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Category: TV Commercial

  • Unveiling the Youth Mindset: VICE’s cutting-edge research dives deep into the pulse of the next generation: VICE Media’s Rohit Tugnait

    Unveiling the Youth Mindset: VICE’s cutting-edge research dives deep into the pulse of the next generation: VICE Media’s Rohit Tugnait

    Mumbai: VICE Media Group set up an office in India in JV with The Times of India, in 2018 to produce local content. It is the world’s largest independent youth media company. Launched in 1994, VICE has offices in 35 cities across the globe with a focus on five key businesses: VICE.com, an award-winning international network of digital content; VICE STUDIOS, a feature film and television production studio; VICE TV, an Emmy-winning international television network; a Peabody award-winning NEWS division with the most Emmy-awarded nightly news broadcast; and VIRTUE, a global, full-service creative agency with 25 offices around the world. 

    VICE Media Group’s portfolio includes Refinery29, the leading global media and entertainment company focused on women; PULSE Films, a London-based next-generation production studio with outposts in Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Berlin; and i-D, a global digital and bimonthly magazine defining fashion and contemporary culture.

    Rohit Tugnait has over 20 years of extensive media management experience, he has been working towards developing and leading youth media brands across digital and TV. He is currently responsible for managing the India operations for the VICE Media Group with an aim to demonstrate the power of the brand VICE to both consumers and advertisers and responsible for growing all lines of business within VICE’s India region, including VICE Digital, Studios and Content Partnerships. 

    Edited excerpts

    On VICE Media going through a major overhaul in recent times, how has the company in India fared

    VICE is committed to producing incredibly compelling content that reaches our audiences weekly, at the same time weave unique storytelling for our brand partners through video. This is reflected in an increased audience size, revenue and number of awards won for us YOY. So, it’s pretty much business as usual for us in the APAC region.

    On the USP VICE Media has that makes it a go-to destination for brands

    At VICE we invest heavily in understanding the mindset of the youth via research. What youth trends are leading, conversations they are having, interesting spaces they are spending time in and so on. This rich data helps us become predictors of youth trends and be ahead of the curve in our conversations with audiences on behalf of brands

    On Dentsu winning big on content developed by VICE Media

    The Unfiltered History Tour was a guerrilla tour of the British Museum’s stolen artefacts, Using Instagram Augmented Reality filters. This was a concept our friends at Dentsu brought to us, we were in a 100 per cent because it is so core to what we stand for. The challenge was to cut through a crowded media environment while sticking to our editorial mission of placing Vice at the forefront of conversations around under-reported issues like colonialism. We had to connect with a younger readership and find a way for them to embrace these issues beyond news headlines and hot takes on social media. It worked beautifully and our sweep at Cannes is a testament to that

    On strategising for a brand story

    We typically use our strategy team to find a unique space to a story and present it in a narrative that educates, entertains or enlightens, sometimes all 3. We like sparking conversations and in my opinion that’s what makes us unique. Case in point, Durex came to us for ideas to promote their product ‘Intense’, what started as a regular conversation to present ideas around a product, led to a larger campaign thought. Research showed us that ‘nearly 70% of women in India do not have an orgasm every time they have sex’. We led our campaign from the voice of women, educating men, on what women like in bed. We showcased this in a tongue in cheek manner via a 3-minute video which was extremely well received.

    On sharing a few successful campaigns

    As I mentioned above the Durex campaign was a great success for us. Likewise, the Budweiser folks reached out to us during the FIFA world cup that they were sponsoring globally, to create some surround sound here in India. What we proposed was a 3-part docu-series around the Indian Football story. From the myths surrounding our team post-Independence chronicling to the present-day scenario and the reignited excitement around football with the youth. This project of ours is doing the rounds in the awards circuit currently

    On unconventional storytelling

    Many a time brands ask for branded content solutions but what they are  looking for is a long form ad. At VICE it becomes our responsibility to educate them and show them the difference between ads and content. While authentic storytelling won’t lead to immediate product sales, it leads to brand love and that in the long run can be greatly beneficial for a brand. More and more marketeers are starting to understand this and are willing to take risks with partners such as us to push the boundaries on storytelling. Projects like those are immensely satisfying for us, because not only are they core to our way of representing a story, in majority cases it also helps us show movements on brand metrics to clients.

