In the era of OTTs, do people still like going to the movie theatres?

OTT vs MOVIE THEATRES, is there a winner yet?

The ever-evolving sphere of entertainment has undergone some significant and consequential changes in the last few years with the rise of OTT platforms.

Before delving into the question, it is necessary to know what exactly OTT is. OTT stands for over-the-top, as in, going above and beyond the content that cables offer. These are video streaming services that provide on-demand content to their consumers. The viewers can easily get access to this content at any time, from any device with an internet connection. The most popular OTT platform worldwide is Netflix, with more than 238.39 million paid subscribers in 2023. Some of the other globally popular OTT platforms include Amazon Prime Video, Hulu,  Disney+, and HBO Max.

Besides providing a wide array of original content which caters to diverse tastes and preferences, OTTs also contain movies that were theatre-released. The rise of OTT has caused an evident downfall of the popularity base of movie theatres, i.e., cinema halls. To get a better insight into this tug-of-war, 25 people were surveyed, with their age range being from 16 to 50. All of them were asked the same question, did they prefer OTTs or movie theatres for watching movies? Not surprisingly, 17 out of the 25 people preferred streaming movies in OTTs. Here are the most common reasons why people who prefer OTTs do so:

∎ PERSONAL SPACE AND CONVENIENCE - Every surveyed person had one common reason for liking OTTs better, and that is the advantage of being able to enjoy a movie in their own personal bubble, with or without other people, from the comfort of their homes or anywhere else for that matter. I like OTTs better because I can cry or laugh very loudly and no one would be there to judge me for it, said an 18-year-old. You can pause, resume, rewind, or fast-forward a scene any time you want. There is no set timing or location restrictions, making it easier for people with a busy schedule to fit entertainment into their routines. 

∎ COST EFFECTIVE - A subscription to an online-streaming platform like Netflix can range from INR 199-499 depending on the features of the plan chosen for one whole month, whereas, a single movie ticket in a popular cinema hall like Inox can start ranging from INR 200, and the price of a movie ticket in IMAX might even go up to INR 5000. During the survey, a 19-year-old student was asked if she had watched the very new and trending movie Oppenheimer yet. I wanted to, but the moment I saw that the ticket was for 1500 rupees per person, I canceled my plan. I would rather wait for a year and watch it on an OTT than pay that much for a single movie, she said. 

∎ CONTENT - The OTT platforms have an extensive, continuously updated content library with thousands of titles to choose from, so there is always something for everyone. The viewers can also pick something to watch that suits their current mood and liking. Another such factor is the global reach. OTTs have a global presence, so it is easier for international viewers to get access to movies from all over the world.

       However, the people who still prefer going to the theatres have their reasons as well. One of the major reasons being the whole EXPERIENCE. The ambience, the amazing sound quality and the stunning picture quality of a big screen is incomparable to that of a mobile phone. Some people also said how it is a "whole different vibe" to watch a movie with a crowd, with all the hooting and whistling that comes with it when your favourite actor comes on screen. Going to the theatres to watch movies once in a while with your friends and family also paves the way for a fun and memorable all-day outing.

To conclude, it can be said that both OTT platforms and cinema halls have their own strengths and weaknesses. The battle between these two is not a winner-takes-it-all scenario and it is most likely that both industries will continue to co-exist and maintain a balance in the nearing future as well.