ITV

Category: Production House

  • Television industry faces renewed threat as Covid2019 cases begin to surge

    Television industry faces renewed threat as Covid2019 cases begin to surge

    MUMBAI: Just as the television industry began limping back to normal after braving the toughest lockdown in the country’s history, a resurgence of fresh Coronavirus cases nationally – and more so with Maharashtra leading the infections – have set it on high alert once again. In the past few weeks, some production houses have been forced to halt shooting or work with lesser staff and crew amid the new surging wave of Covid2019 infections in the general population. This, despite strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) being followed at every shoot location.

    There have been instances of cast and crew members contracting the novel Coronavirus. Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan, Ranbir Kapoor, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Sanam Teri Kasam director and writer Vinay Sapru, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah actor Mayur Vakani and an artist from TV show Mehndi Hai Rachne Wali and Gum Hai Kissi Ke Pyaar Mein tested positive recently.

    According to the Indian Film & TV Producers Council (IFTPC) member and  TV producer Nitin Vaidya, the TV production community has done well so far as far as Covid2019 is concerned, especially considering the pace they have to produce at.  Safety protocols with adequate arrangements for checking temperature of staff members and timely sanitisation and fumigation on the sets are being followed.

    IFTPC has asked producers to personally visit the sets and share pictures if Covid-2019 protocols are being followed.

    “We have been through the lockdown once, and we do not want to face that situation again. So, we are trying our best to ensure that adequate protocols are followed on sets. Each of us have to be careful and we are trying to ensure that producers do not become complacent and keep shooting programmes in a safe manner,” said Vaidya.

    Last week, the IFTPC wrote a letter to producers and cautioned them about a potential situation akin to "September 2020" developing again. The association urged them to avoid outdoor shoots with immediate effect. It also requested them to personally visit their sets and ensure that SOPs are implemented even more meticulously. “Fatigue and carelessness have crept into our system rather exponentially which needs to be rectified immediately," IFTPC warned.

    General entertainment  broadcasters were also alerted about the sudden resurgence of cases and urged to cooperate with the production houses and not make requests for extravagant scenes. “We asked the broadcasters to depute Covid inspectors on the sets and request their creative teams not to insist on any outdoor shoots at this point or even shooting in places where there can be a crowd,” IFTPC chairman (TV division) JD Majethia told Indiantelevision.com. “We have fought hard for the entire year and we will continue to do the same.”

    Maharashtra currently accounts for roughly 70 per cent of the total caseload of the country. Last week, state health secretary Pradeep Vyas also warned that Maharashtra’s active Covid2019 cases may reach the three lakh mark by the first week of April if the current trend of rising cases continues.

    IFTPC has asked producers to personally visit the sets and share pictures if Covid-2019 protocols are being followed.

    The surge in cases could pose serious trouble for the beleaguered television industry, which has just begun to show signs of revival. In its latest report, television monitoring agency Broadcasting Audience Research Council (BARC) had highlighted that the TV ad volume had a promising start in January and February, with a higher ad-spend than last year.

    Some production houses like Contiloe Pictures, Directors Cut, Banijay, Endemol Shine India, and StudioNext have Covid2019 compliance agencies which look after the sanitisation process, disinfection, and misting of the entire set including the main floor, vanity vans, and makeup rooms. Others like Swastik Productions have a separate residential facility in Umbergaon for the cast and crew members.

    There are concerns that actors and staff members who commute daily to the sets are more likely to be exposed to the Coronavirus. In its letter, IFTPC has asked the producers to restrict the crew size to 33 per cent like last year and avoid shooting scenes that require large crowds.

    Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government is mulling over an extended lockdown, but chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said he is counting on people to cooperate to prevent the situation from escalating. On Monday, the state witnessed a total surge of 24,645 cases in 24 hours and lost 54 lives. Roughly 3,200 of these cases were reported from Mumbai.