    On attention spans getting reduced, is video content more feasible today

    We are a country where people are lazy when it comes to reading, so video and audio are definitely the popular formats of consumption. Attention spans have indeed reduced, given the quantum of content served to a consumer daily. And so the relevance of content, the platform relevancy to the nature of content and the narrative of content becomes very important to engage. eg – I would serve a 10 min docu on football for Budweiser during the FIFA playout on YouTube, have a 1 min capsule of the story on Facebook and put out interesting visuals of football moves as posts on Instagram. Thereby serving the same topic to a consumer but in different formats to meet their consumption habit on that platform.

    On the vision and focus for 2023 and the way forward in India

    The next 3 years will be aggressive growth years for VICE India by way of audience development and revenue. We are also looking at building a few IP’s attached to the passion points of the youth. More to come on this. 

  • Global entertainment & media revenues surge to $2.3 trillion; OTT growth to moderate: PwC

    Global entertainment & media revenues surge to $2.3 trillion; OTT growth to moderate: PwC

    Mumbai: Last year, the global entertainment and media (E&M) industry grew significantly faster than the world economy as a whole. Following a 2.3 per cent dip in 2020 due to the pandemic, E&M sales increased by a solid 10.4 per cent in 2021, from $2.12 trillion to $2.34 trillion.

    Virtual reality (VR) and gaming are significant growth drivers for the industry as it becomes more digital, mobile, and youth-focused, and digital advertising permeates every aspect of the industry. These conclusions are drawn from PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2022–2026, which represents the 23rd annual research and forecast of E&M spending by consumers and advertisers across 52 countries & territories.

    Findings in this year’s Outlook include:

    – After growing by 35.4 per cent in 2020, OTT (over-the-top) video revenues increased by 22.8 per cent in 2021, to $79.1 billion. The rate of OTT revenue growth is anticipated to slow slightly; it will increase at a 7.6 per cent CAGR (compound annual growth rate) through 2026, pushing revenues to $114.1 billion.

    – Traditional TV still brings in a sizable amount of money, but it is facing intense competition from OTT streaming services. Global sales are expected to shrink at a CAGR of -0.8 per cent, from $231 billion in 2021 to $222.1 billion in 2026.

    – Revenue from video games and esports worldwide was $215.6 billion in 2021, and it is anticipated to increase by 8.5 per cent CAGR to $323.5 billion in 2026. With $109.4 billion, Asia Pacific produced the majority of the world’s revenues in 2021, more than double the second-highest region, North America. Gaming has overtaken video and communications as the third-largest data-consuming E&M content category.

    – Despite starting from a small base, VR continues to be the fastest-growing E&M segment. Following a strong 39 per cent growth in 2020, global VR spending increased by 36 per cent y-o-y to $2.6 billion in 2021. The segment is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 24 per cent between 2021 and 2026, reaching $7.6 billion. With $1.9 billion in revenue in 2021, gaming content is the main source of VR revenue. By 2026, this should rise to $6.5 billion, or 85 per cent of all VR revenue.

    – Due to its widespread use in the digital sphere, advertising now dominates its own industry sector. After falling by almost seven per cent in 2020, advertising increased by an astonishing 22.6 per cent in 2021, reaching $747.2 billion. Advertising is expected to expand at a 6.6 per cent CAGR through 2026, driven nearly entirely by digital. The revenue from internet advertising is expected to increase even more quickly, increasing at a CAGR of 9.1 per cent. Advertising is anticipated to exceed consumer spending and internet access in 2026 to become a one trillion dollar business and the largest E&M revenue stream.

