iWorld
Netflix to open its first global post-production facility in Mumbai
KOLKATA: Streaming giant Netflix is all set to open its first live-action, post-production facility in Mumbai. The facility with 40 offline editing rooms for use by showrunners, directors, editors and sound designers, will become fully operational by June 2022.
With innovation and collaboration as the focus, it will pioneer advanced media management workflows to allow a seamless partnership with India’s post-production community, said the streamer.
“Indian audiences love high quality and diverse stories available on-demand to suit their tastes and moods. We saw this last year with an increase in viewing of stories across formats, genres, and languages. Whether it’s our favourite preschool hit series Mighty Little Bheem, International Emmy winning series Delhi Crime, or our beloved films like Guilty, Ludo, Pagglait, and Paava Kadhaigal… it’s been an incredible ride,” Netflix said in a blog post.
The US company has invested Rs 3,000 crores in local programming over 2019 and 2020 to build a universe of Indian stories. In March, it announced a lineup of 41 titles featuring more variety and diversity – from some of the biggest films and series to gripping documentaries and ingenious comedy formats. In 2020, it launched NetFX – a platform that enables multiple Indian artists to work on VFX for titles globally.
Moreover, the company is investing in the latest technologies and skill development through multiple certifications and training workshops in post-production, scriptwriting, and other aspects of creative production.
“We want to continue to contribute to the Indian creative community. Our goal is to keep improving the overall experience for our talent and industry partners and equip them with the best resources to tell authentic stories most engagingly. We are in a golden age of entertainment in India – this is the best time to be a creator and consumer of great stories,” the blog post read
iWorld
Amazon MX Player launches free micro-drama destination Fatafat
New platform offers serialized short-form stories with Munawar Faruqui campaign.
MUMBAI: Amazon MX Player just made micro-dramas free because the only thing shorter than the episodes is now the price tag (zero). Amazon MX Player has launched Fatafat, India’s first completely free premium micro-drama destination, giving mobile-first audiences access to fast-paced, serialized short-form stories without any paywall. Designed for quick viewing bursts, Fatafat features a growing catalogue of romance, drama, thriller and youth-led narratives in bite-sized episodes that are instantly bingeable. Unlike most micro-drama platforms that charge for access, Fatafat removes the barrier entirely, expanding the format’s reach across India.
The launch is supported by a humorous digital campaign fronted by comedian-actor Munawar Faruqui. The spots playfully highlight how small spends on paid micro-drama apps could be better used elsewhere, positioning Fatafat as the smarter, no-cost choice for engaging entertainment.
Amazon MX Player head Karan Bedi said, “Our vision has always been to make premium entertainment accessible to everyone, free of cost. With Fatafat, we are extending that promise to the rapidly growing micro-drama category quick, engaging and mobile-first while remaining completely free for viewers across India.”
Amazon MX Player head of content Amogh Dusad added, “Micro-dramas open up exciting creative possibilities for storytelling. With Fatafat, we are building a diverse slate of serialized stories across genres while keeping the experience fast, engaging and accessible to viewers everywhere.”
Munawar Faruqui said, “Today’s entertainment landscape is defined by content that is fast, engaging, and instantly accessible. Shooting for the campaign was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, especially as the scenarios felt incredibly authentic and relatable.”
Fatafat will continue to expand its library with several new titles in the coming months. The destination is available to stream for free on the Amazon MX Player mobile app.
In a country where attention spans are shrinking faster than episode lengths, Amazon MX Player isn’t just joining the micro-drama party,it’s throwing the doors wide open and telling everyone the snacks (and stories) are on the house.
