Content Engineers aims to create commercially viable original IPs, say founders

Ex-Jio Studios chief marketing officer Saurabh Varma and ex-Cinepolis Gulf & Sony Pictures’ executive Utpal Acharya recently launched Content Engineers to “create and release grass-rooted Indian content that could come from the smallest of cities but has the potential to attract audiences globally”.

“Glocal (think local, act global) is our mantra,” said the founders in this interview with Adgully. They are in the process of building India’s largest virtual production studio, which will have the best talents from across the globe. “Our focus is on creating content and it will later be followed by apt strategies and tools to market it right to the right TG. We intend to become content engineers who will engineer content for all genres and use the latest tech to study data (most of the content will be based on research, focus group which will give dipstick insight into the consumers’ liking and will fulfil the need gap), build VFX and production platforms to enhance the storytelling,” they said. Excerpts:

What inspired you to launch Content Engineers? Could you take us through the journey?

Saurabh Varma: In a world where everyone is investing in technology, we intend to build a content creation studio that believes in ideas and people. With the right mix of creative people, the world as our platform, we intend to create and release grass-rooted Indian content that could come from the smallest of cities but has the potential to attract audiences globally. Glocal (think local, act global) is our mantra.

Utpaal Acharya: We back great stories with a quick decision supported by a great creative and production team. We intend to not follow the herd and not be restricted to a particular genre or aspect just because it is the flavour of the season but to build a content-rich company that builds timeless stories that every platform would be proud to showcase. In one line, we want to create commercially viable original IPs, which is now the reality for us.

What is your vision for Content Engineers? Where do you see yourself two years from now?

Saurabh Varma: Our vision is to build entertaining content that is loved by families globally. We intend to build creative credibility amongst our TG by thinking out of the box and bringing unique stories to life. It quite often happens that content makers hire a waiter to do a chef’s job and the audience loses its appetite when the storytelling is not up to the mark. We are learning from the mistakes of others and trying to build in content tailors who will make stories that will be tested by focus groups and research teams before we begin producing our content.

Utpaal Acharya: We intend to create Indian content that matches international sensibilities. We intend to become content engineers who will engineer content for all genres and use the latest tech to study data (most of the content will be based on research, focus group which will give dipstick insight into the consumers’ liking and will fulfil the need gap), build VFX and production platforms to enhance the storytelling. We are in the process of building India’s largest virtual production studio which will have the best talents from across the globe.

What is your USP?  What is your focus – is it the regional language or Hindi?

Saurabh Varma: We have a combined strength of working for more than 2,000 small, medium and big films in all languages and in all formats. Seeing the rapidly changing consumer habits we intend to form a proper method in the madness by studying consumer behaviour and creating content accordingly. Quick decisions, a lean, mean and hungry team, and our ability to initiate all aspects of production in-house are our biggest strengths.

Utpaal Acharya: We believe that content creation has become a factory of sorts, where everyone is scaling up to make a lot of content. We do not want to get into the same grind and do things in a much more structured way and give the talent their due. This will help us build relationships. Our philosophy is to ‘do, learn and do again and learn from our mistakes’. In this process, we intend to build a transparent and new-age way of telling Indian stories to the whole world. In reality, we believe in the correct grammar of the story and hence we are language agnostic engineers; however, being our close proximity with Bollywood Hindi is the focus at least for the first year, while we are doing few English language Hollywood content as well.

What are your upcoming projects? Have you tied up with any streaming platforms yet? Any international tie-ups in the pipeline?

Saurabh Varma: We are just a few months old company and are happy to state that almost all good production houses have shown interest to collaborate and see what we have to offer from our bag of content and stories. We are aligned with all prominent studios and will service the same as per the requirement of the content. “Content first and the platforms follow” is our philosophy.

There is a fine line between becoming a dependable producer and a financier. We intend to grow as good producers and news of Indian and International tie-ups are in pipeline.

Utpaal Acharya: With a clear focus on creating valuable IPs, we have genuinely focussed on it and have created a formidable partnership with various platforms, international studios and we shall be in a position to talk about it soon. To add to Saurabh, Content First is our philosophy and we strongly are committed to executing our IPs and then looking for a platform. A true story based on feedback from the TG and sourced from the ground can’t go wrong.

What are your innovative promotional and marketing campaigns?

Saurabh Varma: Good content, followed by good marketing will always bring positive and desired results. The marketing scenario of content is completely chaotic at the moment as many do not realise that media buying and methodical strategy building are two different approaches and have to be addressed differently. Recently, our focus is on creating content and it will later be followed by apt strategies and tools to market it right to the right TG. You will soon see a series of innovative marketing spurts as our content gets ready for release.

