Day 3 Coverage Thursday, March 27, 2008 FICCI Frames 2008: A final freeze-Frame The curtains came down on one more edition of FICCI Frames on Thursday evening. It was three days of hectic talk sessions, frenetic networking, and generally being a part of the great M&E jamboree in this part of the continent. The I&B Minister was conspicuous by his absence this year – which meant policy announcements were missing. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Co-productions work for animation Running a business has never been easy. With the multiple rules and regulations involved, co-productions have been tougher. The panel on ‘The Business of Animation: A global team effort’, shared their experiences on setting up and going forward with their business models in the animation industry, including television production and feature length theatrical animation films. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Changing trends in music – Time to tread new paths With the faster penetration of mobile telephony and growth of FM radio stations, the business of music is growing as well as changing, providing a whole world of options for listeners too. The session on ‘Changing trends in music’ on the concluding day of FICCI Frames 2008 had industry leaders and other stakeholders discussing the impact of changing listeners’ choice on the industry. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi are FICCI Frames ‘Living Legend’ Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi, who had acted together in Yash Chopra’s ‘Chandni’ years ago, were conferred with the FICCI Living Legend in Entertainment Industry Award 2008 for their excellent contribution to Bollywood on the concluding day of the Convention. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Traditional media get a digital twist The rapid growth of mobile phones has impacted traditional media in a big way, with both print and television media shifting to digital modes and increasingly using mobile phones and the Internet. This phenomenon is, in fact, resulting in the emergence of a whole new behaviour, called social broadcasting. Robin Thomas reports. more... FICCI Frames 2008: ‘Multiplexes: Multi-revenue streams’ Multiplexes have to be multi-purpose when it comes to revenue generation, this was how the session titled ‘Multiplexes: Multi-revenue streams’ can be summed up. Films are just one of the ways to earn revenues for a multiplex company. With the changing times and the radically changing nature of consumers, multiplexes have been forced to explore innovative ways to make more money. more... FICCI Frames 2008: ‘OOH advertising is the only medium that stands on its own creativity’ Out-of-Home advertising has been a poor cousin in terms of ad spends for years as compared to television and print. However, fevelopments in the digital arena have heralded a new revolution in these ‘traditional’ mediums. OOH advertising has been getting its share of benefits from the digital revolution in the form of newer display options and even some tracking tools. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Piracy eats up Rs 16,000 crore and 8.2 lakh jobs annually Staggering figures these and should jolt the industry and the Government into fighting piracy in a big way. A study carried out by Ernst & Young India for USIBC has some alarming figures to highlight how much piracy is harming the industry. According to the study, piracy is costing India to the tune of Rs 16,000 crore every year. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Post-Production: Talent pool can’t take you global What’s holding back the domestic film and entertainment industry from competing with the best in the word when it comes to post-production aspects like visual effects, 3D content, animation, etc? Is it the lack of talent pool or is it the lack of saleable content? Whatever be the reasons, the fact is that post-production is an area that the domestic industry needs some catching up, if it is compete with the West. more... FICCI Frames 2008: India sports, in Leagues of its own IPL. ICL, cricket and some more cricket dominated the session on ‘Sports: The big entertainment options’. First came Kerry Packer’s so-called ‘Pyjama Cricket’, then day and night matches, and now the Twenty20 format. From a serious game, cricket is increasingly assuming an entertainment format. The sparring by Ajay Jadeja and Lalit Modi further enlivened a lively discussion. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Looking at intellectual property through a 360-degree angle FICCI Frames 2008 ended with a valedictory session that saw speakers like Ron Somers, President, US Business Council (USIBC); Dr Amit Mitra, Secretary-General, FICCI; actor Ranbir Kapoor; Bobby Bedi, MD, Kaleidoscope; and Yash Chopra, Chairman, FICCI Frames, discuss the importance of intellectual property. more... Day 2 Coverage Wednesday, March 26, 2008 FICCI Frames 2008: Exploring media choices Some debates have a way of remaining a debate in perpetuity. Like, for instance, whether content is king or distribution is God. Going a little bit forward, the morning of Day 2 at FICCI Frames 2008 saw a lively debate on ‘What, Where and How: Media choices in the expanding Universe’. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Regional Cinema – Needed, efficient marketing & promotion The session on regional cinema had a list of industry veterans pondering over the issues and challenges facing the regional film industry in the country. The brainstorming session focused on how language is hampering growth of regional cinema inspite of the availability of quality talent and content in plenty. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Listen to the future! Today, the airwaves are alive with more than the sound of music. In the session enthusiastically titled ‘Radio Rocks’, panelists at FICCI Frames 2008 were gaga over the medium, calling it cost-effective, easy to access, delivering content on a local basis, etc. Radio honchos had a lot of relevant points to make at the session. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Perception change needed to increase talent pool Despite being one of the fastest growing in the world, the Indian media and entertainment industry is still plagued by lack of trained and skilled manpower and a good talent pool. Talent is not created but nurtured, and both industry and government must work together to resolve this problem, felt experts at FICCI Frames 2008. more... FICCI Frames 2008: ‘IP is precious, guard it’ Intellectual Property is a valuable asset for content owners and distributors alike. However, confusing rules and regulations governing this aspect of animation in India have marred its progress. FICCI Frames 2008, through its session on ‘Animation IP Creation, Protection and Life Cycle’, tried to give some clarity on the topic. more... FICCI Frames 2008: BAF Awards put the spotlight on India’s best in animation, VFX and gaming Day 2 of the ongoing FICCI Frames 2008 in Mumbai concluded with the BAF Awards. The Awards honour excellence in animation, visual effects and gaming segments of the entertainment industry. This year, the popular ‘Return of Hanuman’ bagged the BAF Award for Best Animated Feature Film. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Digital cinema to grow the domestic market Digital cinema in India is expected to change the face of ‘traditional’ cinema business, just as Internet and mobile have changed the face of communication. Besides growing the domestic market digital cinema can also play a pivotal role in curbing piracy. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Convergence is the need of the hour Day 2 at FICCI Frames 2008 began with an interesting panel discussion on ‘What, Where & How: Media choices in the expanding universe’. With the exit of analog and entry of digital TV options like IPTV, HDTV, DTH, digital video recorders, etc., new challenges and opportunities have emerged in the broadcast sector. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Online vs Traditional Media – threat or opportunity? In a dog-eats-dog world, it is the survival of the fittest – or for that matter, the fastest – that matters. With the coming in of multiple New Age options and platforms, will traditional media lose out its sheen to online? The session on ‘Online Media Platforms: Creating an audience of one and a billion’ sought to explore this angle. more... FICCI Frames 2008: ‘Speed up film distribution to curb piracy’ The Box Office has been the traditional barometer of a film’s success. However, with the advent of digital media, film distribution and marketing have newer mediums for expanding the audience base. Now is the time to look beyond the Box Office. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Tapping the various revenue streams in Indian animation Licensing and merchandising of animated characters have become the norm today, and with the industry reaching a worth of a few billion dollars in a market like the US, possibilities have opened up, and everyone wants a piece of the pie. It has become important to ensure that revenue streams don’t dry up felt speakers at FICCI Frames 2008. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Freedom of expression or social responsibility - The tussle continues ‘Freedom is the lifeblood of entertainment and media, it is our breath, and we shall protect it from dying’: the ever-effervescent Mahesh Bhatt with his take on freedom of speech and expression. ‘Media and Entertainment guys must abjure social responsibilities and stick to what they know best, because the decisions that government officials take are often hypocritical’, thus spake Pritish Nandy. And the debate continues. more... FICCI Frames 2008: What kind of films click today? Nobody knows! When successful Indian filmmakers took the dais at Day 2 of FICCI Frames 2008, several questions were raised on what works the best in filmmaking. The only answer that came up from the overly-heated discussion was that the business of filmmaking is intricate, and that nobody knows what works the best at the Box Office. more... Day 1 Coverage Tuesday, March 25, 2008 FICCI Frames 2008: Frame by Frame The 9th edition of FICCI Frames opened with quiet dignity on Tuesday morning with renowned flautist Rakesh Chaurasia enthralling the delegates. Seminal ideas, analytical points and some policy issues are a sine qua non for major industry conventions of this scale and stature. FICCI Frames 2008 had its share on the opening day. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Vernacular media – power unleashed The session on ‘Resurgence of language media’ explored the dynamics, growth and the future potential of the language media -- both print and audio-visual, across the country. more... FICCI Frames 2008: I said so... FICCI Frames 2008 got off to a resounding start. And as expected, audiences were subjected to a host of offerings on the content as well as networking front. exchange4media’s Tasneem Limbdiwala asked a few from the gathering on what mattered to them the most -- attending the sessions or networking? Read to know what they said… more... FICCI Frames 2008: M&E Industry: Sustaining the blockbuster growth The Indian entertainment sector has been registering a ‘blockbuster growth’, thanks to a buoyant economy. But steps need to be taken to sustain this growth. This formed the basis of discussion in the session on ‘Blockbuster growth - Indian entertainment, what will make the boom bigger?’ more... FICCI Frames 2008: Financing celluloid dreams There is no biz like showbiz, and given the booming entertainment industry in India, emerging trends and film finance options were discussed at length at the session on ‘Raising Capital: Showbiz attracts the moolah’. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Building stronger ties between India and the world FICCI Frames 2008 has generated a lot of interest not just in India but among the large number of foreign delegates as well. The opening day saw special addresses by guests of honour, including Stewart Beck, Assistant Deputy Minister, Investment, Innovation and Sectors, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Canada; Dominique Dreyer, Ambassador of Switzerland to India; and Viviane Reding, European Commissioner, Information Society & Media, European Commission. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Content, piracy and ratings, again! FICCI Frames 2008 took off on a strong note in Mumbai on March 25. Yash Chopra and Kunal Dasgupta set the tone for the Forum by taking up several issues at the inaugural session. Topping every discussion was the rating system and the menace of piracy. more... FICCI Frames 2008: No time to bask in animated glory With animation in India assuming growth of gigantic proportions, it would be important for the industry to first focus on providing quality content, understand the medium properly, and make deeper inroads into the Indian market. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Of eyeballs and credibility There have been several instances in the past when editors of Indian News channels have been stuck between taking a call whether to relay news that lack wisdom but guarantee a high viewership. In their race to be one up, are News channels compromising content with sensationalism? more... FICCI Frames 2008: Ensuring houseful on first day, first show Gone are the days when a film went on to achieve Golden Jubilee or Silver Jubilee success. With multiple distribution channels, marketing tie-ups with print, radio, television, Internet, etc., available, a good opening weekend becomes critical for a movie’s success. How does one ensure that a film opens to a houseful? more... FICCI Frames 2008: Television and its shifting patterns Indian television is going through major changes in content, which is constantly redefining itself. Do we see TV channels falling into niche segments and breaking down into sub-genres in the coming year? What would be future trends for Indian television content? more... Curtain Raiser Monday, March 24, 2008 FICCI Frames 2008: Exploring the great big outdoor as an advertising medium The out-of-home space gained much momentum during 2007. The guesstimated growth figures stand at around Rs 1,500 crore per annum, with OOH medium’s share of the total advertising pie at around 6-7 per cent. But now there is need to look at OOH beyond a reminder medium. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Print is still king when it comes to advertisers In a scenario where Indian media is spoilt for choices with the onset of newer media platforms, print seems to be losing its charm, particularly in light of what has been happening in the West. However, there is might left yet in print as a medium. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Radio players visualise growth amid various challenges According to a recent FICCI-PWC report, the radio sector in India is poised to become a Rs 1,200-crore industry by the end of the decade. But the medium has several challenges to surmount – music royalty costs, content differentiation, infrastructure, etc. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Is India the next destination for sports marketing? Sports marketing hasn’t been very big in India, till Indian Premier League (IPL) happened, and suddenly corporates are putting in mega bucks on players and teams, all in the name of the game. But what about other games like hockey, football or tennis? more... FICCI Frames 2008: India M&E to be worth Rs 1.157 trillion by 2012: FICCI-PWC report The Indian Entertainment and Media (E&M) industry, which has been showing a steady growth, is poised for a bigger leap now with digilatisation and convergence being adopted in a big way. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Shake it up baby! It’s Frames time We live in a digital universe where there will be a gradual shift from multi-service networks to multi-network services. The future empires in the media will be empires of the mind. The consumer in this digital universe will be pulled in two directions. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Waiting for the real media convergence to begin Digital has been the toast in recent years. FICCI Frames 2008, too, has planned several discussions and seminars around this growing medium. Though media convergence would be big in the digital era, ground realities in India are far different and pose quite a few challenges. more... FICCI Frames 2008: Spotlight on the business of Media & Entertainment from 25 March FICCI Frames 2008, the annual convention of the media and entertainment (M&E) industry gets underway in Mumbai from March 25, 2008. The three-day event will cover the entire gamut of M&E like films, TV, radio, digital entertainment, animation, gaming, visual effects, etc. The inaugural session would see Minister for Information and Broadcasting, PR Dasmunsi, release the FICCI-PWC report on the M&E industry. more...