•Lament rising fees, lack of support from colleagues
YOUNG actors and actresses in the Yoruba movie industry are voicing their frustration over what they described as the increasing unprofessionalism and financial demands by some of their colleagues.
They also pointed fingers at some senior colleagues who have raised their appearance fee to heights new actors and producers can’t afford.
The concerns centre around the rising appearance fees, especially among moderately popular actors, and their reluctance to support films they feature in once the project is released.
Some of these actors, according to insiders, now charge as high as N700,000 for a single appearance, regardless of the production budget or the nature of the role.
This surge in fees, young filmmakers say, is making it difficult to cast the right talent, especially for low-budget and upcoming producers.
Leading the protest is actress and producer, Yusuf Adeola, popularly known as Basira Beere, who recently took to social media to air her displeasure. She called out some of her colleagues who, despite not being A-list celebrities, have inflated their fees without providing commensurate value or support to the projects they work on.
“These days, everybody wants to be treated like a cinema star,” she said. “Even those who are not box office names are charging between N500,000 to N700,000 just to appear in a production that may not even get the same exposure as cinema films. It is frustrating for upcoming producers like us.”
Basirat explained that while she understands that the industry is evolving and actors need to earn a living, there should be a balance.
She noted that the Yoruba movie industry, which has historically thrived on collaboration and support, is gradually losing its essence due to greed and ego.
“What pains me the most is not even the high fee, but the fact that after shooting, some of them won’t even repost the film or help promote it,” she lamented.
“You pay them a huge amount, they finish the job and move on without helping to amplify it on their platforms.”
The actress recalled a recent experience where an actor she paid handsomely failed to acknowledge the film on his social media after release. According to her, such behaviour is not only unfair but detrimental to the growth of the industry.
“Promotion is now part of the job. If we are paying you that much, the least you can do is to post the flyer or trailer when the film drops,” she added. “But some of them feel it’s beneath them to promote movies that are not in cinemas.”
Yusuf also noted that the behavior of some of these actors is causing a rift between producers and their preferred casts, leading many to begin seeking new and more affordable talents to work with.
“It’s a shame that we now have to consider passion over popularity when casting because some of the so-called stars don’t care about the craft anymore. It’s all about the money,” she said.
She urged industry veterans and stakeholders to step in and help curb this rising trend, emphasising that if left unchecked, it could lead to a breakdown in the creative ecosystem that once made the Yoruba movie industry unique.
“You can’t build an empire with people who only think about what they’ll gain and not what they can contribute,” Yusuf warned. “If we don’t address this, the industry will suffer more in the long run.”
