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Tag: Disney

  • MipJunior 2014: Broadcasters look for creative content creators to attract kids

    MipJunior 2014: Broadcasters look for creative content creators to attract kids

    CANNES:  MipJunior 2014 has established one thing for all kids’ content creators and broadcasters: kids want to watch their favourite programme at the place of their choice and time. But the big question now is how to reach these kids who are consuming content using different platforms? This remained the main focus of the panel discussion on ‘What do buyers want: Emerging multi platform acquisition trends’ on day two of MipJunior 2014.

     

    While a lot is being spoken about kids moving to the second screen to consume content, Australian Broadcasting Corporation head of children’s TV Deirdre Brennan informed that in Australia even now close to 89 per cent of children’s viewing happens on traditional TV.

     

    Today, kids are ready to watch the content over and over again. “With so many platforms, we will now have to devise ways to reach to these platforms,” said Disney Channels Worldwide VP worldwide programming strategy, acquisitions and co-productions Karen K Miller.

     

    The increasing number of platforms poses another problem, of not being sure about which platform the consumer is consuming content from.  Citing the example of Germany, ZDF head of international co-production and acquisition Nicole Keeb said, “90 per cent of content viewing happens on TV. Being a public broadcaster, ZDF is also obliged to deliver content for TV first, followed by online or other platforms.

     

    Broadcasters world over feel that the television monitoring data is still evolving. “The quality of data is important, since we want to monitor the behavior of the consumers. Better data also helps us strategise better and know which platform is better for our audience,” said Cartoon Network VP content acquisitions and co-productions Adina Pitt.

     

    The session also delved on what these tech-savvy kids are doing on portable devices. “They are watching their favourite shows, playing games, they are using it in every way possible for entertainment,” informed Miller.

     

    With numerous kids’ channels offering almost the same content, it becomes important for channels to ensure that kids associate with the brand. “Kids are smart. They know the brand and associate with it. For us, word of mouth publicity helps. In fact the consumer becomes the marketer,” said Pitt.

     

    The broadcasters, while they have their core target audience, they also feel that there should be entry points. “So while Disney is considered more of a girls’ channel, we do have entry points for boys,” added Miller.

     

    For Australian Broadcasting Corporation, until a few years back, it had started looking at children as a separate audience. “We have now started looking at bringing both parents and kids together through our content,” said Brennan.

     

    Brennan also feels that reality shows have seeped in Australian television industry. “I want to bring back storytelling on television,” she opined.

     

    Another key point brought out during the session was that while internet has increased access to content, it is the responsibility of the content creators to ensure that kids are able to find the content.

     

    On a parting note, when World Screen group editorial director Anna Carugati, the moderator for the session, asked what was missing in the kids broadcasting space, Amazon Studios head of kid’s programming Tara Sorensen said, “There is a need for more creative content. The creators need to spend time in creating content.”

  • GEC is not Disney’s priority, says Siddharth Roy Kapur

    GEC is not Disney’s priority, says Siddharth Roy Kapur

    MUMBAI: The more the merrier seems to be the chant of all networks, these days.

     

    It was in 2011 that Star India launched its second general entertainment offering, Life OK. The sister channel of Star Plus, which replaced the defunct youth-oriented channel Star One, made headlines for its bold steps and differentiating content from the usual melodrama shown on the leading ones.

     

    Soon, Zee, the number two channel as per TAM TV ratings, plunged into already congested market with Zindagi. The second GEC from the network brought in popular shows from across the border to please the niche premium audience.

     

    If the two big networks had ventured into second GEC place, how could Sony stay behind? With Sony Pal, launched on 1 September, the Multi Screen Media (MSM) network added one more channel to its kitty.

    However, Disney, which has created content for channels, has popular television channels as well as numerous successful movies in different genres in its bag, still doesn’t have a GEC on its mind.

     

    “With kids’ channel we have presence among 4 to 14 years old, with bindass offerings we will be strongly placed for 14 to 34 years old and movie channels capture all across the age segments,” says Disney MD Siddharth Roy Kapur. The network will soon launch bindass Play, a music channel, which will take forward the philosophy and brand values of its most revenue generating channel, bindass.