Utpaal Acharya: Just to add to Saurabh, we for sure believe in the traditional theory of marketing, that is, KISS (keep it simple stupid). We will keep our communications simple and relatable to our TG and the millennials. We don’t believe in making it complex, arrogant, and pompous. With the invention of the digital medium it is a lot easier to communicate with your TG, which you should witness soon.

The conventional notions of the box office have changed with the digital release of movies. What will be your content strategy?

Saurabh Varma: We feel that this is the best time to be in the content business as eye balls are constantly growing in films as well as OTT. The youth, earlier skewed towards pirated content, is now aware of the OTT platforms. People on the move, housewives, students – almost everyone has begun to consume content through these mediums. The strategy of content is still being developed as the platforms are still not sharing proper data of what or how much a certain kind of content is working. This clarity will soon prevail. Our strategy will depend on the stories that will excite our team. These stories will take us to the path or the strategies that need to be adapted to enhance it further.

Utpaal Acharya: We have witnessed many transitions in the last two decades and strongly believe that both mediums are here to exist. Yes, there will be few content which will be best enjoyed on large screens and some of them will be better suited for direct to digital. Post the advent of OTTs, the world has become even more democratic and interesting for the makers. Now, every content has its consumer and the mode of distribution/ platform may vary. Now, the makers don’t have to complain about the lack of screens.

What is your view on the hybrid release of movies? How can OTT and theatres co-exist?

Saurabh Varma: The hybrid release is a model that may not be effective for content that intends to stand through the test of time. Cinema-going and OTT-watching consumers have to be targeted differently. The lockdown has created chaos temporarily, but soon, cinemas will rise too and we will have different and enough content for both the windows.

Utpaal Acharya: Hybrid release is not a reality in the near future, at least in the Indian scenario; it couldn’t succeed in other markets as well. India has witnessed many disasters in the past and people thought theatrical business would vanish, but it bounced back every time and sustained.

Movie watching at a theatre in our country is also a community watching and a medium of get-together; it is an experience the largest diaspora of our country really enjoys. At the same time, OTT is a reality of this evolved world, and we are really living in this progressive world, as a maker, we should be aligned to future realities and the advent of technologies.

The scourge of piracy still exists. What can be done to stem the tide of piracy? Is the industry united enough in this regard?

Saurabh Varma: Piracy is a tsunami that cannot be controlled by a few until and unless consumers themselves change their habits. However, with reasonable price offerings and content by various OTT platforms for subscription and their aggressive marketing is soon switching a lot of viewers to the legit medium. India has never seen such a wide audience that is keen to view content from Spain, Denmark, Korea, or Japan. Enhancing the content through platforms is one way to discourage our audience from using illegal means to consume content.

Utpaal Acharya: Piracy in our country will exist in times to come. As a student of social anthropology, I subscribe to and believe in the theory that this phenomenon of piracy is directly related to socio-economic disparity and inequality. However, the democratic watching of content on OTT may gradually reduce it, but for sure, can’t be eliminated in near future for sure.

OTT platforms have access to audience data, which enables them to understand the audience’s behaviour and trends. Will you be relying on market research or data to test the viability of your projects?

Saurabh Varma: As a media-tech company, we will be relying a lot on what we learn as we create and grow content. A content creator has to create some kind of a method in the madness and understand what will work after a year and base its strategy on the same. That is the only logical way to proceed and grow.

Utpaal Acharya: In this changed and evolved world, everything is data and you can zero in and reach your customer in a much organised way. The market research, focus group, and data will play a pivotal role in every content decision of ours. Transparency about what the consumer wants is the need of the hour.

What are the key challenges that the entertainment industry is facing at the moment and what do you expect the government to do for the betterment of the industry?

Saurabh Varma: The biggest challenge is that the entertainment faculty needs to be treated as a proper industry. States are offering incentives to shoot content but it is only happening in a piecemeal manner. The government should create incentives in taxes and give further rebates if content is to grow. The victory of the entertainment Industry will further enhance tourism, employment and generate many businesses attached to the same including media and social media.

Utpaal Acharya: Just to add to Saurabh, the organic growth and synthesis will help to generate employment and tourism promotion to various smaller destinations of the country with rich culture, heritage, and great looking skyline. It’s high time that the industry gets decentralised and the government should help to create the environment to create shooting-friendly infrastructure, which will, in turn, help various states to generate tourism economies as well. In our country, every destination has certain uniqueness and as an industry, we are yet to explore it.