Web Series” is gaining traction in the OTT space of Kerala. More than 10 of his films are in various stages of production, making it a new field of interest alongside movies and serials. Manaorama Max produced Kerala's first web series 'Menaka 1' which sparked a flurry of activity in this field.
Film producers pointed out that the OTT platform, which grew up with movies to introduce subscription models, has taken a huge leap forward in its field with the introduction of a number of web series genres. People who were quoting astronomical sums for the digital rights to movies can now get content that has a longer running time than a movie, but for a lower price.
'Kerala Crime Files' was released in June 2023 as a fresh take on the changing priorities of audio-visual audiences. The industry and viewers were initially apprehensive about his web series. The surge in popularity of Malayalam web series and their trendy pictorials is highlighted by the participation of stars from other languages.
Central Pictures, which has produced countless Malayalam films, has also ventured into new territory by producing the web series 'Masterpiece', which is a departure from the crime genre that has been gaining traction in Malayalam.
Central Pictures is currently producing another web series titled “Secret Stories – Roslin.” M Ranjith feels that the film and the web series are almost similar projects, but the major difference is that the latter is his project for the small screen. “If you make a movie theater with a budget of Rs 600 crore, you will need Rs 300 crore for promotion. Web series makers don't need to worry about this,” he says.
OTT platforms that lock in contracts with producers will definitely oversee the production side, Ranjith said, adding that it is paramount that the production is completed within the budget allocated by the OTT platform. Ranjith, who is producing a web series 'Love under construction', is of the opinion that there is no difference between making a film and making a web series.
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Not having to think about the promotional side or financial success means there's no pressure like there is in film production, says a production manager who manages the filming of an ongoing web series in the entertainment industry. says. The production manager said that the production of web series is more focused on quality than movies. Stars are becoming more comfortable taking part in web series, which is a good sign. However, many people expect to be paid the same as in the movies. This is not possible for web series producers, he says.
Midhun Manuel Thomas says we are living in an era where movies and web series are co-existing. Web series are not a threat to movies and vice versa. “The appeal of web series is that you can tell stories without worrying about time constraints. There are many stories that cannot be expressed in film format, but such stories can be incorporated into web series,” he said. Ta.
Krishanth, who directed the films 'Avasavyooham' and 'Purushapretham', is a classic example that refutes the theory that those who move towards web series are forced to do so because of the declining success rate of films.
He is writing a web series titled 'Sambhavavivaranam Nalara Sangham' on Sony Liv. Sony Liv is trying to overwhelm Hotstar, which is dominant in web series, through superior content. Manorama Max is also discussing new web series projects.