sreedhar cr
New member
Cinema is unlike other industrial products where consumption is based on a blend of need-based survival and want-based aspiration. Cinema as a cultural product is totally dependent on the audience’s requirement for media as a negotiating instrument to seek upward social mobility. And this requirement is completely unpredictable, however much the filmmaker could claim that he or she knows the pulse of the audience.
In spite of the fact that the first Indian film, Raja Harishchandra, was produced in 1913, and despite the fact that at about 1,000 films a year, India produces more films than any other country in the world, the Indian films gained industry status only by 2001. And, with that, Bajal Allianz has come forward to insure films.
Since its inception, the Indian film industry has been characterized by small, owner-run production houses. Producers usually direct their own films, and pass on their craft, expertise and contacts to their children. Despite their unadventurous content, Indian films have become increasingly lucrative – currently boasting an annual turnover of over 1 billion dollars and a growth rate of 15%.
This profitability has lured large corporations (referred to in Bollywood as “corporates”), transforming its business and social culture - a good business sketch which is paramount. It ensures the right scheduling of all the work from start to finish. It is very necessary that all departments - production, creativity, marketing, packaging and distributing - be scheduled on paper and then executed accordingly with proper monitoring.
The entry of corporates is a boon for the film world as it eliminates the biggest hurdle - financing of films. It will be beneficial for all-round growth and encourage more creative people to make films. The best thing about this is the discipline that big organizations bring with them, which is definitely going to pay rich dividends.
Indian cinema is today, in the age of capitalism. With business houses entering Bollywood, the Indian film industry is gearing for a complete makeover. Their entry also ushers in more discipline into an industry known for its chaotic functioning. With Indian films going global, some of the leading corporates of the country are fast realizing that there's a veritable fortune to be made in film production. Fast replacing traditional financiers, this marked the entry of well-known names in Indian business into Bollywood.
In the new capitalistic jargon Dhoom epitomizes film “properties” that can be exploited in various ways - sequels and product placements being the key strategies. Remakes, sequels, merchandising, product placements, revenue streams, segmentation… there is an intensification of rational ways of making business.
Like the new shopping malls of India, corporations offer a one-stop shop for film production. Corporate models, based on American studios, are built to support a film all the way from screenplay development through film distribution. Earlier it was extremely stressful as distributors from various states would watch a film and decide whether to buy it and at what price. Corporates have lifted that burden about marketing or distribution if they produce a film.
What started off as a mere brand promotion affair is now turning into a big fascination and slowly, but surely, widening their horizon from children's books and telephone directories to a better medium identified as cinema. Bollywood is getting corporatised.
The Indian corporate world is waking up to the power of cinema to push sales and capture the attention of the consumer. Up until now Indian businesses typically considered sponsorship deals with sports such as cricket. But the huge box office successes of some recent films have made them sit up and take notice of Bollywood as a business and sales promotion avenue.
The theme song from the Bollywood blockbuster, Lagaan or taxes, was used as a promotional jingle for one of India's largest consumer goods companies, Britannia Industries. Film memorabilia and signed posters of the stars of Lagaan were distributed to consumers as part of the $1m sales promotion campaign launched by the company. And since the period film was all about a cricket match between Indian villagers and a British eleven, the final prize for the lucky winners were a cricket match with the Lagaan eleven; combining the two things people in India love - films and sport.
This was the first instance of an Indian company tying up with a Bollywood hit to push sales and generate awareness about its product range.
These corporations have brought a certain measure of tidiness to Indian filmmaking, especially in terms of financial transparency. Checks have replaced cash payments. There is lot more discipline now as they don’t start before script is in place and contracts, etc. have been signed.
Corporates have the wherewithal to make myriad films in one year, unlike individual producer-directors who can make one film in 2 years. An independent producer who puts his life savings to produce a film, is a lot more risk averse than corporates who won’t go under if 2 films flop. Also, there has been a great deal of inventiveness and experimentation in Bollywood in terms of story, style and sensibility.
The supplementary reasons such as the rise of the urban audience, multiplex theaters, the evolution of the censor board, and changing cultural values whereby parents are more tolerant of their childrens’ unconventional choices of a career in the arts have contributed to this range of output. These factors, coupled with the emergence of a new generation that is extremely well-informed and has access to international cinema and film schools abroad, may also account for this diversity.
While instilling production discipline is important to induce a modicum of professionalism, it should not be at the cost of that crucial element called risk-taking-talent. This is something which only creative artistes can master. Cinema is not about deal-making. It is about telling stories. If we don’t care, we will drive ourselves to cinematic bankruptcy like our Hollywood corporate honchos who continue to bankroll more of Die Hard, Superman, Shrek and Narnia.
Many cautiously entered into the boat with film sponsorships, but have since, steadily advanced to full-fledged production. Corporates are increasingly getting into films to explore new horizons for the mileage and promotional scope it offers them. With some 1,000 multiplexes slated to dot the country in the next 3 years, corporate giants are eyeing the huge returns that films have to offer, not just moolah, but instant name and fame too.
