ITV

Tag: storytelling

  • “Wiz Films will always venture into new creative formats”: Wiz Films’ Viraf Sarkari

    “Wiz Films will always venture into new creative formats”: Wiz Films’ Viraf Sarkari

    Mumbai: In today’s dynamic entertainment landscape, the art of storytelling takes myriad forms, capturing hearts and minds across cultures and generations. Diverse content creation has become the heartbeat of modern narratives, where stories unfold in multifaceted ways—from riveting films and immersive series to innovative formats that challenge conventions.

    Amidst this vibrant tapestry, Wiz Films emerges as a beacon of creative brilliance, driven by a mission to craft distinctive content that establishes meaningful connections and resonates with a diverse global audience. Wiz Films, driven by a deep commitment to storytelling, thrives on captivating imaginations through innovative technologies and diverse formats. Beyond films and series, they offer line production, film liaison services across regions, and content syndication. As it ventures into filmmaking, Wiz Films aims to become a global production powerhouse, delivering entertaining and valuable content for audiences, and create value for stakeholders.

    Indiantelevision.com in conversation with Wiz Films director Viraf Sarkari delved deeper into Wiz Films’ inception, its target audience, the inspiration behind the latest film ‘Kadak Singh’, and more…

    Sarkari, a dynamic professional and prominent figure in the entertainment industry, stands as one of the co-founders of Wizcraft and serves as a director of Wiz Films. He has produced and directed Broadway-style musical productions like Zangoora, the world’s largest and longest-running Bollywood musical, and Jaan-e-Jigar in Dubai Parks & Resorts. As a seasoned producer and director, Viraf has orchestrated global sporting opening and closing ceremonies, mega concerts with renowned artists, and film award ceremonies. Currently, he has expanded his horizons to produce and direct innovative content for OTT platforms and cinema releases, involving ventures such as web series, docu-series, feature films, ad films, and music videos. His diverse portfolio underscores his influential role in shaping the landscape of entertainment on a global scale.

    Edited Excerpts:

    On the inception of Wiz Films

    Wiz Films was conceived as a natural progression in our three-decade-long journey in the entertainment and live events industry. With 36 years of experience in organising diverse formats such as corporate events, parties, award functions, concerts, and musical and theatrical productions, Andre, Sabbas, and I sensed the opportunity to extend our expertise to film production. This expansion marks a significant milestone for us, completing the circle of our journey in the dynamic world of entertainment.

    On Wiz Films setting itself apart from so many production houses in terms of storytelling and content creation

    Wiz Films distinguishes itself in the realm of storytelling and content creation by focusing on the essence of meaningful cinema. While we acknowledge our presence in the industry, with just one film to our credit, we refrain from drawing direct comparisons with other production houses. Our primary goal is to craft compelling narratives inspired by true events, striving to deliver impactful and high-quality films that resonate with audiences. At Wiz Films, our commitment lies in bringing forth the best stories to the world, contributing to the cinematic landscape with authenticity and purpose.

    On Wiz Films having a niche genre or specific audience that it primarily targets, or is it more about universal appeal

    Wiz Films strives itself on exploring a diverse range of genres to cater to a broad audience. Whether it’s a compelling family drama, a gripping murder mystery, a laugh-out-loud comedy, an adrenaline-pumping action film, a quirky and unconventional movie, or a heartwarming romantic story, we are open to it all. Our primary focus lies in identifying exceptional stories and well-crafted scripts. The key criterion for us is a narrative that stands out and has the potential to captivate audiences. We prioritise uniqueness, steering away from current trends to bring fresh and engaging content to audiences across the world.

    On any new genres or forms that Wiz Films is keen on exploring in the near future

    Wiz Films will always venture into new creative formats. We are exploring the possibilities of adapting our Broadway-style Bollywood musical production “Balle Balle” a big fat Indian wedding.

    On the inspiration behind ‘Kadak Singh’, and Wiz Films seeing this film contributing to the current cinematic landscape

    Kadak Singh was conceived 12 years ago, and after a dedicated six-year production effort, we successfully brought it to fruition. The primary focus throughout this journey was crafting a unique and compelling script, which we believe sets the film apart. Contributing to the current cinematic landscape, Kadak Singh stands out as a multi-genre experience—blending elements of family drama, crime, romance, and comedy. The film’s distinctiveness lies not only in its diverse genres but also in its well-crafted screenplay. Overall, Kadak Singh offers a fresh perspective, enriching the cinematic landscape with its innovative approach.

