Incubating talent

Dot Republic Media (DRM), one the biggest Multi Channel Networks (MCN) in the region, recently extended their portfolio of services by launching a content incubation centre called The Creative Floor (TCF) in Gulberg, Lahore.

A MCN allows publishers (which can be independent content creators or organisations such as TV channels) to have their content (videos) distributed on various online networks (such as YouTube, DailyMotion, Vimeo, Spotify, iTunes) and generate revenue from the uploaded content.

According to Adnan Butt, Founder, Dot Republic Media and TCF, the objective of the incubation centre is to empower talented people in areas such as music, acting and hosting, by providing them with a platform where they can create content for free and then distribute it globally using the big networks, and earn revenue.

The first step in this process, says Butt, is ‘talent discovery’. This is done by conducting campus drives at universities and colleges across Pakistan. He adds that 86 universities have been shortlisted so far. Apart from campuses, TCF is contacting people who have already created short videos that have gone viral in order to give them an even better platform.

TCF provides 1,000 square feet worth of premises with facilities that include hardware such as lights, cameras, post production machines, audio facilities, as well as human resources such as video editors, animators, still photographers and sketchers. To quote Butt, “almost all the resources any content creator would need.”

Butt adds, once an individual has been approved, TCF will support him or her by either providing space at the facility or funding them if they live in another city. In this case the submissions can be sent online.

TCF, says Butt, will provide as much holistic support as possible. Mentoring sessions with personalities such as Noori, Mandana Zaidi and Sheraz Upal will be conducted to help young aspirants learn the tricks of the trade, give them relevant exposure and help refine their talent. However, content creation is just one part of the process. Keeping factors such as context and relevance in consideration, the content once developed will be distributed to over 200 networks. Here, technology will play a pivotal role in tracking and monitoring the content. From knowing exactly how many users are watching the uploaded content and for how long; which mobile device and internet connection was used; was the video paused – “everything is monitored, in order to give the best ROI possible,” says Butt.

There are no upfront charges for using the facility. After the content is created, TCF co-shares the Intellectual Property (IP) of the content and the generated revenue is equally divided among the two parties.

Another important factor in online content is controlling privacy. This is handled by DRM’s claims management system. Referring to it as ‘fingerprint matching’, Butt explains that after the content is uploaded, the system automatically checks wherever the video has been uploaded and/or shared. However, it is up to the creator to decide whether to allow for the content to be shared or not or agree and earn revenue from people who share it.

Considering the company’s dependence on YouTube, an obvious obstacle seems to be YouTube’s ban in Pakistan. Yet, Butt believes that not only do a significant number of people in Pakistan access YouTube via proxies, but the percentage of global audiences consuming Pakistani content is increasing. In his view, increased internet penetration has balanced out the number of YouTube users in Pakistan.

Surprisingly, the challenge is the unsupportive attitude of local brands and sponsors.

According to Butt, “brands always want to focus on people who are already hot sellers. They don’t have the guts to invest in newcomers.”

He adds that although he prefers not to have sponsors as they tend to dictate and control creativity, eventually sponsorship will be necessary for sustainability. He adds that the Facebook Audience Network (a monetisation model for publishers) is expected to be open to Pakistan by the end of this year and he believes this will become the primary platform for individual content creators to make money. TCF’s ultimate aim is to improve Pakistan’s image – in Pakistan and around the globe.