When you've been in the television production business for as long as Fremantle Media director of productions India Gavin Wood has, there is probably very little out there that can shock and awe. More so considering that the 43-year-old lost count of the number of shows he made once he crossed the 5,000 mark. Still, despite a total of 26 years doing television, Wood is mighty impressed by the sheer wealth of ideas on show in India.
Following the success of Pop Idol in the UK, Wood took the reality TV talent show across regions. Wood is for the interim based out of Mumbai, looking at setting up India as a production hub for Fremantle.
In an in-depth conversation with Indiantelevision.com's Sonali Krishna, Wood details Fremantle's plans in India and its upcoming productions.
Excerpts:
What is your role in India essentially? And the vision ahead for Fremantle? |
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How would you rate India as a market? India is also very competitive and, more importantly, a market that is being run by only a couple of channels with everybody wanting to be number one. So, everyone is in search of that one show that will give you ratings. The only reason that formats work here is because they are Indianised. They go through a process of localization that allows you to produce a local show without destroying the skeleton of the format. |
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But isn't that the case everywhere? This market is also difficult because of the number of producers who are bouncing off ideas to networks; it makes it that much tougher for us. And once you strike it, it is difficult to sustain it because everyone is changing and people pick up on your ideas. You will be making a show with some elements in it, and all of a sudden the same elements appear on another show on a rival network. So, you can't carry on just making the show but have to ensure some changes that still keep the format intact. |
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Are these challenges only peculiar to India? When I made Wheel of Fortune, for instance, we added an element to the game in the beginning. We played the game and tested it and it seemed fine. But, when we got to the end of the game, we realized that we did not see one aspect of it. So, there is a focus of getting as much quality here in every show and sometimes if not thought out properly, it could be a problem at the other end. But then again, India is almost a vertical line if one looks at the quality of productions that happen here. When the budgets are good and comparable to what an overseas country will spend, the apple is the same. Set designs, the use of colour, the use of light, people and movement is fantastic. The way Millionaire (KBC) was dealt with here was amazing. I think the world can take a leaf out of India's book and look at how it was done. Similarly, India's Child Genius, it's not just been shot, it's been crafted. (Both KBC and India's Child genius were produced by Siddharth Basu's Synergy Productions). |
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Is India the most significant market in Asia? |
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What course do you think reality in India will take, considering Fremantle has done significant work across regions? |
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Do you find India is distinctly different as a market in terms of TV consumption or do you think that TV will evolve here in the same way as the west? It is certainly following the trend as far as content goes and India is seeing the best of what is out there. The 24 series is happening overseas, it is also happening here. What is interesting here is that people want to see more western content with an Indian standpoint which is what makes it different. I hope India retains its individuality and produces local television for local consumption and doesn't lose the essence of being Indian. Indonesia loves all things American in their television programmes. Singapore and China are the same, where if it's American, it must be good. With India, due to the mass of people here, India will always be Indian. Sure, there's a lot of stuff coming from overseas, but just because it's international does not mean it's good. In India, I see a transition happening at the moment into more reality and that's just the position that you are in the cycle. Indian television is a fast moving game, faster than other places in the world. |
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What are Fremantle's expansion plans in India? Also, I hear that you are on the lookout for a CEO? We will be producing formats that we own, involved in co-productions with local companies. If small production houses have an idea but not the ability to execute it, we will assist them in the development process, produce the show locally with them and then we will represent it internationally. So, if you are a little production company in India, Fremantle can help you have a window on the world by producing a format and distributing it. There is already a Fremantle distribution here although it is based out of London which distributes our international format to Indian broadcasters as well as services them. We are already in talks with four production companies, and one has two concepts that we are looking at. We are different stages of paper. We are here as a full fledged production house and we want to grow our presence here. The third is local development for shows in India. |
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So, what does the structure in India look like? Khul Ja Sim Sim was our first assignment here, which was followed by Bol Baby Bol. We shut shop for a little while in between from 1999 - 2002 during the Asia flu. What we are doing now is re-establishing ourselves here. |
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What's the vision five years from now? |
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When do you think India will play a significant role in the format market? Considering it could be a huge revenue model for the production and the broadcast industry. |
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I believe that Fremantle is producing Indian Idol 2 on its own this time? Why the decision? |
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Fremantle, which is distributing Mark Burnett's The Apprentice worldwide, has sold the concept to Star. But will you also be involved in the production? |
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What's the plan of action (POA), post Indian Idol 2? Have you signed up with any other broadcaster for any of your other formats? |
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How will you localise The Apprentice to the Indian market? |
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In terms of revenue how does Idol fare vis-?-vis The Apprentice? |
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But Indian Idols didn't seem to have any merchandising? |
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From your drama offering, besides Neighbours, there appears to be nothing really that would be of interest to Indian broadcasters. Would you agree with that? |