<ul><li>MUBI subscribers now get a chance to enjoy hand-picked films on the big screen. </li><li>First weekly curated <keyword id="9444894" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MUBI-GO" source="Orion">MUBI GO</keyword> film is Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All At Once </li><li>Subscribers can redeem their weekly ticket via the MUBI GO app and also receive access to the MUBI streaming platform. </li></ul>Mubi, the global streaming service, production company, and film distributor has partnered with <keyword id="89807" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="pvr-cinemas" source="Orion">PVR Cinemas</keyword> to launch MUBI GO, previously introduced in 2019 for Indian audiences. Starting today, MUBI members will again be able to enjoy watching globally acclaimed films in <keyword id="799" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="pvr" source="Orion">PVR</keyword> <keyword id="6376098" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="cinemas" source="Orion">cinemas</keyword> across India as part of their subscription. MUBI GO provides members with the opportunity to see a hand-picked film, chosen by MUBI’s curators, in PVR cinemas each week. Subscribers can redeem their weekly ticket via the MUBI GO app and also receive access to the MUBI streaming platform. New users can subscribe to MUBI GO at an introductory offer of just ₹2499 for a one year subscription, available only for a limited period. The films selected for MUBI GO each week will highlight incredible cinema from around the globe, including titles from partner distributors that will not appear on MUBI’s streaming platform. This week’s hand-picked film for India is Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s acclaimed Everything Everywhere All at Once. The cast includes Michelle Yeoh (Crazy Rich Asians, Tomorrow Never Dies), Stephanie Hsu (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Set It Up), Ke Huy Quan (Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom) and Jamie Lee Curtis (Knives Out, True Lies), among others. It’s a film about an aging Chinese immigrant swept up in an insane adventure, where she alone can save the world by exploring other universes connecting with the lives she could have led. Svetlana Naudiyal, Programming Director, Asia commented: “As the biggest fans of the theatrical experience, we are thrilled to bring back MUBI GO in India, in association with PVR Cinemas. We truly believe in celebrating cinema in all forms and therefore it gives us great joy that we are able to do our bit for the film distribution ecosystem through. MUBI GO received immense love and appreciation on its launch prior to the pandemic. We are excited that our members can once again watch amazing films not only online but also in real cinemas across the country.” Commenting on the renewal of the partnership after PVR Cinemas reopened after the pandemic, Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, Joint Managing Director, PVR Limited, said, “Film exhibition business was one of the earliest and the hardest to be hit by the global pandemic and everyone thought that the golden days of cinema was over. However PVR as a brand showed resilience by continuing to redefine itself, personalize experiences and stay relevant to changing times. It always believed that OTT as home entertainment and Cinemas as out-of-home entertainment will co-exist. The renewal of the PVR and MUBI GO association after cinemas are back in action demonstrates this belief”. MUBI GO : How does it work? <ul><li>Each week, MUBI’s curators hand-pick a new film opening in theaters as the “Film of the Week.” </li><li>Members receive a ticket code generated via the MUBI GO app that can be presented each week at participating theaters to claim one complimentary ticket. </li><li>By subscribing to MUBI GO, members will also receive full access to Mubi’s streaming platform. </li><li>For a limited time, new users can sign up for a one-year MUBI GO subscription at a special discounted price of ₹2499 (regularly priced at ₹3,588). </li></ul>MUBI GO launched in 2018 in the UK, 2019 in India and Ireland, 2021 in the US.

MUBI brings back MUBI GO – partners with PVR Cinemas to give subscribers one free ticket every week