  • Illusion Reality Studioz aims to revolutionise post-production space in India: Nitin Dadoo

    Illusion Reality Studioz aims to revolutionise post-production space in India: Nitin Dadoo

    MUMBAI: Contiloe Pictures has proved itself a pioneer in the industry since its inception two decades ago. And now, the fully integrated, premium broad-based entertainment content production company announced that its VFX division will be rebranded to Illusion Reality Studioz.

    With the aim to become the one stop destination for all VFX needs, the in-house vertical will solely focus on VFX, animation, previz/techviz, on-set camera tracking, lidar scanning amongst others, and will continue the Contiloe ethos of merging storytelling and art with science. The vertical will be helmed by Illusion Reality Studioz( a Contiloe Pictures group company) animation & VFX business head, Contiloe Pictures CFO Nitin Dadoo.

    “For the last three years, we were evaluating the significance and the extension plan.  Apart from in-house content we started taking external projects – from Hollywood, OTT or regional shows. During this time, we realised that the complexities and number of projects are increasing and it is the best time to start a new vertical which will cater into both VFX and animation,” explained Dadoo, adding that the rebrand was deferred from 2020 to 2021 due to the Covid2019 pandemic.

    At present, the studio has a strength of more than 200 employees who are working from its Mumbai and Bhubaneshwar facilities. The team is bifurcated into two divisions – one solely focused on internal projects and the other handles external projects. The creative team is headed by Nicholas Camecho, along with creative directors Deepak SV and Indraneel Roy. Nicholas boasts of over 35 years experience in the VFX and animation space including his stints with studios like Disney and Warner Bros. He has also held the title of creative supervisor, director and producer across several CG development projects in London. Deepak is an old hand in visual effects and animation, and handles foreign and Indian clients. A national film awardee creative director with a demonstrated history of working in the entertainment industry, he has had successful stints working with Pixion, Maya Entertainment and Accel media. Roy’s expertise lies in motion pictures and visual effects. With 25 years of diverse experience, he has worked closely with the directors, producers, production houses, cinematographers and studios as Visual Effects Director / VFX Supervisor to materialize their varied visions. Nishikant is the CGI and VFX supervisor. Head of production Bharat Mistry has been associated with Contiloe Pictures for well over a decade now.

    In the aftermath of the virus outbreak and resumption of filming, it was observed that several production houses are venturing into virtual production to minimise the budget and avoid outdoor shoots. The team at Illusion Reality Studioz is aiming to take virtual production a notch higher, as it is going to be a key pillar in the VFX facility. Under this technology, there will be functions like unreal motion builder which will be used to create photo imagery. Within the camera, the team can showcase what the directors are emphasising. Through this technology, directors, creators  and DOPs can become the part of visualisation process before it goes on the edit table.

    Citing an example, Dadoo mentioned that for their upcoming premium series, they are virtually creating some assets and locations within the script to make it easier for the director to figure out the cast needed for the show and other important details. He shared that this process will save time on post-production.

    Virtual production will allow them to create photo real and hyper real assets within the existing system. Through on-set camera tracking, lidar scanning (used to scan the set) it would be easier to create an environment in real time and it will also allow to create final imagery without going into post production.

    “In India, we spend 15-20 per cent of our time in pre-production, 40 per cent in shooting and another 35-40 per cent goes in post-production. But in the western world, things are more organised. They spend 40 per cent of their time in pre-production followed by shooting and in post-production they only spend 20 per cent. India is still in the learning process, with our studio we are also trying to get into that space where we plan much in advance and save cost and time,” Dadoo detailed.

    He envisages to become the first VFX studio in the country to use these tools and change the landscape of post-production process.

    Apart from working on current projects like Vighnaharta Ganesha, State of Siege 26: 11, the studio is busy developing an original series – Akshardham, the shooting will commence in may. On the external projects, the team recently finished working on MX Player’s eight-part web series Ram Yug. The series is directed and produced by Kunal Kohli. The studio will also start working on 26-part animation series for The Jim Henson Company.

