If you search “Social Network” in Google , instead of giving the results about the definition of particular term the first result which comes up is about a movie “The Social network” which even got 8 nominations at 83rd Academy awards and was praised worldwide.

Conclusion: There is a strong relation between “Social Network” and “Movies”.

Over a period of time this relationship between Movies and Social networking has evolved and that is the main reason why there has been an enormous change in the way films are being marketed nowadays. Filmmakers and producers have realized that if they want to pull in audience to theaters there are only two ways, first either create a controversy around the film, second design a social media campaign. Controversies don’t last long but Social media campaign if done in a right manner can boost the ticket sales immensely. After then it’s the content which decides the fate of a movie.

Traditional ways like airing promos on television, giving ads in newspaper and magazine still exists but due to cyber revolution in late 90’s and early 20s Digital and Social Media marketing have taken a front seat. Today almost two third of the world population visits a social networking site once in a week and that’s a major reason why all the big studios and production house around the world are spending substantial amount of their marketing budget for a successful online campaigns.

For example movies like Harry Porter, Inception and Avatar had spend huge amount of money to make sure that they reach to their target audience easily and stay connect with them 24*7. Today “word of mouse” is equally important as “word of mouth” for a film success which can be easily seen with hundreds and thousands of fans across the world joining the social online platforms of their favorite movies on facebook/twitter within minutes of their creation.Harry Potter’s facebook community only has close to 27 millions fans and counting. It always remains the “talk of twitter” pre and post release time.

Though not everyone who joins these online communities turn out to be the theater audience but these figures helps in spreading the word which effects the sale of tickets significantly in the opening weeks.

It’s not only the Hollywood studios who are going the online way to create buzz filmmakers from India too have realized the power of Social media and online platforms as the best medium to talk about their films. Studios like Yashraj films,

ALT entertainment (Balaji Telefilms) are already running high on social networking platforms whereas filmmakers like Anurag Kashyap and Karan Johar boasts of huge fan following online.

These mediums can also act as a financier for your upcoming flick. Filmmakers like Onir took a step forward and used these platforms smartly to collect funds for his recent film “I AM”.

One thing which plays a pivotal role in a successful Social media campaign is “Audience engagement”. Tapping active users and engaging them smartly helps in creating the awareness which increases the fan base exponentially.

Ashish Patil Producer at Y-films (YashRaj) says “83% of the movie going audience is between 15-35yrs and spends more time online than any other medium. Hence Social Media and digital marketing was the first and obvious choice. We also premiered lot of our content first online and then broke it on TV.”

Reason: Digital marketing catches more eyeballs and cost less as compared to other mediums

During the release of their film “Love ka the End” they started India’s first ever Youtube video chat with the cast and crew which pulled close to 9000 participants.

Gaurav Mishra, Co-founder at Media Redefined, one of the top social media agency in India says “Marketing needs to be at the place where people pay attention and when 1 out of 3 people in India hang out on social networking websites it becomes necessary for film industry to have a strong presence on these platforms for promoting their films.”

With the change in time ,marketing strategy for a film need to be revised so that good content reaches to every nook and corner of the world. To survive in an industry which gives out more than thousand films a year, a good and excellent movie matched with a right social media strategy can do wonders at box office and achieve its aim of entertaining a wider audience.

His very first short film as producer was nominated for Oscar Awards in 1960. His first film as director won National awards from Indian Govt. His partnership with World’s famous director James Ivory has been placed in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest partnership in independent cinema history. He was an actor, writer, producer, director as well as a great cook. His movie was nominated 4 times for Oscar.

Ismail Merchant the most internationally acclaimed Indian filmmaker. Born and brought up in Mumbai he went to NewYork for higher studies. In 1961 He founded a production house Merchant Ivory Productions in association with director James Ivory. Together they made close to 40 films and their films won six Oscar award and several other prestigious award. They also had close friendship with Novelist Ruth Prawer Jhabvala who has written most of their films.

His films “A Room with a View” , “Howards End” “The Remains of the Day” and “The Creation of Woman” were nominated for Oscars. His subjects were thoroughly researched showing a detailed frame and his movie sets reflected the luxury.

