Drama continues!!!!!!

Is the TAM issue that of TAM alone?

TAM is an organization that was started by the industry for the benefit of the industry- mainly the broadcasters and the advertisers. But, sadly what’s been happening for years is that none of the stake holders wants to take onus collectively to solve the issue of television ratings. Till the time the ratings of their respective channels are good broadcasters are happy. The moment they see a dip in the ratings they are up in arms against TAM alleging the ratings are fudged or are riddled with sampling and methodology glitches.
I have seen this happen so often in 17 years of my career. Infact when the ratings are good the channels themselves used to call and try to plant a story saying how well they have been performing. In my blog yesterday I had mentioned that its now etched in everybody’s mind that TAM is the only culprit. Nobody wants to think otherwise or ask questions to the other stakeholders. If there is a so much of an issue with TAM then why not collectively ouster TAM just as they did with AMAP, another rating agency that had been started to create competition and then died a death within 2 years of starting off. Why only two or three channels have decided to get themselves out of TAM subscriptions.
The recent issue has cropped up because MSM that runs SONY TV and MAX had an issue with TAM as the IPL ratings are far below than was expected.  How can anyone be so sure that everyone is dying to watch IPL? How do media organizations make such assumptions? Have they done some research on who is watching what?  
I guess it is important to understand the basics here that TAM did not start on its own in India. TAM was formed at the insistence of media owners (the top TV channels), advertisers (Indian Society of Advertisers) and agencies (Advertising Agencies Association of India). But, after the initial years the Joint Industry Body (JIB) decided to let TAM operate on its own with no collective dialogue whatsoever on any matters relating to TV ratings. TAM was supposedly the advertisers’ currency but today it is Broadcaster’s currency.
There has been several discussions on TAM’s monopoly and that there needs to another ratings agency. BARC (Broadcaster’s Audience Research Council) is therefore being launched. BARC is yet again a body formed by the industry stakeholders such as AAAI, ISA and IBF. Do you think that once BARC comes into play all will be hunky dory? What’s the guarantee that the ratings will not be fudged?
Competition is good. But will the industry be able to come together and support another research body when TAM has been evidently facing funding problems for all these years in terms of increasing people meters. Secondly, what’s the guarantee that after BARC is launched 30,000 people meters will suffice and that there will be no issues. If one goes by Dr Amit Mitra’s report the decision to arrive at 30,000 people meters was also in consultation with TAM.
According to me the ideal solution is to open dialogue supported by a systematic and a clear blueprint that will talk about the exact needs of the industry.

The Never Ending Saga…

Every story generally has an end. But, in the case of TAM (Television Audience Measurement) Media Research it seems more like a never ending saga.

TAM is yet again in news. I cannot remember a single moment in my 17 years of covering the Media industry when TAM was in news for some good news. It’s kind of etched now in people’s mind be it the broadcasters or the Aam Janta ( common man) that TAM - is this large devil which we all need to get rid off.
It’s been almost 15 years since TAM started and within four years of its existence the problems with TAM also started. The issue then was the sample size and issue now is not only that of the sample size but some broadcasters (largely one of the bigger GEC which has recently   also questioned TAM on its methodology having witnessed low ratings in the recently concluded IPL-6).

This is despite TAM having set up an independent ‘vigilance desk’ will be headed by a former top officer from the Maharashtra police department, the six member ‘transparency panel’ of ombudsmen - includes M. Damodaran, former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), broadcasting and ad industry veteran Chintamani Rao; former McDonald’s International Media Director Giovanni Fabris; UK television audience expert and BARB and ITV veteran Ivor Millman; former GroupM Insights Director Sheila Byfield; and former MRSI President and Hansa Consulting CEO Praveen Tripathi.

The idea of setting up the vigilance panel was to address all queries coming from broadcasters. Broadcasters can claim that this was set up too late in the day when they are already disillusioned by TAM’s approach and workings. But, the point is it’s better late than never. At least till the time BARC does not start operations there is something for broadcasters to approach and address all their issues.

I am surprised not one report has talked of the independent panel and if broadcasters in question who have pulled out of TAM did approach this independent panel before pulling out. It does not seem like even the reporters reporting the issue has bothered to ask these basic questions. Journalism today is all about only What? And not about  (5 Ws and a H).      

That’s not all TAM also updated the guidelines for all TAM data users only in early May 2013. The update guidelines clearly states that over the past decade, the data and its dimensions itself have vastly increased; more sample size, more geographies to analyze (28 reported markets in 2008 to 42 reported markets in 2013), platforms like Digital emerging, explosion in number of active channels 427 in 2009 to 509 in 2013 etc.

TAM in 1998 had started with a mere 1800 meters across 9 cities. Today it has close to 10000 peoplemeters representing 36,000 TV viewing respondents across 225 cities and towns that have a population of one lakh or more – the largest in the world!  TAM has increased the size purely through internal accruals and help from its parent company Kantar…whereas when it was set up fifteen years, the industry commitment was that it will fund TAM in all its expansion and upgradation endeavors!

The recently update guidelines prescribes what a TAM data user should keep in mind before analyzing and representing data or seeing the products of such efforts. It does not claim to be exhaustive but covers the most common areas on data (mis)representation. The guidelines which is available on TAM’s corporate website clearly states all the necessary dos and don’ts and also explains each aspect of sampling and methodology very clearly.

I recently, read in one report about a English news channel (Times Now) claiming it got zero ratings. Now the guideline note clearly states the meaning of Zero Ratings. Zero ratings does not mean that no one watched the channel all it means is that its below the actual threshold of sample size which is why it is categorized as zero rating.

The guidelines note clearly explains the above as take for instance, if the actual population TVR of a show was 0.5% and the analyst was analyzing data on a sample size of 50 individuals, there is ~80% chance that she will get a zero TVR in the output. But at a sample size of 1000 individuals, this chance of a zero rating dramatically reduces to just ~1%. Even a sample size of 200 individuals reduces the chance of a zero rating output (when the true population TVR is 0.5%) to ~37%.

Now assume that the analyst was looking at some estimates for a show whose true population TVR was 1%. The chances of her getting a zero TVR for this show at a sample size of 50, 200 and 1000 individuals is ~61%, ~13% and 0.004% - a large improvement over the above 0.5% case.

The bottom line therefore is to choose reasonable sample sizes for analysis and also treating relatively small TVR estimates with care while analyzing them.

The other aspect highlighted in the guidelines note is the Trend in data. We often have mailers from channels claiming they are no.1 channel this week in their respective genre.

According to TAM, the biggest advantage of the TAM panel is that one is measuring more or less the same people (20%-25% average yearly churn) over time. Due to this, changes in viewing behavior are reported more precisely than if we were to simply conduct two separate surveys at different points in time. But the power of the panel is not about just calculating a change over some two points in time.

We can see how gradually or suddenly this change is happening by also trending the data between the two points of time. And importantly, to judge whether this change was a ‘one-off’ or part of a systematic change.

Take for example a claim that states (only) that a channel’s reach “has increased by 30%”. Closer examination of the claim showed that two specific weeks were used to show this growth (Week 9 and 18). The claim as such is numerically correct. But the conclusion gets reversed completely when we look at the trend of the channel’s performance and find that reach is actually in a declining phase.

The aspects that the guidelines highlights is on the rankings, use of averages, estimates, use of right basket for analysis, use and/or interpret relative channel shares with discretion., use or interpret time spent per viewer with discretion, use of straight perpendicular graphs and not 3D graphs which  are generally misleading.

