Show me the movie!

Last week saw as many as 13 films releasing on a single Friday, the week before that had almost nine releases, and the week before that too had four releases. Given that filmmakers (save an Aamir Khan and an Ekta Kapoor) don’t show their films to critics before Thursday/Friday, it is impossible for one person to review all the films in one or two days. It would mean living out of a preview theatre.

Those dishing out the star ratings (read: film critics) certainly don’t have it easy. They are left with the daunting task of choosing any two films for the review and if they are really diligent, three over the rest. And in this, the ones that usually get ticked off their list are the smaller-budget films in favour of the big-budgeted, better marketed films with known actors. We spoke to  critics and industry experts to find a solution to this problem. How to ensure that every film is reviewed, so that the audience knows which films have released and which ones to watch.

The Crash method
One idea to tempt a reviewer to watch a smaller budget film is to send a DVD to the office/home so that he/she can watch at their own convenience. That is the guerilla marketing tactic adopted by independent filmmaker Paul Haggis way back in 2006 when his film Crash was up against the titan and season favourite Brokeback Mountain directed by Ang Lee at the Oscars. To combat the big budget Brokeback Mountain, Haggis distributed DVDs of the film to all jury members, as few would have seen his film otherwise. The same tactic may actually be the solution for film critics here...

Tough call
Film critic Rajeev Masand admits that it’s a tough call to choose between smaller independent films and big budget ones when there are multiple releases in the same week. He says, “Smaller films do get sacrificed for popular cinema. One feels bad as you have to let go of films that probably are more enriching as cinema and need our support as much, but one can’t help it if there are four screenings all happening in one day. Some films will have to be passed and we can’t drop the bigger ones as that’s what the public wants more. So, yes watching it at our convenience on a DVD would be a wiser option. I am totally in favour of it.”

Director’s cut
Director Gitanjali Sinha, who had sent out DVDs of her debut film Yeh Khula Aasman to the critics who could not make it to the film screening, says the strategy definitely works. “It’s difficult to beat competition from the big budget films and no point in  expecting reviewers to drop the biggies for independent filmmakers. So I thought it would be better for my film to do the talking, and it did. There were more reviews than expected. Also, since the film had already be screened at several film festivals I had no qualms in circulating between the media who I knew I could trust. And they didn’t let me down either. So, I think it’s a great solution for filmmakers.”

A relief for critics
Trade analyst Komal Nahta feels that catching films on DVDs definitely is a great option. “Imagine the commuting time one saves. It’s high time that producers start adopting this and this is very much doable. It’s the best solution to combat time and make sure that your film gets written about. I recently watched Buddha on DVD to review it.

And I would have missed it had I expected to make it to the theatres. So for independent filmmakers or small budget films it is the way forward. Besides, these film have already made its rounds in the film festivals so, leaks are not an issue here. This may however not be possible with big films yet, but small films will benefit no doubt. I see this trend picking up slowly, but surely here.”  Gitanjali adds, “As  filmmakers we have to get more innovative and take that chance rather than crib about being sidelined by the biggies.”

Convenient not cinematic
Filmmaker Ajay Bahl, whose film BA Pass released recently, however, feels that DVD tends to dilute the whole movie-watching experience. “Cinema is meant to be consumed in theatres. We did have that option, but we chose to have several screenings well in advance. So there were as many as eight screenings in a month. Of course, there’s a fear of reviews being out in advance and that could hamper the prospects of the film at the box-office, but I showed the film in good faith and there are reviewers who respect that. They are a gracious lot and I had the confidence that be it a month before or a day before, the film will strike a chord.”

A good option
Film critic Raja Sen too feels that having multiple screenings way in advance is a better option, but adds that in the worst case scenario, DVDs are a good option too. “I would say that the DVDs option works better for filmmakers whose films are not going to have theatrical releases, but in the case of big screen films, it’s better to watch in a theatre.

To a large extent, a movie’s impact also depends on the mindset and the surroundings that you are watching it in, so I would prefer a screening over a DVD. But when it comes to skipping a film over watching it any form, I would choose the DVD of course. ”  According to film critic Anupama Chopra, something is better than nothing. “So in that I think sending out the DVDs improves the film’s chances of being seen. Watching a film on DVD can help the film pick up through word-of-mouth. Besides, social networking sites are a strong medium, so it may help the small films for sure.”

Piracy scare
Veteran film critic Khalid Mohammed feels that it’s not fair for the film nor the reviewer to go for multiple screenings in a day. “I always choose one film. And usually a film that takes greater risks are the ones I would go for. But at the end of the day we have to keep in mind the public and readership so often a bigger commercial film wins. But in any case, I would not want to watch a film on a DVD, simply because of piracy issues.

I wouldn’t want to take that risk of ever losing a DVD in transaction.” Anupama adds, “Piracy is in fact, one of the biggest issues that keeps producers from not only sending out DVDs but also showing films weeks in advance. In the West, a producer of even a big mainstream film usually has screenings much before the day of the release. But here I guess, there needs to be some sort of self-policing  to encourage a trend of this sort. It’s a privilege to be shown a film beforehand and one that should not be abused. ”

Hope for Indie films
Rajeev insists that DVDs are a last ditch effort for a filmmaker to ensure that his or her film gets seen and it’s a commendable one. He says, “Given the current scenario, the ideal situation of having multiple screenings a month in advance doesn’t work here. It’s viable only when a studio or a big production house is backing you when multiple screenings is a feasible idea. But what do you do if you don’t have finances for that. So, in that DVDs is a better option, if not the best and in a way it works in the favour of the film too. Because if a film can grip you despite of not being seen in a theatre, you know you have come across a gem. It’s a great outlet for indie filmmakers.”