FilmOne Entertainment is an independent entertainment company that focuses on making and sharing films. It brings Nigerian content to a global audience. The company offers a mix of mainstream and local films and has built important partnerships with international studios and distributors.
In a discussion with Pulse, Ladun Awobokun stressed that many stories are just waiting for Nigerian filmmakers to turn them into films.
“There are so many existing stories that haven’t even come on screen. For a long time, we’ve always thought that we have to create stories but there are lots of stories already that need to be told,” she said.
She pointed out that there is always a movie for someone, and if the film is made properly, it will probably be accepted by the public.
“If you position any film as a film to watch that should be watched, the Nigerian audience will watch it. They’re coming out for different types of films. They are coming out to watch these films in their numbers. There are so many, folks are coming out for biopic, romance, and epic and they’re doing great numbers. People are now asking questions. Because of that, you have to pay more attention to what you’re doing. How is it shot, what does it look like, and how was it produced,” she said.
Awobokun explained the selection process for films that Filmone plans to distribute.
“We have an in-house standard and checklist and that’s how we select films we are picking for distribution. We distribute both for streaming platforms and cinemas. For cinemas, I need to have the dates. But that still can change. We consider seasons as well and quality of production, and timing too is a factor,” she said.
She noted that some movies that fail to make enough money in cinemas are presented to other platforms.
“It’s a reason why you have to look for other channels. At least to break even and make a little money. If it’s a story we believe in, then we look for other platforms to reach out to,” she said.