    On Wiz Films approaching the production of diverse content, such as web series, docu-series, feature films, ad films, and music videos

    Wiz Films adopts a tailored approach to producing diverse content, spanning web series, docu-series, feature films, ad films, and music videos. Each genre is handled by a dedicated team of specialists, ensuring a focused and nuanced execution. For instance, when working on a docu-series, we enlist a director with expertise in that specific format. The same principle applies to web series, feature films, ad films, and music videos, where teams are curated based on their proficiency in the respective genres. This strategic allocation of specialized teams allows Wiz Films to deliver high-quality and targeted content across a spectrum of creative formats.

    On your film liaison services across India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, are there any collaborations or partnerships on the horizon that audiences should be excited about

    Currently, we are working on a project which is an exciting Indo-Bollywood collaboration tentatively titled “Children of God”. With this project we will explore to leverage the technical expertise and creative talent from both Hollywood and Indian Cinema, presenting a unique and ground-breaking production. As technology advances rapidly, our goal is to stay ahead of the curve. We envision creating interactive films and embracing emerging trends such as VR movies, 3D, and 360-degree experiences.

    On Wiz Films’ future plans and aspirations, including any new market entries or the exploration of emerging trends in the entertainment sector

    Wiz Films has a clear vision for the future, focusing on creating captivating films with global appeal. As technology advances rapidly, our goal is to stay ahead of the curve. In our strategic planning, we are exploring the integration of technology and creativity. By constantly updating ourselves with the latest technology, we aim to position Wiz Films as a leading force in the industry, where the world becomes our stage. Our commitment is to remain current and innovative, ensuring our films resonate with audiences globally. 

  • Sony BBC Earth shares positive insightful storytelling key milestones for 2023

    Sony BBC Earth shares positive insightful storytelling key milestones for 2023

    Mumbai: Closing an extraordinary year, Sony BBC Earth shares some key milestones of 2023. Guided by the unwavering commitment to being one of the storytellers, the channel embarked on a journey that brought forth a grand visual spectacle, positive insightful storytelling, and a fresh perspective on knowledge and entertainment. Let us rewind the tape and relive the journey of Sony BBC Earth.

    Key Tentpoles for the year

    In March, the channel premiered ‘Dynasties II’ – a visual extravaganza narrated by the legendary Sir David Attenborough. This six-part program delved into the intricate social structures of charismatic animal species, conveying the powerful message that ‘family is power.’ The channel collaborated with an Indian a-cappella band for a song around the show theme ‘Legacy Must Live On’. The composition featured a-cappella renditions of animal sounds from the series’ legendary creatures. Exclusive screenings were conducted in key metros – Mumbai (Nehru Science Centre), Delhi (India Habitat Centre), and Chennai (Dakshina Chitra). A standout moment was the integration with the critically acclaimed film ‘Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway’.

    In July, ‘Changing Planet’ visually explored Earth’s delicate ecosystems, showcasing innovative solutions that transcend boundaries and foster sustainability. The two-part series revealed remarkable changes in six critical territories over the past two years, featuring presenters meeting those dedicated to restoring Earth’s balance.

    As we usher in the joyous season of December, Sony BBC Earth held a grand prime-time premiere of ‘Earth’, a captivating five-episode biography of our planet, narrated by Chris Packham, unfolding Earth’s epic narrative from a barren rock to a vibrant home for eight billion people.

    Special Days, Special Impact

    Sony BBC Earth launched a PSA campaign titled ‘Care For Earth, Care For Life’ around Earth Day. Adding a dash of quirk, the channel curated three animated short films around environmental issues such as drought, global meltdown, and plastic impact on aquatic life. The videos shed light on the current scenario of the planet through animal characters such as elephants, polar bears, and blue whales. The videos were shared by Garvita Gulati the Water Girl of India, Ann Mathew (Geeks of Green), and Ekta Chaudhary (Garden UP). Mad over Marketing showcased the campaign idea and its narrative. It was supported with a relevant line-up of shows such as Water Brothers, Climate Change: Ade on the Frontline, Ocean Rescue, etc.

    In October, the channel launched a Diwali-special property ‘The Festival of Life’ premiering 12 shows. This curated line-up guaranteed a blend of entertainment, enlightenment, and inspiration. Broadcasted from 16 October to 10 November the show list included Chasing Monsters Season 3 and 4, Wild Scandinavia, Joanna Lumley’s Spice Trail Adventure, Dogs In The Wild, South Korea With Alexander, Vitamin Pills – Miracle Or Myth?, Horizon Hair Care Secrets, Serengeti Season 3, Alexander Armstrong In Sri Lanka, Panorama Are You Scared Yet, Human?, and Africa With Ade Adepitan.

    In December, the channel curated a Christmas Special anthology titled – ‘All Things Sweet’. It featured captivating shows such as ‘Inside The Factory’, delving into the intricate processes and technology of foods and goods, ‘Inside the Chocolat’, and ‘Inside The Christmas Factory’ showcasing Britain’s largest independent chocolate maker and the fascinating processes of UK’s beloved festive treats. It also included ‘Rick Stein’s Road To Mexico’, adding a flavourful touch to the holiday cheer.

