ContentAsia October 2022

OCTOBER 2022

C

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Qalbox: Inside Muslim Pro’s new streamer

Child proof: Kids content in Asia

Plus: Indonesia’s Vidio, Paramount+ in Asia, India’s Applause, Netflix’s Korean stars & more

Photo by Alex Sh on Unsplash

TELLING STORIES OF THE FUTURE

Ride The Asian Content Superwave Join Us @ Mipcom Contact: hello@eoa.media

contents...

what’s inside...

Count the hours

Vidio plays

No one – neither Netflix nor

Vidio moves into 2023 with at

Korean creator Hwang Donghyuk – predicted the wild success of Squid Game. And of course everyone – including Netflix – hopes that the next

8

drama may hit it out of the same park. So far, it’s not happening.

of Paramount importance

Indonesian streaming platform least three content superpowers, led by sports and original premium production. Managing

Our joint ventures with production houses in Indonesia are among our competitive advantages”

Director, Monika Rudijono, talks about hopes and priorities.

10

Monika Rudijono Managing Director, Vidio

page 10 Yonder

Viu points A year after he joined the Asiabased streamer, Viu’s Head of

Paramount+ rolled out in Korea in June 2022 in partnership with domestic platform TVing, kicking off a new era in Asia for the U.S.based global streamer. Catherine Park, Paramount’s SVP, Head of Office and Streaming for Asia, talks about go-tomarket strategies.

Originals, Felix To, talks about creating a production culture, adaptations, content alliances, and why 2022 has been the most critical year.

16

Qal to action

Seandainya Kau Ada

20

Singapore-based Bitsmedia has upsized its Muslim Pro app with global SVOD service, Qalbox, offering content celebrating Muslim identities & cultures.

Bitsmedia co-CEO, Nik Emir Din, talks about video strategies, programming acquisitions & what the company is hoping for from its first foray into premium video services.

24

Child proof Like everywhere, kids content consumption online has soared. That doesn’t mean programmers are buying less. Or that free-TV consumption in every market is equally impacted.

Malena Amzah spoke to kids specialists from across platforms & around the region about their habits and activities.

28

contentasia october 2022

The Misadventures of Cubemelt, Mediacorp

Rounds of Applause Indian studio Applause Entertainment celebrated its fifth anniversary in August 2022. Vanita Kohli-Khandekar spoke to CEO, Sameer Nair, about scale, quality, discipline, a new breed of storytellers and why the earth is now flat. PLUS

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Take a Mehotlist Out Thailand S17, of Indian BEC World / Ch3

production houses.

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editor’snote

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NTENT

Laws of return Who would have thought? When it comes to “churn & return” and valuing discounts more than new content, Singapore – where a teeny car costs an outsize fortune, the roads are full and the city lights shine bright all the time – tops a list of six markets in Asia.

That’s according to the results from a new study involving 8,000 respondents by Media Partners Asia’s (MPA) AMPD Research, which shows that the average frequency of cancellation and resubscription in Singapore is 2.1x a year. No other market in the survey, presented at the Apos event in Singapore at the end of September, tops the 2x mark. Thailand is second with 1.7x, followed by

Scan to access the digital edition of ContentAsia’s October 2022 magazine

Indonesia at 1.5x and Philippines at 1.4x. Japan is 1.1x and Korea is 0.9x.

And that’s not all. Returnees in Singapore cite “bundling” (ie. the service appears to come for

Editorial Director Janine Stein janine@contentasia.tv Assistant Editor Malena Amzah malena@contentasia.tv Events Manager CJ Yong cj@contentasia.tv ContentAsia Marketing & Awards Heather Berger heather@contentasia.tv Design Rae Yong Research Rhealyn Rigodon iyah@contentasia.tv Associate Publisher (Americas, Europe) and VP, International Business Development Leah Gordon leah@contentasia.tv Sales and Marketing (Asia) Masliana Masron mas@contentasia.tv

free) as the main reason for re-subscribing. Consumers in every other market in the survey put “interest in new content” as their top reason to resume services. In Singapore, new content comes third after bundling (#1) and discounts (#2).

What’s my takeaway from this finding? Initially: Once I recovered from the finding that new content they have to pay for is not actually that important to Singapore survey participants, I started thinking about (1) smart consumer behaviour in the on-demand era. If you don’t have to have something all the time, why pay for it all the time? (2) smart platform behaviour. Bundling, with its two-year lock ins, is (as many have told me through the years and I still hate it) a smart response from a business/corporate perspective. And (3) the balance between the two.

Somehow, what to me was the absolute worst aspect of the traditional pay-TV era, has, evolved into a shining endorsement of bundler extraordinaire, StarHub, and its Dare+ transformation strategy.

How will this evolving tension between what’s good for the consumer and what’s good for the business play out?

Questioned in a special session on the sidelines of the Apos 2022 main agenda about why Indonesia’s Vidio needed so much original content, Emtek/SCM boss, Sutanto Hartono, said: “We need something new and compelling every day, 365 days a year”. Vidio went from two million paying subs at the end of 2021 to 3.5 million this year. In Singapore, StarHub’s pay-TV/entertainment subs were up 21% in the first half of this year – a spectacular turnaround. Consum-

What is ContentAsia?

ers, clearly, are paying for – and getting – what they want.

ContentAsia is an Asia-based multi-platform information resource that refines today’s infodeluge into usable, digestible and reliable intelligence about video content creation, funding, financing, licensing, & distribution across the Asia-Pacific region.

OCTOBER 2022

C

NTENT

Qalbox: Inside Muslim Pro’s new streamer

Child proof: Kids content in Asia

Plus: Indonesia’s Vidio, Paramount+ in Asia, India’s Applause, Netflix’s Korean stars & more

TELLING STORIES OF THE FUTURE

To receive your regular free copy of ContentAsia, please email i_want@contentasia.tv

this issue’s cover...

This edition’s cover features new global content house, Empire of Arkadia (EOA), founded by video industry veteran, Fotini Paraskakis, with former Nippon TV senior exec, Shigeko (Cindy) Chino, and former Discovery APAC boss, Arthur Bastings. With offices in London and Tokyo, EOA will focus on

Copyright 2022 Pencil Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Asian-inspired scripted & non-scripted stories targeting younger audiences around the world. EOA offices are also opening

Photo by Alex Sh on Unsplash

in Korea and Los Angeles to support the global network of

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Ride The Asian Content Superwave Join Us @ Mipcom

creators. More info at hello@eoa.media

Contact: hello@eoa.media

contentasia october 2022

@all3media_int all3mediainternational.com LARGER THAN LIFE FAMILY ADVENTURES IN THE PICTURESQUE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE

A celebration of the hardship and wonder of love

@all3media_int all3mediainternational.com

Bringing you the best prime time dramas, immersive documentaries and stand-out formats

