iWorld
Now blockchain & NFTs come to TV
MUMBAI: For all those naysayers and fence-sitters, it is here and it is now. Blockchain and cryptocurrency are coming to the broadcast television business. US TV network Fox has announced the formation of a new non-fungible token (NFT) company called Blockchain Creative Labs. The new firm will create NFTs based on the intellectual properties it owns. Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier announced this at the advertiser targeted Upfronts on Monday.
NFTs, which exist on blockchain – a digital ledger similar to the networks that underpin bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies – notched up $1.5 billion in sales in just the first quarter of 2021. Each NFT is unique, cannot be duplicated, and is equivalent to an ownership deed to digital or physical artwork, music, or digital collectibles such as IPL 2021’s best video moments. Of course, someone else may have an image or copy of the piece, but that’s not the original which of course has a big-ticket price.
They have become all the rage nowadays following the success of digital artist Mike Winkelmann aka Beeple, who sold an NFT for $69 million. They are not restricted to just art; they have extended to sports collectibles, highlight show reels, augmented reality sneakers, music, and even digital cats.
Fox is getting into the NFT game in the hope of monetizing its properties beyond television (in the crypto world) where the major revenue sources are advertising, or pay-TV, or syndication.
Blockchain Creative Labs’ first attempt at exploring the potential of TV show characters and properties is going to be with Krapopolis, an animated comedy series set in mythical ancient Greece, which is being directed by Ricky and Morty and Community creator Dan Harmon.
Fox says that its marketplace “will curate and sell digital goods, ranging from NFTs of one-of-a-kind character and background art, and gifs, as well as tokens that provide exclusive social experiences to engage and reward super fans.”
Addressing the advertiser-dominated audience during the upfronts, Collier said that as “an advertiser-focused, artist-first and animation-obsessed company, Fox is going to take advertisers into the world of blockchain-powered tokens, including NFTs…we will also help your brands connect directly with fans and enthusiasts through NFTs.”
Will other broadcasters and networks also take the plunge? Will it inspire Indian media players to explore this space? These are cryptic questions.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