Mumbai, June 22 2020: The curated streaming service MUBI has announced that it will be bringing over 200 new Indian films, including titles from acclaimed experimental director Amit Dutta to its <keyword id="7908455" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="MUBI-India">MUBI INDIA</keyword> channel starting next month. Partnerships with local distributors including AP International, FilmKaravan, GoQuest, Matra Publications, NFDC, Niv Arts, Shemaroo and Vista India will expand MUBI INDIA’s line-up of new and classic regional cinema to show more films in Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati and other languages to truly represent the diversity of filmmaker talent across India. A collaboration with one of India’s most prolific directors, Amit Dutta, will see the filmmaker’s acclaimed library of films start showing on MUBI in July. His award-winning work has previously been screened at festivals and cultural organisations worldwide, but has never been made widely available, making MUBI the first-ever platform to show his films online. The intoxicating NAINSUKH (2010) will start showing on July 18, followed by the world premiere of his latest film WITTGENSTEIN PLAYS CHESS WITH MARCEL DUCHAMP OR HOW NOT TO DO PHILOSOPHY (2020) on July 19. Additional selections include SAATVIN SAIR (2013), MUSEUM OF IMAGINATION (2012), and CHITRASHALA (2015). Other upcoming highlights will include a collection of Tamil films from AP International including, VAAZHKAI (A.V. Meiyappan, 1949), POKKIRI RAJA (S. P. Muthuraman,1982), ALAIPAYUTHEY (Mani Ratnam, 2000) and BOW BOW (S Pradeep Kilikar, 2019), as well as Malayalam films ADAMINTE MAKAN ABU (Salim Ahamed, 2011), and CITY OF GOD (Lijo Jose Pellissery, 2011). MUBI will also show Kabir Singh Chowdhry's MEHSAMPUR (2018) next month, and Shazia Iqbal's acclaimed short film BEBAAK (2019) in August. Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s S DURGA (2017) from Niv Arts will also be coming to MUBI soon, along with three other features from the director including his debut film ORAALPPOKKAM (2014). Other highlights hand-picked by MUBI’s curators include PAKEEZAH (Kamal Amrohi, 1972) and AAKROSH (Govind Nihalani, 1980) from Shemaroo’s library, CELLULOID MAN (Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, 2012) from Vista India, AAKALER SANDHANE (Mrinal Sen, 1980) from GoQuest and MISS LOVELY (Ashim Ahluwalia, 2012) and I.D (Kamal K. M, 2012) from FilmKaravan. Svetlana Naudiyal, Director of Content for MUBI INDIA said: “One of our key goals is to consistently put a spotlight on the diversity of Indian Cinema—the multitude of narratives, forms, and languages. Showing Amit Dutta’s ingenious work on MUBI is a dream for us, and we’re incredibly excited to begin a special dedicated to his films next month. We are also thrilled to take a significant step in language diversity on MUBI INDIA with our upcoming long-term focus on Tamil and Malayalam cinema.” Recent highlights on MUBI INDIA include KUSH (Shubhashish Bhutiani, 2013), SIVAPURANAM (Arun Karthick, 2016) and GAMAK GHAR (Achal Mishra, 2019), which was the top viewed title on the film channel for five weeks running. In addition to working directly with many other independent filmmakers and studios, MUBI has previously signed deals with other major distribution partners in India including Sony Pictures Television India, Impact Films, PVR Pictures, and Ultra Media. MUBI also partnered with PVR Cinemas to launch its cinema-going initiative MUBI GO in India in November 2019. For further information please contact: press@mubi.com About MUBI MUBI is a curated streaming service. An ever-changing collection of hand-picked films. From new directors to award-winners. From everywhere on earth. Beautiful, interesting, incredible movies — a new one, every single day. Always chosen by us. MUBI is available to watch in 190 countries, and the films we pick are guided by local cultures and cinema. We are the world’s biggest community of film-lovers, with over 10 million members around the globe. You can stream or download all our movies, anytime. On any screen or device, anywhere. And you’ll never see a single ad on MUBI. Ever. Subscription plans are INR 499 a month or INR 4,788 for 12 months. MUBI is available on the web, Amazon Fire TV, Hisense, LG, Sony and Samsung Smart TVs, as well as on mobile devices including iPad, iPhone and Android. MUBI has offices in London, New York, Kuala Lumpur, and Mumbai. Disclaimer: Business Insider India and Mubi India both are partners in Times Bridge in India.