Be careful who you trust

Extraordinary Attorney Woo Datecountryprofiles

Rank

Hours viewed

4-10 July 2022

#1

23,950,000

11-17 July 2022

#1

18-24 July 2022

Business Proposal Rank

Hours viewed

Rank

Hours viewed

7-13 March 2022

#6

15,900,000

13-19 Sept 2021

#1

63,190,000

45,580,000

14-20 March 2022

#1

23,480,000

20-26 Sept 2021

#1

448,730,000

#2

55,070,000

21-27 March 2022

#1

30,940,000

27 Sept - 3 Oct 2021

#1

571,760,000

25-31 July 2022

#1

65,630,000

28 Mar - 3 Apr 2022

#1

32,520,000

4-10 Oct 2021

#1

412,940,000

1-7 Aug 2022

#1

67,010,000

4-10 April 2022

#2

41,460,000

11-17 Oct 2021

#1

258,840,000

8-14 Aug 2022

#1

69,360,000

11-17 April 2022

#2

24,190,000

18-24 Oct 2021

#1

147,560,000

15-21 Aug 2022

#1

77,430,000

18-24 April 2022

#4

20,380,000

25-31 Oct 2021

#1

90,100,000

22-28 Aug 2022

#1

53,890,000

25 April - 1 May 2022

#3

19,500,000

1-7 Nov 2021

#1

65,000,000

29 Aug - 4 Sept 2022

#1

48,820,000

2-8 May 2022

#3

19,100,000

8-14 Nov 2021

#1

42,790,000

5-11 Sept 2022

#1

31,640,000

9-15 May 2022

#3

20,160,000

15-21 Nov 2021

#3

30,410,000

12-18 Sept 2022

#4

21,970,000

16-22 May 2022

#6

13,220,000

22-28 Nov 2021

#3

25,730,000

19-25 Sept 2022

#4

16,890,000

23-29 May 2022

#10

9,990,000

29 Nov - 5 Dec ‘21

#4

21,200,000

26 Sept-2 Oct 2022

#4

13,370,000

30 May - 5 June 2022

#10

8,270,000

6-12 Dec 2021

#4

18,170,000

279,110,000

13-19 Dec 2021

#4

15,430,000

20-26 Dec 2021

#5

15,100,000

27 Dec ‘21 - 2 Jan ‘22

#6

18,110,000

3-9 Jan 2022

#8

14,980,000

10-16 Jan 2022

#10

11,780,000

17-23 Jan 2022

#8

10,200,000

13-19 June 2022

#10

7,480,000

Total hours viewed

590,610,000

Date

Squid Game S1

Total hours viewed

Date

Total hours viewed

2,289,500,000

Source: Netflix’s weekly non-English global top 10 TV shows, updated as of 4 Oct 2022.

Pics from left: Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Business Proposal, Squid Game

Count the hours No one – not even Netflix (by its own admission) nor Korean creator

more than double the viewing hours

Hwang Dong-hyuk – predicted the wild success of Squid Game, which

over 13 weeks than period drama Alche-

is said to have cost just under US$21.5 million to make and was watched

my of Souls (222.2 million hours viewed in 13

for more than 2.3 billion hours between 13 Sept 2021 and 19 June 2022.

of the 14 weeks from 27 June to 2 Oct), but less that high-school zombie

But of course everyone – including Netflix – hopes that the next drama

horror series All of Us Are Dead, which was viewed for 659.51 million hours

may hit it out of the same park.

(29% of Squid Game’s hours) in the 11 weeks from 24 Jan to 10 April 2022.

So far, nothing has come even close. Which isn’t to say the Korean

Korean thriller, Narco-Saints, at 122.8 million hours in its first four weeks

drama landscape is without surprises. Few – with perhaps the excep-

on the charts (5 Sept-2 Oct) seems to be Netflix’s hope of the moment

tion of Korean production house Astory, which refused to sell Netflix all

as far as Asian drama goes, followed by romance/fantasy Young Lady

rights and partnered with Skylife/ENA for the domestic release – would

and Gentleman (93 million hours in six weeks); and Studio Dragon mys-

have predicted that legal drama, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, with its

tery, Little Women (57 million hours in four weeks), part of a trend that

relatively meagre budget of about US$15 million for 16 episodes and

has seen Korean titles dominate Netflix non-English TV top 10 with more

lesser-known stars – would have topped the list of non-English global TV

titles than any other country in Asia or the rest of the world.

titles for seven consecutive weeks and, over 13 weeks, attracted more than half a billion viewing hours during its run on the top 10.

At 590,610,000 viewing hours – about 26% of Squid Game and at 70% of the budget – Extraordinary Attorney Woo is also considered a hit, with

8

While other platforms are not a fraction as transparent about performance as is Netflix, it’s pretty much impossible to know with this kind of details how specific Korean titles perform elsewhere. Our guess is that, at best, it’s a fraction.

contentasia october 2022

Meet us at MIPCOM stand no.

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zdf-studios.com

Indonesian streaming platform Vidio moves into 2023 with at least three content superpowers, led by sports and original premium production.

Managing director Monika Rudijono talks about hopes and priorities.

Vidio plays In the past few months, Indonesian streaming platform Vidio has

market free-TV broadcast channels – SCTV and Indosiar. This provides

smashed one viewing record after another with original productions

Vidio with current content as well as a vast library of new and longer-tail

about everything, from mid-life crises in Suami-Suami Masa Kini, a com-

shows, including films and sinetron that, for all the boxes it doesn’t tick

edy from MVP Pictures about four middle-aged men, teen investigative

for premium series, retain massive reach and remain well-loved. Vidio

drama My Nerd Girl and YA romance Married with Senior from Screen-

also licenses international content from Hollywood, Korea, Bollywood

play Films, to blockbuster sports properties like the Premiere League.

and elsewhere. Gaming is another content pillar.

There are also Nia Dinata’s 18+-rated satire, Suka Duka Berduka, rooted

For the year to end 2022, Vidio will have produced something like 37

in Indonesian upper-middle class’ obsession with status and wealth, and

originals, with plans for more in 2023. Rudijono credits that volume in

the Wattpad-based, The Sexy Doctor is Mine, about two girls vying for

large part to the way Vidio structures its production network, including

the attentions of, what else, a sexy doctor, which drew more than two

investments in production houses such as Screenplay Films, Base Enter-

million viewers in the 14 days after its August 2022 release... plus a slew

tainment and Sinemart. All produce for Vidio as well as for others.

of others as Vidio outpaces, outraces and outperforms rivals itching for a piece of Indonesia’s streaming action.

If competition has driven up quality in Indonesia, the biggest impact

“Our joint ventures with production houses in Indonesia are among our competitive advantages,” Rudijono told delegates during her ContentAsia Summit 2022 opening keynote.

is on viewers, who have become spoiled for choice. “There are so many

“In Indonesia, the pool for filmmakers, for talent, for creative people is

different OTTs in the market now and there’s something for everyone, so

limited. So, joint ventures with some of these production houses helps us

to speak,” says Vidio managing director, Monika Rudijono. “But that is

do a few things. The first is to secure our production flow and volume. It

also exactly what keeps us on our toes.”

also gives us, to a certain degree, first choice in terms of creative ideas.

Vidio is Indonesia’s most aggressive commissioner of original premium

At the same time, joint ventures helps us to manage our costs better. So,

series, in addition to tapping the content ecosystem of the broader

all in all, a combination of being able to get the stories, the production

Emtek/SCM empire, which includes two of the country’s largest mass-

flow, the creative talent as well as competitive advantage in terms of

10

contentasia october 2022

10 to Watch Applause Entertainment is part of a red-hot production environment in a market of XX viewers, XXX streaming customers and XXX XXXXX. Our nine others are...

