Why N50M YouTube film ‘Falling Notes’ skipped cinemas, Netflix
Saga’s decision to invest almost N50 million—exceeding typical YouTube film budgets— in his debut film to establish himself as a serious Nollywood producer, and his rationale for choosing YouTube over cinema/Netflix for maximum market access.
Okusaga Adeoluwa, known as Saga from the 2021 Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) season, has released his first film as a producer, ‘Falling Notes’. The movie, available on his YouTube channel, reached over 870,000 views in its first 10 days.
In an interview with BusinessDay, Saga detailed his shift from offshore engineering to filmmaking, crediting his BBNaija experience with providing the platform to build a multifaceted career.
Saga entered the BBNaija house in 2021 as a completion engineer with Halliburton, working on offshore rigs. After 91 days, he emerged with millions of new followers and widespread recognition. “The biggest return on investment was my online community,” Saga said. He now has one million followers each on Instagram and TikTok, over 100,000 on YouTube, and nearly one million on Facebook. The following allows him to enter any room without introduction, a stark contrast to his pre-show anonymity.
Leveraging this fame required deliberate effort. “By consistency, to be honest,” Saga explained. Post-BBNaija, he faced scepticism, with many viewing housemates as fleeting celebrities. To counter this, he invested in self-development, learning entertainment skills from scratch despite having no prior experience. He endured setbacks, including being cheated by collaborators, but persisted. His portfolio expanded to include hyper-realistic drawings and paintings exhibited in Europe, a music EP, influencer content under series like fashion styling, and fitness coaching.
For investors tuning in, Saga offered a 30-second pitch: “Since I came out of the Big Brother House in 2021, I’ve been positioning myself as a visual artist. I draw hyper-realistic artworks, I paint, and I’ve exhibited both locally and internationally in Europe. I sing, have my EP out, I’m an influencer, I’m a fashion icon, I’m a fitness coach, I’m a fitness enthusiast, I am also an actor, and now I’m a producer as well. I like to put excellence in everything I do.”
Engineering skills proved transferable to film sets. Attention to detail, essential for preventing structural failures in rigs, ensured precise execution in production. His work ethic—honed through salaried, hourly, budgeted, and timed projects—translated to delivering value on brand gigs. Risk analysis, a staple of safety protocols, helped him foresee production hurdles. However, entertainment demanded unlearning corporate straightforwardness.
“Things are not always what they are at face value,” he noted, citing the prevalence of “fake it till you make it” attitudes. He adapted by honing social skills, grasping entertainment’s unique commodities like social following and appearances, and curating public output to avoid scandals.
‘Falling Notes’, subtitled “when sudden fame distorts a Lagos street musician’s frequency, love goes off-key,” marks Saga’s dual role as lead actor and producer. The story follows a musician navigating fame’s impact on romance, mirroring Saga’s own post-BBNaija struggles. “The film is very adjacent to my life… it is almost like me in another universe,” he said.
He drew on real locations in Shomolu, where he lived after moving from Port Harcourt, and cast friends like Folarin Agunbaide, a longtime friend of Saga and Soso (Sophia Chisom), as the love interest for authentic chemistry. Eso Dike’s schedule even dictated filming adjustments as they had to move shooting dates to accommodate his availability. According to Saga, Newcomer Liya, a former Davido signee, was persuaded to act despite no experience, fitting the role of “Shade” perfectly.
The project originated organically. While brainstorming with producer cousin Moyo Okusaga, a recent graduate, Saga decided music would showcase his talents in the movie more uniquely than visual arts, already common in Nollywood. Joined by director Mustapha Edochie and writer Anwuri Ijenebe, they developed the script over two months starting in March. Songs and stories evolved in parallel, with Saga writing both.
“I was writing the script as well as writing the songs. This is why the songs kind of tell the story,” he explained. Studio costs for songwriters, producers, mixing, and mastering elevated the budget.
Production costs nearly N50 million, exceeding typical YouTube film budgets due to extended shooting across multiple locations, high-end cameras, and music integration. “I spent a lot of money…But I tell people like, if you cannot go all out for yourself, don’t expect anyone to go all out for you,” Saga said. Marketing received less but included a premiere attended by family, fellow housemates, and industry figures. Sponsors like Heineken and Johnnie Walker supported promotion, alongside media rounds.
Challenges arose from his debut status. In an industry where crew members sometimes prioritise quantity over quality, Saga came with a detail-oriented approach. Timelines for pre-production, writing, shooting, and post-production were extended due to his standards. Securing locations in Nigeria proved costly and bureaucratic, requiring payments even for street shoots. Despite this, the cast and core team aligned well.
Saga opted for YouTube over cinemas or Netflix for accessibility. “YouTube probably has the widest market,” he said, noting cinema’s high costs, low attendance for Nigerian films due to lack of disposable income to cover ticket prices, and limited global reach. Netflix’s lengthy approval process and declining Nigerian penetration made it unsuitable.
His goal: maximum exposure to prove his producing prowess. “I want people to have access to it, I want people to see what I can do, it’s my first project, and so I want people to see i’m a phenomenal producer and that my work is different from everyone else,” Saga added.
The premiere, unusual for YouTube releases, served dual purposes—demonstrating seriousness to doubters and creating a shared viewing experience. “I wanted my friends to come… my father was there, my family, my friends,” he recalled.
The film ends with a dedication: “In loving memory of Abosede Okusaga,” Saga’s mother, who nurtured his performative talents as a child. “She always made me perform for her… sing for her as a kid, dance for her, act for her,” he said. Her absence adds emotional weight to his entry into directing and producing.
Looking ahead, Saga envisions himself as a full-time filmmaker in five years, akin to Kunle Afolayan or Kemi Adetiba. “Out of all the things I’ve ever done… acting and producing has been the most passionate,” he confessed. He aims to be remembered as a “maestro” of excellence, like Christopher Nolan or James Cameron, where his name guarantees a “masterpiece.” Big screens are next: “100 percent.”
Saga’s trajectory underscores BBNaija’s role as a launchpad, but success stems from sustained reinvention. As Nollywood grows, his call for more artistic patience—spending days on single shots, as in Hollywood—could elevate the industry. “If we let that happen… the whole world is going to stand at attention for that content,” he argued, citing South Korea’s quality-driven K-wave.