Global experts in the field on media audience measurement will tell you about many instances where the TV Broadcast Industry’s faith on its neutral & central audience measurement service has gone through fluctuations. Understandably so. As much as the measurement service provider wants the client/industry to focus on audience insights and analytics, the story for them, starts and ends with the bi-product of report card/rankings. What comes to the rescue and resolve of such situations is when media audience measurement provider work very closely with the Industry Body and if need be, individually, with its stakeholders.

Today, TAM India, is in a similar state. Certain sections of the TV Broadcast industry are reviewing their faith on the very service, that, if you come to think of it, actually helped them grow their own stature and business over the last many years. If you actually come to think of it, it was because of TAM in India that its TV AD market today stands at Rs 12000 crores. Do you think advertisers would have invested had there been no TAM?

If you think about it, whether it is the government, advertisers, broadcasters, agencies or even the academia, do you think they would have got to the know the following had there been no TAM?:
• That news genre has grown and moved out of the 1% share mark...today it stands at around 6%.
• The grand success and growth of Big B from big to small screen.
• Without measurement, we would not have learnt that IPL has become such a success.
• 5 years ago, a Hindi General Entertainment Channel was launched. Without measurement, would we have known of it as one of the established and leading channels?
• It is only with measurement that the industry got to understand how digitization made an impact on consumer/audience behaviour.
• In the year 2000, the industry had less than 100 TV channel getting reported. Today, the number touches close to 600. Would the growth of these channels be possible without the presence of measurement?
• All these years, the industry has seen a healthy (sometimes even double digit) growth of TV advertising. Would this advertising investment have happened in the absence of measurement?
• Would the industry have known how the women audience lapped up the 2003 and 2011 Cricket World Cup? It is only through measurement.
• Without measurement, none of us would have realized the potential and growth of regional TV Channels
• Measurement helped the industry understand the dynamics and difference in viewership between small and big towns.

The Industry never had a dialogue with TAM. For that, ofcourse, the first they would need to do is to prepare and arrive at a common consensus and agenda across ISA, IBF and AAAI on what they want from TAM system...what TAM’s KRAs and KPIs should be. Will someone or some industry body take the onus of creating that for TAM?
My conclusion to this whole issue is that Broadcasters will continue to call TAM a devil until they see lower ratings. So long as the ratings are good and is in their favor, all’s well with TAM! Unfortunately for TAM –they are caught between the devil and deep sea.

Amar Chitra Katha reloaded

Amar Chitra Katha comics has been part of every Indian child’s legacy and imagination. The comic book series carries tales of Indian culture, history, fables, religion, humour, biographies, heritage, sports etc. over the years the comics have changed owners thrice to currently be owned by Retail magnet Kishore Biyani's Future Ventures. I recently, traced the journey of this legendary brand from when it started to its present times and the changes and challenges it has undergone over the last couple of years.

read the full story that appeared in Open

http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/art-culture/eternal-tales-in-the-electronic-age

Revisiting History …..100 years of Indian Cinema

“100 years of Indian cinema is being celebrated by people who know Indian cinema only for the last 30 years”- this was the opening line of Rafiq Baghdadi who runs the Movie Club at the Mumbai Press Club. Two weeks ago he had organized a short discussion along with two screenings –one documentary on 100 years of Cinema and the other film was Dilip Kumar starrer ‘Amar’ where for the first time he plays a negative character: 

We got to know of lot of trivia associated with Indian cinema. I am sure all of these are available across several books on Indian cinema. But, to hear it from a man who eats, breathes and lives cinema is different. Some of these are facts like 

** In 1896-the first film was screened and show to public in Mumbai at the Watson’s hotel- (Which still exists and is one of India’s oldest surviving iron cast buildings. The building stands on Iron stills and the building was shipped from York and assembled here). 

** Theatres in Mumbai started as single cinema talkies in 1920s. Dadasaheb Phalke’s Raja Harishchandra was screened at Olympia Theatre and Coronation Cinema in Girgaum. There were several other theatres around Grant Road, Girgaum, Dhobi Talao and Mumbai Central. The old theatres then had a ticket costing of Rs 1 to Rs 2.50. 

** Mumbai was the hub of Indian cinema but, did you know that the Mumbai University does not have a Phd programme on Indian cinema. 

The documentary took us through the history of cinema. The film also had important personalities from the world of cinema giving their opinions. 

The French might have introduced the concept of moving images, but little did anyone know that India would one day become the largest film industry in the world producing over 1000 films a year.

Indian cinema has a unique identity. Dadasaheb Phalke introduced us to cinema at a time when cinema was not considered a good profession. Working in films was considered a taboo. But, after the release of Raja Harishchandar several filmmakers in Bombay and Madras (Mumbai and Chennai now) started making silent films. 

By the mid 1920s, Madras had become the epicentre for all film related activities. Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu, SS Vasan, AV Meiyappan (AVM) set up production houses in Madras to shoot Telugu and Tamil films.

The silent era came to an end when Ardeshir Irani produced his first talkie, 'Alam Ara' in 1931. The film released on 14th March at the Majestic Theatre. For the first time the film had songs and since then music became a defining element in Indian cinema. 
Indrasabha, a film adapted from a play by the same name was released by Madan Theatre in 1932. The film had 69 songs.   

South Indian films also saw the beginning of a talking era during the same year. The first talkie films in Bengali (Jumai Shasthi), Telugu (Bhakta Prahlad) and Tamil (Kalidass) were released in the same year. 
Early 1930s saw the emergence of the studio system in Indian cinema. Prabhat Studio established in Kolhapur by V Shantaram, V G  Damle, S Fatelal and two other film technicians was one of the leading studios of that time. It eventually moved to Pune. The studio’s first films Sant Tukaram was released in 1936. 
Popular literature became the main source for film subjects. ‘Devdas’ was one such film among several others. 

40s and 50s Indian cinema was institutionalized. Every individual became the individual became the institution by his work and contribution to Indian cinema. 

Another theme or subject that took the fancy of filmmakers was social issues. The social films of V. Shantaram, more than anything else, paved the way for an entire set of directors who took it upon themselves to interrogate not only the institutions of marriage, dowry, and widowhood, but the grave inequities created by caste and class distinctions. Some of the social problems received their most unequivocal expression in Achhut Kanya ("Untouchable Girl", 1936), a film directed by Himanshu Rai of Bombay Talkies. The film portrays the travails of a Harijan girl, played by Devika Rani, and a Brahmin boy, played by Ashok Kumar. 

The disciplined Studio system however got a jolt during the 2nd World War. Money then started coming into the industry from wealthy individuals. This upset many filmmakers who made films for a passion and not for commercial reasons. Independent filmmakers started concentrating on music more than the story. Infact. 40s and 50s was the golden era of music.  

Shankar Jaikishan, O.P. Nayyar, Madan Mohan, C. Ramchandra, Salil Chaudhury, Naushad, S.D. Burman - all had their distinctive style. Each vied with the other to produce some of the most unforgettable melodies India has ever known. 

50s and 60s were considered as the Golden Age of Indian cinema. Filmmakers like Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Guru Dutt, Bimal Roy, Mehboob Khan, K Asif, Raj Kapoor, KV Reddy, L V Prasad and Ramu Kariat made waves in their respective film industries and they went on to make classics like Pather Panchali, Madhumati, Do Bheega Zameen, Shree 420, Awaara, Pyasa, Mother India, Mughal E Azam, Mayabazar and Chemmeen among many other films. 

