Covid sees breaking of theatrical window with Direct-to-digital film releases

The current trends will outlast the pandemic and are here to stay. Digital platforms will continue to thrive and evolve per the needs of customers, says Vinit Mehta, Head of Sales, Indian Sub-Continent, Brightcove.

What are the trends seen in the OTT space, especially due to excess video demand? How will this impact the video industry post-Covid?

Original content has always been a driving force in the adoption and growth of OTT services, but the pandemic has made originals even more crucial. Still, the industry has witnessed a trend of the rising number of original shows in the form of licensed content and an escalation in regional content. The OTT platforms are actively putting their efforts to attract viewers with their exclusive content which is tailored to specific audiences.

Another major trend has been the rise of “Direct-to-digital” with films having to premier on digital mediums before their theatrical release due to worldwide lockdowns and social distancing norms. This breaking of the “theatrical window,” the time between when a movie can be released in theaters and then on streaming services, itself is unprecedented and appears, increasingly to be the new norm and something that likely will stay with us. But it’s not just video on-demand that’s been impacted, publishers and broadcasters have seen huge upticks in the amount of news consumed through streaming as the pandemic and other world events have made news awareness crucial.

From the customer standpoint, we looked at our data with the Brightcove Global Video Index, a quarterly index that analyses video streaming data points from our customers globally. In the most recent index, we saw the following trends in India:

● India’s video viewing is primarily on smartphones. In 12 months, smartphone views have increased in share from 80% to more than 88%.
● Android is the device of choice. Q2 saw 95% of video views on Android phones, and Android tablets also dominated with about 66% of views.
● CTVs hold the longest view times. CTVs view times were 4x that of smartphones.

The coming year will be transitional for OTT players with a new population entering with distinguished demands. We are sure that the trends brought up by the pandemic will outlast the pandemic are here to stay and digital platforms will continue to thrive and evolve per the needs of customers.

How has the new real-virtual hybrid model worked for corporate events and what will be the trends in the future?

Video is now at the forefront of how we communicate with others, how we conduct business and is enabling us to stay connected even when physically apart. Now, more than ever, we need events to flourish and connect us in a virtual video experience. We have seen many in-person events and meetings who pivoted to an online video at a rapid pace this year. For example, NAB Show, the annual trade show of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), delivered a new virtual experience, called NAB Show Express in place of its annual event earlier this year. The virtual event reached over 40,000 industry professionals and featured over 200 video-on-demand assets for conference sessions, real-time video clips on social channels, and eight-hours of streamed content daily.

With no timetable for the return of large-scale, in-person conferences and events, marketing & event professionals understand that there is a strong need to adopt a more video-centric approach. Post-COVID, the world will ultimately be able to get together again in person, but virtual events will remain pivotal as businesses have discovered video enables them to expand their reach, go beyond the limitations of a physical conference room, and is cost-effective. The future of physical events has to evolve to where the expectation is either virtual-only or hybrid, for those that want the in-person as an option. With advances in technology today, organisations can adopt a digital-first future very quickly and deliver exceptional virtual events experiences quickly and securely.

How are companies collaborating with certain tools and techniques to maintain efficiency when it comes to working virtually?

Video is now at the forefront of how we stay connected with others in our personal lives and professional. For organisations with a remote workforce, video has emerged as a critical tool that allows stakeholders to remain engaged, effective, and productive. In our Brightcove Global Video Index, one of the findings was that for most organisations’ business continuity plans are now heavily dependent on video technology. Content created by enterprise video views saw a strong uptick on smartphones by 660% during this year – showing the increased growth and dependence on video technology in the dynamic business environment.

We have also seen the importance of security, quality, and scalability required in global business workflows. Organisations need to ensure that they are streaming high-quality video experiences with security and control for both public-facing audiences and private internal communications.

What are the types of industries Brightcove works with and can you name some of the solutions that have worked in various sectors?

Brightcove works with many of the leading OTT streaming providers, broadcasters, publishers, enterprise, retail, e-learning, arts and entertainment companies in India and across the world. We work with some of the most innovative companies around the world, companies that are pushing the boundaries when it comes to using video. For example, we help Revry, a global streaming network, reach a diverse audience on its OTT service available in over 130 countries and provide SEEK the tools to increase its brand presence using video. The Tribeca Film Festival has increased engagement with fans using Brightcove video, and the Dropkick Murphys reached over 9 million viewers with their Streaming Outta Fenway event earlier this year, raising over $700,000 for charities helping the community during COVID.

Our mission is to help organisations meet their business goals and create strategic opportunities by inspiring, entertaining, and engaging their audiences through video. Brightcove provides its game-changing video solutions to over 3,381 customers globally. This roster includes industry leaders spanning verticals, from media titans like and AMC Networks, food and beverage giants, Chick-Fil-A and Dunkin’ Brands, authorities in entertainment like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Tribeca Film Festival, virtual education company MasterClass, along with sports partners like USGA’s U.S. Open, and many more.