Showing posts with label Vijay Koshy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vijay Koshy. Show all posts
OTT platforms lean towards the linear way
8:11 AM
Instead of a season dump, a number of shows have been opting for weekly episode releases on OTT platforms lately. We delve deeper into this rising trend
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 29, 2021)
At a time when binge-watching shows has become the norm on streaming platforms, some players have been experimenting with the linear release format and opting for weekly episodes. This trend seems to be growing, especially since last year.
The popular Spanish series Money Heist is the latest to join the trend and release the final season in two volumes. Several web shows like Out Of Love season 2, Aspirants, WandaVision, and The Mandalorian also kept audiences on tenterhooks with weekly drops.
What clicks with the audience
Talking about why this trend is growing, the spokesperson of Disney+ Hotstar explains, “While binge-watching has its advocates who prefer a thrilling start-to-finish journey, weekly episodic releases keep the conversations around a show going for longer. It gives viewers a chance to discuss the story and its nuances, share theories and speculate about potential arcs. It becomes a ritual for the fans.” The platform’s latest release, Mare Of Easttown, created a stir with weekly episodes.
The spokesperson adds, “We like using both models as they work well. Our international shows like WandaVision and The Falcon And The Winter Soldier and original series Out Of Love (S2) benefited from a weekly drop, whereas others like Special Ops and November Story were binge-watched. We will continue to try new and innovative formats of dropping content.”
According to Vijay Koshy, president and business head, TVF, the success of either of the release models depends on a lot of factors. “Market maturity is a factor, as OTTs in developed markets regularly do weekly releases, like Game Of Thrones and Lupin. Studio name also matters. HBO, Disney, etc. have a cult following and their audience lap their releases either way. And lastly, genre. A thriller/crime content tends to have the binge approach. But in developing markets like ours, it’s critical for platforms to ensure the audience watches the show after sampling the initial episodes, so nine out of 10 opt for binge drop.”
Long-term feasibility?
Will the trend gain any momentum? Manish Kalra, chief business officer, ZEE5 India, admits that while they tried the episodic route with their hit Abhay starring Kunal Kemmu, fans kept pushing for all episodes at once. He adds, “Last year, given the pandemic, some shows were released weekly/fortnightly. While this is an interesting trend, it will probably not stay for long. They create intrigue, but might not satiate the consumer’s curiosity.”
Relish the slow burn
Actor Rasika Dugal, who starred in Out Of Love, reveals that weekly episodes made her peers and audiences impatient. She says, “My social media was flooded with comments saying ‘why weekly’, ‘where is the next episode’. But over the weeks, I think, some got used to it. Some friends and fans, however, refused to watch till all five episodes were out.”
Could weekly drops also be a tactic to spread the available content amid the Covid-era OTT boom? Koshy disagrees, “That strategy is unlikely to work on any subscription video on demand platform. Episodic releases in India, at best, work for shows that have a brand partner and YouTube as a platform, like the shows produced by TVF, such as Aspirants and Kota Factory. The two reasons here are the audience buildup and the brand requirement to sustain a long campaign.”
Key players of The Viral Fever resign
7:01 PM
Uncertainty reigns at India's leading digital content creation company after the exodus of key members; newly-appointed president asserts 14 projects on floors, including second seasons of Panchayat, Kota Factory
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 12, 2020)
The Viral Fever (TVF) had a glorious run last year, with the success of Kota Factory, Tripling, Hostel Daze and the recent Panchayat (above) proving that they were the undisputed masters of quirky desi shows. However, the dream run came to an abrupt halt last week as the key players — Biswapati Sarkar, Nidhi Bisht, Amit Golani, Sameer Saxena, Dhawal Gusain, Karan Chaudhry and Saurabh Khanna — bowed out of the picture over alleged differences on the company's business approach.
So, where does TVF — the true embodiment of homegrown digital entertainment in India — stand post the exodus, without its founders to steer it ahead? The exit of Saxena, head of TVF original content, has fuelled rumours that OTT bigwigs have lost faith in the company. After all, he had helmed the sophomore season of Tripling and the much loved Yeh Meri Family, and also served as the executive producer of Panchayat, the company's biggest hit this year. Insiders say that the upcoming seasons of the stable's popular series could be in limbo without his creative guidance. mid-day reached out to Saxena, who declined to comment.Even as uncertainty looms large in the corridors of the company, Vijay Koshy (left; above) – who returned to TVF in July after a brief stint in Arre – has been appointed president. This is the second change of gears since 2017 when Arunabh Kumar stepped down as the CEO, following a series of sexual harassment charges, paving the way for Gusain to take charge.
Despite the recent turn of events, Koshy asserts that 14 shows are set to go on floors. "Several OTT platforms are in talks with us for new shows. Some senior-level stupendous talent have moved on to pursue their own interests. But the writers and directors of Panchayat, Kota Factory (right), Permanent Roommates and Humorously Yours are still with us. The entire core team is still here. Besides Arunabh, Shreyansh Pandey [assistant vice president, content strategy & creative producer] and Akansh Gaur [content strategy head] are people who have been behind the scenes all along and will now shoulder larger responsibility. The second seasons of Panchayat, Hostel Daze and Kota Factory are in development. The same holds true for Flames season 3, Girls Hostel season 2 and Gullak season 2," he says, without refuting rumours of a brewing pandemonium within their workforce.Quiz him on the future of the shows that were created by Saxena, and he explains, "Considering Yeh Hai Meri Family is a show based in the '90s, we are discussing whether we will take it forward. A story has yet to be locked for the third season of Tripling. When we get the right story, we will assign a director and take it ahead."
Mid-day reached out to Bisht, who declined to comment.
Sameer Saxena and Biswapati Sarkar
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