Why Are Content Creators Tossing Out Theatrical Releases In Favor Of OTT Platforms? 

Movies have always been associated with movie theatres. But movie makers have had to navigate a lot of troubled waters for a successful theatrical release. A major obstacle that producers are presently facing is the releasing of movies amidst a pandemic. Unwilling to wait until the end of lockdown, a few filmmakers have decided to take their movies to streaming platforms instead of queuing up for theatrical release when theatres reopen. 

These are signs of changing times and, in some cases, the filmmakers have an edge. Eager to please audiences sitting at home, video streaming platforms are hungry to dish out fresh content consistently and lap up films they view as exciting. Let’s look at why movie producers to independent content creators are slowly looking to release their work on OTT platforms. 

How OTT Platforms Favor Filmmakers? 

Not only do filmmakers want  to release their content without the hassle of middlemen, they also want their work to reach people in all corners of the world. They are hence moving to OTT platforms with a multipronged agenda.  

Global reach 

OTT release will ensure a wider reach. Many films don’t reach the desired audience since every theater has to be paid for a smooth release. By releasing a film on OTT, filmmakers don’t have to pay for every screening. 

Censorship 

Censor certification fees in India is very high, especially for feature length films. Makers have to prepare a screening for censors, argue if cuts are proposed and many a times go empty handed if they’ve no choice but to give up the desired rating. OTT releases won’t get censored. In short, OTT releases would also deliver content as promised and envisioned by the makers. 

Player 

It allows viewers to stream HD quality videos at low latency by using adaptive bitrate technology even over a low bandwidth internet. 

Transcoding 

Streaming to multiple devices is possible. This can be done by converting videos into compatible formats and codecs. 

Social media integration 

Make video and promotional content shareable by integrating your platform with social media websites. 

Monetization 

Generate impressive ROI with highly diversified revenue models including subscription-based, transactional model-based, pay-per-view and catch-up TV. 

The future is definitely going to be interesting. With the cinema owners promising to take action against filmmakers and production houses opting to release their work on OTT directly without going for a theatrical release, what happens next remains to be seen.