Suami Suami Masa Kini

costing really helps us to propel our original productions. Without these joint ventures, it would be impossible for us, for example, to produce more than 30 titles in a year.”

Vidio works with Indonesia’s top creators, including director Tommy Dewo, who won Best Director of a Scripted TV Programme in the 2021

“These kinds of originals are something we will continue to look at while still maintaining producing series from proven IPs,” Rudijono says.

Originals are one part of Vidio’s superpower, with its mix of local, licensed, production and sports properties.

“Indonesians still enjoy local content more than they do internation-

ContentAsia Awards for Serigala Terakhir from Screenplay Productions,

al,” Rudijono says. “So this is one of our big advantages... the combi-

writer/director Gina S. Noer, directors Pritagita Arianegara, Ody C Hara-

nation is what attracts subscribers”.

hap, Monty Tiwa, Kutz Agus and Hadrah Daeng Ratu, among others.

Sports is a key differentiator. “We are the only OTT in Indonesia

In the relatively short time from 2019 that Vidio has committed to

that offers sports in a significant way,” she adds. Rights include local

originals and notwithstanding the impact of Covid, the platform has

leagues, NBA basketball, volleyball, F1, tennis, and, the crown jewel,

expanded beyond its focus on tried-and-tested IP, which involved part-

the Premier League, which shifted platforms to Vidio from this year.

nering, for instance, with story-telling platform Wattpad and adapting

Rudijono says Vidio was determined to surround its Premiere League

popular film IP into TV series. “These brought us much success,” Rudijono

presentation with world-class commentary and content of its own,

says. The shows also helped to build a viewer and subscriber base,

including bringing in former England footballer Michael Owen as pun-

and, crucially, gave Vidio invaluable insights into audience habits. “We

dit for the Manchester United vs Liverpool match in August. “With the

started to understand what it is that our audience wants. Now we aim

Premiere League we exposed ourselves to a more premium audience

to experiment more,” she adds.

and we want to make sure that when we bring content that is world

Suami-Suami Masa Kini, produced by MVP Pictures Indonesia for Vidio,

class that everything we do around it is also world class,” she says.

is one of the results of moving more boldly into start-from-scratch origi-

“We want to make sure that fans and football lovers feel that Vidio is

nal stories. The series, written by Imam Darto and directed by Ody C.

really serious, that we understand what they want and we understand

Harahap, was one of five titles nominated for Best Comedy in this year’s

what they need.”

ContentAsia Awards. The show follows four middle-aged men – Yuda,

In 2022 alone, Vidio’s paying subs increased from two million to 3.5

Raka, Ical and Tobi – who have been besties since high school. Now 40,

million, according to analysts Media Partners Asia (MPA). Is it possible to

they gather for a raucous boys karaoke evening and end up stuck in an

attribute the 75% increase to sports? Or drama? Or anything else?

elevator. When all efforts to summon help fail, they resign themselves to

“What we have seen in the last year is that premium Vidio original pro-

a night in a cramped space waiting for the morning shift to arrive. Tired,

duction is increasingly contributing to our subscription,” Rudijono says. “In

hopeless and drunk, the four start sharing truths about the real state of

previous years, we have depended a lot on sports to bring in subscribers.

their lives and relationships.

And in the past, a lot of our original production served as retention rather

Sky Films’ Virgin Mom, which has a second season coming in 2023, is

than hook content. Starting last year and especially this year, we see that

another of Vidio’s true originals. The romantic drama, directed by Hadrah

people are coming onto our platform to watch a Vidio original series.

Daeng Ratu, is about an accomplished badminton player and virgin who

And Vidio original titles are sometimes neck and neck with sports titles, in

discovers she is pregnant, shocking her family and her community. But

terms of how much subscription they’re bringing into the platform. This is

she has never had sex. Amanda Rawles and Ahmad Al Ghazali star.

something that made us very, very happy.”

12

contentasia october 2022

24 NOV

11 DE C 2022

Asia’s flagship festival for the media industry returns! Join top content creators and key industry players at the 9th Singapore Media Festival as we celebrate the best of Asian storytelling.

Celebrate the best of Independent cinema at

Singapore International Film Festival 24 Nov – 4 Dec 2022 Selected Venues

Take a front-row seat at Singapore’s premier showcase of international and regional films. Join filmmakers and industry leaders as we celebrate cinema excellence with a spotlight on talents from across Asia and ignite the transformative spirit of cinematic culture. Discover more at sgiff.com for programme line-up and venue details.

Explore opportunities at

Geek out at

Asia TV Forum & Market and ScreenSingapore

Singapore Comic Con

7 – 9 Dec 2022

10 & 11 Dec 2022

Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay Sands

Explore opportunities at Asia TV Forum & Market and ScreenSingapore. Meet at Asia’s leading entertainment content market and conference where the world gathers to trade, collaborate, share the best-in-class ideas, and champion the next generation of Asian content.

Be at the heart of Western and Asian pop culture. Immerse yourself at the region’s leading pop culture event for all things comics, toys, gaming, esports, cosplay, and more!

PA R T I C I PAT I N G E V E N T S :

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Yonder

Of Paramount importance Paramount+ rolled out in Korea in June 2022 in partnership with CJ ENM-led domestic platform TVing, kicking off a new era in Asia for the U.S.-based global streamer. Catherine Park, Paramount’s SVP, Head of Office and Streaming for Asia, talks about go-to-market strategies.

Global SVOD streamer Paramount+ rolled out in Korea in June this year in partnership with domestic platform TVing, kicking off a new era in Asia for the U.S.-based streamer.

Other markets in Asia will follow, as has Korean sci-fi original, Yonder, the first co-production with Korea’s CJ ENM/TVing that is part of a global partnership announced at the end of 2021.

Priorities in Korea, says Catherine Park, Paramount SVP, head of office & streaming for Asia, are not different from other regions – a market-by-market focus on content that resonates with different demographics. No dates have been announced for Paramount+’s roll out in Asia outside of Korea.

Paramount+’s approach is “something for everyone”, delivered via Paramount’s own brands as well as multiple content collaborations and a focus on local content in every market, Park says.

Futuristic drama Yonder, which premieres on TVing in Korea on 14 October after its debut at this year’s Busan International Film Festival, adds to a growing body of Korean TV series that go beyond the mass of romantic drama/romcoms. Park says Yonder – although perhaps more of a risk – was interesting for this very reason.

Directed by filmmaker Lee Joon-ik in his first TV project, the six-episode series is the story of a man (played by Shin Ha-kyun) who receives a message from his dead wife (Han Ji-mi), who recorded her memories before she passed and invites him to join her in the afterlife. The TV series, set in the near future, is based on Korean writer Kim Jang-

16

contentasia october 2022

ENTER A FAST CHANNELS WORLD

More than

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CHANNELS

Alexandre BAC - Managing Director THEMA Asia Pacific – alexandre@thematv.com

www.thematv.asia

The important part of the go-to-market strategy is having a partner where we can access local talent and/ or local content.”

Catherine Park, Paramount

hwan’s novel, Good-Bye Yonder.

“Yonder was a very interesting project to us because normally, when people talk about Korean drama... it’s mostly romance or romantic comedy, or family drama... we are not really known for sci-fi although we are trying,” she says. At its heart, Lee Joon-ik’s series is about happiness, no matter how long you live. “It’s a very universal story... we think it is something we can market internationally”.