    Dadoo said he is flexible with working on both co-production and commission based projects. Acquisition and syndication of content is also on the cards, stating that he’s working on syndicating content from Thailand and the Sri Lankan market. However, the major focus will be on creating content where the studio can retain the rights.

  • IFTPC urges producers to follow Covid2019 guidelines to check spread

    IFTPC urges producers to follow Covid2019 guidelines to check spread

    MUMBAI: India on Thursday recorded its highest single-day addition of Covid2019 cases in 2021 so far — total cases rose by 35,871, which is the highest daily rise since 6 December 2020. On the other hand Maharashtra, on the same day, reported 25,833 new Covid2019 cases, the hightest one-day spike since last March when the first Sars-Cov-2 infection was detected. Various stakeholders of the Indian entertainment industry have taken measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

    In view of the epidemic spread of Covid0919 virus throughout the world, including India, an urgent meeting by IFTPC held on 18 March 2021 had advised all production houses to strictly abide by all the Covid2019 protocols.

    IFTPC CEO Suresh Amin said in a letter addressed to all the producers: “Last year exactly on this date the industry had ceased shootings unilaterally as a precaution against the Covid2019. Today the industry is functioning to near capacity. Unfortunately, fatigue and carelessness has crept into our system rather exponentially which needs to be rectified immediately.”

    He further mentioned that the growing cases recently are not only worrisome, but have pushed the state government on the back foot and there is talk in the administration to take some drastic measures to hold back the spread of the virus. Amin feared that the media and entertainment industry will be the first target.

    To thwart the possibility of a crackdown, IFTPC at a producers meeting held yesterday has decided to start a special drive to implement the government guidelines with renewed vigour. It is advised that all the producers should personally visit their sets and ensure that SOPs are implemented meticulously.

    Below are the guidelines:

    a.       Please avoid outdoor shoots immediately

    b.       Restrict the number of junior artists and avoid shooting scenes requiring large crowds.

    c.       Do not fall to pressures of the creative team to include extravagant scenes

    d.       Producer shall visit the sets personally in the next two days and send photographs of the set to IFTPC

    e.       Follow the SOP meticulously without making any exceptions

    f.        Ensure that all crew members are insured as directed earlier.

    g.       Restrict the crew size to 33 per cent as prevailing in July 2020.

    Amin shared, “Today we are at the September 2020 situation and the wrath of the virus continues. We urge you to kindly ensure the implementation of the above in right earnest and oblige.”

  • Industry veteran Sudesh Iyer picks up strategic equity stake in Vistas Media Capital

    Industry veteran Sudesh Iyer picks up strategic equity stake in Vistas Media Capital

    MUMBAI: Media tycoon and ex co-founder of Sony Entertainment Television (SET Satellite Singapore) Sudesh Iyer has picked up a strategic equity stake in Vistas Media Capital (VMC) for an undisclosed amount.

     Iyer, based in Singapore, is an industry veteran with stakes in multiple businesses in the media and entertainment space across the region. He ran a successful advertising and an ad-film production company which he started in 1980. In the early 90s during the Gulf War, Iyer along with his friend Sushil Shergill set up a television network called ACE TV and they later entered into a joint venture with Sony Pictures Entertainment to set up Sony Television Network. Being the original founders of Sony Entertainment Television, Iyer ran the content arm of the network, producing more than 10,000 hours of content. A serial entrepreneur, Sudesh Iyer has incubated several start-ups in the health care, information technology, manufacturing and logistics sectors.

    The strategic equity stake in VMC by Sudesh Iyer creates winning synergies across multiple axes for the company, which has big plans to increase its investments into India in the media and entertainment space while it continues to diversify into North America and Middle East. Together, they intend to launch a movie fund which will invest into both receivable financing as well as gap funding of projects. The fund will initially have an India focus and will expand into southeast Asia.

