Industry stakeholders feel there is good scope ahead for Kannada content on digital mediums

Over the weekend, Bangalore Times had a panel discussion involving various members of the Kannada film industry, about the future of Kannada content on digital platforms. The discussion had all of them agreeing that this is still the nascent stage of the emergence of platforms and there is good scope for content oriented films and shows to shine on the digital medium.Excerpts from the chat...
Encourage makers of good content
Actress Sruthi Hariharan, who has fronted a Tamil web series and also had digital releases, says, "There is enough scope for good content oriented productions. But, what is important is for actors to be mindful about the payment. Since the medium is still evolving, this is a good time for actors and technicians to diversify and take a cut in payments if needed, to encourage the makers to establish good content online first."
The right collaborations are the way forward
Filmmaker Roopa Rao also echoed similar views and said collaborations are the way forward, as did filmmaker Adarsh Eshwarappa. They maintained that good collaborations and support from every quarter will be the only way forward in ensuring good content on these mediums. Roopa says, "This will ensure filmmakers and storytellers get the opportunity to share stories without worrying about reception in cinema halls. The platforms will ensure a greater reach and more scope for original content." Adarsh adds, "Eventually, content will be the real star of this medium as it is easy for one to choose to exit if they do not like the content. This will ensure content is now measured to global standards, which is a welcome move."
When stars back newbies
Another welcome trend is bigger stars and production houses backing newcomers and new filmmakers. "We have stars like Puneeth Rajkumar already doing this. There are more like this. Our first production, Ratnan Prapancha, is also being made keeping in mind the bigger audience in the digital space. We need to ensure filmmakers understand the problems and challenges of this medium and it would be a good move to get a body to help people understand this too," producer and distributor Karthik Gowda opines.
A boom time for writing
Writer Chandrajith Belliappa, part of the Seven Odds, believes that the future holds good prospects for writers. "We have been understanding the fast evolving ethos of the digital space. This will ensure we have more onus on writers, as content oriented work is what will be appreciated. There are limitations or restrictions that one has to keep in mind when writing cinema for theatrical releases. The emergence of digital strongholds will ensure we do not need to focus on that," he adds.
Industry watcher and content curator Harish Mallya too finds this space to be more encouraging for films that found it hard to find that theatrical release. "We have had films that did well on the festival circuit release on niche platforms, but only a few would watch them. The growth of Kannada digital platforms will be an encouraging trend for filmmakers in this space, as there can be greater exposure if this is tapped well," he points out.
Looking for individual content
Filmmaker SD Arvinda and actor-art director Avinash S Divakar, who are set to launch a digital platform for Kannada audiences, believe that there is ample space for Kannada content to grow digitally, but it is not an easy journey. "We need to ensure we get people to understand the content that is on offer and give them a wide range of shows and films before we gain their trust. It will take months of understanding the content consumption behaviour before the digital space opens up," shares Arvinda. Avinash adds, "There is also a wide range of cultural content that can be offered, right from our dialects to the different regions of Karnataka. This is an untapped space."
Pradeepa, who heads the Kannada digital wing of a national platform, too agrees, saying it is the micro content that is where the future lies. "We are in the nascent stages and it will definitely see an upward swing. We need to wait and ensure we keep producing good content. This is the only way we will ensure the audience will come back for more. We need more content from local makers talking about native stories too, for better representation of Kannada culture," he explains.