Other content trends in Korea are the focus on developing TV series from existing IP, particularly webtoons, which adds to the country’s long-held tradition of prioritising writers and their original stories; developing Asian franchises, with all the multi-platform facets this involves; and building out universes that can be continuously exploited.

The alliance with TVing is something of a blueprint for Paramount+’s roll out in Asia.

“The important part of the go-to-market strategy is having a partner where we can access local talent and/or local content,” she adds, highlighting the benefits of bringing more relevant content to markets in Asia and the potential to take local content and co-productions to international markets.

Although it’s early days, Paramount+ will be on the market in Asia for third-party local content rights, not least because originals take time to develop. That’s not, right now, the primary focus of local rights holders’ attention, although no one is turning away from a potential new buyer. A more common question is: Is Paramount+ too late to Asia’s streaming game?

No, of course not, Park says, highlighting Paramount’s content depth and breadth through, among others, Viacom International Studios (VIS) and CBS International Studios, and its experience with FAST (free advertising-supported TV) service, Pluto. The ability to offer a whole lot in one place is a strength that will grow as markets fragment. While multiple smaller services may be worthwhile, “at the same time, economically, I think for consumers, they want just the ease, just one stop”.

And then there’s this, the product of early and ardent efforts by players who have paved the way for SVOD: subscriptions. “People are getting used to paying for content”, despite still rampant piracy in some markets, and they have become familiar with the convenience of ondemand entertainment, Park says. “Once you are used to this, it’s hard to go back”.

By providing various touch points for content, including linear channels, “we can be very competitive”. Add local partners and content, and the lure of being able to offer creators a path to international marShin Ha-kyun in Yonder

18

kets, “I think we are very competitive,” Park says.

contentasia october 2022

Viu points A year after he joined Asia-based streamer Viu, Head of Originals, Felix To, talks about creating a production culture, adaptations, content alliances, and why 2022 has been the most critical year.

Viu debuted its latest four Asia originals in August – two from Korea, one from Thailand and Malay drama, AI.5YA. Another eight at least

unprecedented rate,” he adds.

Viu’s new Thai dramas are led by Finding the Rainbow, an ambitious

will go to air in the last quarter of this year. The regional streamer also

multi-country project spanning three decades, including the 911 attack

continues to build out its alliances with Asian leaders, such as ABS-CBN

in New York. The series, starring Nichkhun Horvejkul of K-pop band 2PM,

Entertainment/Dreamscape out of the Philippines, which brought titles

premieres on 9 Nov. Out of Thailand too comes the 12-episode Real

such as the Philippines adaptation of Korean thriller Flower of Evil to

Fake, which was announced in January this year and premieres on 10

the platform in June. And that not even the half of it.

October. The aim is to “bring a new perspective to Thai drama as we

Coming up to the first anniversary of his arrival at Viu in September 2021, head of originals Felix To says 2022 was a “critical year for the

know it,” To says.

From Indonesia, there’s teen school-room drama, Bad Boys Vs Crazy

development of new original production”, with multiple drama series

Girls, starring rising idols Devano Danendra and Megan Domani in

across multiple countries under multiple teams, some of which are

a Wattpad-based TV show directed by Josephine Lidwani Winardi

new. The agenda and tasks are“tall”, and, he adds, sharp focus by

and Emil Heradi (Pretty Little Liars Indonesia). Bad Boys Vs Crazy Girls

each team on specific projects is a priority.

dropped on 14 October.

To says his own priority list is building a production culture across Viu’s

There is also a first of its kind drama out of the Philippines, which To

broad Asia/Middle East footprint. “This is the single most important

describes as a bold contemporary “eye-opening comedy” backed by

thing that will be invaluable for our future maturation and expansion,”

internationally trained Filipino filmmakers; the series is inspired by the

he says.

Philippines’ love of Korean drama.

The projects under way are varied, and To’s expectations are not over-exuberant. “This is the first year we have so many projects in progress at the same time... we aren’t expecting hit after hit... but

And from Malaysia, there’s mythology-based supernatural thriller, Hilang, which drops on 17 November.

Under the sprawling, multi-market Viu originals banner is also Hong

we’ve done pretty well in gathering production teams together and

Kong’s first original, #lovesignal, which debuted on 7 October, kicking

bringing a good variety to the Viu platform”.

off the platform’s Q4 new drama slate. The series, a collaboration with

In January this year, Viu said it would have more than 30 original

Local Production, is followed on 13 October by Malaysian romcom

productions in six languages in Asia by the end of 2022. Heading into

Ijab Kabut (I Have A Plan) starring Fadlan Hazim and Azira Shafinaz in

the final quarter, To says the target is in sight, any release timetable

the story of a woman whose life falls apart when her fiance pulls out of

adjustments will be minor, and he predicts an “even more eventful”

their wedding at the 11th hour.

few months ahead. “Right now, production is speeding ahead at an

20

The wide variety is, of course, deliberate. “We want to expand our

contentasia october 2022

Finding the Rainbow, Viu Thailand

scope and... attract a very wide spectrum of audiences to our plat-

Rich, starring Song Joong-ki (Descendants of The Sun), as part of a

form,” To says.

global rights deal (excl. Korea).

New development areas include unscripted, especially in Viu’s

The logic behind every project is the same – an interesting story, To

Southeast Asian stronghold, where the population is young, social

says. Flower of Evil Philippines was a go because “we know from the

change is fast, and neighbours share at least a few social and cultural

storyline, from the relationship depicted in the story, we know there is a

characteristics.

wow factor”.

Scripted adaptations – in the tradition of the two seasons of U.S. se-

Is he concerned at all that Viu’s huge Korean drama audience in

ries Pretty Little Liars that Viu has already made for Indonesia and Ko-

the Philippines is already familiar with the story line? No. The reasons

rean drama Black in Malaysia – will continue to be part of the mix.

go beyond just story. “When we do the story in Philippines, we make

“We need good stories and we have to develop our own IP as well.

sure that it is actually Filipino, but also recognisable as the same story-

There is no replacement for that. But at the same time, we want to

line. That will allow audiences to have all these discussions about the

bring more titles to our audience, local titles, locally relevant produc-

changes and how characters are depicted,” he says.

tion. And adaptation is a very good way to expand the number of titles we can do in a given period of time,” To says.