In the south, N.T. Rama Rao, M. G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, Rajkumar, Prem Nazir dominated the film industry for more than three decades before making way for the next generation of actors like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Mammootty, Mohanlal, Chiranjeevi and Balakrishna.

The 70s completely changed the way films were made, especially in Hindi film industry. Changing social norms and changing economies influenced movies and the companies that made them. The narrative style changed. The story structure changed. Characters changed. Content changed. The genre promised instant attraction and had great entertainment value. 

While Indian commercial cinema enjoyed popularity among movie-goers, Indian art cinema did not go unnoticed. Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Ritwik Ghatak, Aravindan, Satyajit Ray, Shyam Benegal, Shaji Karun and several other art film directors were making movies that gave India international fame and glory.

Indian cinema, despite all its peculiarities, has been a reflection of the socio-economic, political and cultural changes that took place in the country. Here's hoping that Indian movies continue to entertain us the way they've been doing since 10 decades.

BARC sees traction: Appoints a new CEO

Finally, there seems to be some traction at the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). The 
Audience research joint body formed by Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) and Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has finally found a CEO in Partha Dasgupta. Dasgupta, who has been earlier in the media industry with companies like Times Now and Future Media will be responsible to put the organization in place and roll out BARC’s services in a tight frame of time. 
Broadcasters push for an independent audience measurement system to fit into the emerging digital media world led to the formation of BARC. 
BARC story is an old story that started almost six years ago. Over the years there has been considerable debate in various forums, extending even to the Parliament, about the TV audience measurement system, referred to in popular parlance as TRP system. A number of committees were formed, the most recent being the MIB's appointed and Dr. Amit Mitra chaired Committee on TV Audience Measurement. A key recommendation of the Mitra Committee was the establishment of BARC representing the interests of all key stakeholders.
Then the idea was to set it up as a joint venture between the IBF and the ISA on a 60:40 ratio and initial investment of Rs 300 million. However, ISA wanted AAAI also to be a part of the joint body.
BARC has been formulated on the lines of BARB (Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board) of UK. Just like BARB, BARC will also not conduct audience measurement directly but commission independent specialist research vendors.
Unlike Television Audience Measurement (TAM) Media & Research firm which is currently the only TV audience measurement system in India, BARC, will not conduct audience measurement directly but commission independent specialist research vendors. They are also clear that they will not compete with TAM and the primary objective of BARC is to conduct and commission media research using appropriate research methodologies, to provide accurate, up to date and relevant findings relating to broadcast audiences, including TV ratings. 
Currently, according to the broadcasters the major challenge will be to cover all the broadcasting modes in the research – terrestrial, cable & satellite, DTH platforms, developing and new platforms.
BARC will engage in extensive industry consultations with stakeholders, specialist research consultants, existing & potential measurement service providers to identify the key concerns and requirements with regards to audience measurement.
The system of generation of Television Rating Points (TRPs) has come under the close scrutiny of the Government following reports about several lacunae in the present rating system in India. Since TRPs have a major impact on the programming content of Television channels, issues of accountability, transparency and objectivity in TRPs assume greater significance as false and misleading rating can hurt not only broadcasters and the advertisers but more importantly the viewing public.
Most Broadcasters who currently subscribe to TAM data say that there is nothing wrong in the data provided by TAM, but it is inadequate. In a sense that TAM only has 9602 people meters in households across 225 towns in India and the total TV viewing universe in 153 million. 
Dr Amit Mitra Committee report also took a serious view of this small sample size used by TAM. The Committee observed that the rural areas have been left out from the current system of TRP measurement. The Committee has recommended an increase in the current sample size of people meter homes to 15,000 urban & rural households, over a period of two years, and then to 30,000 (Thirty Thousand) over the next three years covering urban areas, rural areas and small towns, J&K, North east  thereby providing a complete geographical coverage of the country.
TAM's initial mandate it got from the industry stake holders was to cover Class I towns (all towns and cities with a population of 1 Lac+). As of today  TAM has increased its coverage to include also Semi Rural Towns (Less than 1 Lac population). 
TAM has never denied to issues in methodology. It is willing to increase the sample size but, the investment to do is very high. For TAM with a top line of a mere Rs 50 crore or so doing this by itself is a tall task. 
Funding has been an another issue when it comes to the increase of sample size. TAM which was also formed by the industry body was never funded by the industry to increase sample size. 
As is understood from sources within the industry till about four years after TAM was launched by a joint industry body (JIB) in India, the initial funding was there. But, after 2002, JIB's interest in funding TAM depleted. Current, increase in people meters  by TAM has been funded through internal accruals.
But, with regard to BARC, Dr Mitra committee report suggests broadcasters, advertisers and advertising agencies should pay a certain percentage of their relevant turnovers to BARC on an annual basis to fund the expansion of sample size for TRP measurement. 
The total cost of expansion of TRP measurement system over 5 years would be around Rs 660 Crores which is approximately 0.32% per year of the total TV industry size in India. The committee feels that this level of expenditure should not be very difficult for the industry to meet. 
Interestingly, the industry bodies that have been so vehemently opposing the methodology of TAM, the above suggestions in Dr Mitra's report has been borrowed from TAM's Methodology Report. 
Will stakeholders who formed BARC be open to setting aside a certain  percentage of their turnovers of this purpose and secondly whether the suggested increase in sample size to 30,000 actually help in getting better results. That’s anybody’s guess.  Mere increase in people meters in households will not do wonders, there has to be a scientific methodology in also selecting the correct sample size to deliver accurate results.  
One will really have to wait and watch how BARC pans out and what services it rolls out and will it be a win-win situation of all the stake holders. 

Feel good about yourself and your beauty: Real Beauty Sketches

How many of us feel that we are not beautiful? How many of us keep comparing ourselves to others? I guess these are natural human tendencies where one tends to be harsh about one’s own self.

In Dove's “Real Beauty Sketches” ad it shows how women imagine their own faces. A forensic sketch artist is shown asking questions to subjects whom he cannot see and each of these subjects describes   herself to him. Later, he draws her again, this time as described by a stranger who has just chatted with her. The stranger’s version usually looks more attractive.

In the ad all the women conclude that they look more beautiful in the sketch described by a stranger about them. One woman in the ad says: “We spend a lot of time as women analyzing and trying to fix things that are quiet grey. Instead we should be spending more time and appreciating things that we do like.” The ad ends with the line ‘you are more beautiful that you think’.

The international ad has two versions -a 3 minute version and a 6 minute version and has gone viral on youtube. The longer version is understood to have got over 1.6 million views on Youtube.

The ad has also received several criticisms from International ad critics. Slate, a well known online magazine for news, Politics and culture found the ad cynical and even labeled the campaign as both racist and misogynistic. It felt that this ad was another example of Dove “using a faux representation of ‘real’ women.” Well, yes the women shown in the ad are all young, fairly good looking, but I think the concept is interesting and it’s a brilliantly made ad.

According to me the ad goes to prove that all women should be confident about themselves and their looks.  

