BEHINDWOODS COLUMN

Every day, every week, we the public witness a slew of movie releases happening relentlessly in the realms we dwell upon.  In the case of Tamil Nadu, every week sees the release of at least three local language (read Tamil) movies, a couple of other language or dubbed movies are releasing. At times, in a single month more than twenty local language movies flurry the cinemas and as fate works out, mostly they fail to leave an impression in the minds of public, bomb at box offices and finds asylum in television channels to be telecast ‘first time in the TV universe’. Most of the times, these ill-fated movies turn out to be small budget movies. Ironically, only these small budget movies are surviving Tamil film industry albeit in a small way. Few years ago, the whole industry was on the verge of collapse due to the new corporate production homes’ blunders and further fuelled by their bungled modus operandi.

Small budget producers give opportunity and life to aspirational new faces in acting, directorial and technical streams of the film industry by debuting them. Nevertheless, even most of the commendable small budget movies disappear without a trace. Ever wondered why?

Just ask anyone the success recipe for a movie; pat comes the reply that it is a good storyline. There are a lot of folks who firmly trust that a good storyline alone could make a movie blockbuster. All I want to tell them is, there are so many movies out there with great story and bombed at cinemas. People wonder why they did not click when they get to see them during TV telecasts. The reality is; good story and screenplay alone cannot make the film a success. Beyond good content, marketing is imperative for a film’s success. Even amidst who realized this fact the Tamil film industry fraternity, only a fraction has implemented the tactics and succeeded.

Present dynamics demand anywhere between a few to hundred and fifty crore rupees to produce a Tamil film. How do the investors sell this huge investment? Scenarios like any novice could make tall claims on the collection of the movie with so called authentic database, which could make veterans of film industry go weak in the knees. Are such claims real in the first place? How many of us know the amount of funds, labour and skill sets it takes to release a movie is almost equal to that of produce a movie? From my film distribution encounters and movie theater know-how, I would like to you on these discreet, rarely known and heretical trade facts of cinema trade through this book.

…to be continued

- Translator : Rangs