At the same time, he acknowledges the danger of familiarity, particularly with how stories end. “People watch dramas to be surprised. If we do noth-

Navigating sensitivities across Viu’s 16-market footprint, including

ing but IP adaptation, of course we are pretty much in this kind of danger...

the Middle East, goes without saying, even if moves such as exclud-

we are trying to bring good stories with surprising new elements to the audi-

ing LGBTQ characters draw heat. Woke or not, To says that’s exactly

ence. So, be it an adaptation or original IP, this will be the test... That’s why,

what adaptations are all about. “We can’t just use a foreign script

whenever we decide on an adaptation, we have to make sure that we

and shoot it exactly... we do a lot of creative work to make sure it

have added enough twists in the characters... that will make the story reso-

becomes a locally relevant drama,” he says in response to a question

nate better in that local market on top of the original.”

about changing the Emily/Alison roles in the U.S. version of Pretty Little

Co-production is high on his radar, “not only just because of sharing the

Liars. An example he offers is Viu original, She Was Pretty, out of Ma-

cost, but also because it means we are doing something more ambitious

laysia. “We made culturally relevant adjustments to the character and

than just doing it alone”. More important right now is establishing Viu’s

expressions to make sure that it fit Malaysian society better. It follows

credentials and market position as a producer. “The better we perform

the same storyline, but the characterisation is very different.”

and the more productions we release means

Viu also participated in ABS-CBN’s Philippines adaptation of Korean

the market will be able to understand us bet-

drama, Flower of Evil, earlier this year, followed by The Broken Mar-

ter as a producer. That will become a basis for

riage Vow (the local adaptation of U.K. drama, Doctor Foster). Part of

co-production and we look forward to working

the streaming world’s elastic interpretation of originals, the Flower of

with some prestigious parties in the region or

Evil rights acquisition (and the right to call the show an original) gave

beyond. But first, we have to show the world

Viu a streaming window 48 hours ahead of the domestic TV broad-

that we are able to do very decent produc-

cast. In the same vein, Viu won original naming rights to JTBC’s Reborn

tion, with good storytelling”.

22

Scan for the full interview contentasia october 2022

Nik Emir Din, co-CEO, Bitsmedia

12 years after it went live with a mobile app offering accurate prayer times for Muslims around the world and with 130+ million downloads in 190 markets and counting, Singapore-based Bitsmedia has upsized its Muslim Pro platform with a global SVOD service offering a wideranging library of lifestyle content celebrating Muslim identities and cultures. The new platform, Qalbox, soft launched to Muslim Pro users in the middle of July, followed by a commercial launch on 4 October. Bitsmedia co-CEO, Nik Emir Din, talks about video content strategies, programming acquisitions & what the company is hoping for from its first foray into premium video services.

Burka Avenger

Qal to action When Singapore-based tech company, Bitsmedia, decided to add

scheduled

video to its widely used Muslim Pro app in mid-2022, the global plat-

for release

form expanded its long-held mission to “celebrate Muslim identities

on Qalbox in

and cultures worldwide”. A few months later, on 4 October, Bitsmedia,

late 2022.

encouraged by the response to its first video titles and now with vet-

Din said Qal-

eran TV exec, Junaidah Khan, on board, hit go on the commercial

box’s early efforts

version of global SVOD platform, Qalbox.

would, “like many of

The new video platform went live with a content agreement with

our peers”, be powered

Malaysia’s Astro – where Khan worked for 17 years – as well as an al-

by licensed content. The ac-

liance with Malaysian actor Bront Palarae’s Pixel Play for global rights

quired slate covers educational and

to a slate of Indonesian and Malaysian films, including Seandainya

entertainment content, including feature films, stand-up comedy,

Kau Ada (2021) and Aku Bunga (2020). Rights acquired for Astro titles

travel programmes and documentaries, as well as Quranic recitations

exclude Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

and supplications.

Qalbox costs S$99.98/US$69.90 a year. The monthly plan costs S$12.98/US$9 and the two-year pack is S$178.98/US$125.

Titles on the platform include Maz Jobrani: Pandemic Warrior (Highpoint Productions); documentaries such as Tehran Stories (Lucky You),

The SVOD platform also has its sights set on original production –

Hidden Algeria (Espresso Media) and A Goal for Freedom – Women’s

eventually. “Original production is definitely part of our longer-term

Football in Kabul (Autentic Production); and animated kids series, Ibn

strategy,” Bitsmedia co-CEO, Nik Emir Din, said during the ContentAsia

Battuta (allrites). Early shows also include Peabody-award winning

Summit in August, adding that work had already begun on titles

Pakistani animated series, Burka Avenger (2013), Canadian series

24

contentasia october 2022

Seandainya Kau Ada

Little Mosque on the Prairie (Westwind, 2007), and The White Mughal (2014), among others.

Din emphasises content diversity and says rights are being acquired from all parts of the world, with careful consideration on their value to Bitsmedia/Qalbox’s reason for being. “We are trying to stay away from deciding to be prescriptive or to provide a particular viewpoint on a topic,” he says. “What we try to do always goes back to our founding mission, which is to celebrate Muslim identities and cultures”.

As a precursor to rolling out Qalbox, Muslim Pro offered short-form video content, which Din says was well received and supported the decision to expand into long-form programming. He describes the move into video as a “natural progression” for the Muslim Pro app, which launched 12 years ago and now has more than 130 million downloads from users in 190 countries. Muslim Pro’s top markets are the U.S., Europe, U.K., France, Malaysia, Indonesia and South Asia.

“Our aim is to be the digital home for all Muslims,” he says, adding: “What we hope one day is that there will be many Muslims and even non-Muslims who would be attracted to our platform as an opportu-

What we try to do always goes back to our founding mission, which is to celebrate Muslim identities and cultures... what we hope one day is that there will be many Muslims and even non-Muslims who would potentially be attracted to our platform as an opportunity to learn about the Muslim community.”

nity to learn about the Muslim community”.

Nik Emir Din, Co-CEO, Bitsmedia

Bitsmedia has zero ambition to join the world’s streaming wars. “We intend to complement, rather than compete,” Din says. “We are a global platform... trying to link the global Muslim community through content. We always have this in mind.” This means surfacing content

better position to say, ‘okay we want to focus on this format and we

relevant to Muslims everywhere in the world that they might not other-

want to focus on this specific area’.”

wise be exposed to.

Qalbox’s content strategy is fluid. Din talks about going after “any

For now, Qalbox content will be predominantly English, “because English is the most widely used language on our [Muslim Pro] app”.

content that offers a different perspective... It’s not about bucketing a

Other languages will be added, beginning with Bahasa Malaysia, Ba-

very rigid, very specific interpretation of what content works, especial-

hasa Indonesia and French with English subtitles”.

ly for us as a very new, very young service. Instead, our goal is to have

Ultimately, Din believes Qalbox will start customising for specific

as much variety as possible, to push the boundaries in terms of having

groups within its global audience, rather than delivering very localised

a wide range of content... and then seeing how our users react to it,

libraries for each countries. “At the end of the day,” he says, “you

see what they like, what they don’t like. And from there, we’ll be in a

can’t escape that”.

26

contentasia october 2022

Life, the Universe and Almost Everything S VISIT U COM P I M T A 2 P-1.K2

dw-transtel.com

Batwheels, Warner Bros. Discovery

Child proof Like everywhere, kids content consumption online has soared. That doesn’t mean programmers are buying less. Or that free-TV consumption in every market is equally impacted. Malena Amzah spoke to kids specialists from across platforms & around the region about their habits and activities.

Kids content consumption in Asia continues to grow online/on-demand...

At the same time, Mediacorp

and linear lives on, stronger in some markets than others but alive and via-

has significantly ramped up kids

ble alongside ramped up digital offerings. That’s the strong message from

content

programmers across Asia in the run up to this year’s Mip Junior (15/16 Oct).

meWatch and on the Mediacorp

“FAST is showing that linear is far from dead,” says Fabien Lotz, COO of digital brand, Pops Worldwide.

on

streaming

platform

Entertainment YouTube channel, following the shift in content consumption

The sentiment is echoed across the region.

from broadcast to online/VOD, especially

“I don’t think Japanese kids have moved completely away from broad-

among kids aged 7-12, Toa says.

cast. Yet, I agree that more and more children turn to PC, tablets and

Mediacorp’s acquisitions strategy is shaped

smartphones to watch NHK content,” says Takako Hayashi, senior produc-

by Singapore’s four official languages – English,

er at Japanese public broadcaster NHK’s Content Value Development

Chinese, Malay and Tamil – rather than by geography.