    Brand IPs and Engaging Contests

    In March, the channel marked its 6 anniversary by presenting viewers with an exclusive lineup of iconic shows that captured the essence of ‘Feel Alive’ over the six years. The special programming featured shows such as Planet Earth II, Blue Planet II, Seven Worlds, One Planet, A Perfect Planet, Eden – Untamed Planet, and Frozen Planet II. Additionally, the channel utilized its social media platforms by hosting viewer contests.

    The ‘Earth in Focus 3’ online photography contest, celebrated the Pride of India. It encouraged photographers to narrate compelling stories through captivating images. The recently concluded contest witnessed an impressive turnout with 6,030 entries and garnered 124,490 votes. The channel had a 3-day activation with Doodle walls installed at the Phoenix Market City, Kurla. It saw participation from people of all ages and encouraged spot registrations for the contest. Further, building on the community engagement Doodle and Photography workshops were planned across two days.

    Sony BBC Earth’s property ‘Earth Champions’ saw a quirky makeover with the channel showcasing the journey of real-life heroes in a rap format. The 3-minute capsules reflected the work of the changemakers. The debut episode featured ‘ Jadav Payeng,’ the Forest Man of India, recognized for his selfless efforts in environmental conservation. The same featured on-air along with extensive social media promotions.

    Sony BBC Earth’s 6 edition of ‘Feel Alive Hours’ concluded in 2023 along with the launch of the 7 season. As an industry first initiative, a nationwide quiz was launched in a digital format where students participated in batches of two, in senior and junior categories. The 7 season allows students to register as individual participants. Feel Alive Hours also includes a school contact programme providing an immersive experience through science experiments, interactive adventures, and diverse content genres. Content-viewing sessions on science, wildlife, adventure, etc., and DIY activities to spark creativity and curiosity add to the engagement of the sessions.

    On-Ground Integration and Metaverse Magic

    Sony BBC Earth organised a Science Movie Festival at Nehru Science Centre in October. The 3-day fest ignited students’ passion for science, immersing them in the vast expanse of space over three days. With participation from more than 1000 students across Mumbai, the event became an educational odyssey.

    Blurring the lines between reality and imagination, Sony BBC Earth’s Metaverse experience offered a virtual walkthrough of two worlds – Polar Regions and the Tropical rainforest at The Lil Flea (MMRDA Ground, BKC). From small kids to senior citizens, all had firsthand experience of it, leaving a lasting impact on them. The channel also extended the Metaverse experience to underprivileged children of the Udaan Foundation, making the festive season special for them.

    Upcoming Premieres

    As wrap up the extraordinary journey of 2023, Sony BBC Earth, with its diverse array of stories, competitions, and on-ground engagements, stays dedicated to making people Feel Alive. Moving into 2024, January brings exciting offerings, including ‘World’s Most Dangerous Roads’ and the enchanting exploration of ‘Ancient Powers’. Delve into the depths with ‘Spy in the Ocean’, and don’t miss the Republic Day Special. Here’s to a future filled with more captivating stories and shared experiences. 

  • Our product is DIY, plug-n-play, and is a must-have tool for all content creators, reveals Instoried’s Sharmin Ali

    Our product is DIY, plug-n-play, and is a must-have tool for all content creators, reveals Instoried’s Sharmin Ali

    Mumbai: Instoried helps enterprises and individuals create emotionally engaging content thereby improving ROI. Instoried is a deep-tech platform that analyses and optimizes the emotional quotient, tonality and relevance of written content across formats like blogs, articles, social media posts.

    Instoried uses a data-driven approach using their proprietary AI driven technology to make real time analysis and suggestions to enhance content to increase engagement and interest for the reader. This leads to more clicks and as a result higher ROI for brands, creating a direct impact on sales and revenues for companies. Instoried uses the principles of neuromarketing to offer smart recommendations to increase or decrease a particular emotion in the content.

    The platform helps content writers in e-commerce, news, FMCG, and other verticals to optimise emotions in their marketing content.

    The company says that clients can capture the emotions of readers on point, enhance their content and save hours of extra work with the easy-to-adapt platform! Instoried has built deep learning-based natural language processing systems to help optimise content. The aim is to build a highly inclusive workplace for people of all backgrounds and genders who can help it grow.

    Indiantelevision.com caught up with Instoried founder & CEO Sharmin Ali to find out more on the company. In her role, she is responsible for driving strategy, leadership and sales. Prior to deep-diving into a technology start-up with Instoried, Ali had founded a media start-up to build India’s own Netflix. Prior to that she was with Mu Sigma, working in sales with Fortune 500 companies in the US.