    – In 2023, global cinema revenue is anticipated to hit a new high of $46.4 billion after experiencing losses due to the pandemic. Box office revenue is anticipated to grow by 18.9 per cent CAGR from $20.8 billion in 2021 to $49.4 billion in 2026. In 2020, China surpassed the US to become the world’s biggest cinema market, and it is predicted that it will continue to hold this position through 2026.

    – In 2024, live music revenue is anticipated to surpass pre-pandemic levels. Recorded music sales are expected to increase from $36.1 billion in 2021 to $45.8 billion in 2026, driven by the development of digital music streaming subscriptions.

    – Massive data consumption is being fueled by the expansion of content. Data consumption was 2.6 million petabytes (PB) in 2021, and it is projected to increase by 26 per cent CAGR to 8.1 million PB by 2026. With a predicted CAGR of 29.6 per cent, gaming will consume data at the quickest rate during the projection period. The fastest-growing device category between 2021 and 2026 will be mobile handsets, growing at a CAGR of 28.8 per cent and predicted to increase mobile data usage from 1.1 PB to 3.8 PB.

    PwC Germany Global Entertainment And Media Industry Leader Werner Ballhaus said, “Industry press tends to focus on the companies that have dominated the E&M industry. But it is the choices that billions of consumers make about where they will invest their time, attention and money that are fueling the industry’s transformation and driving the trends.  We are seeing the emergence of a global E&M consumer base for the coming years that is younger, more digital and more into streaming and gaming than the current consumer population. This is shaping the future of the industry.”

    North America dominates per capita E&M, but faster growth resides elsewhere: Regionally, North America has by far the biggest E&M expenditures per capita at $2,229, nearly double that of Western Europe’s $1,158. In contrast, Asia Pacific, which had E&M sales of $844.7 billion in 2021, had a per-capita expenditure of $224. Of all regions in the world, the Middle East and Africa spend $82 less per capita on E&M.

    While OTT video and gaming account for the majority of revenue growth, esports and the cinema industry are also experiencing rapid expansion. Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia make up the top ten growth markets by CAGR. The countries with the best prospects for E&M consumer spend growth over the five-year forecast period are Turkey (estimated 14.2 per cent CAGR), Argentina (10.4 per cent), India (9.1 per cent), and Nigeria (8.8 per cent).

    The metaverse awaits: The metaverse may soon develop into a wonderfully realistic environment where people may access immersive virtual experiences using a VR headset or other connecting device. The potential financial and commercial worth of the metaverse extends far beyond VR because it is an evolution that might fundamentally alter how companies and customers engage with goods, services, and one another. Over time, a significant portion of the profits from video games, musical performances, advertisements, and even online shopping may move into the metaverse.

    How big is the E&M opportunity in the metaverse?  

    One place to start is the rapidly expanding VR sector. Although it is now one of the less significant areas studied, the 36 per cent increase in global spending over the previous year gives an indication of its long-term potential. The number of stand-alone and tethered VR headsets installed worldwide is expected to increase from 21.6 million in 2021 to 65.9 million in 2026.

    Ballhaus added, “With the impressive growth and potential of the E&M industry comes tremendous volatility and what we describe as fault lines and fractures opening up between companies, within sectors and across geographies and generations. For businesses, intense competition and continual disruption will remain the order of the day. Our data shows the mix of revenues and spending is changing rapidly. As fault lines proliferate and widen, every business in E&M stands to be disrupted. The challenge and goal must be to understand your consumer and end up on the right side of disruption.”

  • ABP Network appoints Sameer Rao as CEO of ABP Creations

    ABP Network appoints Sameer Rao as CEO of ABP Creations

    Mumbai: ABP Network has appointed Sameer Rao as chief executive officer (CEO) of its content production arm ABP Creations. He will be operating from ABP Network’s Mumbai office.

    Rao is a seasoned media and entertainment professional, with wide-ranging experience of two decades across television, film, and digital platforms.

