OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ Hotstar are all the rage right now due to the lack of open theaters and their current boom so many filmmakers have decided to release their films directly on OTT – skipping theaters entirely. Films like ‘Raat Akeli Hai’, ‘Gulabo Sitabao’, ‘Dil Bechara’, and ‘Gunjan Saxena’ among others have found solace digitally despite the theatre restrictions in these uncertain times.
So it’s no surprise that many regional filmmakers would also like to pursue this path as well. The only problem? Lack of access to streaming giants.
Regional filmmakers usually don’t have big-name production backing them, nor do they have the same access that Hindi filmmakers have so they’re left with only one alternative – that is consulting. These consultants charge an exorbitant fee from streaming platforms for the rights of these films by promising them a large audience base that’ll subscribe to the platform to watch those films.
But this tactic has burned a hole in the pockets of OTTs because until now, none of the big-ticket purchases have proved their mettle in entertaining audiences or garnering the desired views for the platform.
This arrangement seems to only have worked for the middle men until now as they earn a substantial fee from the transaction and leave the producers and platforms high and dry. The platforms are wary of taking on more such projects while producers are scouring for a home for their films.
The only plausible way forward seems to be to cut out these consultants and judge these films on their content, not on their so-called “appeal”. Only then will good cinema find its way on our screens and streaming platforms earn a decent buck.
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