MUBI unveils huge selection of local language cinema coming to MUBI INDIA, including films in Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Christian Dwarica runs an <keyword id="819905" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword> account called <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thefilmzone/">the Film Zone</a> that has 1.2 million followers.</li><li>By striking partnerships with media brands, he's on track to net six figures, he tells Insider. </li><li>In an interview, he talks about his path growing the brand and what's next. </li></ul>Christian Dwarica sat in his off-campus apartment near the University of Texas, Austin. It was mid-January 2019, the start of a new semester. He should have been studying, perhaps, but instead, he was pondering what movie to watch. There were simply too many options, Dwarica recalled. So he turned to his friend with a suggestion: "What if I made a place for people to figure out what the hell to watch?" A few days later, Dwarica launched an Instagram account called <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thefilmzone/">the Film Zone</a> to give movie and television recommendations through stills and videos. The account has since expanded to post behind-the-scenes content and host live Q&amp;As with directors such as M. Night Shyamalan.Today the 24-year-old has over 1.2 million followers and has struck partnerships with the likes of Hulu, Tubi, and Saint Laurent to promote upcoming content. The influencer space is worth <a href="https://mediakix.com/blog/instagram-influencer-marketing-industry-size-how-big/">a billion</a>, and striking brand partnerships with media organizations is a half a billion industry in its own right, according to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joegagliese/?originalSubdomain=ca">Joe Gagliese</a>, CEO of marketing agency <a href="https://www.viralnation.com">ViralNation</a>. Honing in on his niche of "a new TV Guide," Dwarica says he's on track to earn six figures this year from the <keyword id="681" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="film">Film</keyword> Zone. In August, he's hosting an Instagram film festival to highlight upcoming talent. He has plans to produce his own original content, too. He's currently working on a post about how silent films influenced people like Jackie Chan and Wes Anderson.In an interview with Insider, Dwarica reveals the strategies he used to grow the account and strike key partnerships.<h2>He posted at least two times a day to stay visible and keep up with demand </h2>Dwarica wanted to study film in college. Born in New Jersey, Dwarica also lived in Guadalajara, Mexico, before returning to the US with his family around the age of 14, settling in San Antonio, Texas. He studied advertising in college because his parents told him it would help him land a job. Spoiler alert: It didn't.So, he combined his knowledge of advertising with his passion for film, dedicating more time to the Film Zone throughout his final year in college, posting poignant images, quotes, and behind-the-scenes content at least twice times a day.<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/COTLCXQHbSd" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by The Film Zone (@thefilmzone)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote>After graduating from UT Austin in December 2019, Dwarica started working on the account full time, amping up his output to meet fans' demand. Most traction is word-of-mouth, he says.<div type="image" title="christian dwarica" height="2000" width="2000" msid="83352959" hostid="261"></div>Within a year, it hit 500,000 followers, and Dwarica expanded into art, music, and anime. Interacting with people helped boost account activity, he said. He made sure to respond to nearly every comment and direct message. "People still need to have reliable sources to discover stuff," Michael Dennis, founder of the production company <a href="http://reelblack.com">ReelBlack</a>, told Insider. "We're still limited to the same 24 hours in a day, but there's so much stuff being thrown at us. Something like the Film Zone is much needed."Dwarica's following hit one million followers in November, after a boost during the pandemic. High-profile followers include Mark Wahlberg, Jason Momoa, and even Chance the Rapper, who told Insider he loved the account because it showed a "true appreciation" for film."You can tell they genuinely love every aspect of film," he said. <h2><div type="image" title="Christian Dwarica" height="2025" width="1350" msid="83352961" hostid="261"></div>He cold-messaged brands to strike up key partnerships </h2>After building a sizeable audience, Dwarica thought opportunities for branded partnerships would come running to him. Spoiler alert: They didn't. So he sent out cold messages from the Film Zone account to people working at places like Starz and <a href="https://mubi.com/">Mubi</a>. He would go on LinkedIn, find out who worked in the advertising and social departments. Then he cold-messaged them asking to chat for 15 minutes about why the Film Zone was a good place to park ad revenue to reach a large audience of Gen Zers and millennials. His elevator pitch: "I've got the people here - let's see if we can work out a deal."The cold messaging strategy worked, and to date, the Film Zone has made eight advertising partnerships including with AppleTV and Hulu. Companies can pay to be featured as a highlight story at the top of the Instagram account, with the highest-paying company receiving the most visible spot. Right now the number one spot is taken by streaming service Tubi. A spokesperson at Tubi told Insider, "we're always looking for fresh and authentic voices on the pulse of what's happening in film and TV," which includes the Film Zone's "passionate and dedicated audience of cinephiles."<h2>He wants to expand into a full media enterprise </h2>Next, Dwarica is planning a short Instagram film festival - something Dennis says could be "game-changing" for aspiring talent. Dwarica will select the top 12 films to showcase on The Film Zone on August 1. The top five will get cash prizes of up to $5,000, and the winner will receive a meeting with an LA-based management company. It's a chance to highlight up-and-coming talent and Dwarica's taste in movies. He loves psychological thrillers, and his favorite movie is "The Shawshank Redemption." Amy Adams and Viola Davis are among his favorite actresses; Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale aren't bad either, he says. He wants to expand the account into a media enterprise, possibly including a celebrity TV show, a podcast, and a weekly Instagram show about movies. After all, every TV Guide has its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Annenberg">Walter Anneberg</a>.