    Ali has been profiled in the Fortune 40 Under 40 list (2022) and also won the best product and best innovation under the startup category by The Economic Times Innotribe Awards in Mumbai in September 2018. She has received an honour from the HRD Ministry of India and COWE Womennovator under Innovation and Entrepreneurship category.

    Ali holds a Bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications. Instoried is at the cusp of her love for storytelling and a background in technology.

    She is an author of two books, the first one ‘Y.O.U’ that was announced a best-seller by The New Indian Express and the Oxford bookstores. Her second book was titled ‘How I was forced to become a staunch racist’. She has also spoken at various TEDx events and international platforms.

    She loves exploring new places, writing, is an avid reader and a foodie at heart.

    Excerpts:

    On the market gap seen in 2019 when Instoried launched

    My experience with various Fortune 500 companies in India and the US made me observe closely and conclude that even large companies and brands are ineffective in communication. These companies make marketing decisions based on how they feel about the content instead of using data to get better results. Here is where I stepped in with Instoried. We started with just an idea to improve written content that would impact the ROI of a brand positively. We started with a web- app that helps optimise the tonality and emotion of the content for writers. Over the last few years, the tool has been imbibed with many new features that have helped improve the quality of life of writers and enabled them to create content that’s original, impactful, and empathetic. 

    On the game plan that has resulted in over 5 million users and 500+ businesses using Instoried

    The game plan was simple: how to improve the content game for our customers? We were looking for a full-stack offering and not just a good-to-have feature. This made our customers engage with us like water. Water is a must-have, whereas juice is a good-to-have. We sell water and so our customers love us. We have interviewed a 1000+ content marketers in the US to understand their challenges and each one talked about productivity and about creating content at scale and at speed. So we built a tool with an end-to-end solution.

    On how COVID impacted the business

    We were able to identify a huge opportunity in this adversity. When stores were shutting down due to very few footfalls, the only option left for them was to sell online. In order to sell online, one needs to create engaging content, and that’s exactly what we do.

    On the company’s USP

    We are the world’s fastest-growing content-tech and media-tech startup. Our greatest USP is that our product is DIY, plug-n-play, and is a must-have tool for all content creators. On top of that, we have a tailored, curated content offering called Content360 which is like WPP on steroids! We add the human element on top of a tech product to help our clients create a broad spectrum of content across sectors.

    On the business model

    We are both B2B and B2C with a monthly and annual subscription model.

    On the strategy of selling products to the consumer’s brain

    Humans are emotional. Our emotional brain decides and logic never prevails, exactly the reason why we love iPhones over anything else. Similarly, our content needs to exude the right set of emotions that we humans can connect with easily. Our product has both generation and analysis to help writers gauge the effectiveness of their content.

    On how deep tech can help brands create emotionally engaging content

    Instoried is a deep-tech platform that analyses and optimizes the emotional quotient, tonality, and relevance of written content across multiple formats of blogs, articles, and social media posts. Instoried uses a data-driven approach using their proprietary AI-driven technology to make real-time analysis and suggestions to enhance written content to increase engagement and interest for the reader. Our platform helps content writers, in the SME category, e-commerce, FMCG, MNCs, and others to optimize emotions in their marketing content. 

    As one creates content, the tool dynamically analyses it using AI and displays the tone and emotion of the text used. When you click on a particular tone or emotion, the tool highlights all the words in your content exuding that particular tone or emotion. Upon hovering the cursor over a particular word, it gives you multiple recommendations that are both semantically and contextually relevant, thereby enhancing the empathy of your content.

    We use natural language processing (NLP) to analyse the semantics of content and identify the tone, emotion and impact of the written content. With the help of Instoried, our clients have increased engagement of their blogs and marketing communication by optimising their content’s emotion, tonality and use of impactful text. We help content creators be consistently engaging with the audience.

    On recent work done by the company that stands out

    We are on our way to profitability in the next six months. I think that’s the most outstanding work we are doing.

    On how Content360 will help content writers create better content

    Content360 is a full-fledged services/ consulting arm offering end-to-end content services to companies. It will help create content at scale using empathy and focusing on the desired long-term outcome and not just the short-term output. Content360 addresses the limitation of traditional content agencies, digital-first brands, and freelancers who churn out multiple content forms per month, focusing on just the output. Users include startups, SMEs, MNCs, e-commerce sites, D2C websites, content creators, mid-size digital marketing agencies, content agencies, freelance marketers, bloggers, and more.

    The process starts with understanding the business goals and objectives of the company, current content strategy, current output, and outcome, and then improving on the goals. As a use-case, the business goal of an e-commerce firm is to generate more revenue from their website channel, after understanding various parameters like – current click through/ conversion rates, best-converting landing pages, tone, emotion, and impact of content. Instoried will advise on the best way to create website content with the best emotion, tone, and words that would result in higher conversions.