Dove included this description with the video:

Women are their own worst beauty critics. Only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful. At Dove, we are committed to creating a world where beauty is a source of confidence, not anxiety. So, we decided to conduct a compelling social experiment that explores how women view their own beauty in contrast to what others see. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaOjMXyJGk#aid=P-j-ppcGERs

Savita Bhabhi The Movie to release tomorrow !!

Indian cinema has truly come of age as in its 100th year for the first time ever an animated porn film-Savita Bhabhi The Movie will release on savitabhabhi.com this May.

I am sure everyone remembers Savitabhabhi.com, the promiscuous Indian housewife’s sexual adventures on the Internet which was first launched in 2008. Well, for all those who have missed her for a long time due to the ban by the Government in 2009 as part of the Internet censorship in India, she will be back soon now in a celluloid format.

While, the 30 minute animation film made for internet will release in the US and UK on May 4 (tomorrow) for a mere $24.95 (approximately Rupees 1,347), in India fans of Savita Bhabhi will have to wait a bit for its release here. But, the film will be available for fans over a year.

The movie, deals with the subject of Internet Censorship in a humorous way with Savita Bhabhi as the heroine who saves the day. Set in India 2070, the world has changed a lot. Freedom of speech has taken a hit to the nuts and censorship is everywhere. Citizens seem to have accepted it. But one man, his fat nerdy friend and the hottest fictional character India has ever seen are not about to take the injustice lying down!
To save herself and the future of the Internet in India, Savita must find a way to fight the powers that be with the help of two young men who brought her into the predicament that she finds herself in the first place.

“Savita has always been at the forefront of the fight against internet censorship, and in support of freedom of speech. The 30 minute animation film, the first ever Savita Bhabhi movie is a roller coaster ride thru different dimensions, sex and bringing down bad guys. Our Bhabhi who has for years now found herself in precarious situation finds herself in the most precarious situation till date! She not only has to find a way to get herself out if it, but also help out the two best friends Suraj and Hari AND save the world in the process,” says Puneet Agarwal aka Deshmukh, the originator and maker of savitabhabhi.com .

Savita’s inaugural venture on the big screen is a full of surprises, twists and LOTS of sex. But it’s also a movie with a message – it’s time Savita fought back against the people who banned her, says the maker.

Savita Bhabhi, the toon character porn comic strip which first debuted online in 2008, was banned by the Indian government in 2009. All Internet Service Providers were asked to block SavitaBhabhi.com, which featured a married woman’s sexual adventures.

When asked about the release in India Deshmukh explains, “Ironically, because of its controversial storyline and central character, we are expecting a backlash to the movie itself. However this is a story that needs to be told, and we are more than willing to take on the additional effort of justifying the making of this movie”.

The creators of the movie initially will start off a dialogue on the site www.SavitaBhabhiMovie.com where more information about the movie will be periodically updated.

“We are targeting India with our initial release. Since its going to be fairly difficult to get theatres to show our movie in India, we have embarked on a very novel concept for the premiere of the Savita Bhabhi Movie,” Deshmukh adds.

It is the first time in India that a premiere is going to be streamed live at a particular date and time. All our VIP ticket holders will be given access to watch the live streaming movie - and the makers are currently getting the infrastructure ready for an expected 10,000 users simultaneously watching the premiere screening of the Savita Bhabhi Movie.

The team that has created the animation film has been truly international. The animation process started off in Europe with the storyboards and then was passed on to a Canadian animation company for the actual work.

“We've had our team members’ right from the Philippines to Lithuania working on the website and promotion of the movie. Unfortunately though, due to the position of the Indian authorities on Savita Bhabhi though, we could not do any work in India. Hopefully the message of Free Speech and Non censorship of the Internet that we are trying to put across with this movie will make a difference and maybe we can produce the sequel in India itself!,” says Deshmukh

The massively popular strip moved to subscription based website Kirtu.com after the ban. The website Kirtu.com gets more than 1.8 million hits a month now. Infact, soon after the ban a campaign to save the website was launched.
It’s understood that when the ban was declared on the internet site in 2009 the story was in its 11th episode. Currently, the makers inform that Savita Bhabhi is in its 36th episode. Deshmukh and his team started working on the film a year ago and are ready for release now.

Even as the Indian government is mulling over the ban of Porn in the country one will have to wait and watch the fate of Savita Bhabhi The Movie here.

Ad Creep......

I don’t know why I suddenly thought of writing about this. I guess because I just feel I am constantly a midst some advertisement or the other. Today, Advertising is everywhere. You step out of your home and there is not a single place where you are not bombarded with some kind of advertising or the other. Be it messages on the backs of car park receipts, your electricity bills, on football or Cricket grounds, on trains, taxis, buses, on paper bags, on the handles of supermarket trolleys, on store floors, in washrooms, on elevator walls, park benches, even on commodes in the toilets. It also includes techniques such as projecting huge images on the sides of buildings, or slogans on the gas bags of hot air balloons. Nothing can get more intrusive, that’s ambient advertising for you. It is said that the word ‘Ambient’ advertising’ was presumably coined during the peak of popularity of ambient music, a genre with electronic textures that create a mood or atmosphere. With the cost of traditional media advertising skyrocketing and a glut of ads fighting for consumers' attention, marketers are aggressively seeking out new advertising vehicles.

Here take a look at some ambient advertising. It’s a mix of Indian and international Ambient ads: Images Courtesy : Google Images.  

.

An ad for Tyskie beer

A Watch Ad..  holders in the Bus

Ad for an Financial Investment company : saying  its extra safe and its guaranteed  investment

Lonely Planet India advertisement: large book marks placed 

An ad for Taramontina Precision Knives: 

So do you like ambient advertising... i leave that to you to decide if these ads are really intrusive, one the face...

DD to screen Festival Films from June 13

I am not sure how many of you watch Doordarshan regularly. I have been and especially on Sunday’s when DD National shows some of the old films. I remember watching Razia Sultan, Umrao Jaan, Shatranj and many more such old flicks including National award winning films which we have lost out on as seldom these films are shown on Cable TV. This is apart from the new flicks as well that the channel shows. DD has now gone a step further and will be now airing festival films. So any Indian film that has been screened at any of the International festivals, including IFFI, Goa from year 2000 onwards, DD has opened new doors for these film makers. DD National will screen these films along with National Award winners in a newly created program “Best of Indian Cinema” and offer a fee of up to Rs. 25 Lakh. It seems that this move by DD is also to attract more viewers. 

So now look forward to Indian films that have been selected and screened at Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto, Locarno, London, Karlovy Vary, Nantes, Rotterdam, Fribourg, Munich, Busan, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Rome and Sydney film festivals are eligible for telecast. Its understood that DD will have an eminent panel that will select the films for the series. In the next couple of weeks, Doordarshan will formulate the details about the series and decide upon a timeslot. “Best of Indian Cinema” is expected to go on-air in June, 2013.