    Sameer is a well-regarded senior Indian media and entertainment industry professional with strong expertise in conceptualization, development, and execution of original content. He has formerly worked at YouTube, STAR India, Discovery Communications, Vinod Chopra Films, and UTV Motion Pictures in managerial and leadership roles. Moreover, Sameer holds a PGDBM from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad.

    In the recent past, ABP Studios has shown tremendous potential with its co-produced and critically acclaimed Marathi feature film, “Karkhanisanchi Waari” (Ashes on a Road Trip) which has been streaming exclusively on SonyLiv. The film was nominated into eight categories for the prestigious Marathi Filmfare Awards of which it won three Filmfare Awards including awards for ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Director’, and ‘Best Supporting Actor Female’. It also had eight nominations for the Maharashtra Times Sanman Awards (MATA) and three wins. “Karkhanisanchi” was selected for the Cannes content market as well, as one of the films that the government used to showcase as an exemplary work in the Marathi cinema.

    “Say Yes to the Dress”, another ABP Studios production, streaming on Discovery Plus, has also been a hit among the audience. The series is an Indian adaptation of the American reality TV series by the same name that gives the audience an exceptional chance to experience the glitz and glamour of it all, as celebrated stylists try to get the brides say ‘yes’ to the elusive dress, whilst making it an intimate, poignant, and memorable experience for the audiences. ABP Studios was hand-picked by Discovery International to produce this runaway hit format for the Indian subcontinent.

    Within a year ABP Studios has bagged an impressive line-up of clients which includes Facebook, Google, Universal, SonyLiv, Hoichoi, Star Pravah, Discovery Plus and National Geographic. In 2022, ABP Studios is excited about developing and presenting content from its recent acquisitions in adventure, horror, and crime drama genres.

    ABP Network CEO Avinash Pandey said “We are pleased to welcome Sameer Rao to the ABP Network family. We are certain that with his expertise and accomplishments, he will take ABP Creations. to greater heights. In this dynamic period of digital growth, his vision will perfectly align with our goals for ABP Creations. I believe that over time, his knowledge, and ingenuity will further contribute to the organization’s success.”

  • Zapr, PubMatic partner for integrated TV and digital media buying

    Zapr, PubMatic partner for integrated TV and digital media buying

    Mumbai: Media-tech startup Zapr has partnered with programmatic advertising company PubMatic.

    This partnership will enable media buyers to build integrated TV and digital plans by leveraging rich audience segments across all digital screens and channels including mobile, connected TV, and the open web – on PubMatic’s premium inventory.

    The direct integration, via PubMatic’s Audience Encore, allows buyers to activate data at the supply level, said the company in a statement.

    The integrated marketing solutions backed by India’s largest offline media consumption data can help brands and agencies achieve targeted engagement more efficiently, it added.

    Audience Encore is an audience data platform designed to improve how marketers and data owners transact by giving more control to the data owner and better ROI for the advertiser. Publishers with first-party data and data providers can simply upload their segments to Audience Encore, generate a deal ID for single, recurring, or customised use, and then transact programmatically alongside premium PubMatic inventory in private or open marketplaces.

    “There is significant adoption of programmatic advertising in the Indian market, where it has become an integral part of most brands’ digital plans,” said Zapr, senior vice president – revenue and ad operations, Bhavna Saincher. “This collaboration with PubMatic will expand the accessibility footprint of Zapr’s unique TV and behavioural segments for agency and brand partners.”

  • Get crew members tested for Covid, IFTPC urges TV producers

    Get crew members tested for Covid, IFTPC urges TV producers

    MUMBAI: With no slowdown in sight in the number of Covid2019 cases in Maharashtra, the Indian Films and Television Producers Council (IFTPC) has urged all television producers to conduct RT-PCR/antigen tests of crew members working on ongoing projects. The statement comes at a time when the state government is mulling a complete lockdown for two weeks to combat the second wave of infections.