“Mahatma and the Mad boy” as director, “Shakespeare Wallah” and “Bombay Talkie” as producer were his other famous work. He also wrote couple of books on food and cooking like “Ismail Merchant’s Indian Cuisine”, “Ismail Merchant’s Passionate Meals” and “Ismail Merchant’s Paris: Filming and Feasting in France.

He also wrote books on making of his film. His last book My Passage From India: A Filmmaker’s Journey from Bombay to Hollywood and Beyond gave us insight about how an Asian with strong determination and passion went onto become one of the successful filmmaker in Hollywood and World cinema.

In 2002, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan. He died in 2005 at the age of 68 in London and was buried in Mumbai.

He use to earn Rs. 80 /month working as a junior visualiser and then in 1992 he earned a Honorary award for Lifetime Achievement from Oscar Academy. His book “Our films their films” which came in 1976 was a classic literary work highlighting the difference between Indian and Hollywood cinema and other International filmmakers.He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema.

This time we’re talking about Satyajit Ray,born in Kolkata in 1921 was one of the greatest filmmakers who bought most international honours to our country for his contribution to parallel and realistic cinema.

He started his film career as a director with his  first film, Pather Panchali (1955) which won eleven international prizes, including Best Human Document at the Cannes film festival followed by making of  Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959), the three films form The Apu Trilogy.Though he faced many financial hurdles while making Apu Triology, he never compromised with the script and his way of filmmaking.

Ray directed thirty-seven films, including feature films, documentaries and shorts.

One film that influenced him deep inside was “Bicycle Thieves” which attracted him towards independent filmmaking. He was also greatly influenced by Rabindra Nath Tagore and made a documentary on him.

His work revolved mainly around poverty, children and apathy in a women’s life . In 1962, Ray directed Kanchenjungha, which was his first original screenplay and colour film.

He won 32 Indian National Film Awards.He was one of only three filmmakers to win Golden Silver Bear more than once .Ray is the second film personality after Chaplin to have been awarded honorary doctorates by Oxford University.He was awarded Bharat Ratna shortly before his death in 1992. He also got the Akira Kurosawa Award for Lifetime Achievement in Direction at San Francisco International Film Festival after his death.

Year after year he was included in the list of greatest filmmakers of all time by several magazines.In 1992, the Sight & Sound Critics’ Top Ten Poll ranked Ray at no.7 in its list of “Top 10 Directors” of all time, making him the highest-ranking Asian filmmaker in the poll.In 2002, the Sight & Sound critics’ and directors’ poll ranked Ray at no.22 in its list of all-time greatest directors thus making him the 4th highest-ranking Asian filmmaker in the poll.In 1996, Entertainment Weekly magazine ranked Ray at no.25 in its “50 Greatest Directors” list.In 2007, Total Film magazine included Ray in its “100 Greatest Film Directors Ever” list.

Akira Kurosawa, once said, “Not to have seen the cinema of Ray means existing in the world without seeing the sun or the moon.”

His 2 movies have been included in Time magazine’s “All-TIME” 100 best movies.

He has worked as a choreographer and Actor at one time.His first movie introduced a new technical concept in Indian cinema ,Close up shots with 100mm lens which later was referred on his name in filmmaking.British film magazine Sight & Sound poll ranked him at 73 in its list of all-time greatest directors, thus making him the Eighth highest-ranking Asian filmmaker in the poll.

Guru Dutt credited with several cult movies in Indian cinema was the legendary filmmaker behind movies like Sahab,Biwi aur Gulam and Chaudhvin Ka Chand.

Pyaasa and Kaagaz ke Phool are included in all time 100 best movies.Theatres in  Germany,France and Japan were full packed when they screened any of Guru Dutt’s movies.In the initial stage of his career he worked with Prabhat Film company,Pune for 3yrs till 1947. After coming to Mumbai he assisted two directors.In 1951 his first film as director, Baazi was released.This movies was produced under the banner of Dev Anand’s company Navketan. His second film Jaal was also a super hit flick.He also introduced Waheeda Rehman to Hindi cinema under his production in C.I.D starring Dev Anand. He and Dev anand were very close friends for many years.His film Sahab,Biwi aur Gulam won the filmfare award in Best film category directed by Abrar Alvi.

Though his movies could not earn enough money at box office he earned the status of a legendary filmmaker making cult movies one after the other. He acted in 16 films and Picnic was his last film in 1964.He died the same year after consuming alcohol and sleeping pills at night.