Unlike, the BBC in UK which is also a public broadcaster, DD in India lost out to cable TV and most people have lost out on the habit of watching DD National. Thanks to DTH, we can now watch DD channels as well.In the last few years DD has gone through some drastic changes both in terms of the look of the channel and improved production quality . Their news I find is one of the best. They have some interesting programmes such as Bombay Talkies, Rangoli ( that showcases old film songs) on Sunday morning. It has also started simulcasting some private satellite channel programmes. The other channels from DD stable such as DD Bharat, DD International, DD sports and DD News are all interesting. If you have not been watching DD its not a bad idea to start now

Refreshing old memories

It is a trip down the memory lane. All the die-hard fans of Indian cinema and bollywood who are keen on history and trivia's on their favourite bollywood stars can now know it all through a pack of 4 DVD collector’s edition with over 750 minutes of Bollywood Nostalgia , trivia, 550 song clips and 101  full songs.
The collector’s edition is titled 101 Silver Screen Stars has been released by Shemaroo Entertainment as its tribute to 100 years of Indian cinema. This collector's edition bridges the past, present and future of Indian cinema. The entire series a fantastic audio visual treat that takes one through the life journeys of 101 popular hindi film heroes and heroines. The entire collection is well researched and not mere compilation. It also has some very famous anecdotes. The pack also includes a glamorous film diary consisting of interesting film art works years of cinema on each page. Priced at just Rs 699, it’s a must have for all film lovers.
Previously, the company's release of DD shows Its release of Zabaan Sambhal Ke (which means ‘mind your language’), the superhit comedy show of 1993, and Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, was followed by all 100 episodes of Nukkad’s in a 13-DVD Pack priced at an affordable Rs 1,299.
In the 1980s, public broadcaster Doordarshan was our only entertainment, apart from going to the theatre to watch a film. Honestly, I loved to watch DD. It was when national programmes were introduced in 1982. It was the same year when colour TV kicked off in India, with the live telecast of the Independence Day speech by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on August 15. Then came the Asian Games, held in Delhi. The 1980s were the era of Doordarshan and shows such as Hum Log (1984), Buniyaad (1986-87), sitcoms such as Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984) and Nukkad (1986-87).The best thing about these shows was that they were simple stories told well. We all had our own favourites, for which we waited week after week.Shows such as these, or Rajni or Zaban Sambhal Ke, had a cult following that cut across the boundaries of age and time. Even today’s generation loves them.
Nukkad, directed by Kundan Shah and Saeed Mirza, was one of the most popular TV shows of the late 1980s.It aired every Monday during prime time – nine pm. Nukkad means street corner. As the name suggests, the show deals with the struggles of common people who live in the area, and who are trying to make a living in an increasingly harsh social and economic climate. The characters – Khopdi, Teacher-ji, Pheku, Guru, and others – meet at the local nukkad every evening and share their life stories. With a touch of humour, the serial portrays the realities of the common man’s life.
No satellite channels seem to have bought these shows of yesteryear, and I am glad that DVDs of them are now easily available across the country. So grab your copies now!

Future of Journalism is "Digital"....Integrated Newsrooms need of the Hour

“Today, everything is a media company. A Supermarket, an organization, a NGO etc. all are media companies. They all do media. But, they don't need journalists to tell their stories. They are all telling their stories directly to people”, says Alan Rusbridger, chief editor of The Guardian, one of the oldest British Newspapers. However, Rusbridger said that this does not mean journalists have got redundant. It means that journalists have to adapt to the new ways of open journalism. Anybody who is on twitter or Facebook today is a journalist. "The future of print journalism lies in accepting the importance of Digital Age,” added Rusbridger.
Rusbridger was at the Mumbai Press Club yesterday on an invitation from the club to talk on “The Future of Journalism in a Digital Age.” He talked of how one can get stories from twitter. He proved this point very well through a short video of one of his colleague Jon Henley, a feature writer at the Guardian. Calling him a middle aged reporter who is not technologically savvy, Rusbridger said that Henley was told to have a twitter account before he goes to Greece to cover the crisis. Henley says he got a little worried but, nevertheless too up the challenge and started a twitter account before he left for Athens. All did was twitted asking people to direct him to stories of hope a midst the crisis and to his utter amazement within three days he had 400 followers and before he landed in Athens he had several stories to tell. The Greeks had shared so many stories of 'Hope' which had not merited space in most mainline Newspapers and TV channels. That’s the power of social media. Most publications world over including India are laying focus on online editions of their newspapers and magazines. That's how important digital has become in today's time. Having an online presence is one thing and completely getting out of print publication and having only an online presence is another thing. 'Newsweek', the 80 year old magazine in the US printed its last edition on December 31, 2012 and since the beginning of this year the magazine only has an online presence. Similarly, the Hollywood trade magazine 'Daily Variety' published its last print edition on Tuesday and directing their readers to the newly revamped website. The magazine said for news of what happened two minutes ago keep going to Variety.com. That's how fast the news is delivered  online. No wonder that The India Today Group is also understood to be launching an online Bollywood or Entertainment magazine one hears. Watch out for that one....
All these above happenings also brings me to the point of how world over traditional newsrooms are changing to be an integrated newsroom. It’s to harness the digital power and the power of social media. It’s happening in India too where many traditional print organizations are becoming an integrated newsroom.
In April 2012, BBC HQ in London’s iconic Bush House was being shifted to a swank 8 floor HQ on Regent Street in Central London. The new office block has a very large Integrated newsroom where all journalists across, TV, Radio and Online sit together thereby sharing resources. Over 600 hundred journalists sit in this one building. Similarly, Sky News also has an integrated newsroom. .
The re-organisation of the BBC’s news department sees an end to separate editorial operations for the BBC’s Radio news, News Interactive and TV news Departments as they are merged into two new divisions. Indeed, the integrated newsroom has achieved substantial savings for BBC that helped compensate for declining license fee income.
In India, the India Today Group is moving towards an integrated newsroom. In fact they already have moved into a new building at Noida Filmcity and in Mumbai too to a new office where journalists from across magazines and TV sit in one newsroom. Journalists at India Today have been encouraged to write blogs, twit on important news and events. Senior print journalists from within the Group are called on TV for their expert comments.

So has integrated newsroom become need of the hour or is it is just a cost cutting mechanism?

A senior official at BBC said to me it’s both. While cost is reduced drastically with synergies being drawn from various sections and one journalist doing more than just reporting for TV but also doubles up as a radio correspondent and writes of online....and vice versa. Many across the BBC are being taught new skills so that they can work seamlessly across the various platforms for delivering news.
Also, increasingly important is the ability to combine material from traditional sources with content residing on different media such as mobile phones and tablets, as well as from Internet feeds and inputs from social media.
New technologies has also changed the whole process of news gathering, with increasing incorporation of content from non-professional sources, including smart phone and iPhones, flip cameras and camcorders wielded both by staff reporters and members of the public. In extreme cases, these are the only available sources of news, either from remote events or when there is a major crackdown on news reporting by the state, as has happened at various times during the “Arab Spring.”
Today most media houses encourage their reporters to have a twitter and Facebook account.
Social Media to an extent across the world is being considered as not just a ‘nice to have’ tool for news reporting but, an important tool for survival. The very existence of social media is changing the news reporting landscape and making it harder for governments and regulators all over the world to keep control over dissemination of information.
This fact itself has to be reflected in the configuration of modern integrated newsrooms, which must be as agnostic to technology and as free from barriers as possible, while ensuring there are mechanisms to enforce rights or regulatory controls where necessary.