    Maharashtra is battling an unprecedented surge of Covid2019 cases, with nearly 60,000 cases being reported daily for the past few days. As many as 394 people lost their lives in the past 24 hours taking the death toll to 57,987.The state worst hit by the ongoing pandemic was forced to enforce a night curfew and a weekend lockdown last week. Except for essential services, it announced the closure of all other businesses, including theatres, cinema halls, and multiplexes till 30 April. However, the film and television shoots were permitted to continue amid restrictions.

    In a statement, the IFTPC said that it has asked the producers of 90 TV shows to conduct Covid2019 tests of their entire crew and submit a report. It has already received confirmation of as many as 9,000 tests, it stated further. The tests will be repeated after 15 days as per the ‘Break the Chain’ guidelines. The association has, however, mandated that antigen tests be done every week for additional safety.

    IFTPC chairman TV & web wing JD Majethia mentioned that broadcasters have borne the cost of the tests. "All the necessary guidelines are being followed scrupulously. We have also urged the producers to create a bio-bubble of the sets and post-production facilities for total safety,” he said, adding that the work on bio-bubble has already commenced and will fructify in a couple of days.

    Several on-ground productions including Ram Setu, Gangubai Kathiawadi, and Dharma Productions-backed Mr. Lele were impacted after actors, as well as other members on the sets, tested positive for the novel Coronavirus. Filming of Wagle Ki Duniya and Anupamaa was also halted after some members on the sets tested positive. Mumbai itself has recorded nearly 10,000 positive cases in the past 24 hours and recorded 79 deaths. Other cities like Aurangabad, Pune, Nashik, Thane also remain badly affected.

    Majethia said the television industry has been continuously producing entertaining shows which help the people to stay at home and bring relief to their stressful life. “We hope the government will treat the industry as an essential service and its workers as frontline workers,” he stated.

    On Sunday, chief minister Udhhav Thackeray held a meeting with the Covid2019 task force to discuss the current situation and the duration of a state-wide lockdown and its potential economic fallout. Thackeray had earlier warned that a lockdown is imminent if there is no let-up in cases. Talking to reporters post the meeting, state health minister Rajesh Tope said most of those present at the discussion were of the view that a lockdown should be imposed in the state for at least two weeks. However, he added that a final decision regarding imposing a lockdown in Maharashtra will be taken after 14 April.

    The state has administered Covid2019 vaccines to over a crore people so far.

    The second wave of Covid2019 and another lockdown could land a serious blow to the entertainment industry, which is still recuperating from the damages incurred last year due to an extended shutdown. Apart from the loss of revenue and the impact on the workforce, the restrictions have also put a question mark over the revival of the film exhibition business.

    What the second Covid2019 wave means for Maharashtra

    The IFTPC had earlier cautioned the producers about a potential "September-2020" like situation developing again and urged them to avoid outdoor shoots with immediate effect. Meanwhile, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) formed a monitoring team to ensure that all Covid2019 shooting guidelines, including safety precautions on the set, avoiding filming of crowd sequences are strictly followed.

  • Zodiak Kids secures co-development deal for detective series

    Zodiak Kids secures co-development deal for detective series

    MUMBAI: Zodiak Kids Studios, part of Banijay, has secured a co-development deal with Asner Productions to develop a live action TV series for eight–12 olds, based on the book series, The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency.

    The first book from The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency was published by Penguin Random House in 2015 and there are now four books across the series from best-selling author Jordan Stratford.

    In the series, history, mystery, science, and unlikely friendship collide in an alternate 19th Century London, where teens Ada Lovelace (the world’s first computer programmer) and Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein) meet and form a detective agency – a secret constabulary for the apprehension of clever criminals.

    Steven Andrew said, “We are delighted to be working with Anne-Marie to bring to life this wonderfully inventive and imaginative retelling of these two remarkable young women. Zodiak Kids has brought many entertaining and thought- provoking live action drama series to children worldwide, such as BAFTA Winning Joe All Alone, Secret Life of Boys & Millie Inbetween (CBBC) and The Lodge (Disney), and we are looking forward to bringing The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency into our portfolio.”