     

    So will we see a GEC coming from the network’s stable? “We want to only concentrate on categories which are profitable and work with our core strengths,” he replies while elaborating that though everyone expects it to come up with a GEC, the network is not even thinking about it.

  • Disney to come up with a sequel to ‘Frozen’

    Disney to come up with a sequel to ‘Frozen’

    MUMBAI: Walt Disney Animation Studios is returning to the world of Frozen by featuring Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and the warmth-craving snowman Olaf in a new short film.

     

    Titled Frozen Fever, the film is due in spring 2015. “It’s Anna’s birthday and Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever, but Elsa’s icy powers may put more than just the party at risk,” reads a plot description for Frozen Fever provided by Disney.

     

    The short- film will reunite the key forces from the original film directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, as well as producer Peter Del Vecho. The film will also include a brand-new song from Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, the Oscar-winning duo behind Let It Go.

     

    The original movie Frozen released in theaters on 22 November and went on to gross $1.274 billion worldwide. It is the 53rd animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen, the film tells the story of a fearless princess who sets off on an epic journey alongside a rugged iceman, his loyal pet reindeer, and a hapless snowman to find her estranged sister, whose icy powers have inadvertently trapped the kingdom in eternal winter.

     

    Frozen won two Oscars at the Academy Awards including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (for Let It Go).

  • ‘Kahani Masters’: In search of a storyteller

    ‘Kahani Masters’: In search of a storyteller

    MUMBAI: Give a paper and a pen to a child and he/she will surprise you. The curious-young minds grasping everything around them have thousands of stories to tell.

     

    And who better will be able to understand this than the brand, most kids relate to? Disney channel through its new initiative titled ‘Kahani Masters’ is giving these young minds a chance to tell their story to the whole wide world.

     

    Targeted at the kids between the age-group of four-14 years, the eight month long initiative extends its philosophy of four main key values that are: express yourself, believe in yourself, follow your dreams and celebrate family.

     

    Elaborating on the thorough process behind the initiative Disney India executive director – marketing for kids channels, consumer products, retail, publishing and franchise, Bikram Duggal says, “Disney channel wants to help kids’ grow. If kids grow up believing in themselves, then they can find solutions. Creativity and imagination is the start of being a confident human being.”

     

    As part of ‘Kahani Masters’, all one has to do is to let their imagination free and write a story of their choice and send. The entries will be judged by Dhimant Vyas (veteran animation film designer) and Vaibhav Kumaresh (credited for making Jet Set Go’s animation promos). The five best stories will be made into a short film.  

     

    For this, the network has associated itself with one of the biggest animation company, Toonz Animation. The selected five children will go to the company’s headquarters in Trivandrum, where they will undergo a three-day workshop with the top animators. The youngsters will then direct the animators on how their stories should unfold. The idea behind ‘Kahani Masters’ is that it will help polish the flair of storytelling and detailing in kids.

     

    The competition, which began on 14 July and run till 12 August, will be riding high on school children’s hopes across six cities. The initiative is being promoted across all Disney network as well as YouTube and Facebook. The channel will be spending 50-60 per cent of the total cost in marketing the initiative.

     

    Come September, and ‘Kahaani Masters’ will enter the next level. The five selected stories will move into production phase, where the work of the kids will be converted in to full-fledged animation of two to three minutes. The movie will then see a grand premiere on Disney Channel in January 2015.

     

    “With the wonderful partnership with Disney – the unparalleled story tellers in this segment, we are sure we will be able to tickle the creative bones of the kids all over the country and give them an opportunity to tell their stories and make them come to life through the powerful medium of animation,” says Toonz Animation CEO Jay Kumar.

     

    So, all the kids out there let your imagination go wild and write an original story to mesmerise the world.

  • JAINHITS expands dual language feeds to three more channels

    JAINHITS expands dual language feeds to three more channels

    NEW DELHI: JAINHITS, India’s only HITS platform in operation at present, is extending audio feeds in dual languages to three more channels at no additional cost to its customers with immediate effect.