    Vistas Media Capital is headquartered in Singapore and led by Abhayanand Singh – NRI banker turned media entrepreneur and has amongst other media stalwarts, the likes of former Viacom18 CEO Raj Nayak, on its advisory board.

    VMC most recently announced the merger of its NASDAQ listed SPAC Vistas Media Acquisition Company (VMAC) with Abu Dhabi based leading music streaming platform Anghami on Nasdaq in a deal valued at approximately $220 million. Sudesh Iyer was a part of VMAC from the very beginning.

    Spotify competitor Anghami is the largest music streaming platform in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with over 70 million registered users and 57 million songs. Anghami has become the first Arab tech company to list on NASDAQ and VMC is a trailblazer in the red-hot SPAC space in South East Asia.

    VMC through its wholly owned subsidiary Golden Ratio Films currently holds investments and IPs in over 14 films and series in India and Hollywood. VMC’s content pipeline, presently at different stages of production spans across 25+ films and web series IPs cutting across Bollywood, Hollywood, and Indian regional cinema, which will form the company’s slate for the next three years.

    Vistas Media Capital group CEO Abhayanand Singh said, “We are very excited to have Sudesh Iyer as a part of our company as it validates our vision which he has bought into and at the same time he brings in many decades of experience and network in media amongst multiple other winning attributes. His presence on the advisory board and mentorship will surely help the company expedite its growth in this dynamic space.”

    In 2021, VMC will be launching a regional indian language over-the-top (OTT) super app, starting with Marathi language, which will be a one stop platform for films, series, music, live streaming, theatre, literature and podcast. This will be further expanded to other languages such as Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Bengali, and Punjabi in due course.

    VMC co-owns with Motion Content Group (a GroupM company) and Film Critics Guild of India, two prestigious award IPs – Critics’ Choice Film Awards and Critics’ Choice Short & Series Awards.  

    The South Asian Film Market (SAFM) and Singapore’s South Asian International Film Festival (Sg.SAIFF), which is in its fourth edition, are also part of the VMC portfolio.

    Iyer added, “I am very excited to join a group of young entrepreneurs who are trying to bridge the gap between creativity and finance. They have a vision which is very well articulated through their recent developments and they are an agile team which is tracking the evolution of the merger of media and technology.”

  • Vuulr accelerates online buying & selling of content with new tool

    Vuulr accelerates online buying & selling of content with new tool

    MUMBAI: Global online content marketplace Vuulr has launched Brandable Screening Rooms, a new tool featuring the largest collection of screening rooms to facilitate buying and selling of film and television show rights.

    Brandable Screening Rooms will start off with showing over 1,100 films and TV shows from more than 250 rights holders, including Gaumont, Legendary Television, SPI, TVCO, Insight TV, Globo, One Animation, Toonz Media, Indiacast, GMA, CNN and Vision Film.

    For no-cost, studios, distributors, production houses, and indie content makers can now feature their content in their own Screening Rooms, which can be branded with logos, company descriptions, and URLs, making it easy for rights holders to promote their unique Screening Rooms.

    Vuulr’s Screening Rooms are designed to improve deal closing by reducing friction and streamlining the acquisition journey. An interested buyer, having watched a screener, can instantly check avails, and make an acquisition offer.

     

    “I believe that Screenings should be a part of an unbroken journey that translates interest from a Buyer into an offer and then into a deal,” said Vuulr founder & CEO Ian McKee. “By integrating Screening Room functionality to the Vuulr marketplace, screenings become a part of an unbroken content discovery journey. We’re laser-focused on making content acquisition quicker and easier, and this is a natural next step.”

    Vuulr is free to use for buyers; for sellers, there are no upfront costs and commission fees are only paid on success.