    Asner productions founder & co-development partner Anne-Marie Asner said, “I was drawn to the Wollstonecraft series because of its contemporary feel applied to a period piece for kids. I believe its unstoppable science and literary odd couple girl leads alongside its use of real historic figures, like Ada Lovelace, Mary Shelley, Charles Dickens, will be aspirational role models for viewers. And who wouldn’t want to spend time with brilliant, eccentric and unintentionally funny Ada or feel calmed knowing that savvy, well-mannered and well-read Mary could smooth any social calamity? Wollstonecraft’s Ada and Mary are who many of us would like to be or at least have as our best buddies.”

    The executive producer for the series will be Steven Andrew, creative director, Zodiak Kids.

    Zodiak Kids own international distribution rights to the series.

  • Crucial for broadcasters and production houses to invest in better technology

    Crucial for broadcasters and production houses to invest in better technology

    MUMBAI: Helmed by the creative duo Alind Srivastava and Nissar Parvej, Peninsula Pictures has been entertaining television viewers since 2015. From fantasy to supernatural and mythology, the production house has attempted to explore different genres in a short span. It recently dabbled in creating a historical drama with TV show RudraMaa Devi which went on air on Telugu channel Star Maa.

    “When we started in 2015, we didn’t have enough capital to start a production house. Our decision to still go ahead was purely based on instincts. It began with a TV show for Star Bharat titled Mayavi Maling. Soon, [we were] approached by Zee TV to make a supernatural love story – Vishkanya, which ran for around 140 episodes,” Peninsula Pictures founder Alind Srivastava told Indiantelevision.com.

    This was followed by Dev – a suspense drama series revolving around the life of ace detective Dev Burman, who uses his expertise to investigate various crimes. The show debuted on Colors TV in August 2017 and lasted for as many as 71 episodes.

    “It is all about good storytelling,” said Srivastava, when asked about the factors which drive the popularity of the shows. One of its most popular mythological drama series – Paramavatar Shri Krishna – went on air on &TV in June 2017 and became one of its longest-running shows with 687 episodes. Some of the other shows include Vishkanya, Mayavi Maling, Vish: A Poisonous Story, and Vikram Betaal Ki Rahasya Gatha.

    The production house is currently producing Aladdin – Naam Toh Suna Hoga and Hero Gayab Mode On on Sony Sab. They have also rolled out a new mythological show titled Paapnashini Ganga on the newly launched Hindi GEC Ishara.

    But their journey in TV production was far from a smooth one, the duo shared, as they recalled an incident during the shooting of the TV show Vishkanya, which almost convinced them to shut down the company. “We were mulling over the closure, but before we could even arrive at a decision, we got the opportunity to work on two more shows,” recalled Srivastava.

    Peninsula Pictures co-founder Nissar Parvej chimed in, “In fact, now when we look back, we realise it was the right time to start a production house. There are so many OTT platforms and it is only going to go upwards from here.”

    The Peninsula group has now grown into an integrated and diversified television production house which also owns Peninsula TV and Peninsula Studio, responsible for creating VFX content for their TV shows. The extensive use of VFX and CGI was evident in its sci-fi superhero saga Hero Gayab Mode On, where special effects have been utilised liberally to create an alien spaceship, along with drone footage of Mumbai city to depict an alien world.

    “Virtual production has immense scope, especially in the post-pandemic era. It has become challenging for producers to shoot outdoors with ease,” noted Parvej. Citing the example of one of their own series, he added, “For Paapnashini Ganga, we wanted to shoot some scenes in and around Uttarakhand, Kashmir, Devprayag, and Rudraprayag. But, we could not do it because of the pandemic restrictions.”

    With the rising demand for OTT-like content, the duo believe, it has become important for production houses to master the usage of new technology in their shows.

    “MoCap (motion capture) can be used for live-action shows and animated and 3D shows. We will also see more usage of motion track cameras. Whenever we approach any network or streaming platform, we insist that we need to invest in this particular technology. Investing in good tools and technology is similar to putting money in casting and writing, it is equally important. We need to up the game,” Srivastava signed off.