    On the importance of empathy in content creation

    My experience gave me the insight that corporations of all sizes were poor at communicating effectively! They have a tough time building human connections and communicating with empathy to their target audience. They make marketing decisions based on how they feel they should communicate instead of using data to their advantage. Here is where I thought Instoried would be a good product-market fit in the writing arena. Instoried helps large companies make their marketing and communications content more human with a data-driven, scalable, and repeatable approach using AI. 

    Our tool is an all-inclusive one where we now have a spell check, Grammar check, headline generation, plagiarism checker, panel testing, and tonal & emotional analysis checker. You can check it out at app.instoried.com. We aim to make the concept of ‘adding empathy into content’ a part of daily communication by focusing on mobile devices, both android, and iOS. Since content is a global and day-to-day phenomenon, it’s only commonplace to ensure that we communicate with empathy on every social media platform. The importance of adding empathy cannot be underestimated or overlooked.

    On the investments being made by Instoried and fundraising

    We have closed a few rounds in the last three years, right now the focus is to get to profitability by March next year and then raise a larger round of funding.

    On what brands need to keep in mind when marketing to consumers at a time of layoffs and a possible hard-landing recession next year

    Profitability is key. Do whatever it takes to be profitable as companies that are profitable are here to stay.

    On using text versus video in brand storytelling

    Every video has a text caption to go along with it. Text tags along with every content format. Text is like water which is a must-have with everything one consumes.

    On the potential of Linkedin in B2B marketing

    I love Linkedin sales navigator for its targeted approach to reaching out to plausible prospects.

    On what you expect to see from Twitter under a new owner when it comes to advertising on that platform

    I love the idea of charging eight dollars per month for a blue tick. The man is a sheer genius. However, it’s too early to comment on how advertising will be affected under his leadership. I hope to see a startup slab for advertising so that it gets affordable as opposed to standard pricing across all brands.

  • GUEST COLUMN: OTT platforms are revamping the art of storytelling

    GUEST COLUMN: OTT platforms are revamping the art of storytelling

    Mumbai: The OTT space in India is exploding. There are a plethora of options available for people to watch online. Be it any genre, one will find something interesting to watch and enjoy. There are new titles dropping every week, all trying to catch the eye of viewers. The number of users that are warming up to the OTT bandwagon too is increasing. With the internet penetration getting better and smartphone adoption improving, more people now have access to OTT services.

    OTT players are also looking to expand their market share and vying to get the maximum time spent and visibility. All this is ensuring that viewers have a lot of options to binge. While that might be the case, the space is still getting warmed up to the idea of storytelling.

    OTT and the art of storytelling

    Storytelling is akin to painting a picture albeit with videos. It is an art that requires a lot of extensive observation and weaving into an etched story that viewers can connect and resonate with. The current explosion in the OTT space has enabled many to tap into this world and create beautiful, well-thought stories that are entertaining, educating and enlightening the audiences. However, the process is still at a very nascent stage. A very few OTT players have been able to crack this space and use storytelling to its full potential.

    As the competition in the space continues to heat up, storytelling will become even more important. Platforms that are able to master this art will be the ones that will be able to leave a lasting impression on the minds of the viewers.

    Growing popularity of regional content

    In the last couple of years, regional content has started gaining popularity amongst the masses. Earlier the regional content was only limited to the audience of that geographic area. However, with the advent of OTT platforms, this content is now widely available. Moreover, most OTT platforms are offering dubbed versions of the content that is enabling users to enjoy the same in the language of their preference. The recent success of titles such as Dark, Money Heist, Lupin, Squid Games, Crash Landing on You, “Pushpa”, “Beast”, and “KGF” are glowing examples of how content from any language and geography is able to connect with the audience.

    The content viewing behaviour has become more personalised and everyone wants to watch what they like best. Television was more about watching it with family and OTT has changed that drastically.  To cater to the evolving tastes and preferences, OTT players are revamping their strategy and getting regional and local flavours to reach out to a wider audience base. Content is truly the king and if they can come up with an interesting story then they will find suitable takers for the same.

    Data-backed decisions

    OTT platforms heavily rely on the data of consumers. There are two sides to data, the good and bad. On a positive note, the platforms have a complete picture of what content is getting consumed and the demographics of their users. They even get to know details such as which device the content is being consumed, how much time the viewers are spending on their app, at what hour of the day they are getting maximum traffic, and the drop-out point. It also provides information on what type of content keeps the users engrossed and what they are searching for. This is the bad side of the data as it impacts their social behaviour and how their personality is getting moulded. A lot of companies use this data to push their products and services.

