In the post-pandemic world, Cinema and OTT will co-exist: Vinit Mehta, Brightcove

The movie theatre business has faced unprecedented disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After staying shut for several months, even as cinema halls have re-opened, the crowds are just not there. The fear of getting infected, no big releases happening and the strict COVID-19 protocols are proving to be a big dampener for movie-goers.

During the lockdown period, we saw quite a few movies being premiered on OTT platforms. A massive shift also happened in people’s content consumption behaviour during this period.

However, there are now some positive signs of revival being seen. The national rollout of COVID-19 vaccination drive, fall in the number of daily infections, Inox recently announcing the opening of three new multiplexes, the 51st International Film Festival of India, which gets underway in a hybrid live event-OTT format from tomorrow (January 16, 2021) in Goa – all of these herald a revival of the cinema business. Moreover, the massive crowds thronging the theatres across Tamil Nadu for the Tamil movie ‘Master’ starring superstars Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi this Pongal, shows that big ticket releases will definitely draw in the crowds.

In conversation with Adgully, Vinit Mehta, Head of Sales, Indian Sub-Continent, Brightcove, offers several useful suggestions that the cinema hall business can adopt in the new normal.

What is your perspective on the footfalls in cinema halls with their re-opening across the country?

For months, cinema owners watched helplessly from the sidelines as streaming platforms snapped up Bollywood movies and released them online. Now that the cinemas and multiplexes have reopened, not everyone is rushing to visit cinemas. The reason for the smaller number of footfalls is that the general public are still concerned about the pandemic and their health. The other reason is that cinemas do not have any new movie releases or big movie releases to distribute, which leaves them with no option but to re-release older titles, which is not a huge draw for moviegoers.

With all the guidelines and COVID-19 protocols to follow, how does it change the experience of watching movies on the big screen in the new normal?

For me, nothing beats the experience of watching a movie on the big screen, but given the current scenario, watching a movie in a movie theatre won’t be the same, at least in the foreseeable future. What comes to my mind is how different it is going to be as we sit in between empty seats despite going in groups, and the lack of crowds that is synonymous with movie-watching experience in a multiplex due to capacity capped at 50 per cent.

What are the strategies that cinema halls need to follow to sustain through these tough times and generate revenues?

It is indeed a challenging time for cinema halls, however, the silver lining is that they are now allowed to open and resume some kind of normalcy. While the cinema halls are able to open, it is going to be some time before movie-goers are comfortable to go back to the halls.

An interesting idea for cinema halls is to launch their own over-the-top (OTT) services. Imagine a world where you can decide whether to buy a ticket for a movie at your local theatre or purchase the ticket to watch it in the comfort of your own home on the theatre OTT platform.

The pandemic has created an opportunity for cinemas to consider digital transformation. They can now eliminate many in-person touchpoints to create a safe environment for the viewers. This will also mean that fewer people will use cash and much of the ticketing will be digitised. Marketing to this digital audience will need to be very targeted and executed via the right online and mobile channels such as social media, incentives for customers to share their experiences and ‘recruit’ others, college & university databases, and bundled offerings, including refreshments, taxi rides to and fro the theatre, etc.

How do you see the role of streaming direct to consumer helping cinemas stay afloat?

While we refer to cinema halls, it is also important to note that live events in the arts, theatre, and dance have taken to streaming in a big way during the pandemic with great success. With the current COVID-19 guidelines, we will start to see more live streaming of shows delivered directly to your mobile device. Cinema hall organisations could recoup some revenues with streaming pay per view movies. They can also partner with leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) providers and offer films to viewers on a pay per view model.

How does one differentiate between the proposition of cinema and OTT? What is the role of tech in helping the traditional entertainment industry grow?

In the post-pandemic world, Cinema and OTT will co-exist. We will see both of them flourishing due to the massive growth opportunities across the board. While there is an audience that is waiting for the opportunity to go back to their favourite theatres with friends and family, there is also an audience that wants to watch a movie at their convenience on the device of their choice, at home. And there are times when that audience might want both.

The current scenario in the media and entertainment industry is a game-changer. We are witnessing a revolution in viewing habits that is unprecedented and has probably not been witnessed since the advent of colour television. Here, the role of technology not only has been to create contactless experiences for audiences at theatres, but also to offer options to content and theatre owners to reach wider audiences.

Right now, organisations need to be innovative and think out of the box in order to connect with their viewers. At Brightcove, we have powered virtual and live streaming events for several marquee arts and entertainment organisers and content owners during the past several months. For example, we helped Revry reach a diverse audience on its OTT service available in over 130 countries and empowered the Tribeca Film Festival to increase engagement with fans using Brightcove video, and powered the Dropkick Murphys Streaming Outta Fenway event that reached over 9 million viewers in 2020, raising over $700,000 for charities helping the community during COVID-19.

We know there is a growing trend of releasing movies on OTT platforms first, before they are sent to the theatres. As a result, we are encouraging customers to target and build their own digital suite of apps on mobile apps, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Smart TVs so that viewers can enjoy a lean-back experience in the comfort of their homes in the absence of visiting the theatres.

According to you, what is the future of multiplexes in the pandemic and post-pandemic?

With the pandemic being the current reality, cinema owners need to have a plan that offers an alternative to their brick and mortar movie halls. A good number of movie halls are going to have to move upmarket and charge more as they reduce the number of seats to cope with Government restrictions.

Offering an “online theatre” presents an opportunity for the shared experience, with the added opportunity to deliver unique content, including live interviews with movie stars or premium digital meet & greet experiences. These digital experiences can be online at a moment’s notice should cinema halls be closed for any number of reasons, thus ensuring minimal disruption to cinema watchers. Even as the current pandemic crisis is transforming the industry landscape, the hybrid model of online and offline is here to stay and it is the future.

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