Once Dev Anand quoted Guru Dutt as “My only true friend in the film industry. We got close to each other while working for Prabhat Film company.

On failure of Kaagaz Ke Phool and success of Chaudhvin Ka Chand he said “What is there in life, friend? There are only two things – success and failure. There is nothing in between.”

In recent time Bollywood has witnessed more of failure and less of success.With more than 300 movies producing every year alone in Hindi cinema,not even 50 films gets audience appreciation. Very few directors now make cult films irrespective of their fate at box office.

First It was SlumDog Millionaire ,then it was Smile Pinki and now it’s Kavi ,a short film by a foreign filmmaker focusing on the problem of child labour in India is nominated for Oscars. Its a 19-minute fictional film about a young boy who wants to escape from the brick kiln where he is forced to work as a modern-day salve. Kavi will be the first fictional film of its kind to expose the reality of bonded labor, a form of modern slavery.

Written-directed and produced by Gregg Helvey, it has been selected in “Short Film” (Live Action) category of 82nd Academy Awards.

It will compete with “The Door“(Juanita Wilson, James Flynn), “Instead of Abracadabra” (Patrik Eklund, Mathias Fjellstrom), “Miracle Fish” (Luke Doolan, Drew Bailey), and “The New Tenants” (Joachim Back, Tivi Magnusson).

Gregg Helvey made this film as his thesis project and completed in 8days with just Rs. 14lakhs .The 82nd Academy Awards presentation will take place on 7th Mar in Hollywood.

This is another effort by a foreign filmmaker to show the adversity and poverty surrounding poor class in India.Though “Harishchandra factory” was sent as an official entry to Oscars from India, it failed to get nominated in any category.

What do you expect from a boy if he makes a film with a normal camera given by his father on his 12^th birthday.This small guy went on to win National Film Award for best feature film in Hindi not once and twice but 7 times. He was also awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime achievement for his contribution to Indian cinema in 2005.We’re talking about none other than our legend filmmaker Shyam Benegal.

He spend the first few years of his career in Advertising agencies in Bombay.Till 1974 he made hundreds of ad films and documentaries and then best thing that brought him in limelight among the industry and media, Ankur,his first feature film about economic and sexual exploitation from his home state Andhra Pradesh.A year after he made Nishant which won the National film award in best feature film category. Year after year he kept on making cult films. Manthan,Bhumika,Junoon,Arohan and the list goes on when we talk about the great movies in 70’s and 80’s era which were also nominated at several International film awards.

He also directed a television serial “Bharat Ek Khoj” based on Jawaharlal Nehru’s book, Discovery of India for Indian Railways .In 1982 he made a movie based on the life of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray which won the National award for Best biographical film.

Though he is considered as one of the best directors of parallel cinema he also tried his hands in mainstream cinema with making of Zubeidaa which again bagged the National film Award for best feature film in the year 2001.

In 2008 when “Welcome to Sajjanpur” was released an Indiatimes review said, “Shyam Benegal has always been accredited as a mesmerizing storyteller known for making ‘meaningful’ cinema. This time he also caters to commercial consumers, coming up with his most ‘entertaining’ attempt, by far”. Though it couldn’t perform well at box office it was much critically acclaimed by media houses .Now the maverick filmmaker is ready with his new project “Well Done Abba” which is currently being screened at some of the prestigious film festival across the world will  be released very soon.

At the age of 75 and with more than 70 films to his credit he is still the same man who believes in his own style of filmmaking , no matter it earns money or not but at the end it earns applause from all savvy segments.

Global warming continues to remain a hot issue in every global summit whether it is

G8 or UN summit or Presidents and environmentalist at a round table conference. Newspapers reporting about the blame game between States and Asian countries and others making statements. Everyone is busy talking about it and very few in actually doing something in the direction of reducing it. Cinema being one of the most influential way tried and delivered some of best films from time to time which not only worried Big Bosses but common man too. Have a look at some of the best cinematic work on the issue of global warming.

Water world,1995 is a movie showcasing most of Earth is underwater as polar ice caps have melted and very little land is remaining, causing some humans to mutate into growing fins and gills, to adapt to their new environment.

The day after tomorrow,2004 which indicated how the world would look like if the greenhouse effect and global warming continued winning BAFTA film award for special visual effects and MTV movie award.

