Exclusive Conversation with Mr. Manoj Shroff, Producer, Equinox Films
- How is the current situation treating you and Equinox as a company?
Adapting to the lockdown took a while, and seeing that our families and people in the company were safe was a priority. Though Mumbai is in a Red Zone, the work has kept our minds in a Green Zone. Equinox has been fortunate to get Ad films during this period and as a Producer I have adapted to produce with the challenges of the lockdown and succeeded.
No one in the company including myself has been idle in the last few months. I’m really grateful to our agencies and clients for that. In this entire lockdown period we have produced about 6 to 7 films, all of which were made adhering to the norms laid down by the government. Safety first.
So thankfully Equinox has been doing well and busy.
- How are you managing all the shoots and internal communications?
We have been managing it very well. Technology and all the video call enablers have helped us keep in touch to meet, shoot, post-produce and make presentations via video calls and other means of communication. Doing shoots through the video app has been an unusual new experience for all of us including our agencies and clients, and they have been very supportive. The Equinox directors and producers given the diverse films we have made of the years have always updated ourselves with the latest technology. As we know this is the new normal so we have evolved with them. All our past brush ups with technology has really helped us in these times.
- Your perspective – How is the situation going to change post this lockdown?
These are challenging times for all of us for the brand, client, agency and production house all have had to adapt and make decisions. Having said that the budgets have shrunk but the quality control still remains. We at Equinox are trying are best to protect creativity and quality despite tighter budgets.
What’s going to change? Even after the lockdown ends we will continue to have virtual meetings, all face to face meetings and Presentations will be reduced. There will be multiple safety measures which will be adopted as mandatory rules going forward both at office and shoots. At Equinox we are devising a whole system on how we are going to run our shoots. It is imperative that we adhere to all rules in order to avoid a relapse of COVID19. I don’t know when we will go back to the old normal, and if we ever will. Currently everyone is getting used to this new normal.
- Will the brands consider keeping everything digital and cut down on shooting, how has the entire strategy changed in the ad industry?
Everybody including the television industry will have to cut down their rates, including TV channels who will have to sell spots cheaper and hence make it more affordable for clients. Everyone has to gain ground on their lost business, if people will continue to charge in the same manner that they used to before COVID19 then they will not be considered going forward. All companies have to cut corners and reduce their costs. This includes technicians, studios and more. Budgets are definitely going to be cut down, yet at the same time we have to continue to deliver quality work. We will have to evolve with the industry and times and partner Agencies and Clients in every way we can so advertising continues to thrive.
This is exactly what we have been doing at Equinox Films, we believe in delivering the best quality work, irrespective of the budgets. We try our best to stay current and live up to the name youngest oldest production house. We reinvent each time, and fingers crossed, we shall conquer this as well.
Brandturks 