In the context of the media and entertainment industry, one could easily argue that the past few months have been largely revolutionary. With country-wide lockdowns in place due to Covid-19, consumers demanded more and better content and OTT platforms helped in filling the void quite effectively. According to IBEF (India Brand Equity Foundation), the overall growth in the total number of paid subscribers increased almost four times in a single year when in the year 2020, the number reached 18.69 million subscribers. With the continued popularity of such platforms, recent research by Statista suggests that the total size of India’s OTT market is expected to cross $12.5 billion by the year 2030.

It would be challenging for the newcomers to effectively showcase their talent and be ‘available’ as soon as the demand arises. Along with the need for a sourcing platform, let us look at how OTT provides a plethora of opportunities (to newcomers) for entering the media and entertainment industry.

For any newcomer, an OTT platform provides a plethora of opportunities to enter the media and entertainment industry. TV and movie stars making their debuts on various OTT platforms is one such prominent example. Even though the star power of Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Sacred Games have made it very popular, one could not take away the fact that a majority of success stories of the OTT series include some unknown (and highly talented) people backed by creative content and a team of experts. Based on the trends, it could be worth mentioning that Indian audiences have matured enough to shower attention, time and money on the new faces of OTT platforms, many of whom have become household names.

There are different ways through which OTT could be the best chance for entry seekers to make a name in the media and entertainment industry. Some of the most important factors are as follows:

The success of creative and interesting stories with unknown faces

The success of creative stories such as Kota Factory, Scam 1992, Panchayat, and TVF Pitchers, all show that creative content when clubbed with fresh and new faces can be popular among users across the country. For instance, Jamtara web series won the hearts of the audiences without being packed with a stellar cast. Ironically, the crew was comparatively new with almost all being fresh faces in the industry.

However, in no manner should the popularity of star-studded series such as the Family Man or Asur be undervalued. The fact remains that creative concepts and interesting stories help the content in gaining popularity.

Short stories have become extremely popular

Newcomers can be part of short story-based series which are now picked by OTT platforms such as Disney+ Hotstar. Stories that are eight to 10 minutes long are engaging and quite relatable for the general audience. These stories often have new faces and hence entry-seekers could kickstart a career by being part of such shows.

New entrants are affordable and easy to work with

For a new content creator or producer, it is easier to work with newcomers when compared with established stars. The scheduling of newcomers is hassle-free. Not everyone can afford stars, hence roping in fresh artistes is also a good business decision.

The overall rise of the OTT platforms

Based on a trend that the media and entertainment industry has witnessed in the past few months, along with the market expectations, the total volume of content on the existing OTT platforms along with the total number of OTT platforms is expected to increase tremendously in the future. For instance, as per Finder India, Netflix already has one of the most extensive libraries in India consisting of 4,706 titles.

The need for more showcasing platforms to ease talent sourcing

One of the factors that can stimulate opportunities for young artistes in the media and entertainment industry is the lack of a platform that could not only help in showcasing talent but would also ensure that talent sourcing becomes easy. Such a platform could help in effectively bridging the demand-supply gap in the market. The media and entertainment industry is also often associated with exhibiting favouritism towards established ‘stars’. In such a scenario, having an interactive platform showcasing newcomers’ artistic abilities and helping them secure relevant career prospects has emerged to be the dire need of the hour.

New entrants often have to knock on more than one door to get their real ‘break’ in the media and entertainment industry. With positive growth in the OTT platform anticipated and witnessed (in the past few months), newcomers must make the most of the opportunity. Looking for such platforms that help new artistes in showcasing their skills and interacting with people sharing the same passion could be a good start for the newcomers aiming to debut in the media and entertainment industry.

(The author is the CEO and founder of Youforrte, an open market that provides a wide range of networks to connect with the media and entertainment industry.)