     

    Disney, Cartoon Network and Pogo are the new channels to get audio language feeds. This is in addition to four channels which are already being beamed in dual languages.

     

     Earlier, this facility was available on Discovery, History, TV18, Animal Planet and Nickelodeon. Through this offering, JAINHITS customers can choose to have an audio option in Hindi or English languages.

     

     JAINHITS has also announced that it will shortly be adding more channels with dual audio feeds. Later, it will also go into multi-lingual audio feeds from the current dual language feeds offered.

     

     The platform currently provides its customers with more than 250 channels and plans to increase the number of its channels to 500, in the near future.

     

     The company provides MPEG-4 quality digital cable TV services including SD/HD channels from regional, national and International broadcasters.

  • Kid’s genre: More than a child’s play

    Kid’s genre: More than a child’s play

    MUMBAI: A laugh riot for both children and adults alike, the animation genre has evolved through the years along the societal and cultural expansion.  

     

    Once seen as a thing of leisure has transformed into serious business thanks to legends like Walt Disney, Charles Schultz, William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, Chuck Jones, Pixar and many more. They have made us laugh, cry and told us  stories of a different world we all want to be a part of. According to Pulitzer Prize winning author and cartoonist Art Spiegelman, “Comics are the way brains think. You have small clusters of words in the mind when you speak to someone. These clusters become iconic, abstracting images indicating a visual that becomes real in your brain.”

     

    From cave painting to 3-D animation, the industry has grown manifold. And thanks to the same, so has the genre on television. What was a mere programming block a few years ago on mainline channels has now evolved into a viable standalone genre.

     

    Gone are the days when kids used to wait eagerly in front of their small TV screens for the weekly affair. With television being on top of the kids’ ‘To Do’ list, broadcasters have had to provide non-stop entertainment as well as evolve with them if they want to remain engaged with this age-group which is known for its short attention span. 

     

    According to those involved in the kids’ genre, it is a challenging business. With over 370 million kids under the age of 14 in India, demanding variety, new concepts and characters, storytelling is no longer a child’s play.

     

    It all started in the US in 1979, when Nickelodeon (though its history traces back to the 1977 launch of The Pinwheel Network) was a channel dedicated to kids. An executive from Walt Disney Productions had proposed a cable TV channel with matertial from its studio, but the then Disney head turned it down, leaving the path open for the Pinwheel Network to be born. It was not until 1982 that Disney launched its channel, but kept it as a premium service for quite a few years.

     

    Kids consume this genre daily (be it Discovery Kids, Cartoon Network, Pogo, Disney, Nick, Sonic, Nick Jr., Hungama), to forget their daily pressures – parental, peer and academic to escape into the imaginary world offered by it. The target audience ranges from infants to screenagers. The genre airs a variety of programming ranging from educational, original animation, live-action sitcoms, game shows, talk shows, dramas and sketch comedies and a late night classic programming block aimed at families, teens and adults.

     

    Viacom18 EVP and business head, kids cluster Nina Elavia Jaipuria believes that storytelling plays a vital role as far as kid’s TV is concerned. “For me more than the story, it is how one tells a story that is important. Therefore, scriptwriting is crucial while developing content for children and hence kids love to listen to the same story over and over again.”

     

    She adds, “It is the character at the end of the day that forms a bond, a relationship with the child, and that relationship and bond is what brings the child to the TV many times a day. In fact, the characters become the child’s best friend, role model or superhero.”

     

    Broadcasters know that they are dealing with an audience which is fickle minded and what they might like today won’t be the same tomorrow.  Turner International India executive director & network head – kids, south Asia Krishna Desai believes that as broadcasters, the key is to provide a constant supply of engaging, relevant and innovative content. According to him, a kid’s network, including that of Turner’s Cartoon Network and Pogo experiences a churn every four-five years with new kids coming in. 

     

    “Children outgrow things a lot faster than any other demographic. Today, kids may adore a show like Roll No. 21or Chhota Bheem but there is no guarantee that the next generation of kids would do the same,” says Desai.