  • 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.

  • Prime Focus Technologies wins TV Technology’s 2018 Product Innovation Award

    Prime Focus Technologies wins TV Technology’s 2018 Product Innovation Award

    Los Angeles, CA – December 28, 2018: Prime Focus Technologies (PFT), the technology arm of Prime Focus, has been awarded TV Technology’s 2018 Product Innovation Award for its ground-breaking native media recognition Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform, CLEAR™ Vision Cloud.

    A module of PFT’s CLEAR Media ERP Suite, Vision Cloud builds Machine Wisdom from intelligence to transform business operations and unlock new revenue potentials for Media companies. While standalone AI engines can recognize objects, faces, actors, locations, sound and more within individual video frames, Vision Cloud can identify complex sequences (like a specific character in a car chase/fighting on a train), actions (like punching/kissing) and video segments (like credits/promos/recaps). It delivers search results that are far more meaningful and contextual, and can be used to easily extract relevant content for multiple use cases – right from creation and post production to distribution and marketing. Vision Cloud leverages the collective intelligence of the industry's most sophisticated AI solutions, and draws on PFT’s decade long experience of collecting, curating and annotating content (400 million tags till date) to build own Machine Learning (ML) models.

    “We’re absolutely thrilled that TV Technology has selected CLEAR Vision Cloud for its Product Innovation Award this year,” said Adrish Bera, Senior Vice President, AI & ML, Prime Focus Technologies “Our objective behind creating Vision Cloud was to make content operations more efficient, cost effective and scalable and create new revenue streams. Validation by an expert jury and winning against stiff global competition is clear testimony to the superior technology innovation and business value that the product brings to the global Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry.”

    TV Technology’s Product Innovation Awards recognize excellence in manufacturing of products to serve the TV/pro video and radio/online audio industries. Winners are selected by a panel of professional users and evaluation criteria include innovation of concept and design, creative use of technology, price value, and suitability for use in a broadcast TV/pro video or broadcast/online radio environment.

  • Viacom18 partners with Anthill Ventures for AR, VR

    Viacom18 partners with Anthill Ventures for AR, VR

    MUMBAI: Anthill Ventures, an investment and scaling platform for early-stage startups, has partnered with Viacom18 for an accelerator program called Anthill Studio.

    With this partnership, the studio will provide additional market access opportunities to the startups of Anthill Ventures.  

    The program will scout for startups building products for the media and entertainment industry using technologies such as AI/ML, AR/VR, IoT, Big Data, Blockchain and others. The areas of focus include filmed entertainment, TV, gaming and digital media industries.

    Anthill Ventures founder and CEO Prasad Vanga said, “Viacom18 has emerged as a prominent entertainment network and is a key enabler of sustained innovation and thought leadership.”

    For Anthill Studio, Viacom18 will act as a catalyst to create the desired ecosystem for startups by providing easy access to the media and entertainment market.

    In order to nurture Indian startups, the Mukesh Ambani-led media network Viacom18 launched its startup engagement program VsTEP last year.

    With VsTEP, Viacom18 aims to provide startups with business and technology mentorship along with an opportunity to scale up by collaborating with them on contract basis or via other commercial opportunities.

    Positive about the partnership with Anthill, VStEP head and Viacom18 Digital Ventures senior VP Achint Setia aims to bring disruptive innovations to media businesses. “We are looking at tech innovations especially in the areas of AI, ML, automation for our TV, films and digital business,” he said.

    Located at Hyderabad, the studio division of Anthill Ventures is already in partnership with film production and distribution company Suresh Production to accelerate programmes towards helping the technology startups in building solutions for the M&E sector.

    Anthill Ventures is present in nine global hubs across the world, with offices in Singapore, USA and India.

    VStEP is a startup engagement programme that creates an opportunity for start-ups to pilot technology-based solutions to business problems.