FEED: What are some of the QC problems you’re seeing on platforms right now?
PP: It used to be things like encoding and transcoding, but technology has done well there.We’re not seeing the technical issues that we used to.The focus everywhere now is on localisation, as content is distributed worldwide.The business model for video platforms used to be: “Just get content up! We want to have more than everybody else!” Quality wasn’t a thing people wanted to invest in. The need to QC, so that viewers could have a quality experience, was very high – but it required budget.We didn’t see a lot of that, but Covid-19 changed things. Now, there’s a need for high-quality content to go out.When it’s checked, we notice a lot of errors when content is localised for a different region. Sometimes the subtitles have just been a literal translation, done
by some type of AI, and you lose all the information that’s going to make the viewer really understand and enjoy it.We’re seeing those kinds of errors where you need to appreciate the culture or context to fully comprehend how something should be translated.The word ‘honey’ might mean food, rather than a term of endearment. We’re also well aware that accessibility – from audio description to close captioning – became more important, which we’re very happy about.There’s an audience of millions around the world wanting to enjoy content, and it’s not available for them. But it always comes back to quality issues – the difference between those pumping out content just to get it everywhere, and content that’s properly done.
FROM KITCHEN TO BURBANK The leap of faith which led to the creation of Blu Digital Group started from Pantoja’s apartment
FEED: How is advertising affecting the streaming space right now?
PP: People want to monetise content, so you see a lot of FAST and AVOD platforms shooting out content, with advertising placed by an algorithm, spread out every five minutes. But the ad has appeared at the wrong moment, in the middle of a major scene or important dialogue. But people are being more thoughtful now. With big companies like Disney and Netflix moving into ad-supported content, you know this needs to be done right – and that’s going to trickle down to everyone else. If people are having a bad experience, they’ll switch to the next thing.We’re building a culture where people will switch in a heartbeat. Considering where to put the ad breaks is important. A lot of major studios have been focused on TVOD and SVOD. It’s interesting to see their interest switch, and we’re there to provide support and guidance.
“NOW, THERE’S A NEED FOR HIGH-QUALITY CONTENT TO GO OUT”
@feedzinesocial
Powered by FlippingBook