     

    However, this hasn’t stopped networks from venturing into the space. Advertisers too aren’t shying away. As per the FICCI-KPMG Report 2013, advertising spends on TV  were approximately Rs 125 billion in 2012 and the kids’ genre contributed Rs 3 billion of that.

     

    The usual suspects are the kid advertisers such as milk food brands like Complan, Horlicks, Bournvita, ITC Foods, Britannia, Kellogs, etc. However, recently, categories such as consumer non-durables and insurance  which are non-kids have also shown a willingness to advertise on kids’ TV, accounting for 15 per cent of the spend.  But channels such as Nick more often than not turn away ad campaigns from the so-called junk food categories, reveals Jaipuria.

    “As a responsible broadcaster, we steer away from product categories like Cola.” she points out.

     

    It seems that broadcasters are very happy with digitisation coming in. “As a broadcaster I am extremely happy with digitisation coming into our life. We have got double digital growth in subscription. We have seen de-growth in carriage fees. All this has helped us to enhance our investment in content as it is the primary asset of the entertainment business.  Today, a viewer is willingly to pay for what he or she wants to watch,” reasons Jaipuria.

     

    Kids’ channels have been able to gain traction with advertisers due to their differentiated content and unique value offering. 

     

    Talking about offerings, the genre has moved to alternate screens with time. With an increase in number of smartphones and tablets, one can watch their favourite characters wherever they want. One isn’t limited to the drawing room anymore.

     

    The Cartoon Network New Generations reports says that as opposed to adults, kids prefer to play games on digital platforms. “Therefore, while we do have fan pages for Cartoon Network and Pogo, our core focus is to build engagement on our websites –www.cartoonnetworkindia.comand www.pogo.tv via games. This has worked very successfully as both these websites are leaders in the genre,” states Desai. 

     

    Not only this, the channels have various contests, engaging games with their TG through these screens. Apps are being created so that communication becomes a two-way dialogue rather than just a monologue.

     

    Apart from engaging kids on various screens, the makers have realised that it is necessary to take the engagement beyond screens as well. Hence, merchandising is a full-fledged business for these channels. Toys, games, apparel & accessories, books, gifts, confectionary and home video, amongst others, are product categories that are most popular. For instance, today, Ben 10 franchise is the number one boy’s action property in India that has sold over 950,000 units of toys and counting.

     

    Despite all the new offerings and fragmentation, one can be sure that the kids genre is here to stay. Broadcasters continue to evolve and innovate to provide kids their daily dose of entertainment.

  • New formats bear fruit for Disney, Hungama this summer

    New formats bear fruit for Disney, Hungama this summer

    MUMBAI: Summer leaves a lot of time for kids to enjoy and bury themselves in fun activities. Activities that could include going to a park, seeing a movie or going to a beach.

     

    So while they do this and more, for the kids channels, this is the time they want to engage the kids with their programmes. And with this in mind, kids’ channels, Disney and Hungama TV had this summer, designed a special summer programming line-up. This proved to be a jackpot not only for the kids but for the channel as well.  Both Disney and Hungama TV have proved to be front-runners across age brackets and the kids’ entertainment genre.

     

    With new format shows like Captain Tiao and Arjun: Prince of Bali on Disney and Pokemon on Hungama, the Disney network has seen a nine per cent growth in viewership, this summer.

     

    Since its launch, Hungama’s prime play slot (Weekdays, 1pm) ranks number one in total TV among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC) and younger boys (CS M 4-9 ABC) in HSM. Viewership during the prime play slot has strengthened by 15 per cent, post the launch of Pokemon (In comparison to the previous four weeks before launch for the same slot) among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC) in HSM. Moreover, the show reaches out to 35.8 million audiences (CS4+) across All India of which 16.9 million audiences are kids (CS 4-14) across all play.

     

     “We are always on the lookout for content that resonates with kids. We listen to them and understand the entertainment expectations kids have today,” reveals Disney India director, programming, kids channels Devika Prabhu.

