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Skop Productions founder Datuk Yusof Haslam has revealed that he once pawned his son Syamsul Yusof's birth certificate to an unlicensed moneylender to raise capital for the company's first drama project
The 71-year-old filmmaker said the desperate move was made in the mid-1980s, when he was trying to secure a RM300,000 drama contract from RTM, which had just begun privatising drama productions and was calling for qualified local producers.
At the time, Yusof had just established Skop Productions in 1985 and had only RM20,000 on hand. To obtain a bank guarantee, he needed at least RM45,000, a sum he struggled to raise despite borrowing from friends.
With limited options left, Yusof said he turned to unlicensed moneylenders and even used his son's birth certificate as collateral to cover up the shortfall.
The decision, he explained, marked the beginning of his journey into drama production, according to Berita Harian.
The opportunity to enter television production came after encouragement from his close friend, Datuk Latifi
Latifi was then an assistant superintendent of police, whom Yusof had met during the filming of Bukit Kepong.
The film proved to be a turning point in his life and later influenced Skop's focus on police-themed dramas.
Although he had no prior knowledge of police work, Yusof said Latifi assured him of support and even suggested producing police dramas, noting that family-themed dramas were already saturated at the time.
Latifi also came up with the title for Skop's first drama, Remang-Remang Kota Raya, which ran for five episodes.
The gamble paid off when Skop Productions secured the RM300,000 RTM contract, paving the way for subsequent projects and laying the foundation for the company's long-term success.
Yusof recalled that his father had urged him to find more secure work before passing away, a request that left a lasting impact on him
The realities of the local film industry at the time, with limited productions and only one television station, eventually convinced him that he needed a more sustainable path.
After producing more than 40 drama titles over five years, Yusof ventured into film production. His first film, Bayangan Maut, surprised him by grossing RM1 million at the box office despite poor audience sentiment towards local films at the time.
Encouraged by his wife, Yusof pushed on. Skop Productions' subsequent films continued to perform strongly, with Pemburu Bayang earning RM1.8 million, while Sembilu and Sembilu II went on to collect RM4.7 million and RM6 million respectively, earning Yusof the nickname 'Six Million Dollar Man'.
He shared these reflections during an episode of Buat Saja Podcast.