A 24-year-old made a 'modern TV Guide' on Instagram. Here's how he got 1 million followers and landed paid partnerships with AppleTV, Hulu, and Saint Laurent.

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d72e202e526556008bad8b-1090-818/f85686e2-c8f3-4116-8671-332a82565eb0.jpg" alt="efe carakel" data-mce-source="Mubi" />MubiMubi CEO Efe Cakarel</div></div></div>Since 2007, London-based Mubi has quietly built a reputation as a stellar streaming service for serious film lovers. While Netflix has grabbed the headlines, Mubi has survived and thrived, snagging a recent valuation of $125 million and sweeping into China ahead of its much larger rival. Last year, Paul Thomas Anderson, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker and indie heavyweight, chose to give Mubi the exclusive streaming rights to his new film, "Junun." For reference, Mubi has 100,000 subscribers, while Netflix has 75 million.So how has Mubi found success in a Netflix world? In part, it's because Mubi thinks of films as something distinct from "video," or "content," CEO Efe Cakarel tells Business Insider."We used to have this all-you-can-eat buffet, similar to Netflix but for independent films," Cakarel says. But a few years ago, Cakarel realized that people don't consume movies the same way they do TV shows. Searching Netflix for a new show might be annoying, but once you have found it, you can settle into tens of hours of binge-watching before you go back into research. With movies, it's more painful, since you have to start that search again every two hours. In other words, too much choice can be a burden.That's when Cakarel decided to shift Mubi's $4.99 per month service to a heavily curated model."We have the rights to thousands of films per country," he explains. But as a Mubi subscriber, each country's curatorial team picks 30 films every month you can watch (one is added and one removed every day). This makes the process of picking easier, he says.You trust that you'll enjoy any of the 30 - though you have to enjoy movies of a particular type (indie, no Michael Bay).<h3>Into China</h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56d73db72e5265b8008bade5-1537-709/screen shot 2016-03-02 at 2.22.22 pm.png" alt="Mubi streaming startup anti-Netflix" data-mce-source="Mubi" data-link="https://mubi.com/films/showing" /><a href="https://mubi.com/films/showing">Mubi</a>Mubi</div></div></div>But limiting selection doesn't mean Mubi doesn't have expansive ambition. Mubi has teamed up with local partner Huanxi Media Group to launch in China. The two have a joint venture (MUBI China), but Huanxi has also invested $10 million in Mubi directly, valuing the company at $125 million. The Chinese film market is exploding, Cakarel says, and a niche service like Mubi is better positioned to take advantage of it than Netflix in the short term. Because of the onerous process of getting foreign movies approved in China, Mubi's task of getting a few dozen by the government is feasible, while Netflix's task of getting thousands vetted is nigh impossible without rule changes. Mubi will also have 70% local Chinese films, with only 30% foreign imports.Mubi's basic theory is that it has developed both a distinct and attractive way to structure a streaming service - specifically for indie films. Now the company has the chance to make headway in the Chinese market before the Netflix juggernaut rolls into town.But Cakarel says he also has his sights set on markets where Netflix is underserving film buffs, like in the US. Even with Netflix's recent spree of buying original films, Cakarel thinks that many Americans who aren't yet familiar with Mubi might simply prefer the way his company does business.Mubi grew up with Netflix as a big brother, Cakarel says. "You instinctively develop a sense of 'How can I grow with that, how can I differentiate myself?'"Cakarel's bet is that the Netflix for film lovers should actually look nothing like Netflix at all. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/this-color-changing-toilet-nightlight-2016-2">This brilliant color-changing toilet light solves a lot of nighttime problems</a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="R1ZTd2MDE6Kz7xU9cJr_nX0991E2YoC-" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'R1ZTd2MDE6Kz7xU9cJr_nX0991E2YoC-',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