     

    Disney consciously also looked at scheduling short format series this year, which has also added to its success this summer. For example, the channel featured the Mickey Mouse short series which was well received by the channel’s target audience. “The mix of long form and short form formats brought great results for us. It kept our viewers surprised and we also offered something unique, innovative, and novel and it really kept our audiences engaged with the channel,” reasons Prabhu.

     

    Besides this, Disney’s Jet Set Go three campaigns also received an overwhelming response. “This time we had experimented something new, and that stuck the right chord for us,” reveals Prabhu.

     

    On Hungama, shows like Ninja Warrior continued to do well for the channel, but the breakaway hit was the Pokemon series. “What was heartening to see was that it was launched as a daily, and for a daily to get that kind of traction across that slot is very encouraging,” asserts Prabhu.  “The response to the Pokémon series on Hungama TV has been phenomenal and the success of it is testimony to the fact great content packaged with interesting elements can definitely excite the kids of today.”

     

    Prabhu says that re-launching the series was a right move. “Pokemon is a series that is a blend of action, comedy and fun. It truly celebrates the spirit of childhood as it captures a child’s imagination, playfulness and a zest to be adventurous. The internationally popular series, which embodies Hungama TV’s philosophy of enthusiasm, fun, adventure, and friendship, brings in moments of unexpected adventures and entertainment as it captures the escapades of 10 year old Ash Ketchum who starts his action packed journey with his first Pokemon, Pikachu. It connects with Hungama TV’s proposition and takes this position forward and so it was a perfect fit to showcase the series on Hungama TV,” explains Prabhu.

     

    To reach out to the greater audiences, the channel launched a few innovative on-air campaigns. For the launch of the Pokemon series the channel had a campaign that showcased the distinctive elements that brought out the exciting nature and characteristics of the world of Pokemon. From a Pokemon rap song with lyrics around his masters, and the power of the Poke Ball to a special Poke Ball stunt. The on air campaign had a series of fun elements that engaged and connected with kids of all ages.

     

     “The great thing is, we don’t really need to woo the audience on the channel because we are the top channel when it comes to viewership. It is more about giving them reasons to stay engaged with us,” informs Prabhu.

     

    Dream Theatre founder and CEO Jiggy George who represents Pokemon for content syndication, licensing and merchandising in India is excited about how well the show has done. “This is Dream Theatre’s first foray into content syndication and kudos to the Hungama team on the superlative launch. We have always believed in Pokemon’s timeless value and it is very gratifying to see a new generation take to Pokemon with such gusto.”

     

    Moreover, Dream Theatre is also working on mega Pokemon consumer product launch in January 2015, which will see a slew of licensed Pokemon products in stores for its millions of Indian fans.

     

    Surprisingly, the kids genre viewership has remained unaffected by the IPL. According to the data received by the TAM subscribers, kids genre which had a 15.6 per cent share prior to IPL among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC) in HSM held on to its viewership.

     

     “This summer too, we’ve been happy to present to them yet another mix of memorable stories and wonderful characters and in a short span of time they’ve been exceedingly well received. Our focus will always be to ensure we stay connected with our audience by offering new forms of storytelling, that seeks to entertain and inspire them, all executed with quality of the highest caliber,” concludes Prabhu.

     

    The network has received tremendous response from the advertisers as well. In addition to the ratings, the network has seen positive response from categories such as organized retail, apparels in addition to FMCGS and more across the network.  Moreover, categories in consumer durables such as water purifiers, cooking oils, printers have come on to the channel as well.

  • Will this ‘Arjun’ hit the bullseye?

    Will this ‘Arjun’ hit the bullseye?

    MUMBAI: Looks like ‘acche din’ are here for broadcasters in the kids’ genre (read Disney, Pogo, Cartoon Network, Nick, Sonic, Nick Jr.). There was a time when all one used to get to watch was Tom chasing Jerry on screen, Swat Kats fighting crime to save Megakat City from the evil clutches of Dark Kat or Popeye gulping down spinach to clobber Bluto and save Olive (not that we didn’t like these classics). But, it’s really heartening to see broadcasters lapping up original Indian IPs and going a step further by getting involved in the making as well.

