The biggest challenge for Tollywood producers is the ratings given by the media, how do they give it? On what basis is it given? The key task seems to be to find out.
Actually this is not the task before the Tollywood producers. Yesterday yesterday producer Bunny Vas came up with a new idea. The media was seated on the stage and a question-and-answer program was conducted by hand microphones to celebrities like Allu Arvind and Dil Raju. Actually this idea is good. But how are the actual ratings given to this show as a whole? Media-Ratings is no different except as a discussion program.
There are two things here. One thing happened… two things didn’t happen… something more important had to happen.
Ratings are the ultimate process for a movie. The rating comes after the movie has completed all the work and hit the theaters. It can be through media. It can be through social media. All in all, only after the movie hits the theater. They may be the ones who give the ratings after the movie is released in the theatre. If it is great, there will be a hundred people. These include websites and social media handles. Lakhs of people watch the movie on the first day. These ratings are also viewed by lakhs of people.
That means lakhs of people will watch the movie directly. Millions of people check the rating first without watching the movie. Word of mouth publicity is what millions of people who directly watch the movie say. It is called word of mouth. This is the key to any movie. In the rating given by hundreds of people, only tens of them have credibility. All the focus of the producers is on these. The producers have a strong belief that if they get the rating here, the film will pass.
But in the case of ratings, there are two or three types. Critics rating and commercial success of the film is a kind of match. The second type is the difference between critics rating and commercial success. Not playing even if rated here. There are different aspects of playing without rating. ‘Manamantha’ produced by Sai Korrapati got very good ratings. Four stars, after that. But the film is left with losses. Many movies have two and a half ratings. But they achieved huge commercial success.
What should be noted here is that the rating is given based on many factors like story, narration, quality making of the movie. Critics say this is not a good movie. People can watch it. For example, if the Bhagavad Gita is sold in the bazaar, not even ten people may buy it. If you sell the book, you can buy it. That is not to say that the rating given to Bhagavad Gita is a waste and the rating given to Boothu book is wrong.
The big problem is that producers and film people only look at ratings and leave reviews. If you look at the whole review, the film has all its good and bad points. Then it will be clear where their movie is good and where it fails. Apart from that, just looking at the rating gives detailed clarity that the critics did not like the movies that are liked by the people.
There are some problems even from critics’ side. They have been limited to critics’ multiplexes for years. Mass movies are to be seen occasionally in theaters of BC centers. Then people are responding to any scene in the theater. There is an understanding that there is no scene. The response in multiplexes, especially in press shows, is different. Below is the response in the single theater of BC centers. That is why single people choose single theaters to watch movies. The success of the movie is judged by the response there.
In this case, the producers asked the media questions only about the reviews. But this is not the only thing that is needed. How to take the film to the masses has now become crucial. Press meets, interviews, Q&As, college visits are becoming routine. It is like hearing with this ear and leaving with that ear. Whoever goes to a small movie or a big movie, gets a warm welcome in colleges. But the ticket for the movie is not available. What does it mean.. People are seeing all this as just a time pass entertainment. They are going to the movie they want to go to.
How to reach the masses of cinema in the digital age and social media era. How to bring buzz is the biggest problem faced by the producers. These are the days when the people who have clapped for the movie are deciding. Should I go to this movie on the first day and first week? don’t you that If you want to decide, the combination is crucial. After that the buzz should be increased from the through out making.
It would have been better if the producers interacted with the media and reviewed the situation. But that effort was not made by the Kotabommali film team. Now the promotion of the film has reached a routine. Dropping first look, teaser, songs, teaser, trailer, one or two press meets in between, going around town, game shows has reached a fixed format.
After the advent of digital and social media companies, pan India publicity, various states and national media have come up with new affairs. But what producers need to know is that some films don’t need to be done at all. A Rajamouli movie does not need local publicity. But for big movies, Telugu theater has not turned around. But publicity problem is only for small and middle class films.
The key to this is how to bring people to the theater. Movies that failed in the theater and did not play in the theater are pouring in OTT. Cause, there’s free. Something to watch every week. Therefore, the opening is decreasing in OTT as well. Seeing that, they are under the illusion that the ratings have killed their film, but they are breaking even in OTT.
Ratings are just one item like news in newspapers. That is not the point of the movie. Reviews are also a part of media profession and content. Producers focus on that and forget the real thing. In other words, even though they know their failures, they remain silent.
Directors cannot be controlled. One hundred and ninety percent producers cannot control the story and quality at all. Cost not controlled. If you do all this, you will get a proper movie. There is a possibility of getting the correct rating.
Why are the directors making all the films sitting on the stage and the producers holding the mic. Why are you wasting money? Can you explain why the script is so bad? There is no such possibility.
Tollywood is facing many problems. There are many challenges. If you leave it all, think only reviews are the problem and live in delusion, nobody can do anything.