Center. NHK caters to more diverse viewing habits by updating services

“We are open to sourcing content from around the world,

such as VOD “while continuing to programme to best suit viewers’ daily

as long as it resonates with our audiences,” Toa says.

activities,” she says.

In Malaysia, Media Prima Television Networks, which operates the coun-

Mediacorp also has a keen eye on investment in original content, such as animated series Lil Wild, Leo The Wildlife

try’s biggest free-TV networks as well as online service tonton, also doesn’t

Ranger and The Deep, targetting 4-12 year olds. Live action,

believe broadcast has become irrelevant to young audiences.

such as sci-fi comedy drama series What on Earth, is another key

CEO, Khairul Anwar Salleh, strongly disagrees with blanket statements

genre within the commissioning mix, along with experimenting with

about kids having abandoned anything that’s not streamed/online. “Of

durations and formats for online audience. Toa points to non-dialogue

course there has been an opportunity for streaming services to capitalise

comedy animation, The Misadventures of Cubemelt (2021), with each epi-

on kids content, understanding that children can be very influential. Hav-

sode slightly under three minutes long, for meWatch and YouTube.

ing said that, kids still watch broadcast as the numbers are still high. TV will always be a safe bet because parents know everything is curated and it’s going to be family friendly and safe,” he says.

Like Mediacorp, regional programmer Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) focuses on fans and ecosystems rather than delivery platforms.

“This ecosystem spans the entire portfolio, including both linear pay-TV

In Singapore, where Mediacorp has followed a multi-platform agenda

channels and direct-to-consumer services,” says Christopher Ho, WBD’s

for years, “broadcast TV continues to reach a sizeable audience, and as

head of kids in Southeast Asia & Korea. In Southeast Asia, YouTube is also

such, remains for us an important channel for engaging our young viewers,”

part of the mix, with kids destinations such as DC and Cartoon Network, as

says Barry Toa, the national network’s assistant lead, strategic partnerships.

well as consumer products.

28

contentasia october 2022

No one is admitting to cutting kids content acquisitions, but they’re not

lbox’s Muslim-focused general entertainment promise, which is “to cele-

ramping up in a significant way either. At best, acquisition volumes are

brate Muslim identities and cultures” and aims to deliver “a comprehensive,

level with the previous two years across online, streaming and broadcast.

curated, and diverse scope of genres for the global Muslim community”.

The obvious exceptions are newcomers, including new blocks from famil-

“Many Muslims believe that family life is the foundation of human soci-

iar brands, and distributors eyeing an opportunity for educational content

ety, providing a healthy and nurturing environment for growing children,”

in an environment no longer constrained by linear broadcast schedules.

Khan says. “Through children’s programming, parents/families are able

There’s more slot availability and a rising appetite for educational con-

to pass on, develop and reinforce human virtues such as love, kindness,

tent, says Mariani Abdullah, head of acquisitions for DM Don Square Enter-

mercy and compassion. This is why expanding partnerships in the acqui-

tainment, based in Brunei.

sitions and production community of the children’s genre is crucial”.

For the first time in Asia, Cartoon Network – through

So far, a significant portion of Qalbox’s children’s content originates from

its new Cartoonito programming block – is on

Asia, including Malaysia, Pakistan and the UAE. Khan is, however, looking

the hunt for pre-school content. “While origi-

everywhere for all content, including kids. Titles acquired so far include

nal content like Batwheels and Bugs Bunny

Men Around the Prophet, Oriental Scholars and Lantern’s Tales. “Editori-

Builders are pillars of the

ally, it’s important that the characters and stories are relatable to and re-

schedule,

we’re

looking to complement these titles with pre-

flect the values of the Muslim community,” Khan says.

Mobile platform Pop TV, promising a relaunch, is also buying more, particularly non-dialogue, says director Ben Heng.

The biggest difference in acquisitions in Asia is, perhaps, the expansion

show

of rights requirements. “Like all content deals, the demand for securing all

acquisitions

rights for kids content – linear and streaming – for regional or global exclu-

school

sively continues to increase,” WBD’s Ho says.

Malaysia’s two major platforms – Astro and Media Prima, the home of Malaysian superhero, Ejen Ali – are maintaining acquisitions levels.

Media Prima caters for 4-12 year olds within daytime/early evening slots, focusing on local animation and non-dialogue/non-verbal cartoons as these have “measurable cognitive benefits for kids development and growth, says Media Prima’s Salleh. About 80% of Media Prima’s kids acquisitions are local. The other 20% comes from Indonesia, Korea and France.

Astro also moves into 2023 with similar acquisitions levels than in the previous couple of years, and with an eye out for anything new and fresh from Asia or elsewhere . “Kids content has been a key differentiator for Astro in Malaysia covering both local vernacular and international kids content/ IPs, and we will continue to build on this proposition for our customers,” says Sharmin Parameswaran VP, VOD/PPV and international.

Japan’s NHK also moves into 2023 with similar levels of acquisitions as the past two years, with a keen awareness on delivering diversity from around the world. “We are looking for content that let Japanese children learn about the diverse cultures and values of the world,” says Hayashi. NHK’s

Lantern’s Tales, Qalbox

acquisitions are split evenly between Asia, Oceania, South America, Middle East and Africa, with the other half from Europe/North America.

Like programmers in Malaysia and Japan, Singapore is also keeping acquisitions similar with the past few years. “However, there is a shift towards more VOD content, in line with the preferred platform and consumption patterns among kids,” Mediacorp’s Toa says.

AVOD monetisation challenges have driven down kids content acquisitions in some quarters.

From top, clockwise: Junaidah Khan, Bitsmedia/Qalbox; Christopher Ho, Warner Bros.

Discovery; Mariani Abdullah, DM Dom Square Entertainment; Fabien Lotz, Pops Worldwide; Sharmin Parameswaran, Astro; Barry Toa, Mediacorp; Khairul Anwar Salleh, Media Prima Television Networks & Primeworks Studios

Pops Worldwide’s Fabien Lotz says monetisation of kids content on AVOD platforms such as YouTube was struggling anyway, and was further dented in August this year with the guidelines’ update on users between 13 and 18 years old.

Lotz says he’s always looking for edutainment programming. About 50% of Pops Kids

regionally in Asia Pacific, in addition to other kids and family content,” Ho

content comes from Asia, primarily Japan,

says. About 40% of WBD’s kids acquisitions come from Asia.

including Doraemon.

Kids content for the entire age group, from pre-school to tweens, is a

For all the other changes, kids program-

key pillar for streaming newcomer, Qalbox, which launched commercial

mers are as staunch as they ever were on

services inside the global Muslim Pro app this month. “We are ramping up

safety. As Lotz says: “As a popular kids chan-

our efforts to acquire kids content”, with priority given to animation and

nel in Asia Pacific and the top kids brand in

puppetry, says operations head, Junaidah Khan.

