JOIN USCrash course on how not to lose money on films
You could call it the marketplace of cinema. The only difference at Film Bazaar, a segment at the ongoing 12th edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes), is that what is exchanged is knowledge of the cinema trade and not any moolah.
Film Bazaar features popular directors, producers and artistic directors who share their perspectives on what goes into the successful marketing of a film. This is the first time in 12 years that BIFFes has such a section.
“The Kannada industry makes a large number of films every year, and we have up to seven releases a week. Except for one or two, the rest are unnoticed and producers incur huge losses,” says Teshi Venkatesh, director, producer, and president of the Karnataka Film Directors’ Association. He is also the director of Film Bazaar.
An annual investment of Rs 500 crore goes into the Kannada film industry but the returns aren’t even half. “Producers have no knowledge or the wherewithal to market their products. Earlier, we had enough theatres to show our films but with the onset of television, we’ve lost a chunk of the viewers, including women,” explains Teshi.
Digital platforms like Amazon and Netflix have further weaned away theatre-going audiences. “Directors and producers are now forced to make movies for such digital platforms. The thinking and the investment patterns are changing at a fast pace,” he explains.
Film Bazaar will host the who’s who of the Kannada film industry. “There are around 2,000 rights the world over for a film. Here, we make use of only four or five, such as theatrical, audio, remake, dubbing and satellite. We don’t know how to use the rest of the rights to our advantage. We will talk about this at the bazaar,” says Teshi.
Many members of the director’s association have pitched in to attract young talents to Film Bazaar. Laiju Sebastian, committee member of the Karnataka Film Directors Association and a studio owner, says, “There are producers eager to make their money but they need to exploit technology to sell their films.” BR Keshav has directed 54 films. His latest ‘Gundappana Circle’ was released a fortnight ago.
“Film Bazaars are a regular fixture at film festivals in Goa and Mumbai but we’ve never had one in Bengaluru,” he says.
“Young filmmakers whose films don’t do well lose interest after a while. There is no collective effort to keep their interests alive,” he observes. He expects Film Bazaar to instil confidence in young filmmakers.
Rs 500 cr: Annual investment in Kannada films (Recovery less than half, say producers)
2,000 Film rights across platforms
5 (Kannada filmmakers aware of only four or five — theatre, satellite, remake, OTT, TV…)
Two-day trade show
About 250 stalls will come up for a two-day exhibition at the Sheraton Hotel in Bengaluru on March 2 and 3. “These are a continuation of Film Bazaar. We have invited about 250 buyers from across the country. There will be agents, producers and filmmakers. The exhibition will serve as a platform for the exchange of ideas and networking,” adds Film Bazaar director Teshi Venkatesh.
Why we need film bazaars
These bazaars offer a platform to discuss filmmaking and cover various aspects related to cinema, including trade and technology, distribution challenges and how a product can be placed in a market framework. It is also a space where sellers and buyers come together to talk about films and potential deals. The discussions and talks focus on enhancing the quality of filmmaking which involves strengthening of the technical and educational bases of filmmaking.
Topics discussed
- Distribution
- Use of technology in filmmaking
- Marketing of cinema
- Legal rights in filmmaking
- Rights involved in the making and marketing of films
- Production and risks involved
- Quality control
Topics covered
- Film rights
- How to use technology