As if the content hub festival had not brightened things for me and got my juices going, I was excited to meet so many like-minded people, make friends and discuss my books with writers. I was able to get leads and a direction on how to make a pitch to OTT Platforms and how to structure the pitch. Having a story in a bible and a book form is good but you need a screenplay and dialogues and then a location sketch and character sketch. Well, I have my books and a screenplay so what next. The answers were there as the speakers spoke but I got a very different perspective in selling a web-series project from my learned friend Ashish. He comes from work experience for a large events agency. “ Packaging that is the king once you have the story locked you just need a good competent known director and a couple of good young popular actors, like chunky Pande’s daughter. All is then needed is to launch the project and then buyers will approach you. Whats more do a launch video with the title track .” That was Ashish’s way of doing a project and making people buy it. No sending emails, kicking on production house doors with your book and script. Or sending couriers full of your screenplay to a writers club or a short film production house, hoping someone will put in 2 lakhs to make a short film out of your book at least. To Ashish, it is how you package your story and key content that helps in selling it in the initial state, generating hype and excitement in the market.
You need the first few lakhs to get the project off the ground if it is nicely packaged we can arise over 1 cr. maybe, even more, No need to struggle like a Chola Chap writer pushing paper at producers trying to get your episode to get approved, or running around OTT platforms with your showreels and scratches. Package the story and launch it with a bang title track and dance number. Why not get Remo to choreograph the song from the south and A.R Rehman can do the music. Dreams more dreams tats what it was we were webbing dreams all day.
This was a point highlighted by many experts that just a story and script is not enough you need to get a director and lead actors identified and on board to make the project saleable and for people to invest in it.
Rapport Global is trying to do just that with my book and story how far they will succeed is anyone guesses. But as of now, we need a young known Director on board to make our boat sail.