financial responsibilities when productions incur losses.
In a statement on X, she highlighted the capital-intensive nature of filmmaking and the need for stakeholders to understand the entire value chain:
“I agree, Jare. I think the association should also implement a law that when a producer makes a loss on a project, all the actors and crew come together to contribute to cover the losses incurred… By the way, I’ve put it here sarcastically cos I thought we were all joking.”
Osiberu, who has previously offered actors backend deals and invited them to invest in her projects, stressed the importance of transparency and shared understanding in the industry. She cited existing business models, such as YouTube’s performance-based payments and Netflix’s upfront licensing fees, as examples of how risk and reward are distributed differently in content production:
“YouTube pays creators by performance, so if your film does well, you get paid more. Netflix pays upfront and takes 100% of the risk. If you want performance-based rewards, you also need to have some skin in the game.”
She further urged industry players to grasp the economics of film production, including the interdependence between producers, actors, and exhibitors:
“Everyone needs to understand the other person’s role in the ecosystem and the co-dependencies… Producers are also guilty at times, as we accuse exhibitors, who carry overheads regardless of audience turnout. Understanding unit economics is key to fair compensation.”
Osiberu acknowledged that many actors have become producers themselves and understand the business, but reiterated that equitable compensation requires a shared approach to risk:
“If actors see opportunities for mutual value with trust and transparency, many are open to it.”
She concluded by contrasting the payment structures in music and film streaming, noting that music platforms generally pay based on performance, whereas film streaming deals often involve upfront licensing costs.
Osiberu’s comments come amid broader industry discussions on sustainability, fair compensation, and the evolving business models shaping Nollywood.