    To date, content sellers from around the globe have listed 135,000 hours of content in more than 60 genres and 70 languages on Vuulr. Nearly 1,400 licensing deals were completed in the last 14 months, with over 5,000 buyers and 10,000 registered users accessing the Vuulr platform. The content listed on Vuulr spans animated shorts to multi-season dramas from nearly 100 different territories. The unique platform provides buyers the opportunity to discover film and television content of all genres and varying lengths, appealing to audiences’ global appetite. The online marketplace has, for example, enabled Spanish animation to be sold to Mongolia and Bollywood content to be picked up in Taiwan.

    Sellers on the online entertainment content marketplace include Sony, Legendary Television, Gaumont, Televisa, Viacom 18, CNN, Caracol, and many more including both indies and larger studios. Registered buyers include The Walt Disney Company, Viacom International Media Networks, Turner International Asia Pacific, BBC, Super RTL, Public Media Co Vietnam, Astro, MX Player, UKTV, SBS and many more from around the world.

  • Zen Digital Media launches creative platforms -‘Broadcoasters’ & ‘Beach And You (B.A.Y)’

    Zen Digital Media launches creative platforms -‘Broadcoasters’ & ‘Beach And You (B.A.Y)’

    MUMBAI: Zen Digital Media, a digital-first, Make In India startup, has introduced Broadcoasters & Beach And You (B.A.Y.), two platforms for brands and creative artists to experience seamless interactions bringing in a new age of story-telling.

    ‘Broadcoasters’

    Broadcoasters is the first, and the only LED screens on waters in India. With massive and dynamic screens on customized vessels, it is an unmissable medium of messaging, aimed towards every niche of audience.

    Keeping in mind the paradigm shift in media consumption, Broadcoasters will offer creative media solutions that are highly interactive. With a focus on four E’s – engage, entice, excite, and educate, this platform offers to reach out to audience with the power of advertising and social messaging. Two of the many distinctive core features include Over-the-air (OTA) real time content updates and multiple creative changes and placements.

    The robust infrastructure is second to none. A bespoke self-propelled vessel with high resolution LED screens and auto-brightness sensors, it showcases various formats of eye-catching static and video content.

    Broadcoasters has chosen Mumbai – The media capital of India, for its first launch at two of the most exclusive locations; the first, anchored opposite Bandra-Worli Sea Link promenade and the second, plying between an approximate stretch of 4.5 kms across the beautiful coastline of Juhu-Versova Beach.

    ‘Beach And You’

    With a focus on community building and bringing about a social change, Beach And You is a unique concept that encourages people to connect with each other along the coasts of India. Partnering with multiple NGO’s, state and central government bodies this concept can bring about a greater good in the society.  

    It is an experience that facilitates every citizen to add value, create, collaborate, meet like-minded people, and interact with one another. Social events, fitness sessions, education and information, awareness and conservation drives, public welfare campaigns, CSR initiatives which are all the need of the hour, can be brought to life very effectively by this concept.

    With Broadcoasters as a platform, Beach And You becomes a medium to reach out to those who believe in bringing about a positive change in the world around them.

    Furthering the company’s commitment in fostering innovative and interactive solutions, the exceptional bespoke design structure will provide limitless opportunities to brands to nurture creativity through collaboration. “At Zen Digital Media, our endeavor is state-of-the-art technology and constant innovation, that will introduce a new pathbreaking medium every year”, says its co-founders, Payal Raval and Sanjay Raval. They dared to dream about this massive yet interactive and resourceful project and successfully brought it to life. We have just begun our illustrious journey and aim to tap into potentials that are waiting to be unlocked.

  • Appetite for quality content pushing the need for technological advancement

    Appetite for quality content pushing the need for technological advancement

    KOLKATA: With the appetite for quality content growing exponentially among consumers, the need for upgradation of technology has also risen simultaneously. Content studios and production houses have started looking at high quality hardware as well as cloud computing to keep up with the demand for better viewing experience. Moreover, the organisations are also looking at tools for easier remote work as the pandemic has changed the way the industry works. As part of the overall transformation, mobile workstations are gaining more prominence of late, panelists agreed during Indiantelevision.com's webinar themed ‘Accelerating the new age of content with technology’. 