    While data is helping OTT players in finding the most engaging content but it is also typecasting them into making the same things. Serving similar content over time may result in fatigue and viewers switching over to other platforms. Therefore, one needs to be mindful of how they are using the data and make intelligent decisions.

    Emergence of short video app

    The attention span of people is reducing. OTT players now have a very short time to hook the audience to the content. There is also increased competition that OTT content is facing from the new age short video format apps. Tik-Tok, Instagram Reels, Moj and Chingari have managed to create a space for themselves. These short video apps deliver a variety of content and have become immensely popular. These apps are now forcing the OTT players to rethink and rejig their strategy. Some OTT players are now thinking of reducing the time per episode to 25 mins from 45 minutes. Netflix is also planning to come out with a short video format to take on these apps head-on.

    In nutshell, there is no dearth of content available online. From different genres to platforms to video lengths, there is space for everyone. Viewers are also exposed to quality content from across the globe. While there are global titles and K-Dramas that are ruling the roost, even the regional content is making a big impact. In the end, it is powerful stories and engaging content that is gaining the maximum attention. There is also a wider segmentation. Not everyone will be open to consuming content about spirituality and religion. The older audiences are more likely to connect with bhakti and pravanchans but to connect with the younger lot, the platforms will need to have a fresh approach. In the past, mythology shows that are well presented and made keeping in mind the sensibilities of today’s audience have worked wonders for the OTT platform. Legend of Hanuman on Hotstar was one such show.

    Presentation is an important aspect in today’s time. Great presentation and storytelling can go a long way in winning over the audiences and garnering viewership from across age groups.

    The author is OMTV (India’s first sanatan storytelling platform) founder and MD Nitin Jai Shukla.

  • Media personality Pranav Harihar Sharma joins Pippip Media as showrunner & partner

    Media personality Pranav Harihar Sharma joins Pippip Media as showrunner & partner

    Mumbai: New age content house Pippip Media has announced the onboarding of Cannes Lions winning filmmaker and ad-man Pranav Harihar Sharma as partner and showrunner of the company.   

    With close to two decades of noticeable work in the advertising industry, Sharma will now lead Pippip’s foray into long format storytelling and branded campaigns. With over two hundred ad films under his belt as director, and having won multiple awards for his short films at several international festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival, New York Film Fest to name a few, Sharma feels this is the right time to get into new-age storytelling.

    Speaking on his association with Pippip Media, he says, “The world is fast moving from advertising to media & entertainment and in no time we will see branded content replacing the good old TVC. The change is already here and at Pippip, we want to be at the forefront of this change.”

    “I’ve been working closely with Pippip on various projects last year. While working together we realised that we share the same vision and passion for creating cutting edge content. As Showrunner, I may not be writing or directing every content piece hereon but will be responsible for the final creative product,” Sharma added.

    Director and chief business officer Joy Bhattacharya said, “We are delighted to announce the inclusion of Pranav as Showrunner and Partner. We believe he will play an instrumental role in building Pippip Media and accelerating the growth further.”

    Pippip Media director and chief creative officer Aritra Mukherjee said, “The time is here to toggle between films, TVCs, digital content, branded campaigns, web series and not be limited to any one particular medium. We want to be present where good content can be created and no one better than Pranav to lead this vertical for us.”

    Pippip Media’s recent IPL focused campaign for Fantasy Akhada with Harsha Bhogle and Ali Fazal has been well received and their short film ‘The Table’ for Greenply has been officially selected for the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival. They have also produced the 18th season of the iconic show MTV Roadies, filmed in South Africa with actor Sonu Sood.

  • Why storytelling is crucial in content marketing

    Why storytelling is crucial in content marketing

    NEW DELHI: Storytelling in content marketing is a vital tool to connect with the audience. Content marketing has always been used in a more personal manner. However, in today’s digital era, brands are eager to not only be creative in their advertising but also using content to sell, connect and engage.

    Madison Media Digital creative director Anuradha Agarwal says, “Content marketing can be the most cost-effective way for a new entrant to make a mark in a highly competitive market or for more established brands to play a larger role in the consumer’s life. Storytelling is a tried and tested means to create stickiness in an era where audiences are constantly distracted.”

    22feet Tribal Worldwide president Preetham Venkky also opines that content marketing has a significant role to play in establishing trust towards a brand. However, the main challenge marketers face is that they don’t have the relevant KPIs in place to justify spends on content marketing.

    According to him, “Brand marketers have short-term KPIs and look at monthly or quarterly KPIs linked to TOMA / SOV or equivalent. For content marketing to play a key role, the KPIs to marketers need to go beyond short-term and focus on the long-term.”

    Venkky also explains that marketing saturation has made consumers distrust content that comes directly from the brands because it seems too sales-y. “Brands have to learn to be more benevolent and not look at directly measuring the business impact of every piece of content produced,” he says.