MTV Hardware by Kamasutra: Beyond Music and TV

Wondering what 'MTV Hardware' is.. no no its not a new show on MTV that is sponsored by Kamasutra but it is a new condom brand that has been launched by MTV India, the youth channel. The broadcaster in tie up with JK Ansell, the makers of Kamasutra has launched this brand of condoms.
There will be two variants of MTV Hardware namely-Screw in Colours and Big Head. MTV has a range of merchandise from eyeware, to smartphones, to apparels and adventure bikes.
Just to go back in time and tell you a little more about MTV...MTV, today, isn't just about music and isn't just a channel any more—it's a youth brand. The brand's mantra today is, "It's my MTV", an indicator of how the company is attempting to reach out to consumers via interactive platforms like the mobile and the web. While most TV broadcasters treat viewers as "consumers", MTV wants to treat them as "users". That's because the channel feels that the "viewer" is dying, while the "user" is the newage breed that is not just consuming TV, but is also mobile and online. Result? "Music Television", the two words that ran below its logo, were dropped in October 2009, thereby completing the makeover that it began almost in 2007.
MTV has been continuously evolving its offerings for its audiences to make the brand relevant beyond music and TV. It’s understood that by 2015 the broadcaster  expects to see (the emergence of) "MTV Everywhere" — across all screens and product categories that youth engage in, as well as platforms." Launch of the condom brand is a step in that direction thereby adding on to its 15 plus product categories.  MTV is understood to be roughly contributing around 25% of Viacom18's top line. I remember once being told by one of the top officials at Viacom18 that MTV is born of music, inspired by Music but not limited by Music. And I quite agree with that considering that today everybody wants a piece of MTV. Clients I am told do not view MTV as a broadcasting channel where they want to just run a 10 sec or a 30 sec commercial but view MTV as a partner to derive some value out of it.
"I want my MTV" still rings true — but today, MTV’s top brass would want millions of youth to "want" not just the music videos, but the loads of other goodies on offer, too. Even Condoms!!!

Coming of Age.....

The regional film super stars are entering the game of co-production with big Bollywood film studios to corporatize the regional industry

After being in the background for years, regional cinema has emerged out of the shadows of Bollywood. Given the huge potential of regional cinema especially in the southern languages, Marathi, Bengali and Punjabi, Bollywood studios have been keen on producing regional films. Some studios like Disney-UTV, Eros International Media Dar Motion Pictures have tested the waters with producing a few regional films. Viacom 18 will be co-producing one in Marathi with Akashay Kumar and Ashvini Yardi’s production house Grazing Goat Pictures. It’s not the studios alone, the big stars of regional cinema are following suit to co-produce regional films along with Studios rather than tread the path alone. Kamal Haasan, the South supers star who is 20 films old as a producer under his production house Raaj Kamal Films is said to be in talks with a few Bollywood studios to co-produce Tamil films.

Jimmy Shergill, a Bollywood star and a super star in Punjabi Cinema has already taken the leap by signing a co-production deal for 4 films with Eros International Media.He is not alone in this mission. Benagli Superstar Prasenjit Chatterjee, son of the yesteryear Bollywood superstar Bishwajeet’s company- Ideas Creations & Productions has entered into a co production deal with Sahara Screen, part of Sahara Media to produce 10 Bengali and bi lingual films (Bengali-Hindi) in three years.

In an earlier interview to me, Shergill had said that Jimmy Shergill Productions’ association with a studio like Eros will bring about a systematic corporate approach to making Punjabi films. Punjabi cinema is growing with every film. “This tie-up will help us take Punjabi cinema forward. It will help in better marketing and promoting the films and present it on a global platform,” he added. Chatterjee’s idea of co-producing with a studio is to grow within the film business and to corporatize the Bengali film industry.
From a studios perspective to co-produce regional films is that this segment has the potential. It’s a potential market which cannot be ignored. Multiplexes emerging in small towns are also fuelling the growth of regional cinema.
Secondly, any good studio would want to have a diversified strategy rather than just stick to the Bollywood formula. Thirdly, other advantage of regional cinema is that the studio is able to rotate the money fast as the cycle of production is 6-9 months for a regional cinema as against the cycle of production of Hindi films which is 12-15 months.
That’s not all. Even at the box office regional films are also joining the Rs one billion (rs 100 crore) club following suit behind Bollywood. For instance last year a Tamil action film ‘Thuppaki’ was not only a blockbuster in the southern markets, but it collected Rs 100 crore ( one Billion INR) within 11 days of its release . Bengali film ‘Challenge 2’ also earned over Rs124 crore (INR1.24 billion) at the box office. These are unheard of nos. for a regional film but it’s true. It’s happening now. The latest FICCI-KPMG reports says that the increasing preference amongst patrons for local taste in content has seen regional cinema growing over the years.
According to the 2012 Ernst &Young’s paper on the filmed entertainment segment in India, the market size of India’s filmed entertainment industry was estimated at Rs 9700 crore in 2010, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.2 per cent from 2010 to 2014 to reach Rs 12,500 crore by 2013.
Although a break-up of the regional cinema industry is not given, it is understood from industry players that Hindi mainstream cinema contributes 45 per cent of the revenues and the remaining 55 per cent is accounted for by regional cinema. Two thirds of this, is accounted for by the South Indian cinema industry and the balance is accounted for rest of the other languages such as Punjabi, Marathi, Bengali and Bhojpuri largely.

Public Broadcaster for Kids': need of the hour

Over the last decade so, television broadcasting industry in India has seen a dramatic change. The growth of multichannel television scenario and the emergence of strong pay television operators have fundamentally altered the competitive dynamics in this market.  And – with the arrival of the digital era – we are poised for more dramatic changes.
Public service broadcasters (PSBs) were conceived in a world of one or two channels. Most PSBs are former monopolies, and were originally designed to provide the entire supply of programming for the market.
Sadly, Children in India are so starved for good entertainment on TV that most in the age bracket of (4-9 years) kids are hooked on to Hindi general Entertainment Channels that show family soaps. We do have private kids’ channel such as the Cartoon Network, Pogo, Nickelodeon, Disney group of channels and few regional private kids’ channels as well. But, like UK or, Australia why cannot we boast of a Public Broadcaster for Kids’ or in other words why cannot DD have its own Kids’ channel. What’s stopping them from having their own channel?
Well these are good questions to raise but you will seldom find an answer. India has so much of culture and mythology and historical yet, DD borrows kids programming from Disney. I remember as a kid in the 80s DD used to have some animated short stories in Hindi like Simi-The fish, Ek Titli Anek Titliyan, Tree of Life to name a few for kids. But, today’s kids are growing up on Pokemon, Doremon, Sinchan and the likes. Children, are exposed to all sorts of crass content that is having a negative impact on them. A DD kids channel would go a long way in plugging that need gap.
Doordarshan, with its huge reach through terrestrial, cable and satellite TV will go a long way in reaching kids who don't have access to quality content. The content can be both educative and entertaining like it is across the world. One of the best examples of a kids’ channels BBC’s CBeebies.
Sesame Street kind of an initiative to give children from under-privileged background a platform to learn skills should be replicated in India. Sesame Street is a long-running American children's television series. In India it has been adapted and called ‘Gali Gali Sim Sim’ and it airs on DD.We should have more of such programmes on DD for children. Time will only tell when these suggestions will be taken seriously.