The seeds of corporatisation that were sown a couple of years ago are finally bearing fruit and most of the top players (read Reliance Entertainment, UTV, Eros International and TIFC) now want to be on all sides of the spectrum: Production, distribution and exhibition.
In spite of the fact that the first Indian film, Raja Harishchandra, was produced in 1913, and despite the fact that at about 1,000 films a year, India produces more films than any other country in the world, the Indian films gained industry status only by 2001. And, with that, Bajal Allianz has come forward to insure films.
Since its inception, the Indian film industry has been characterized by small, owner-run production houses. Producers usually direct their own films, and pass on their craft, expertise and contacts to their children. Despite their unadventurous content, Indian films have become increasingly lucrative – currently boasting an annual turnover of over 1 billion dollars and a growth rate of 15%.
This profitability has lured large corporations (referred to in Bollywood as “corporates”), transforming its business and social culture - a good business sketch which is paramount. It ensures the right scheduling of all the work from start to finish. It is very necessary that all departments - production, creativity, marketing, packaging and distributing - be scheduled on paper and then executed accordingly with proper monitoring.
The entry of corporates is a boon for the film world as it eliminates the biggest hurdle - financing of films. It will be beneficial for all-round growth and encourage more creative people to make films. The best thing about this is the discipline that big organizations bring with them, which is definitely going to pay rich dividends.
Indian cinema is today, in the age of capitalism. With business houses entering Bollywood, the Indian film industry is gearing for a complete makeover. Their entry also ushers in more discipline into an industry known for its chaotic functioning. With Indian films going global, some of the leading corporates of the country are fast realizing that there's a veritable fortune to be made in film production. Fast replacing traditional financiers, this marked the entry of well-known names in Indian business into Bollywood.
In the new capitalistic jargon Dhoom epitomizes film “properties” that can be exploited in various ways - sequels and product placements being the key strategies. Remakes, sequels, merchandising, product placements, revenue streams, segmentation… there is an intensification of rational ways of making business.
Like the new shopping malls of India, corporations offer a one-stop shop for film production. Corporate models, based on American studios, are built to support a film all the way from screenplay development through film distribution. Earlier it was extremely stressful as distributors from various states would watch a film and decide whether to buy it and at what price. Corporates have lifted that burden about marketing or distribution if they produce a film.
What started off as a mere brand promotion affair is now turning into a big fascination and slowly, but surely, widening their horizon from children's books and telephone directories to a better medium identified as cinema. Bollywood is getting corporatised.
The Indian corporate world is waking up to the power of cinema to push sales and capture the attention of the consumer. Up until now Indian businesses typically considered sponsorship deals with sports such as cricket. But the huge box office successes of some recent films have made them sit up and take notice of Bollywood as a business and sales promotion avenue.
The theme song from the Bollywood blockbuster, Lagaan or taxes, was used as a promotional jingle for one of India's largest consumer goods companies, Britannia Industries. Film memorabilia and signed posters of the stars of Lagaan were distributed to consumers as part of the $1m sales promotion campaign launched by the company. And since the period film was all about a cricket match between Indian villagers and a British eleven, the final prize for the lucky winners were a cricket match with the Lagaan eleven; combining the two things people in India love - films and sport.
This was the first instance of an Indian company tying up with a Bollywood hit to push sales and generate awareness about its product range.
These corporations have brought a certain measure of tidiness to Indian filmmaking, especially in terms of financial transparency. Checks have replaced cash payments. There is lot more discipline now as they don’t start before script is in place and contracts, etc. have been signed.
Corporates have the wherewithal to make myriad films in one year, unlike individual producer-directors who can make one film in 2 years. An independent producer who puts his life savings to produce a film, is a lot more risk averse than corporates who won’t go under if 2 films flop. Also, there has been a great deal of inventiveness and experimentation in Bollywood in terms of story, style and sensibility.
The supplementary reasons such as the rise of the urban audience, multiplex theaters, the evolution of the censor board, and changing cultural values whereby parents are more tolerant of their childrens’ unconventional choices of a career in the arts have contributed to this range of output. These factors, coupled with the emergence of a new generation that is extremely well-informed and has access to international cinema and film schools abroad, may also account for this diversity.
While instilling production discipline is important to induce a modicum of professionalism, it should not be at the cost of that crucial element called risk-taking-talent. This is something which only creative artistes can master. Cinema is not about deal-making. It is about telling stories. If we don’t care, we will drive ourselves to cinematic bankruptcy like our Hollywood corporate honchos who continue to bankroll more of Die Hard, Superman, Shrek and Narnia.
Many cautiously entered into the boat with film sponsorships, but have since, steadily advanced to full-fledged production. Corporates are increasingly getting into films to explore new horizons for the mileage and promotional scope it offers them. With some 1,000 multiplexes slated to dot the country in the next 3 years, corporate giants are eyeing the huge returns that films have to offer, not just moolah, but instant name and fame too.
The seeds of corporatisation that were sown a couple of years ago are finally bearing fruit and most of the top players (read Reliance Entertainment, UTV, Eros International and TIFC) now want to be on all sides of the spectrum: Production, distribution and exhibition.