The COVID-19 pandemic has further altered the film entertainment landscape, especially how people watch cinema. Previously, audiences were more willing to go to theaters and view even below-average films. That has dramatically altered with the advent of the pandemic. Naga Vamsi, an extremely prolific producer, recently gave some insights into the effects it has brought about on audiences as well as the industry at large.
Pre-Pandemic: The Theater Experience
It was nothing less than a part of movie-watching experience until COVID-19 entered our lives. Even if the movie was quite an ordinary one, people crowded cinemas for that experience alone-big screens and high-quality sound systems. It was not about the quality of the movie at all but about the sociality attached to movie-going and excitement and anticipation in the new ones. This was the period when even low-budget, runaway movies were received with fairly consistent attendance appreciation from filmmakers and producers.
Post-Pandemic: A Change in Audiences
But the pandemic itself has given a turn to the audience behavior; Naga Vamsi mentioned that the audiences have become more choosy regarding what they see in the cinema hall. The rise of OTT streaming platforms and viewership at home make them picky about what to watch theatrically; now, only those films can work well at the box office that have a good buzz, praise, or star power.
Audiences are no longer willing to throw their money at the cinema door on the ticket for a movie that strikes them as unremarkable. Instead, they wait until it reaches streaming services wherein they can watch from the comfort of their seats in the house and at no added cost or bother. This was huge pressure for the producers and filmmakers to produce quality content that would attract audiences back into theaters.
OTT platforms: Decline in Demand for Average Movies
Contemporary and holistic analysis. After the pandemic, OTT platforms also became choosy. Today, they don’t buy films as readily as they used to in the earlier days, says Naga Vamsi. In the past, platforms went to the market with any and all kinds of films. Today, however, they are not really interested in content, but content that had a real possibility of engaging subscribers. As the market gets overwhelmed with choices, OTT platforms are focusing on quality more than quantity, once again creating an immense need to produce differentiated content.
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Conclusion: The Future of Cinema
The pandemic has brought about permanent changes in the manner in which people consume films. As Naga Vamsi cited, both OTT and movie halls now demand movies to be a commercial success or at least a sure hit at least. The time when audiences would sit in a cinema complex without caring which movie was being screened is over. Moving forward, filmmakers and producers should consider the new landscape presented by having to deliver exceptional stories which can win both on the big screen as well as over the streaming platform.
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