Vietnam, Pops Kids is “committed to build-

Children’s programming is more than an expected component of Qa-

contentasia october 2022

ing a safe environment for our children.”

Scan for more on kids content in Asia 29

The Misadventures of Cubemelt, Mediacorp

What do you think will have the biggest influence on kids content consumption in Asia in 2023?

What is your one big hope for kids programming in Asia in 2023?

“More creative, diverse and innovative stories from great storytellers for the next generation.”

“Kids will tend to gravitate towards relatable infotainment that will inspire

Christopher Ho, Head of Kids – SE Asia & Korea, Warner Bros. Discovery

and allow them to be imaginative and think logically.”

Khairul Anwar Salleh, CEO, Media Prima TV Networks and Primeworks

“The hope is that kids’ content will help instill good moral values and life

Studios, Malaysia

lessons so that kids grow up happy and hopeful. Good values and exposure will help influence how kids navigate life as they will learn about their

“The exponential growth and availability of digital services such as

surroundings, issues and how to manage their emotions.”

SVODs, AVODs, FAST channels, and hybrids of the same will bring more

Khairul Anwar Salleh, CEO, Media Prima TV Networks and Primeworks

choices to the consumers on every level.”

Studios, Malaysia

Junaidah Khan, Head of Operations, Qalbox “I hope that the creative community and the content providers stay fo“With kids, the popular content/IPs continue to do well with high engage-

cused on the audience. More than any other content genres, the influ-

ment, however it is hard to predict a break-out/hit content or platform.

ential nature of children’s programming brings with it a heavy responsibil-

We will just need to continue having a pulse on the audience.”

ity – nurturing and shaping the minds of next generations.”

Sharmin Parameswaran, VP, VOD/PPV & International, Astro Malaysia

Junaidah Khan, Head of Operations, Qalbox

“Diversity and inclusion – how we can present these important yet dif-

“It’s an extremely creative space, and we hope to see more new con-

ficult subjects in kids’ content and make them attractive would be the

tent/IPs being introduced and breaking into the market.”

key to increase kids programming consumption.”

Sharmin Parameswaran, VP, VOD/PPV & International, Astro Malaysia

Takako Hayashi, Senior Producer, Content Value Development Center, NHK Japan

”Our big hope for 2023 is to discover and deliver diverse content that gives children hopes for the future.”

“For Vietnam, it could be the launch of other heavyweight SVOD or hy-

Takako Hayashi, Senior Producer, Content Value Development Center,

brid kids content offers, but 2023 may not be as important as 2024.”

NHK Japan

Fabien Lotz, COO, Pops Worldwide “More revenue streams for quality educational content, TikTok is creating “We have observed a recent trend in which media companies are in-

an offer for the kids that cannot be ignored and should be countered.”

creasingly collaborating with online content creators and social media

Fabien Lotz, COO, Pops Worldwide

influencers to develop and produce fresh content that appeals to kids.”

Barry Toa, Assistant Lead, Strategic Partnerships, Mediacorp Singapore

“I hope to see more locally produced kids content make their mark on the international stage.”

“Availability in streaming and other popular platforms. Plus narrative and

Barry Toa, Assistant Lead, Strategic Partnerships, Mediacorp Singapore

storyline.”

Mariani Abdullah, Head of Acquisitions, DM Don Square Entertainment

“Content creators to develop more kids friendly contents; engaging ideas for more educational and entertainment; and to keep enthusiasm as creators for more fascinating and awesome stories to tell.”

Mariani Abdullah, Head of Acquisitions, DM Don Square Entertainment

30

contentasia october 2022

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Hostages S2

Rounds of Applause Indian studio Applause Entertainment celebrated its fifth anniversary in August 2022. Vanita Kohli-Khandekar spoke to CEO, Sameer Nair, about scale, quality, discipline, a new breed of storytellers and why the earth is now flat.

There seems to be a cosmic cycle at work here. Back in 2000, as head of content for Star India (now Disney Star), Sameer Nair brought

catalogue of over 400 titles).

Our plan is to invest and

Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), the Indian version of Who Wants to

reinvest about Rs3,000 crore/

be a Millionaire, to India. KBC and about half a dozen dailies centred

US$375 million in content over

around kitchen politics changed Star’s fortunes, transforming it into

the next few years.”

one of India’s largest media companies. It also shaped the course of the Indian media business.

Now as the head of Aditya Birla Group’s Applause Entertainment,

The epiphanies..

“Epiphany is a trick word. The

Nair is doing the same thing, albeit, for streaming platforms. Criminal

original assumption was that content

Justice on Disney+ Hotstar (BBC Studios India) and Scam 1992 on

can’t get scale because it is a creative

SonyLIV (Studio Next) are among Applause’s 40-odd shows. Within

business, dependent on a single person and

five years, top line has hit US$31 million, making the company one of

there are limits. The scale business has always

the most successful content providers in India’s rapidly growing OTT

been the broadcaster or platform, never the content

ecosystem. How did Applause, which celebrated its fifth anniversary

creator. We set out to try and to create scale. So we chose to work in

in August this year, scale up so quickly? And where is the company

a hub-and-spoke model like a studio, where we work with a variety of

going from here? Vanita Kohli-Khandekar asked...

creative forces. The idea is not to impose our creative vision. We work

Sameer Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment

with everyone in a collaborative manner. We have done comedies, Applause has released 40 shows in five years. What’s next?

a Bhojpuri show, Tamil show, we did Scam 1992 with Hansal Mehta,

We have released 40 TV series to date, there are 15 in production and

Taanav with Sudhir Mishra, Rudra with Ajay Devgan. We are designed

we have produced eight movies, including Aparna Sen’s The Rapist,

in that manner to work with all kinds of creative people. The ability to

which jointly won the Kim Jiseok award at the 26th Busan International

work with diverse set of people is Applause’s USP.”

Film Festival in October 2021. There is a big show on Gandhi based on Ramchandra Guha’s book with Pratik Gandhi (Scam 1992) playing the

What do you think are the most significant changes emerging from

lead. Another big one is Tanaav (Sudhir Mishra, Sachin Mamta Krishn),

India’s expansion into streaming? “Filmmaking was always a passion

the local version of Fauda, for SonyLIV. There is Nivedita Das’ Zwigato

project. It doesn’t have a release date. Even if there is one, it can

with Kapil Sharma. Scam 2 (based on the Telgi stamp paper scam in

always be shifted. There is a lot of discipline in TV. If we say something

2003) is in production, as are Criminal Justice 3 and City of Dreams

will be launched in the festive season it has to launch then. A lot of

3. Our team has grown from eight-10 people to 65-70. We also have

that discipline is what we bring in how we budget and schedule.

big plans for animation with Amar Chitra Katha (in 2021, Applause

Of course making a 10-episode series is very different from 250 daily

acquired the license to comic book publisher Amar Chitra Katha’s

soaps. Making a series is like making two or three films. Also, TV built

32

contentasia october 2022

The Office

What are the ecosystem challenges? “In the early 1990s, very few people were exposed to international content. I would go on about Seinfeld but nobody had seen it. By the time streaming came a whole generation of people were connected globally. When Netflix arrived Scam 1992 – The Harshad Mehta Story

in India, the creative community had already seen The Sopranos, Game of Thrones... The creative community knows what we are talking about. Also we have a 100-year-old legacy of filmmaking.