FICCI FRAMES 2013: A dull affair

For the fourteenth consecutive year the Federation of Indian Chambers and Commerce and Industry (FICCI) hosted FRAMES 2013, a convention on the business of media and entertainment in Mumbai. It was the same venue, same people, same entertainment industry report release by KPMG, the only difference being that this time around the crowd was much less and in the last two years the presence of film and media students attending the convention has become prominent.
For the last couple of years for all those (including me) who have been religiously attending this convention the feeling was the same this year. For me it honestly this convention is like a home coming. I don’t if I don’t attend it for year I think I will start getting palpitations or some kind of a withdrawal symptoms I think ..i am not sure. As usual there were complaints all fronts from food, to bad tea and coffee to bad sessions blah blah… Certain section of Media was also unhappy with the organizers because they did not get the backpack that was given out to journalists. No idea why they did not get that backpack but as I understand one journalist actually wrote a petition against the guys who were handling the media desk and you will be surprised that he had lots of journalists (probably all those who did not get the backpack even signing the petition). This journalist apparently also called the sponsors of the bag to complaint to them that some of the media guys have been discriminated and not given the backpack. But Sadly, all his efforts I believe went futile and nothing came out of it.
Over all the conversations were no different that this convention was not going anywhere. It is not moving head and can we do something about it please. Surprisingly, compared to last year the global and Pan-Asian presence was also seemed minimal this year. This year there was the Korean delegation
The theme of the conference this year was ‘Engaging a Billion Consumers’ and to begin with the FICCI-KPMG report on the entertainment industry titled- ‘The Power of a billion: Realising the Indian Dream’  is always optimistic of its growth rates and there is no doubt that the M&E industry is on a growth trajectory. The report forecasts that the industry is expected to grow as a CAGR of 15.2 per cent to reach Rs 1,66,100 crore (INR 1661 billion) by 2017 and the largest contributor to this growth will be the television segment followed closely by the film segment.
The future of the Indian entertainment industry is extremely bright. These numbers overkill by the FICCI reports every year and which is considered the bible by all and mores so the media (Journalists) has not changed in anyway in the last couple of years. It’s as bulky as always.
The FICCI Frames convention happens to be a good networking ground and definitely there are no take away from most of the sessions. As usual the Bollywood sessions were most attended by people and some serious sessions like Public Broadcasting for Kids’ and The Power of Data had skeletal presence.
The amazing aspect was that the Public Broadcasting for Kids’ session was interesting with the eminent panelists like filmmaker Amol Gupte, Monica Tata of Turner International, Ram Mohan-The Father of Animation discuss the urgent need for a kids’ Public broadcasting channel in India but unfortunately their viewpoints went unheard both by the media as well as by the government officials. There was no official from Prasar Bharti present on the panel or in the crowd for this session. There were precisely 37 people in the Lotus room for this session.
The third and final day of the convention was no different. To entice the crowd to stay back till the end there is one celebrity who is also always invited for a short interview. This time around it was Karan Johar in conversation with Kajol. The valedictory session was delivered by Ronnie Screwvala, a media industry stalwart and the man at the helm of the activity as the MD of Disney UTV. In his address he made some valid points such as the M&E industry growing at 12 per cent is not enough as it is considered among the sunrise industries but yet its growth is lower than most of the Sunrise Industries. He also believed that the industry as a whole needed need to fill in the gap between the phenomenal talent to grow content and match it with the commerce. Screwvala was happy that finally after waiting for almost 20 years digitization has been finally implemented and that’s fantastic news for the TV and Broadcasting industry. Although he still believes that it will take 2-3 years for revenue monetisation. He acknowledged that the gaming and radio have become viable businesses and the regional market has grown phenomenally. However, he had a few concerns such as lack of unanimity with the M&E sector and lack of innovation and cinema needs to make consumers come out of the house. Finally, he concluded by adding that a combination of data, bandwidth, and content is going to be more valuable than oil in the next decade.
Uday K Varma, the Secretary of I&B Ministry said that there are plans to give out 839 radio licenses. He suggested that ministry would be more than willing to come out with guidelines if so necessary for setting up a body to do ratings. With regards to the tax issue, he said he was willing to work with the film industry to develop a case for the industry when GST comes into play. Later in his address, he added that, “I hope to make India the digital hub of the world, not just in terms of teleports, but digital production. We the government and the industry need to align our efforts and thinking. “
The crowd at Frames 2013 seemed absolutely scarce and the enthusiasm was low key.
With the M&E sector on a growth trajectory path wonder when this convention will really start making sense to all stake holders and media attending this event.

Ram Kapoor and the Harlem Shake

We are all aware of the Gangam style. The M&E fraternity also got a feel of it three days ago at the Frames convention in Mumbai where a Korean delegation was present. Similar to the Gangam style, the next new internet rage has been the "Harlem Shake'. For those not aware like me what's Harlem Shake here is the wikipedia explanation for the same: The Harlem Shake is an internet meme in the form of a video in which a group of people performs a comedy sketch accompanied by a short excerpt from the song 'Harlem Shake'. As a meme, the video was replicated by many people, using the same concept, and this rapidly led to it becoming viral in early February 2013, With thousands of "Harlem Shake" videos being made and uploaded to YouTube every day at the height of its popularity.
And yet again YRF has attempted to create a Harlem Shake version with the cast and crew of the yet to be released film 'Mere dad ki Maruti. This nutty video was shot during a special screening of the film. It's the first time that something like this is being experimented with a Bollywood film. Ashish Patil of YRF says, "while we are doing the regular marketing and promotion of the film. We have done some innovative stuff like Stomping for the title track and now the Harlem Shake. This is targeted at the younger and a different kind of audience." I was told that the idea of Harlem Shake first  struck Anushka Sharma...yes the actress the day before at midnight.
Offlate Bollywood has been seeing some interesting innovations in marketing. Many of the recent films that have been declared as blockbusters have one common thing in them, which is 'innovative marketing', so much so that it has become the call of the day. For example during Gangs Of Wasseypur, the producer hired graffiti artistes from well known colleges like J.J. School of arts to do designs on outdoor walls in Mumbai. And their 'works' was seen  when one passed on the road from Mahim To Matunga. Similar grafitti designs were painted in various other cities to promote the film. For Kahani, lead actress Vidya Balan was roaming around in the streets with a baby bump promoting the film.
In today’s time, a movie might be great but sans an aggressive marketing campaign, it would be very difficult to have it make an impact at the box office. The aggressive marketing followed in Bollywood today could well be credited to the Studios such as Disney UTV Motion Pictures, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, Yash Raj Films, Eros International to name a few that have put a method to the madness of branding and marketing movies. Secondly, the corporatisation of the film studios is helping.

If such methods of innovative marketing will add to the collections at the BO window is something that only time will tell.

Japan calling .......

It interesting to note that there is a increasing demand for Bollywood films in Japan. The Japanese are not novice to Indian films. One of the biggest super star of India-Rajnikant is an all time hit in Japan. All his films release simultaneously in Jaoan and I have been told that the Japanese women swoon over the super star. But, the latest entrant into the Japanese market is Bollywood. For a while now the Japanese buyers have been scouting for good Hindi films with universal themes to release in Japan. Yash Raj Films was the first studio to crack it with two of its latest films Kabir Khan's Ek Tha Tiger and Shah Rukh Khan starrer Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Soon to follow behind YRF is Eros International which will release its 6 year old film Farah Khan's romantic thriller Om Shanti Om. Om Shanti Om will release across 15 screens in Japan on April 16. Subtitled in Japanese, the film has been renamed as 'Koi Suru Rinne' . Koi Suru means to Fall in love and Rinne means reincarnation. 

Bollywood has been looking for newer markets to showcase its films. It has now moved beyond the Asian diaspora in the overseas market and realised that its films are finding space among the foreigners. 