The 'anti-Netflix' is worth $125 million - and it's already moving into China to capitalize on the booming movie market

<ul><li>Our confessions series is a platform where young professionals from the advertising, marketing and media world will get to pour their hearts out on how the outbreak of <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">Coronavirus</keyword> has affected their daily routines, the good, bad and ugly sides of working while under house arrest and talk about if it's even possible to balance work and personal life in a situation like this. </li><li>In today's column, Arunita Sen, Director - Strategy, Bang in the Middle writes about some thoughts she's had while in isolation and some of her learnings from the experience so far.</li></ul> The surreal year of 2020. The whole world is learning and walking into a new path of fighting against the COVID19 crisis and here I am waking up to another numb ‘<keyword id="123591" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Work-from-home">work from home</keyword>’ day. I am a planner by nature. Finding new things to do and say and driving new behaviour insights to drive brand impact is my core expertise. And currently, the COVID-19 crisis is shaping up the most distinct form of art - communication, culture, communities, brands, organisations, personal space and me. Staying true to my skills, here is my take on this quarantine life during a crisis in bullet points (I am not even sorry about this)! <ol><li>CAN I GO BACK TO EMAILING?? Yep, that fanatic. 9.30 am 10.00 pm, Saturday or Sunday. Good Friday? Yep. Calls. Calls. Calls. Zoom in. Zoom out. Blue beans ya blue jeans? Wait, there are presentations, screen sharing. Anxieties. Cooking. Feeding the cat. Taking a shower. Eating lunch during lunch. Do you feel the same? No? Can you please do a takeover for a brand and teach me work-life balance? And hence, a task list for your home &amp; your work is my 10.00 am routine.</li></ol>Insight: Sometimes, the most formal &amp; to the point communication is gold. 2. What crisis am i solving? More than my work, it’s the purpose slump that hit me the most in this 4*4 boundary. While being a brand specialist during this COVID-19 crisis is making you break your format of thoughts - let’s parallelly accept - we all are in a loop of life, right now. The 7 stages of grief, Maslow’s hierarchy of need or any goddamn theory! Learning and evolving is the way to keep floating in the crisis. That’s more important right now. Recommendation: Drive empathy for yourself, your family, your colleagues, your consumer base. Thinking about others, before you demand, ask, give a timeline - is more important now than ever. 3. Be part of the culture change! Yes. Hand washing, cleaning, driving gender balance at home, learning new things, dumping Netflix, hello podcasts! And if not now, when? Yes, I am treating this as the end of the world until it restarts. Until then let’s grab it all and please don’t judge! Quarantine engagement plan: - Finish 5 books. The love I had shelved. - Post Dinner - Sketch hour to help your mind release and express. - Crisis Recipes - Quickies for the paapi-pet. - Podcast no 1. - Prep mode. - Have you heard about a home projector and mubi.com? 4. Turn off from the chaos The first 5 days in quarantine were productive and then it started crawling back to a downward curve. I felt my team going through curves of motivational challenges and so did I. Yes, it’s chaotic to connect, explain and deliver. Especially when the regular office chai pe conversations are being wasted staying in 24*7 - doing your dishes, keeping a timer for the MCD garbage van is doing the round + deliver the C\OVID-19 content strategy. Learning: Switching off to do my chores, water my plant, staring at the wall helps me regenerate and lessens down the pressure. Sleep with your eyes open. Power naps! Eeehaaaw! 5. 101 consumer engagement To end the long list of my quarantine ‘set of mind’. Please don’t tag me on any online challenge anymore. And brands, this is a planner’s advice to stop people from engaging with you right now and instead, drive something more meaningful when the world is fighting a pandemic. Wayforward: Keep it actionable, keep it light, keep it empathetic and don’t push for UGC, no more. Instead, empower and be the leader like you claim. Even when the economy is in turmoil, and individually all of us are making our input count. Dropping the annual strategy a bit early for the next year. 2021 will be a new one, with a new win and learnings from this reality check.