In the next five to 10 years, Indian content should be of global quality.”

For local content to go global, you need well-told local stories with international standards. We are getting better at writing, more collaborations are happening, scripts are run past script doctors. In the next five-10 years, Indian content should be of global quality.”

What are the most significant changes you see in audience behaviour in India? “We always talk about content evolving and our business (TV, OTT, theatre) evolving. But the one thing that is happening is that

Sameer Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment

the audience is evolving at a faster pace. As a studio, we make X amount of content but the audience I am talking to is consuming 100X content from across the world, across platforms, genres and different age groups. The consumer in general is becoming a connoisseur of content. They have a far better appreciation and understanding

a lot of brands by sticking to things. OTTs tends to look at data and

of storytelling and good content because they are seeing so many

react quickly. So sometimes brands don’t get built. If you take shows

different stories in so many different languages. Consumers are better

like Seinfeld, Friends and The Office in today’s streaming environment,

story listeners than we are storytellers and they have lifted the bar. You

they would never have been made. They were too off the charts. But

might say ‘I am making a very complicated crime procedural show,’

the original broadcast pioneers made sure that they were made and

but he (the consumer) has seen so many of those across languages

went on to become seriously legendary shows. The Sopranos is a very

and is far more discerning than the creative community. With streaming

distinctive show. I don’t know if it would have had a chance in the

we are in a flat earth, single global stage. Somebody in Fiji can see your

streaming environment of today.”

show and say kya bakwaas hai (what nonsense is this).”

contentasia october 2022

33

Production hotlist: India Applause Entertainment is a key player in India’s red-hot production environment.

Vanita Kohli-Khandekar snapshots another nine on our production hotlist*.

BBC Studios

Poor Man’s Productions

BBC Studios is behind some of the biggest hits on Indian OTT. The gripping

Two young people are found on a highway in Delhi. The girl has been

two seasons of Out of Love (India’s adaptation of Doctor Foster), Criminal

brutally raped and her boyfriend badly beaten. Deputy commissioner

Justice (two seasons) to The Office (three seasons) and Rudra (the Indian

of police, Vartika Chaturvedi (played with gut-wrenching precision

version of Luther) all on Disney+ Hotstar have done well. At over 35

by Shefali Shah) and her team starts trying to track down the six

million viewers, Rudra is the most watched show on OTT in India currently,

perpetrators. Delhi Crime (Netflix) is the only Indian show to have

according to Ormax Media data. Jhalak Dikhla Ja (Strictly come

won an International Emmy for best drama series in 2020. Poor Man’s

Dancing) on linear channel, Colors, is its other big show.

Productions’ Richie Mehta created, wrote and directed the sevenepisode series, along with Golden Karavan, Ivanhoe Pictures and

D2R Films

FilmKaravan. Mehta’s next show is about the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy.

The Family Man (Amazon Prime Video) is the superbly written and produced story of the everyday life of intelligence officer, Srikant Tiwari.

The Viral Fever (TVF)

Season two of the Raj (Nimodri) and (Krishna) D.K. show topped 26 million

TVF, or The Viral Fever, started off in 2010 as an irreverent site for a

viewers within a few weeks of its 2021 debut. Raj and D.K.’s penchant for

not-into-TV generation. Over 12 years, it has morphed into a quirky

a quirky mash up of genres is evident in another success – horror comedy

albeit top-notch content producer. Panchayat (Amazon Prime

Stree (2018). D2R Films signed a multi-year, creative partnership deal with

Video), a slow-paced look at a city boy’s travails as secretary of a

Netflix in August 2022.

village council deep in rural India, came out of nowhere to become one of India’s top streaming shows. Almost 30 million people binged

Banijay Asia

on season two, according to Ormax Media data. Top TVF titles also

Banijay Asia, launched in 2018 as a joint venture between France’s Banijay

include Kota Factory (Netflix), set in the town where millions of Indians

group and Deepak Dhar (former CEO of Endemol Shine India). Banijay

come to prepare for competitive exams, and the heart-warming

titles include Hostages season 1 and 2 (Disney+Hotstar) in association

Gullak (SonyLIV).

with Applause, the critically acclaimed Undekhi (SonyLIV), Call My Agent (Netflix) and The Kapil Sharma Show (Sony).

Pritish Nandy Communications Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC) is nowhere near any of the

Endemol Shine India

others on this list on scale and revenue. But given its penchant for

Endemol Shine India – a joint venture between Banijay, Singapore-

the ‘different’, which fits well with the OTT world, it’s definitely one

based CA Media and SOL Productions – has been active in unscripted,

to watch. The outfit behind films like Pyaar Ke Side Effects (2006) hit

including Bigg Boss (an adaptation of Big Brother in six languages on

the jackpot with its first scripted show; Four More Shots Please! was

Colors and streaming platform Voot), MasterChef India and Fear Factor.

nominated in the 2020 International Emmy Awards for best comedy

Some part of its success comes from Endemol Shine, and some from the

and has won several Asian and Indian awards. Over its two seasons

Mumbai-based SOL Productions’ unscripted production strengths.

so far, the show follows four unapologetically flawed women and their bloopers in life and love.

Sphere Origins Sphere Origins has given Indian television blockbuster series such as

Prakash Jha Productions

Balika Vadhu (the show that made Viacom18’s Colors) and Saat

Prakash Jha Productions has just one streaming series to its name;

Phere (which resuscitated Zee TV in 2005), among many others. Its OTT

Aashram (MX Player), now in its third season, is among the top shows

beginnings have been slow but steady. Your Honour, now in its second

across platforms with a viewership of 34.5 million, according to Ormax.

season on SonyLIV, is the story of an upright judge whose morals and

The story of a crooked guru has maintained its position since the first

integrity take a beating when his son is involved in a hit and run. Then

episode dropped in 2020. Jha, a critically acclaimed and much-

there is the political thriller Dark 7 White on Alt Balaji and Zee5, and Silsila

awarded filmmaker, has several hit films, such as Gangaajal, Apharan

Badalte Rishton Ka on Voot.

and Mrityudanad, under his belt.

* Production houses are listed in no particular order

34

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Bringing ContentAsia’s expertise & integrity into Asia’s Awards space Entries for 2023 open on 15 Feb 2023 Entry deadline: 14 April 2023 Finalists: 20 July 2023 Who won: 24 August 2023 www.contentasiaawards.com

Dennis Yang, founder/CEO, Studio76

Jocelyn LIttle, managing director, Donovan Chan, creative director, Beach House Pictures; Si En Tan, Kris Ong, co-founders/producers, Momo Film

The Broken Marriage Vow lead, Jodi Sta Maria, and supervising producer, Kylie Manalo-Balagtas

Virginia Lim, chief content officer, Mediacorp Virginia Lim, chief content officer, Mediacorp

Henry Tran, GM, Warner Bros. (F.E.) Inc. Thailand (L-R) Bunaveswaran Ganesan, Shabir Tabare Alam, TJ Lee, MD, Weiyu Films

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Wanida Boonprasertwattana, AVP – Inter Right Management, ONE 31/GMMTV Thailand

ContentAsia Awards 2022 host Elizabeth Sadler The Miracle of Teddy Bear (Khunmee Patiharn) BEC World (Plc) / Tanadlakorn / Yuthtana Lopanpaibul