KOCHI: With seven Indian movies releasing on OTT platform Amazon Prime in the upcoming months, one can say that industry trends and the consumption of entertainment have been disrupted. And, aspiring directors think this is a boost to several of them who do not have poster names or huge funds to get theatrical slots.
Director, on the same. “After the advent of OTT platforms, we have begun to see movies with small screen aesthetics and different film culture, created keeping the attention span of the audience in mind. The biggest advantage I see for digital movies is that one doesn’t require a budget for marketing the movie. Secondly, censor obstacles are fewer and filmmakers have more free rein over the content -- this is a shot in the arm for newcomers,” he said.
Digital movies get a global audience. “When you specifically create content for OTT platforms, producers often stress on the content being pan-Indian, or where culturalism is accessible universally. Malayalam releases on platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime have just started. Currently, a subscription community has been formed behind four walls -- post-Covid, I believe viewership will increase and there will be more such content on the platforms. For people to return to theatres, there should be big-spectacle films, which in turn lead to expansion such as more IMAX theatres” he added.
Associate director Pratheesh Prasad who has worked on movies such as Vimaanam, echoes the same. “The film space will be rejuvenated. Small filmmakers will have more creativity with their content and will not require large names to rest their projects on,” he said. Will OTT take over theatrical releases and become the norm? “Highly unlikely. When the small-screen revolution was happening, people predicted that theatres wouldn’t stand the chance. Similarly, both, digital and theatrical releases will co-exist,” said Pratheesh.
S Sharath, joint secretary of the collective Movement for Independent Cinema which was formed for the promotion of independent cinema, said that OTT platforms could also be a great venue for parallel cinema.
“We primarily depended on festivals but in the wake of the current situation, we too have lost our sole platform. Considering our production cost, the revenue earned from OTT platforms would suffice,” he said.
A matter of survival
Sufiyum Sujathayum one of the seven releases on Prime, is produced by actor and producer Vijay Babu, under his banner Friday Film House. Vijay cited ambiguity and survival as a major reason to venture into the OTT platform. “No one knows what the norms of theatrical releases will be. With the pandemic in place, the older patterns won’t work anymore. When I got an offer from Amazon saying that they’re willing to release it directly, I decided to go for it -- medium-sized films need to get the returns back so that we can get back to bigger films later -- and it is my way of supporting the industry so that I can give jobs back to the people when the lockdown is lifted,” he said.
When asked if the decision would generate profit, Vijay stressed that staying afloat is a priority in the present circumstance. “It was to get back what I invested and not about earning a huge profit. When we sell the three rights -- digital and distribution rights sold to Amazon -- you receive a certain percentage. And you’re still left with satellite and dubbing rights. Eventually, when those are sold, we break even and are safe,” he quipped.
The actor-cum-producer highlighted that in such abnormal situations, one can’t go the normal route, rather think outside the box. “Also, digital movies can’t be ignored anymore. In such a situation, a theatrical release had to be converted to a digital original. From the perspective of the people behind the OTT platform, they need to provide content to their lakhs of subscribers. It is survival,” he added.