Confessions: Planning crisis or life during COVID-19

<ul><li>Even after the record growth witnessed by streaming services in India, the question remains whether these platforms can retain the massive lockdown gains </li><li>With streaming services under pressure to provide new content frequently and producers trying to not lose money in films, web premiers might be another new normal. </li><li>Moreover, a KPMG report suggested that OTT platforms should look at gaming as an extension to their ecosystem offerings. </li></ul>Streaming services are the only bright spot for the millions who are isolating at home during lockdown. With ample leisure time and fewer options, usage of streaming platforms surged. Most of the 35 streaming giants in India — <keyword id="3960758" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Prime-Videos">Amazon Prime Videos</keyword>, <keyword id="6245082" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ZEE5">Zee5</keyword>. Voot, Hungama, AltBalaji, MX Player — witnessed a record growth fueled by quarantine. The Big Boost During the lockdown, there was a 265% increase in OTT traffic since February last week — in spite of the drop from HD to SD, according to Internet Exchange operator DE-CIX. The five services that gained the most are Amazon Prime Videos, Netflix, Youtube, Zee5 and Hotstar. Disney+ — which was launched soon after India locked itself down —<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/08/disney-has-more-than-50m-subscribers/"> added 8 million users </a>within a week. Whereas, Netflix India — which was earlier losing to the homegrown market — too <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/exclusive-app-tracking-data-for-netflix-reveals-the-countries-where-usage-spiked-in-march-and-suggests-strong-viewership-heading-into-q1-earnings/articleshow/75162782.cms">saw at least an 8% growth in Q1FY20 driven</a> by its cheapest mobile online plan at ₹199. Zee5, a homegrown OTT platform, saw 36% growth during the lockdown. Whereas its foreign arm, <keyword id="7124509" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ZEE5-Global">Zee5 Global</keyword> saw a 60% surge in users across the world including the Middle East and Canada. Alt Balaji, yet another homegrown platform, saw a 60% growth in its subscription. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup></colgroup><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">OTT services </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Change in viewership due to Covid-19 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Netflix India </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+8% in Q1 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Zee5 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+36% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hungama Play </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+20% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Eros Now </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+70-100% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">MX Player</td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">130% surge on engagement </td></tr></tbody></table> A short-term spike or a long-term gain A<a href="https://rollingstoneindia.com/how-the-coronavirus-is-impacting-audio-and-video-streaming-in-india/"> Nielsen report</a> predicted that lockdown can trigger a 60% rise in content consumption in India. Even after the record growth witnessed by streaming services in India, the question remains whether these platforms can retain the massive gains post lockdown. Hence, when Netflix recently said it added a record 15.8 million paid subscribers globally, it also added that it is treating it as “<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/21/neflix-q1-earnings/">a short-term spike” and the growth will gradually decline. </a> A KPMG report, however, believes that OTTs are likely to see continued accelerated growth. "While the same levels of consumption may not be achieved once we overcome this pandemic, there is definitely a new and higher normal that is likely to be established when it comes to time spent on OTT platforms," Girish Menon, Partner and Head, Media and Entertainment, KPMG in India told Business Insider. Moreover, Menon believes consumers are likely to develop a habit of consuming video online during lockdown which would later drive subscription growth. However, According to Karan Bedi, MX Player, OTT platforms might witness some immediate dip post lockdown, but the overall base and average time spent would continue the rise. With shooting of new TV series being delayed and movie theatres closed, services with large, legacy libraries and fresh content, have an inherent advantage. “A new normal has been witnessed as consumers adapt to the evolving situation of the pandemic. We feel this pattern will stay as it is in the post-COVID-19 era as well and perhaps there will be some incremental change in the overall user growth,” Aparna Acharekar, programming head of ZEE5 India. Ferzad Palia, who heads Voot Select in India too thinks the same. Rohit Paranjpe who heads SugarBox Networks believes new content will continue to enthuse people. The pressure on OTT services to release new content more frequently may also go up. Also, OTT players too should not be happy just retaining users and will have to engage them more. Apart from films, KPMG in a report suggested OTT platforms look at gaming as an extension to ecosystem offerings. “OTT will look to bring their consumer’s value in other areas: from aggregating other third party content providers who are not competing with them to promoting and pushing other adjacent services, like fitness and food delivery apps, and education platforms,” said Lior Friedman, VP - global partnerships and strategy at Amdocs Media. Directly onto OTT platforms With streaming services under pressure to provide new content frequently and producers trying to not lose money in films products, web premiers might be a new normal. Lakshmi Bomb featuring Akshay Kumar might release on Disney+Hotstar. MUBI is premiering Pablo Larrain’s film ‘Ema’ in India, UK and Ireland on May 2. Whereas, Zee5 is also considering premiering movies directly on its platform in the near future. AB Anni CD will be yet another film to be released directly on Amazon Prime Videos. Akshay Bardapur, the producer of the movie that stars Amitabh Bachchan said, “We didn’t want to keep audiences from watching two megastars. Also, it made sense to recover losses by selling content to the OTT.” But big-budget movies are preferring to hold back. Recently, the makers of Ranvir Singh starrer movie ‘83 said they will release the film in theatres first even <a href="https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/ranveer-singhs-83-to-not-release-on-ott-platforms-makers-aim-for-theatrical-release/articleshow/75401861.cms">if they had to wait for six or nine months. </a> “While producers of movies that have a reasonable budget may experiment with releasing movies directly on OTT platforms or opt for a pay-per-view model, bigger films are unlikely to be released until later this year or next year,” says Neeraj Roy, founder and CEO of Hungama Digital Media. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/cinema-halls-may-not-open-in-india-until-june-end/articleshow/75407053.cms">Cinema halls may not open in India until June end</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/lockdown-watchlist-want-to-binge-watch-a-show-that-lasts-a-week-try-these-long-running-shows-on-netflix-amazon-prime-disney-hotstar-and-others/articleshow/75173116.cms">Lockdown Watchlist: Want to binge-watch a show that lasts a week? Try these long-running shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar and others</a>