    Moderated by founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari, the engaging session included Excel Entertainment CG supervisor Apul Mehta, Endemol Shine India chief operating officer Gaurav Gokhale, Hats Off Productions chairman and managing director JD Majethia, Contiloe Pictures CFO & Illusion Reality Studioz business head – animation & VFX Nitin Dadoo, Redchillies VFX technology head Rajiv Sharma, Epic On chief operating officer Sourjya Mohanty, and Dell Technologies Dell Precision Workstations marketing consultant & product evangelist Suhas Pingat.

    While India is witnessing the heyday of content consumption, accelerated by OTT platforms, certain challenges have emerged as well. Sharma said the size of content has actually become bigger now with the demand for better quality content. Hence, hardware supporting better graphic cards, faster NVMe (non-volatile memory express) storage, better display for viewing content is a must. If the hardware is not updated, it is tough to produce content which is up to the mark, he added. 

    On the other hand, Mehta mentioned that delivering content on time still remains a challenge due to the exploding uptake and quality requirement. And with the spread of the cheap and fast 4G data, the industry is competing with mobile phones as viewers are consuming more content on phones, observed Majethia. The industry has to go beyond – focus on a good story supported by greater technology. According to him, the storytelling team and executing team need to be in sync with the upgradation of technology.

    Gokhale shared that the one important aspect which the industry needs to address is how it can adjust to the remote working style. In his view, even production can be executed with a smaller crew supplemented with more technology. From a post production perspective, the work has to move from a wired system to cloud based operating, he added.

    “We have solutions which are one to one remote which means you dedicate one complete workstation to one single user. Remoting does not mean virtualisation. It can be one to one connectivity. Remoting can also be mobile workstations but stage four is definitely going to be virtualisation, because there you need to have practically low levels of latency,” Pingat explained.

    As part of a production house, Dadoo has seen on set post-production work evolve in real time – this includes Unreal Engine and rear projection (cinematic technique in film production that combines foreground performances with pre-filmed backgrounds) for an upcoming feature series. The studio works closely with DOP and production designers from the beginning itself where they work live on set to complete the composition and final VFX on the camera itself. That’s where our system is heading, he added.

    “We have a set where we have LED walls and a virtual cam. With that, we are shooting the data that technically comes in a hard drive. We want to visualise that onset whether the shot is properly done or not,” Sharma commented. He added that further mobile workstation is always needed for them, along with RTX cards, fastest NVMe RAM to allow them on set for visualising content. Epic On’s Mohanty also deliberated upon the need for mobile workstations for real-time computing.

    Pingat explained further why mobile workstations are becoming more popular. Most importantly, the flexibility of the platform for a user to use on-site or anywhere makes it stand out. Mobile workstations do not require main power as well. Technology has enabled mobile workstations to be more powerful, he added.

    “From a technology standpoint, as far as mobile precision is concerned, it (Dell’s mobile workstation) is very fast. Its entire ecosystem supports 4K as of now. It’s a mobile workstation, its processing capability from a graphics perspective is very fast,” he said.

    In order to adapt to new technologies, content studios and production houses are investing increasingly in technology. Epic On’s Mohanty said it hovers around five to eight per cent because the platform usually keeps upgrading its technology on a six-month basis.

    Echoing the sentiment, Dadoo said that Contiloe’s investment also stands at around five per cent as it deals with a lot of animation and VFX, which need constant upgradation. Redchillies and Excel Entertainment, too, are investing in the five-ten per cent range. Gokhale did not reveal an exact figure but stated the input differs from project to project.

    Clearly, technological advancements have transformed the process of content production and it has become apparent that the filmmaker with the most cutting-edge tools has the edge over others in terms of qualitative aspects that make the consumer's viewing experience better. No wonder then, that the industry is upping the stakes in the technological race.