    In the post-digital world, Venkky says that there is a shift in trust from brands to aggregator platforms. “With plenty of aggregator players in each industry investing heavily in content marketing (their primary source to grow their offering), brands will find it difficult to compete with them,” he adds.

    Kumar Deb Sinha, executive VP, Dentsu Aegis Network and country head, The Story Lab India explains that advertising is based on fabricating brand stories to amplify the features of the product and their usage to stand out. This model worked until the volume of advertising became overwhelming for a consumer.

    He says, “Content marketing starts playing a larger leadership role when marketers evolve to this realisation and use marketing as a tool to tell relevant consumer stories rather than brand stories. Some of the best examples of content marketing happen today in B2B marketing, where brands share content (whitepaper, research, latest trends, etc.) proactively with their prospective and existing consumers and initiate a conversation with him/her. A B2B marketer understands the significance of content marketing as the primary tool of engagement with their consumers. For a B2C marketer, unfortunately, it is still lagging behind the traditional routes which help reach a mass audience at low cost with minimal engagement.”

    If used right, it can play a leadership role in the broader marketing planning of a brand. “For any effective content marketing approach, brands should focus on seamless storytelling across platforms to keep an audience engaged over time. A content-first, platform-specific approach is the need of the hour,” shares YAAP partner Manan Kapur.

    Agarwal shares, “Brands need to find their place in this new world and connect with audiences through content that adds value to their life. The more authentic, credible and humane brands become, the better chances they have of building a loyal audience base."

    Sinha explains that trust is dependent on many things. Foremost amongst them is product experience. If the product doesn’t live up to the experience promised or expected by the consumer, no amount of content marketing or advertising will ever deliver trust.

    “It should be measured against parameters like relevant conversations it has driven for the brand (which is linked to brand marketing objective), engagement score vis-à-vis competition, sentiment analysis leading to the word of mouth and brand advocacy by their consumers and followers. It is the journey of falling in love with a brand,” he says.

    With other forms of engagement taking importance, such as influencer and social media marketing, brands may think content marketing is outdated. Sinha believes that influencer and social media marketing is the easiest entry point but content marketing isn’t limited to this.

    “I feel marketers/agencies miss the larger picture. We leave our content marketing effort limited to influencers and digital films only. We don’t take the conversation forward with our consumers that we have initiated through these initiatives. Content marketing can’t be a start and stop engagement through few initiatives a year. It has to be sustained engagement generating conversations around the year. And once you have sustained engagement, you will drive strong and meaningful conversations with consumers,” he says.

    Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor in chief Anil Wanvari says that there’s a lot of promotion happening in terms of TVCs, digital content and messaging by brands asking consumers to buy their respective products; which works contrary to the communication's objective. Because of the barrage of communications, consumers develop a blind spot to it when it is being served to them.

    “To get the consumer's attention, a piece of communication needs to stand out . One way is to tell an engaging story, with different messaging. It tends to get larger traction if targeted right. It’s important that the messaging goes to the right set of audience. A consumer enjoys engagement with which he is able to resonate. A brand can sell a product by talking about its benefits or by weaving it into a piece of content well told but it needs to have a connection with its consumer,” he says.

    “We recently partnered with ZEE5 and created content around Sushant Singh Rajput on which we got millions of impressions on Indiantelevision.com's sister  brand TellyChakkar.com. Zee5 wanted to communicate to its subscribers and potential subscribers that they could watch Suhshant's shows on the streaming service. We produced a piece of native content which talked about Sushant's greeat attributes, his life, his charm, and his shows. Fans loved it. It was shared, it created a lot of buzz, and conversations. It was a more effective way of communication; as it was very sticky too. Engagment, virality, go to a different level if a piece of communication has a story which is told well,” Wanvari adds.

    If there is a long-term vision in place, content marketing can help humanise the brand, build authority trust and credibility, create awareness, generate organic sales and gradually, build loyalty.

  • ZeeQ announces Kahaani Express for children

    ZeeQ announces Kahaani Express for children

    MUMBAI: ZeeQ has announced India’s first ever inter-school storytelling event ‘The Kahaani Express’to provide children an exciting opportunity to use their imagination and bring out their creativity. The channel is reaching out to children from classes 2nd – 7thin over 200 schools across 10 cities. Keeping in mind that the children are highly observant and imaginative; ZeeQ is looking at giving them a platform to express themselves.

     
    The Kahaani Express aims to reach out to 90,000 students across 10 cities within a span of 3 months. This first of its kind school contact programme, will have specially designed sessions for primary as well as secondary school students. An expert story teller will conduct the storytelling session which will include specially designed picture panels, story development techniques with props along with workshops under the guidance of facilitators. That’s not all; every participating school gets a special memento on behalf of ZeeQ.

