By Chris White.
Film producers and directors have some of the toughest jobs imaginable, even though many of us have the stereotypical image of them sat around in their chairs shouting ‘action’ or ‘cut’ down a megaphone when it’s time for filming to start or stop. In fact, they’re doing their best to ensure that the viewing public – the paying customers – are getting the very best movie for their time and investment.
Nobody working behind the scenes on blockbuster movies wants them to flop. Sure, the actors and actresses are the ones who will be given the publicity in the media (positive or negative), but many will remember who worked as the producer or director and for that reason it’s vital that they strive to bring only the highest quality productions to our screens. With Hollywood blockbusters, they’re able to spend the mega bucks on the biggest stars who they know will take to the roles like ducks to water and they also know that they’ve got the budget to repair any damage to the set and equipment or make improvements so that it is as good as everyone hopes; but other markets and niches are very different – especially in Bollywood.
The cinema is one of the most popular pastimes in India and those who aren’t paying to go down to the nearest cinema are subscribing so that they can watch the latest Bollywood movies online with numerous new films released each week to satisfy the demand of the public. Of course, when you’re churning out thousands of films each year – like Bollywood is – some are going to smash the records at the box office and others will fall into the flop category and will soon be in one of those baskets you find at the supermarket with five ‘reduced’ labels on as they just try and sell a few copies to recoup the expense.
Obviously, there is no guaranteed recipe for success with a movie – it depends what you judge success on first of all, whether it’s ticket sales, downloads or just the number of people who turn up on the red carpet for the unveiling. There are a few things that are almost essential ingredients, however, and have withstood the tests of time now Bollywood is officially 101 years old.
The first of which, of course, is to ensure that there is plenty of music. Bollywood movies are famous throughout the world for their musical scenes and many have described the whole industry as a combination of films, musicals and soap operas. The musical scenes are often particularly extravagant with plenty of people involved with many cast members given the opportunity to make a name for themselves with small roles as dancers in the background before making the step up to the prominent roles.
Of course, there’s no point having a musical scene – or a number of them as there often is – if you haven’t got people who are able to dance. People assume that it’s as simple as turning up on the set, working with the choreographer in a similar way to learning your lines with the director and then doing it. The dance scenes are quite intense for those performing them, with dozens of people involved and if just one person is out of time then it can ruin the whole scene. Being a Bollywood dancer takes great skill and years of training so it’s vital to acquire the most talented dancers available in order to make a successful Bollywood blockbuster.
It’s right up there in levels of importance as acquiring the biggest names in the business. The likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan will automatically pull in the crowds like going to watch Sachin Tendulkar bat in Mumbai. People are often bigger fans of individual stars than the franchises they’re a part of and securing the services of one of the fan favourites is as important to those behind the camera as getting the best equipment and locations.
Fashion is another major part of Bollywood, as you might expect with such a keen emphasis on music and dancing. The storylines in the films are often based around real life and trying to connect with the audience, and what better way to do so than by trying to capture the imagination of those sat in the cinema or in front of their laptops than providing the stars with the most extravagant outfits or the most modern styles to show how the film is on trend. If you’re producing a film based in the present day, it’s essential that you don’t go too futuristic or too vintage with the designs or you can lose track of the setting and if people are there to see specific stars, as touched on earlier, they want to see what they’ll be wearing, how they’ve done their makeup and how they’re wearing their hair – these are all major contributing factors in a successful movie, especially if you’re looking for positive reviews.
Finally, of course, you need an element of the rom-com. The industry famous for its comedy – you can’t take it too seriously with so many of the stars singing and dancing after all – and for its romance between several of the cast members. The audience want to see their favourite stars “get together” in a fairytale romance so it’s key that the producers and director get the storyline right so that the right people fall in love.
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