  • Technology needs to be upgraded for quality storytelling

    Technology needs to be upgraded for quality storytelling

    KOLKATA: The Indian media and entertainment industry is standing at a point when the requirement for video content is, more or less, growing in tandem with the investment in it. While Indian producers are branching out into new types of content across genres, formats, they need to scale up their investment in technology.

    To deliberate upon this changing landscape, Indiantelevision.com hosted a virtual webinar on Friday themed ‘Accelerating the new age of content with technology,” and moderated by founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari. At the beginning of the discussion, Wanvari elaborated why more focus is required on faster seamless content delivery in the emergence of various formats like HD, 4K, 4K HDR. He also mentioned that a new breed of machine called workstation has emerged which is being increasingly used in studios across the world to deliver on hard and extremely tough specifications that are demanded by platforms.

    Media Partners Asia vice president Mihir Shah agreed that technology is going to play an increasingly crucial role going forward. In terms of production, there is a lot of innovation that is yet to be seen on the online video side. While India has tried to emulate the west, we have only been replicating what’s successful on television and films. Hence, there are a lot of things to be done on the online video side where different streaming options are available, he opined.

    “Technology will be used widely as ever before with the online opportunity available right now and you will see a lot of interactive videos coming in, short videos coming in, different format, vertical videos, we have just touched the tip of the iceberg,” Shah stated.

    He also brought up the aspect of the gap in creating franchises as the audience is used to seeing a lot of daily soaps. If the country starts focusing on more franchises, more innovations will come around. He believes a lot of local franchises can be created and monetised by utilising technology.

    In a fireside chat during the webinar, Dell Technologies’ Dell Precision Workstations marketing consultant & product evangelist Suhas Pingat remarked upon the importance of using workstations and technology to create content. He stated that times are changing and 5G is going to be widespread in a period of 18 to 20 months.

    According to him, India is not behind as far as accepting content is concerned. There are some technologies that are superior in developed markets, among which is MoCap (motion capture), then there is virtual filming which is taking place. In the west, the adaptation of technology is progressing at a pace that far outstrips India, noted Pingat, although he believes the scenario is slowly changing with the rise of OTT platforms.

    However, broadcasters and content studios still have a lot to catch up on, said Pingat. Moreover, there is a need for change in the way content is given to consumers in India and we need to move far ahead, as far as adapting technology is concerned. He also elaborated on how Dell Technologies has a very industry-specific approach to the business ecosystem, with a large media and entertainment vertical. He also touched upon the topic of how Dell workstations are helping its partners in the domain from a technology standpoint.

    “These are exciting times ahead in terms of technology. Whatever is available abroad, globally, is available in India too, in terms of not only workstations but from an infrastructure standpoint as well.  That’s one pint which is very good with Dell. We are the oldest workstation brand. We do partner across industry platforms which would be ISPs, global customers. We have a separate work team that has been helping solve customers’ problems. We look forward to fantastic content being delivered by our great partners in the country. Look forward to more exciting immersive years ahead,” he detailed.

    Post this discussion, the webinar hosted an engaging session on the role of technology with eminent experts. The panel included Excel Entertainment CG supervisor Apul Mehta, Endemol Shine India chief operating officer Gaurav Gokhale, Hats Off Productions chairman and managing director JD Majethia, Contiloe Pictures CFO & Illusion Reality Studioz business head – animation & VFX Nitin Dadoo, Redchillies VFX technology head Rajiv Sharma, and Epic On chief operating officer Sourjya Mohanty.

    The experts came to the conclusion that innovation is key to implement new technologies at this point of time. The transformation journey has started already but a lot more needs to be done. Storytelling and execution need to be in sync with upgradation of technology. It is imperative now to leverage technology at its best because consumers are demanding more quality content, not only on OTT bit also on TV.  While media organisations are significantly upping their investment in content, there is no point in shying away from technology.

