COVID-19 AND THE FILM INDUSTRY
The coronavirus global pandemic has disrupted many a business in its usual run with an onslaught
of new rules and clampdowns. It has upended the film industry causing seismic waves of disruption
throughout and has kind of been in free fall. Some of the biggest hits came from the closure of
production spaces and the shutdown of theatres – once the outlet for entertainment, now perceived
as a hotspot for the virus. Apart from the actual traditional method of filming, there is also many
creative decision making such as casting or costume or set design that faces difficulties in getting
done in todays socially distanced society. Films require massive collaboration between a number of
people staring from the directors and producers to the editors and artists to the marketing and
promotional team and remote work affects the level of decision making required. This has
ultimately not only shut theatres but also resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs and a shocking
loss of revenue given that the lockdown has been effective for more than seven months now and
only now has guidelines as per Unlock 5.0 specified that theatres can open.
However, in these times movie makers have found ways to side step these obstacles. Some have
chosen to commercialise on the present pandemic and have come up with plot-lines that centre
around the coronavirus. Others have started by diversifying into movies shot on their webcams or
so. Production houses and studios are currently looking into investing in safety measures that would
enable socially distanced productions. Researchers say that trends show that investments in digital
technologies will rise since it will help reduce a lot of work that may otherwise have required inperson input. The team at True Code believes that virtual production and post-production
mechanisms will now be maximum utilised in as many stages of the project as possible from
scripting to post-editing.
Research also shows that OTT’s have however been cashing in on this opportunity. Streaming sites,
especially the OG’s like Netflix and Amazon Prime have seen a rapid surge in subscriptions and we
are seeing new streaming services being launched in the present day. Production studios too have
hopped on with this trend and are now directly porting with these streaming services and providing
them with exclusive releases. Researchers at True Code state that this shows a changing trend in
general preference of viewing styles. The comfort of watching from home may trump the previous
levels of viewership in theatre. However, the theatrical experience with its big screen magic has a
unique niche and cannot be replaced completely since certain kinds of movies are made for the big
screen.
The film industry is a global industry amassing large amounts of revenue. The key to the success of
a project lies in a multitude of factors ranging from the audience to the current social environment.
This is where market research comes into play. It is an uncertain time for the industry, and it
becomes all the more important for a project to be deeply delved into so as to produce a
comprehensive market research on all the focal aspects that may directly or indirectly effect or
impact the films acceptance. It is crucial that all the aspects from the story line to the characters is
studied from the point of view of its target audience. We, at True Code think that it is pragmatic to
conduct detailed market research before delving into the project. Before the deliverance of the
movie to the general public, especially in uncertain times as these, it is necessary that due market
research be carried out in order to avoid any losses that may arise and at True Code you can avail
these at the best.