     

    Click here to read the full report:

  • Angie-ficent!

    Angie-ficent!

    MUMBAI: “Let us tell an old story anew,” Janet McTeer’s voice echoes as a revision to the old fable opens. Given the rather stodgy characters in the 1959 Walt Disney classic Sleeping Beauty, the character of Maleficent is by far, the most interesting; which makes her perfect fodder for a revisit.

     

    The concept of retelling the classic Sleeping Beauty from the antagonist’s point of view is intriguing but the film itself is a visual feast.

     

    All’s well for the young and beautiful fairy Maleficent till a boy Stefan stumbles into the forest where she lives and wins her heart. However, ambition takes its toll and Stefan leaves Maleficent only to return for worse – cutting off her wings. Having lost her wings and her faith in love, a shattered Maleficent resolves to seek revenge at any cost and destroy Stefan and his newly minted empire.

     

    Comparisons with Disney’s 1959 film are inevitable, especially in the first half which includes scenes reminiscent of the old film, making the storyline and development of Maleficent’s character rather anomalous. However, as malevolence tries to redeem itself through maternity, right from the expose of Aurora to the curiosity of first love to Maleficent exposing her most vulnerable side in the final climactic event, Linda Woolverton’s screenplay shines through in the second half.

     

    Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie (Girl, Interrupted) is mesmerising as Maleficent; malevolent but motherly when required. Elle Fanning brings her own vivacity to Aurora while Sharlto Copley as Stefan makes the Queen of Evil look sunnier in comparison. After reprising a Dolores Umbridge whom fans love to hate in the Harry Potter franchise, Imelda Stanton’s turn as pixie is the surprise package.

     

    After winning many a golden statuette for production design, Academy Award winner Robert Stromberg makes a stellar directorial debut with Maleficent, coupled with a gripping score by Emmy Award winner James Newton Howard.

     

    It’s possible you’ll continue to hum Lana Del Rey’s rendition of Once upon a Dream long after leaving the movie theatre!

  • Reliance MediaWorks bags ‘Best Laboratory of the Year’ Award for ‘Mandrake Mandrake’

    Reliance MediaWorks bags ‘Best Laboratory of the Year’ Award for ‘Mandrake Mandrake’

    MUMBAI: The field of technology for visual enhancement of filmed content is rapidly evolving in India. A company that is constantly innovating itself and working towards an enhanced cinema viewing experience is Reliance MediaWorks – the media and techno-creative solutions provider and a part of the Reliance Group.

     

    Adding to its kitty of numerous awards and accolades is the recently achieved ‘Best Laboratory Award’ in the cinematography category for the film Mandrake! Mandrake!

     

    Produced by the National Film and TV Institute of India, the diploma film is the story of a young man, who transforms a rundown warehouse into an Aladdin’s cave through the fun and frolic of the moving image, where magic, mystery and adventure become possible. Reliance MediaWorks is solely responsible for the processing of this film.

     

    Reliance MediaWorks handled the colour correction, processing and printing of the entire film. Reliance MediaWorks CEO Venkatesh Roddam said, “Awards and recognition always feel good, because it is a validation of the commitment to the industry and hard work at Reliance MediaWorks.”

     

    Added Reliance MediaWorks president, post production services Krishna Shetty, “Among other honours, a national award feels even more special since it is the highest honour instituted by the government of India and thus, yes winning this award for the lab makes me really happy. That we have been winning this award several times over the last few years, is again a reinforcement of the quality, commitment and difference that we at Reliance MediaWorks make to the process of filmmaking through our consistent efforts. Yes it is the 16th award, and the third one in a row now. In the past as well, we have won this award for successive years, once for six years in a row.”

     

    The company that recently completed 400 films has revolutionised the way films are processed in India and has worked with production houses such as Dharma Productions, Yashraj Films, Balaji Motion Pictures, Red Chillies Entertainment, Disney and Sony Pictures amongst others. Its consistent effort has helped reduce the cost of films and increases the speed of overall production.