In October this year Japan is also hosting the India film festival Japan which will aim to provide a common platform for cinemas of India and Japan, contributing to the understanding and appreciation of film cultures of both the nations.The idea of the festival is  also to introduce Indian cinema to the Japanese audience and other communities living in Japan. 

In its 100th year one can truly say that Indian cinema and Bollywood especially has come a long way.   

check out my story I had done on this topic in Business Today: 

http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/mami-mumbai-film-festival-global-buyers-eye-indian-film-titles/1/19494.html

mere dad ki Maruti .....gets Stomped !!!!

Hey guys, here is something interesting for you. Have you heard of Stomping!! Aah what’s stomping even I asked when I was asked this question.. then I was asked do you know of Beat Boxing-created using mouth, lips and tounge and I happily nodded yes ofcourse I know of beat Boxing. Have watched a lot of beat Boxing on youtube.  Well then Stomping is no different. It is also a funky new genre of music created using everyday instruments and body parts for percussion. And guess what for the first time ever a Bollywood studio has experimented with this music genre for their upcoming film. 

YRF's new film 'Mere Dad ki Maruti' is using this genre for his title track thereby taking film music to a whole new stomping level. Dj Nucleya ( formerly with one of India's most popular bands bandish Projekt and who has also opened for one of the World's most popular and biggest DJ like David Getta) has innovatively used car parts of Maruti-from doors, bonnets, ignition sounds to hubcups, power-windows and more to create a groove. He has then mixed this with 'Beatboxing.

The music video, directed by Babblefish features some of India’s best B-boxing alongside the leads of the film, Saqib Saleem & Rhea Chakraborty. Choreographed by Tony Kundu, whose credits include Madonna, Saturday Night Live, Cirque du Soleil and the famous AR Rahman Jai Ho World Tour. Red Bull is a partner for the music video and given the track wings.

It interesting how Bollywood is incresingly getting innovative in marketing and promoting its films. Music is definitely one medium to promote films. Given there are so many films releasing every week it has become imperative for filmmakers to think innovatively to be ahead in the race.

Check this video which has just gone live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqJa6bSZn5k

Ek Tha Tiger travels to Japan

In my earlier blog titled ‘Bollywood Spotlight’ I had chalked out couple of interesting trends. One among them was how global buyers are hungry for Indian films. Gone are the days when Indian films were appealing only to the Indian Diaspora overseas, today audiences in non- traditional markets such as China, Korea, Japan, Germany are longing to see Indian films mainly the Bollywood flicks. 
After films like 3 idiots, Stankey ka Dabba, Ra One to name a few- ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif and directed by Kabir Khan premiered in Tokyo on March 7, 2013.  Yash Raj Films (YRF) has entered into a tie-up with Japan’s oldest Production and distribution companies Nikkatsu Corporation to release YRF films in Japan.  Ek Tha Tiger (ETT) will be followed by Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Both the films will release in Japan across 30 screens  on April 20 along with Japanese sub titles. ETT has been renamed in Japan as ‘Tiger-The Legendary Spy’
Nikkatsu has produced and distributed over 5000 titles in various genres including Shohei Imamura films. It has also distributed a wide range of foreign film, including ‘Eastern Promises’, ‘CHE’, ‘Burn After Reading’ , ‘The Ghost Writer’ and ‘Wrestler’. The company was keen to explore Indian films to be distributed in Japan.
I remember, Japanese buyers have been showing keen interest in the Indian film market for a while. Infact, South superstar Rajnikant is one of the most popular stars in Japan. ‘Muthu’ was the film that made him a star in Japan. Today, all his films simultaneously release in Japan. In 2011 when MAMI film festival organizers had launched the Mumbai film Mart (MFM) a place for buyers and sellers to come together, Nikkatsu Corp was also there. It was one of the participants at the Mumbai Film Mart (MFM).  
The overseas market for Indian films is growing and is likely to increase by about 20 per cent in the next five years according to global and Indian buyers and sales agents.  
According to the 2012 PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report on the Indian entertainment sector. The Indian film industry clocked overseas box office revenues to the tune of Rs 770 crore in 2010 and this is estimated to go up to Rs 1250 crore by 2015 which is a compounded annual growth rate of 10.2 per cent per annum. Film industry veterans say ten years ago, the overseas market for Indian films was just about 3-5 percent of its entire theatrical business. 
Apart from Japan, South Korea and other markets in South East Asia, Euorpe and Latin America has also shown interest in Indian films. Germany has been an ardent fan of Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) and has released couple of his films as well as other Hindi films. 
Latin America is the other market that Indian filmmakers are understood to be exploring. Rakesh Roshan’s ‘Kites’ was a big success in Latin America.

Some Factoids on 100 year’s of Cinema

1896: First screening of film at The Watson’s Hotel in downtown Mumbai by the Lumier   brothers, who brought cinema from Paris to India.

·         1913: India’s first full length feature film Raja Harishchandra was made by Dadasaheb Phalke

·         1930: Saw the advent of sound in cinema. Alam Ara, produced by Adershir Irani of Imperial studios was India’s first ‘talkie’ released in 1931.

·         1931: Noor Jehan was the first Indian English film

·         1940s: saw the establishment of Studios. Few studios such as Wadia Movitone, Bombay Talkies, Prabhat Studios to name a few introduced organized film making - stars and technicians collected regular pay packets, film budgets were controlled. It was a lucrative trade for the Guajaratis

·         World War II and India’s independence in 1947 saw the emergence of social films

·         Post Independence, young talents like Guru Dutt(Aar Par, CID, Pyaasa, Kagaz ke Phool) Dev Anand(- Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Jewel Thief), and Raj Kapoor(- Mera naam Joker, Bobby), understood western cinema and the changing sensibilities of a free country. They successfully blend this with the Indian culture and society and created classics. Partition introduced new communities to the trade-Punjabis and Sindhis from Lahore and who managed to sideline the Gujratis 

·         1950s belonged to the musicals. RK Studio’s Awara in 1951 was the first film to break the international barriers and was dubbed in Turkish, Persian, Arabic and Russian

·         Mehboob Khan’s Mother India was nominated for the Academy award for the Best Foreign language Film in 1957

·         1959: Guru Dutt’s Kagaz ke Phool was the first cinemascope film of Bollywood

·         1960s was the age of colour films and it was established that it was here to stay. It was also during this time that the film industry was fast gaining the dubious distinction of being a money laundering opportunity, with a growing booty of black market profits. Independent producers from the North lured stars away from studios offering them more than their market value. The studio system collapsed and stars became bigger than the film.

·         The crass kitsch of the 80s gave way to glitzy glamour in the 90s. Before the new millennium, Bollywood began cleaning its act. Once again the business of streamlines.

·         2000: Bollywood is given an industry status

·      2006: coporatisation of the industry took place and studio system come back into existence.

·      2007: Hollywood Studios such as Sony Pictures, Fox Star Studios, Walt Disney, started co-producing bollywood films.

·      This era also saw technical advances in areas such as Visual effects (VFX), animation etc. Films like Rajnikant’s Robot, Roadside Romeo, Shah Rukh Khan’s Ra.One are examples showcasing India’s capability. Ra.One had 3500 VFX shots in comparison james Cameroon’s Avatar scored around 2700 shots.

·      2010-11: Global buyers start buying bollywood films for Taiwan, Korea, Germany, France, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Poland, Malaysia, China and Belgium where there is no Asian dominance

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