Frustrated by the hurdles of cinema distribution and the gatekeeping of major streaming platforms, Nigerian filmmaker Toyin Adebola has taken matters into his own hands by launching Wanzami TV, a digital streaming platform that puts creators first.
With a pay-per-view model and no monthly subscriptions, he said Wanzami TV is built to let filmmakers earn directly from their audiences, retaining up to 70 per cent of their revenue
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The new streaming space, which offers a model that deviates from the traditional streaming norm, was recently launched in Lagos to remove monthly subscriptions entirely and hand more control back to filmmakers.
The newly launched platform owner, also the founder of Wanzami Entertainment, stated that the stream platform was launched to calm frustration with traditional movie distribution methods.
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Gridlocks
The filmmaker also lamented that the frustration that came with the completion and traditional distribution of his movie, ‘Traffick’ in 2022, led him to build a service designed with filmmakers in mind.
“We struggled with finding a home for the film. YouTube was an option, but it made it hard to make any real returns,” Adebola said, reflecting on how major platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime were difficult to access.
He also lamented that a similar ordeal happened with the cinema release, which didn’t deliver the results he hoped for.
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“Towards the end of 2023 into 2024, we made a cinema run. I wasn’t quite satisfied with it. And that was when the idea of building a streaming platform came into my mind. I started researching the best way to go about it and the best benefits it should offer the market,” he explained.
Creators’ interest
By early 2024, Mr Adebola told PREMIUM TIMES that he turned to tech, researching how to launch a streaming service that didn’t just showcase content but rewarded its creators.
He added that his search results in Wanzami TV, a global-facing platform that allows filmmakers to earn directly from their audiences. Wanzami TV, according to the founder, has creatives retain up to 70 per cent of the earnings from their films.
“As of now, people have bought our films in Nigeria and parts of Africa, and they’ve bought our films in America, they’ve bought our films in England, so we have a very wide, global brand.
“Anybody can buy our film from anywhere in the world. That’s another thing. We are not limited to Nigeria. We’re offering you a platform that sells your film on the global stage,” the filmmaker stated.
The platform premiered two of its five original films; ‘Quicksand’ and ‘Those Focking Nigerians’, at the launch held at EbonyLife Place in Victoria Island, Lagos. Three more, including ‘Ruin’ and ‘Against Creation’, are also available on the platform.
While prioritising creators, Mr Adebola explained that the model gives viewers the rare option of paying only for the content they’re interested in, unlike the traditional subscription model.
Wanzami TV is currently web-based, with a mobile streaming app expected before the end of the year.