Streaming platforms who are on a new high — are hosting web premiers and might even expand to gaming

<ul><li><keyword id="4519251" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="times-bridge">Times Bridge</keyword>, the global investment and partnerships arm of the Times Group, announced that its strategic investment in <keyword id="191951" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Smule">Smule</keyword>, the social network for music.</li><li><keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> is the 2nd largest international market for the app and they're keen to tap into India's multi-lingual music culture. </li><li>Aside from an investment of $20 million, Times Bridge will partner with Smule on community building, collaborations with local artists as well as targeted regional programs.</li></ul> If you like music, then you’ve probably heard of Smule. And, today the leading social network for music has announced a strategic investment from Times Bridge, the global investment and partnerships arm of the Times Group. Going forward, Times Bridge will empower Smule with strategic insight as it expands its operations in India. This is especially significant since the country is Smule’s second largest international market. Smule currently has 50 million active users that are using the platform to transform the global music scene from just passive listen to active collaboration, creation and expressive sharing. Anyone, anywhere in the world can log in and find different genres of music on the platform. The strategic partnership entails an investment of over $20 million along with help on how to localise the platform for the Indian masses. India’s multi-lingual music culture is a good fit for the app, and an opportunity to tap into an even wider market. This is Times Bridge's third investment this year, after investing in MUBI and Houzz, in their bid to expand their existing investment portfolio of innovative consumer tech companies. Leveraging its vast network of media assets, Times Bridge will partner on varied aspects such as community building, collaborations with top artists, targeted regional programs and advertising. Smule is the first social music platform to partner with Times Bridge in India. India and Smule India has a long and rich history of music. Its varied culture and shared passion for music makes it a priority market for Smule. With this investment, Smule plans to increase its exposure in the Indian digital music market and grow the market organically. Smule is keen to tap into India’s flourishing diverse music culture and is pioneering a unique way for people to create and engage with music. In May 2017, Smule raised $54 million in a financing round led by Chinese technology giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. “Indian audiences are passionate about connecting through music. We want to enhance those connections in an authentic way and we are thrilled to partner with Times Bridge to marshal the best of The Times Group on Smule’s behalf,” said Jeffrey Smith, Smule’s CEO and co-founder. “Smule is about empowering our community to do more of what they love – from singing with their favourite celebrities to collaborating with friends to discovering new music. We're thrilled to find a partner that both shares our vision and has the cultural insights and market reach to deliver it.” Rishi Jaitly, CEO of Times Bridge, said, "Times Bridge’s mission is to bring the world’s best ideas to India and share India’s best insights with the world. Smule is a deeply original, bold idea with a mission of changing the way the world experiences music. Our investment will advance Smule’s music mission across the Indian subcontinent and unlock the creativity of many millions along the way. We are delighted to be working with a partner who approaches India with the empathy, conviction and optimism that the Indian market warrants.”

