Reliance MediaWorks has shifted headquarters of its film and media services division to Los Angeles. According to Venkatesh Roddam, CEO, Reliance MediaWorks? Film and Media Services Division, the decision was easy. ?We are a global company and hence we wanted to be located at an international epicentre and Los Angeles is apt for the purpose,? he says. But Bollywood, too, is a key market for the company. Last year, it processed 110 out of 114 Bollywood films and handled special effects for over 65 films. In a chat with FE, Roddam explains how the shift will help in international and domestic operations. Excerpts:

Why did you decide to shift your headquarters to Los Angeles? How is it expected to help the business?

Reliance MediaWorks is a global company and we wanted to be located at an international epicentre, for which Los Angeles is apt. We believe this strategy of being closer to the customer will facilitate building deeper engagements with Hollywood, as well as enabling a global play in the businesses relating to creative effects and digital media management.

What are you doing for Bollywood this year?

This has been a fantastic year for us so far and we have provided services for all the Bollywood blockbusters of the year, including Agneepath, Rowdy Rathore, Housefull 2, etc. The project pipeline for the remaining year is also very strong and we have DI and VFX projects lined up for not just Hindi films, but also major Tamil and Telugu films.

Is the second phase of your Hollywood-benchmarked studio now operational? What are some of the features it has that no other studio can offer? What are the films, TV serials being shot there this year?

The second phase of the RMW Studios is in the final stages of completion and should be ready to go live soon. Once ready, the studio will offer technological features like motion capture and virtual back lot, which will enable set designers and cinematographers to develop stunning and previously untried cinematic visuals. To name a few, films like Agneepath, Singham, Agent Vinod, Lootera, Student of the Year have been shot at the studios along with television shows like X-Factor, MTV Coke Studio, Indian Idol, Jhalak Dikhla Jaa and numerous advertisements for brands like Idea, Nissan, Airtel, etc.

Can you tell us a bit about the restoration business? What are you working on now?

Currently, our domestic restoration team is working on digitisation of over 200 Indian films for multiple production houses, whereas on the international front we recently set a new benchmark in film restoration by applying image processing technology on Titanic with a complete 4K pipeline. Also, on the restoration front this year the big moment of celebration for us was when Reliance MediaWorks? image processing technology was honoured with an Oscar.

With the acquisition of VenSat in south India, where is your VFX business headed?

Reliance MediaWorks intends to capitalise on the momentum created in the VFX business in the past two years. We can do this by aligning our growth strategy with the industry, both in the international and domestic market and profitability, through our established front ends and delivery centres in most optimum locations globally. Our partnership with VenSat in south India is a logical step in our efforts to expand both our capabilities and our capacities.

Will India be a major player in the pre and post-production business for Hollywood studios?

In the pre and post-production space, Indian companies today have successfully showcased how we can build state-of-the-art infrastructure, which meets both creative and technological needs of Hollywood. Also the quality of talented and trained manpower available in India is unmatched globally. This will lead to India soon becoming one of the biggest entertainment outsourcing hubs in areas like VFX, animation, 3D conversion, film restoration, among others.

What is the focus area for Reliance MediaWorks now? What are the growth prospects?

We are market leaders in space of domestic post-production services like DI, processing and studios. Going forward, our primary focus would be on strengthening our presence in international markets for VFX and 3D-conversion services. It is estimated that one-third budget of major Hollywood films is dedicated to special effects, resulting in a global annual opportunity size of $ 1.85 billion-$ 1.9 billion. Similarly, growth opportunity in 3D conversion is two-fold.