An inconvenient truth,2006 ,a documentary on Al Gore’s campaign to make the issue of global warming a recognized problem worldwide,which won 2 Oscars.

11^th hour 2007 a documentary written by Leonardo DiCaprio talking about the global environment problems and the visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet’s ecosystems.

2012 ,2009 which recently came out is an epic adventure by Roland Emmerich

is about a global disaster that brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors.

A must watch for all those who care about our planet and wants to make it a better place for the next coming generations.

What happens when your wildest of wild dream comes true. Rarely it happens with anyone ,because it happens only with one in millions and billions. Everymen somewhere in their life dreams to meet the most beautiful creature of god and if the creature is none other than Miss Universe then you’re that one lucky chap among a billion poor.This time we have come up with a new line ”Where there is a dream there is a Way” and one of the world’s reputed diamond brand Nexus is digging out that way. Yes We’re talking about the Miss Universe 2009, the 58th Miss Universe pageant which is being currently held at the Atlantis Paradise Island, in Nassau, Bahamas.Nexus is the official jewelery sponsor for Miss Universe 2009 event and it has also designed the crown which will grace the winning lady on 23^rd aug ’09.

Image via : thedivanetwork

This time beauties from 84 countries are participating and 15 semi-finalist would be contesting for the glorious crown.  Nexus has organized a exciting contest and anyone can participate in it except citizens from few countries.You’ll be asked to choose a crown among the three crowns which represents 3 different characteristic ,i.e, Hope, Peace and Unity .The contest is open for everyone and you can write away enter in the contest. If you have voted for the crown which leads among the three and the one you choose is the winning crown you could win a 3 day 2 night trip for 2 to meet the next Miss Universe at a VIP event in New York city.The winner will also be awarded 2 tickets to a Braoadway show which is considered as the highest level of commercial theater in the English-speaking world and a 5000$ shopping spree with diamond Nexus lab.

Just one week is left for the D-day and you really need to hurry up if you really dream of sitting beside the crowning lady in New York.Let’s see who is that lucky fellow who will win the race of luck.Click here to participate.

Recently a European body which gathers and distributes information on Audiovisual Industry came out with its latest report on World film market trends,Focus 2009 revealing net box office collections,theatre admission and average ticket price and other trends in film industry across the globe.Indian cinema with highest production of movies close to 1132 and theater admission as high as 3.29 bn breaking all the records which is thrice the population of country.According to the study Indian box office collected $1.8 bn in 2008 and the top 10 movies which contributed significantly to the huge collection are

Though major collection was made by Hindi cinema ,other cinemas which contributed significantly were Telugu and Tamil films producing 21% and 13% of the total films produced in 2008.

Recently European Audiovisual observatory known for its in-depth study of Film,Television,video and multimedia Industry came out with its latest report Focus 2009 on Film market trends of different countries of World.Though the whole world already knew about the combined mass production of movies across India is much higher than any other country in the world,there were certain figures revealed by the study which surprised not only the cinema goers in India but the entire world.

It was evident that being the highest populated country of World , theater admission would be more as compared to other countries but as high as 3.29 bn

which is equivalent to combined figure of other top 9 producing countries of World reflects the interest of Indians towards cinema.Though Bollywood has been misapprehended as Indian cinema for a long time, it accounts for 22% of the total films followed by Telugu and Tamil films accounting for 21% and 13% respectively. Growth in multiplex screens which now accounts for 65% -70 % of the total Indian box office boosted the revenue graph which increased by 12% compared to last year revenues.In 2008 Indian box office reached $ 1.8 bn with average ticket price as low as 25 INR on the other hand another Asian country  Japan  with an average ticket price as high as 600 INR reached $1.9bn mark.Unites states on the other hand generated revenues close to $9.7bn with theater admission of 1.3 bn approximately.Average ticket price in United states is $7.Similarly United kingdom touched a whopping figure of $8.5bn with only 164 million people going to theaters in 2008.Thus Indian cinema beats other countries when it comes to no. of movies produced and theatre admission whereas lags behind in box office collection.

Every year Indian film industry bears loss close to $ 1 bn due to piracy which is eating a big portion of revenue generated every year.Film fraternity is trying hard to curb such practices and the day it’ll be eradicated ,Indian cinema will give tough competition to  other countries in terms of net box office revenues.