Smule Announces Strategic Investment from Times Bridge in India

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/571f6400910584716f8beb2b-1920-1080/7-samurai-01.jpg" alt="7 Samurai 01" data-mce-source="Turner" />Turner</div></div></div>This fall, Time Warner's Turner will launch a standalone streaming service targeted at "film aficionados" called FilmStruck, the company announced Tuesday.FilmStruck's catalog will feature "an eclectic mix of contemporary and classic art house, indie, foreign, and cult films," and will be built by the teams behind Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and the Criterion Collection. The company has not yet set a price point.FilmStruck is just the latest in a long string of Netflix-like services being pumped out by media companies including HBO, Showtime, NBC, Starz, and so on. But this offering is significant because of the focus on movies, which have seemed to fall a bit out of favor in the era of binge-watching TV shows.As Netflix has moved toward original content, the focus has been on bulking up its TV shows. Netflix <a href="http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/global-licensing-causing-challenges-netflix/146223">has said</a> it will produce 31 scripted shows this year and 10 feature films. Netflix's selection of movies has dropped by around 33% since 2014, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/netflixs-us-catalog-has-2500-fewer-titles-than-in-2014-2016-3">according to research last month from AllFlicks</a>.That said, Netflix seems to have made movies more of a priority lately. The company has been <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-and-amazon-sundance-deals-2016-1">on a shopping spree</a> for movies at places like Sundance, and plans to spend $90 million on a new Will Smith movie, <a href="http://deadline.com/2016/03/netflix-bright-will-smith-90-million-deal-david-ayer-joel-edgerton-max-landis-1201721574/">according to Deadline</a>. Besides FilmStruck, there are several services, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mubi-indie-movie-streaming-startup-worth-125-million-as-it-moves-into-china">like Mubi</a>, that are going after the film buff market - but Turner seems to have the most firepower. It has snagged exclusive rights to the legendary Criterion Collection (which will still be available on Hulu until the fall).FilmStruck will include award-winning classics like "Seven Samurai," "A Room With A View," and "Blood Simple." Turner also says it will contain movies from Hollywood's "major movie studios including Warner Bros.," though how much of its catalog will be new releases is yet to be seen.But the focus isn't on blockbusters. "It's tailor-made for the diehard movie enthusiast who craves a deep, intimate experience with independent, foreign, and art house films," John Martin, chairman and CEO of Turner, said in a statement. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/laab-architects-fit-everything-in-tiny-home-2016-4">This 309-square-foot micro apartment has a home theater, full kitchen, and even a guest bedroom</a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="MyMjh1MjE6FIneU_BxvFUrWFXqIfjUkM" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'MyMjh1MjE6FIneU_BxvFUrWFXqIfjUkM',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

You Searched For "MUBI GO" and got 8 results

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