Prime Video Top International Execs Say Cinema Experience Remains ‘Magical’ Alongside Streaming Push, at AVIA Conference: ‘We Believe in the Theatrical Window’

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In contrast to the global transformation of entertainment intake brought about by the streaming revolution, Prime Video’s key overseas leaders continue to be strong advocates for the lasting influence of traditional cinema screenings.

Kelly Day, from Prime Video, shared during AVIA’s Future of Video India conference that people are picky about their theater choices, but they find the chance to share a theatrical experience and be part of an audience quite enchanting. She emphasized that Prime Video values the concept of the ‘theatrical release’.”

(Note: “theatrical window” refers to the period during which movies are exclusively shown in cinemas, before they become available on other platforms like streaming services.)

Remarks made by her were during a joint appearance with Gaurav Gandhi, VP for Asia Pacific and MENA at Amazon Prime Video, at the debut of World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai. Her statements contrast sharply with those of Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who made similar comments at the same conference: “Let me assure you that no one, except for distributors, are discussing ‘windows’.

The head of operations shared details about releasing movies in cinemas as part of their dual-approach strategy, which combines classic cinema and online streaming. “We’ll keep testing different methods to ensure we get the most out of each film and provide them to viewers wherever they choose to watch them,” Day explained. “Our aim is to create about 14-15 films annually for global distribution in cinemas worldwide.

This delicate act symbolizes Prime Video’s wider ambition to transform into a complete entertainment hub. As Day stated, they aim to be the go-to platform when people consider watching something. He acknowledged that, as a streaming service, they may not be able to produce everything that their vast global customer base might want to watch at any given moment.

Gandhi emphasized the extensive entertainment offerings provided by the service in India, currently collaborating with “over 25” partners and expanding to include “numerous additional subscription partners” worldwide. Notably, markets such as Japan already have more than “70” partners associated with this network.

The executives highlighted innovation within India’s rental market, with Gandhi emphasizing, “We are pioneering TVOD category in India. Our rental service offers over 7000 titles, and approximately 60% of these are rented each month. We observe rentals originating from nearly 95% of India’s postal codes.”

(TVOD stands for Transactional Video on Demand)

Day emphasized that Prime Video’s reach is quite distinct, being available in more than 200 nations and territories worldwide, catering to over 200 million global Prime members. The service varies regionally; for instance, it comes packaged with shipping perks, music, and gaming in about 25 countries, whereas it operates independently as a streaming platform in most other regions.

The importance of India to the streaming service was consistently highlighted, as Gandhi asserted it is “an essential location for Prime Video,” serving as a key driver of growth by attracting new subscribers and keeping existing Prime members engaged.

Going beyond its significance for consumers alone, Gandhi emphasized India’s function as a substantial source of content, referred to as “a vast reservoir,” showcasing “one of the most extensive collections of original content outside of the U.S.” This content resonates globally, with roughly a quarter of its viewership originating from beyond our borders.

As a fervent admirer, I’d like to highlight that India plays an instrumental role in serving as a thriving innovation center for our product development at Prime Video. We’ve been trailblazers here, introducing groundbreaking offerings such as the mobile edition plan and various Prime membership tiers including Prime and Prime Lite. These innovative solutions enable us to tailor our service according to diverse customer needs, paving the way for the successful introduction of these concepts in other markets.

Gandhi emphasized Prime Video’s approach to catering to India’s linguistic variety in its programming: “We provide content in ten different languages here. As a streaming platform, it’s essential to divide your offerings and let customers choose their preferred language. However, we also encourage viewers to explore other languages. This strategy is so distinctive to India that we are learning from India and implementing it wherever we have multiple languages available.

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2025-05-04 09:17