Mirroring The Industry: How OTT players are taking calls on casting, release date, production, and more?

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Mirroring The Industry: How OTT players are taking calls on casting, release date, production, and more?

As a lifelong cinephile who has seen the industry evolve from black-and-white reels to 4K digital spectacles, I must say that the current state of affairs leaves me with a heavy heart and a furrowed brow. The once mighty film fraternity, now seemingly at the mercy of digital overlords, is being pushed into corners it never asked to step into.

Over the past two years, blockbusters such as Pathaan, Gadar 2, Jawan, Animal, and Stree 2, among others, have dominated the box office. However, there’s a significant problem brewing within the film industry, with discussions growing louder among producers. Many in the industry are finding themselves at odds with a self-created challenge called “OTT,” or the digital streaming platforms. According to several sources, the decision-making process for film content is heavily influenced by these digital players.

A trusted source reveals that Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms are requesting specific types of content from producers to cater to their viewer base. While it’s understandable for them to focus on what sells, this trend is causing producers to adapt their content according to the OTT platforms’ preferences. In an ideal scenario, producers would have control over content creation, and digital rights sales would follow later. However, the influence of OTT platforms in shaping creative content is growing. Consequently, directors who have previously struggled with theatrical productions are finding success, while some commercial film directors are facing challenges due to OTT’s disinterest in their big-screen storytelling style.

“Not only that, but the OTT platform has agreed to pay higher prices for certain feature films. This is because they want a well-known director who specializes in niche films, combined with an actor whose recent direct-to-digital releases have been successful on their platform. As a result, the filmmaker was able to secure this combination, ensuring they receive a premium price for their production.

In modern film casting, it appears that an actor’s digital popularity and potential financial gain is influencing decisions, rather than their suitability for a role or character. The producer may choose actors to join the cast not because they fit the world or character perfectly, but because their inclusion could bring in additional revenue of several million rupees. This issue isn’t exclusive to lead roles; it affects ensemble actors as well.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m often asked about the latest in entertainment, and lately, there’s been quite a buzz about movie releases. You see, the film industry’s release calendar has taken an unexpected turn due to some challenging conditions set by the OTT platforms.

Today, Devara is coming alone since the main actors declined to release two significant movies on October 2nd, as this could disrupt their “release schedule.” A source explains, “If we released on October 2nd, our relationship would end, as we also have Devara scheduled for release around the same time on our platform. Although it was a smart move to release on a national holiday like October 2nd, the terms and conditions set by digital platforms made it difficult to make any changes.

“It turns out that these Over-the-Top (OTT) streaming services welcome conflicts between films owned by their competitors. The reasoning is straightforward: when two major movies compete, they tend to underperform at the box office, which results in more viewers streaming the films online. This conflict benefits the digital release of the movie. Moreover, with a box office clause in place, these clashes offer an opportunity for OTT platforms to renegotiate the involved costs and acquire the film at a reduced price. Essentially, this is a covert strategy to shift the balance of power from film producers and gain control over all content being produced. In essence, it’s about subtly taking over the traditional cinema industry, and unfortunately, many people are not able to see the larger, long-term plan of the internationally run digital platforms.

Regrettably, even smaller and medium-sized production companies are struggling under the strict conditions of meeting deadlines. Often, following digital agreements, films move into pre-production but unforeseen delays can occur during this phase. When these setbacks happen, digital streaming platforms abruptly withdraw their support with statements like, “You committed to delivering the film on date X, and now there is a 2-month delay. We no longer have the timeframe to showcase your film.” This situation is unfortunate, and it’s disheartening that the industry isn’t addressing this issue. If these circumstances persist, we may be facing an apocalyptic scenario for the production industry.

Instead of tailoring content to suit digital platforms, it’s more effective for creators to invest in projects they are passionate about. These productions might not necessarily cater to the preferences of digital players, but could certainly resonate with cinema-goers. Nurturing directors capable of creating compelling theatrical films is a better approach than focusing solely on those who have previously produced prestige content for digital media. Local filmmakers, screenwriters, and producers, given their familiarity with the intricacies of filmmaking, are in a stronger position to create successful cinematic experiences compared to executives who approve content that can be streamed for free on TV or mobile devices.

It’s commendable how Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms are effectively promoting their brands, but it’s disappointing that film producers aren’t living up to the expectation of truthfulness and honesty when catering to their cinema-going audience, as well as in scriptwriting.

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2024-09-24 15:38