    Technology needs to be brought to speed in the country. The demand side constraints can be met by great content and marketing strategy but supply side constraints can be rectified only by technology. Moreover, if big tech companies can look at the media and entertainment vertical as an industry and offer a solution rather than a product, a sea change will take place.

  • The Zoom Studios announces the new season of its popular web show, The Reunion

    The Zoom Studios announces the new season of its popular web show, The Reunion

    MUMBAI:  The Zoom Studios has announced the much-anticipated new season of its maiden show, The Reunion. Creating a record run with over 50 million views on YouTube and Facebook, the earlier season had received rave reviews for its refreshing storytelling and content.

    Infused with nostalgia, connecting back to the roots, the ten-part series of the new season walks down memory lane and captures the emotional roller coaster journey of the Pujari family, who have drifted apart over the years and are now living separate lives, only to be reunited under one roof. The content studio has also partnered Odisha Tourism, promising viewers a visual treat with a compelling story set against gorgeous landscapes, shot in various parts of Odisha including Shimilipal, Bhitarkanika, Konark-Puri, Chilka, Dhenkanal, Badmul, Daringbadi, Koraput, Debrigarh.

    The new season helmed by acclaimed director Danish Aslam has roped in an eclectic cast including Lillette Dubey, Veer Rajwant Singh, Devika Vatsa, Prabal Panjabi, Kashmira Irani and KK Raina.

    Times Network  COO and executive president Jagdish Mulchandani said, “The Reunion marked the foray of The Zoom Studios into original content and immediately catapulted to being the viewers favorite series. The series broke new ground, setting a solid path for us as we marched ahead in our content journey. We are excited to launch the new season of The Reunion and delighted to partner with Odisha Tourism in our journey. I am confident that with a powerful storyline, distinguished star cast, and an extremely talented director, the show will create another success story for us”.

    The show is slated to launch in April 2021.

  • Banijay’s Don’t Forget the Lyrics heads to Portugal for the first time

    Banijay’s Don’t Forget the Lyrics heads to Portugal for the first time

    MUMBAI: Banijay-owned Shine Iberia has confirmed that it is bringing Não te Esqueças da Letra (Don't Forget the Lyrics) to Portugal in a first series deal with RTP1. Presented by João Paulo Rodrigues, the musical game show will air in Portugal on Saturday evenings from this spring.

    Singing ability plays no part in this entertainment series, instead it is all about correctly remembering the words to hit songs to win a life-changing cash prize.  Contestants choose from different genres and decades, and take to the stage and sing-along with the studio band as the lyrics are displayed. But will they have what it takes when the music stops? Or will they forget the lyrics?

    Originally created in the US, Banijay format Don’t Forget the Lyrics first aired in 2007 and has been adapted in over 25 countries. The format is a long-running hit in France, produced by Air Productions and celebrating 5,000 episodes on France 2 this spring.

    Banijay creative networks content operations global head Lucas Green said: “Don’t Forget the Lyrics is the epitome of feel-good entertainment which is incredibly popular right now. As we celebrate 5,000 episodes in France, it is great to be bringing the show to new markets and we firmly believe other broadcasters will be interested in the mixture of game and music the format offers.”

    Shine Iberia CEO Macarena Rey said: “We are excited to create a local version of this uplifting format which the whole family can enjoy together. The home of Fado, Portugal has always enjoyed a booming music scene and Don’t Forget the Lyrics promises to create the fun, party atmosphere many viewers are craving.”

    Shine Iberia is behind numerous non-scripted shows airing across Spain and Portugal. Currently on-air in Portugal is the country’s first local version of All Together Now, along with entertainment hits such as Hell’s Kitchen and The Voice Kids.

    Other offerings from Shine Iberia include MasterChef, MasterChef Junior and MasterChef Celebrity, alongside Sewing Bee, The Island, Anything Goes, Hunted, MasterChef Portugal, D’Improviso, The Voice Portugal, Kitchen Nightmares and I Love Portugal.