Box office duds prompt more filmmakers to test movies before release

As movies fail at the box office and also struggle to enthuse OTT audiences with rising frequency, filmmakers are increasingly turning to testing content to get a sense of whether a title, or specific parts of it, will work with viewers.

Either in collaboration with specialized agencies experienced in audience research, or even independently, about 200 to 800 people, across age, gender and target markets, are made to view the title before release and get feedback on plot, characters, conflicts and other aspects. 

Hindi and Telugu films such as Animal and Kalki 2898 AD carried out tests to figure out effective marketing campaigns that could generate organic buzz before release in a cluttered theatrical environment, without spending huge amounts. Monisha Advani, producer at Emmay Entertainment, said the company, based on the feedback, decided to do away with two songs that were said to drag the pace of one of their films. 

Each research effort serves a specific purpose at different stages of production. Some studies are conducted during the script phase, some to assess the appeal of the ensemble cast or how well the twists and turns resonate with audiences along with comprehension, pace, and continuity of the content or whether the title aligns with viewer expectations. Studios are also routinely trying to find out what could make for effective marketing strategies.

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“This practice originates from the need to understand audience preferences and deliver high-quality content that resonates (with them). By staying attuned to what viewers want, creators can better meet audience expectations and ensure compelling entertainment in an increasingly competitive landscape,” said Amrita Pandey, chief executive officer of Junglee Pictures. 

Marketing research plays a crucial role as well—evaluating the stickiness of songs helps determine which one should be released first, testing the effectiveness of trailers helps identify dialogues that resonate with viewers, Panday said, adding that these insights are then used to create key promotional assets.

Rajat Agrawal, chief operating officer and director of Ultra Media & Entertainment Group, said content creators consider various factors. These could include aspects like the number of elevation scenes in the content, whether the characters are sharp and resonating enough, strength of the plotline, and the possibility of a franchise, he said.

While Hindi film producers earlier held screenings for distributors or other key stakeholders, the practice is becoming more organized now. Focus groups are formed by analyzing data from top-performing markets identified through research on cities where the actors’ previous films or if similar genres have succeeded. The target audience is further segmented by gender and other demographics to align with the film’s intended viewership.

Hollywood has been conducting test screenings for more than 50 years now but In India, while television channels were testing content, the practice was far less prevalent in the film industry, according to Shailesh Kapoor, founder and chief executive officer, Ormax Media, which offers content testing services.

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“Content testing still has a lot of untapped potential in India. In our estimate, we are testing about 20-25% of major Hindi properties released every year in some form (synopsis, screenplay, and/or video), but this proportion is still less than 10% for South Indian language markets, which we started focusing only in the last four to five years,” Kapoor said. “We are hopeful that we can touch adoption rates closer to 50% in Hindi and 25% in South in the next three to four years.”

Incorporation of feedback depends on several factors, including the time available to make changes, according to Kapoor. In the case of social drama Mulk, a major re-shoot was done after the test research. Content edits to iron out concerns related to pace, comprehension, and character development are common.

Still, producers say a sample size can only offer a limited and subjective view of whether something works or not. Moreover, it isn’t always financially feasible to incorporate inputs if the project is ready for release.

“The main advantage of early-stage testing is that it allows for feedback to be incorporated before major expenses come into play. If significant changes are needed, we can make them during production, which might involve scheduling additional days of shooting,” according to Ujjwal Mahajan, co-founder of Chaupal, a platform specializing in Punjabi, Haryanvi and Bhojpuri content.

“Once we move into post-production, the ability to make changes becomes more limited, and adjustments are primarily made during the editing process,” said Mahajan. “At that stage, we work with what we have, and any financial implications from the feedback need to be carefully weighed.”

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