     
    Speaking on this occasion Aparna Bhosle, Deputy Business Head, Zee exclaimed, “Storytelling is a great way to connect. It’s a platform through which a child can emote and evoke thoughts besides being fun, it enthuses, both the teller and listener. ZeeQ’s objective has always been to provide Mindfull-Masti and Kahaani Express is another step forward in this endeavor. Through Kahaani Express, we aim at nurturing this amazing quality of storytelling in children at an age when their minds are highly impressionable.”

     
    ZeeQ is planning a Pan India 360 degree marketing campaign for this activity which touches upon various medium such as on-air, digital and on-ground. The channel is conducting a story writing contest on-air as well as online to give other kids an opportunity to showcase their creativity.

     

  • FremantleMedia looks to push the boundaries of factual storytelling

    MUMBAI: Television format creator and distributor FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has announced a deal securing worldwide television distribution rights for five brand new documentaries from UK factual film makers Atlantic Productions.

    This has launched at the on-going television trade event MipTV in Cannes, France. Each of the one hour programmes provides an insight, based on new research, into iconic events that have shaped our world.
    The first documentary reveals the story behind the undercover mission that exposed the west’s most prolific and dangerous double agent. Superspy: The Man Who Betrayed The West is the story of Robert Hanssen, the FBI double agent responsible for the West’s worst ever security breach, selling secrets worth billions of dollars that were passed on to Osama Bin Laden and used to facilitate the planning of 9/11.

    The dramatised documentary uses dramatic reconstruction, first hand testimony from key figures involved in Hanssen’s arrest, original FBI footage and KGB voice recordings to recount the inside story of the hunt to trap the most damaging spy of all time. Among those taking part in the film is Eric O’Neill, the FBI agent tasked with discovering the truth about Hanssen’s espionage activities, who talks about his involvement in the case for the first time.

    O’Neill’s story is also the basis for the current Hollywood film Breach starring Chris Cooper, Laura Linney and Ryan Phillippe. Also taking part in the documentary, which is a co-production with Discovery, La7 and FremantleMedia, are Hanssen’s psychiatrist and the former CIA operative who, for many years, was considered the traitor in the midst.

    As Nasa outlines its plans to return to the moon for the first time in over 30 years, Apollo 11: The Untold Story and Apollo 13: The Inside Story reveal the untold stories of the two most famous space missions. Apollo 11: The Untold Story goes behind the public story of this legendary mission to reveal the untold account of how close the first moon landing came to disaster. Through first-hand testimony from Buzz Aldrin and key mission personnel, this critically acclaimed documentary presents a tale of primitive computer technology, human errors and mechanical failures that nearly resulted in the loss of the crew.

    Apollo 13: The Inside Story uses first hand testimony and archive footage to reveal what really happened when Nasa mounted the most dramatic rescue operation in the history of human exploration. When a violent explosion tore through the fragile skin of the Apollo 13 spacecraft 200,000 miles from earth in April 1970, the lives of the crew hung by a thread, with the oxygen supply running out.

    In this film astronauts James Lovell and Fred Haise, along with their flight controllers, reveal the ultimate survival story and the truth about a mission which gripped the world over four tense days.

    The next of the documentaries acquired by FME examines man’s ongoing battle with the threat of infectious disease. In the age of Sars, Bird Flu, the Ebola Virus and Aids some experts are looking for help in the most unlikely of places – the past. The Great Plague swept through London in 1655, killing a third of its population. But why were some mysteriously resistant to the deadliest disease then known?

    Secrets of the Great Plague follows medical detective Dr. Stephen O’Brien as he undertakes a series of experiments and archaeological discoveries to reveal how the Great Plague could hold the key to surviving infectious diseases in the 21st century.

    The final documentary included in the deal re-opens the case of the notorious serial killer Jack The Ripper. For more than a century, his crimes have inspired both horror and intrigue and theories abound as to the identity of the killer, but few are based on the facts. To this day his reign of terror remains one of history’s greatest mysteries: motiveless, unmatched in brutality, and still unsolved.

    Now, in Jack The Ripper: The First Serial Killer Laura Richards of Scotland Yard’s Violent Crime Directorate re-examines the case, completely changing our understanding of the killer. Utilising modern criminology and psychological analysis, plus the aid of Britain’s best detectives, Richards uses 21st century techniques to understand a 19th century killer, providing a detailed psychological study of the kind of person he was, where he lived and even what he looked like.

    FME VP programming Mark Gray says, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to bring these fascinating documentaries to international broadcasters at MipTV. Atlantic Productions are a world renowned team who have a strong track record in making incredibly detailed and complex subjects accessible to viewers worldwide. Equally strong in subject and innovative approach, we are confident audiences will find them extremely appealing.”