Nisha Varman is the BBC Motion Gallery Sales Manager for the MENA region. We spoke to her about this service for broadcasters, producers, advertising agencies and media companies.
Q.
Kindly tell us about yourself, your career and your current role at BBC Motion Gallery.
A.
Born in Singapore, raised in Mumbai, I have worked in Singapore, Qatar and I am now based in Dubai to drive BBC Motion Gallery's content across the Middle-East and North Africa.
After spending nearly a decade in outdoor advertising with specific focus on airports namely Singapore Changi Airport and Doha's International Airport, I felt broadcast should be my next destination and nothing better than starting off with the BBC.
Q.
Tell us more about the BBC Motion Galery services, and the history of BBC's content services in the region.
A.
BBC Motion Gallery www.bbcmotiongallery.com offers media professionals from all walks of life the opportunity to access the world's most comprehensive collection of high-quality broadcast imagery for licensing and royalty-free usage worldwide. The site hosts 60,000 hours of footage all available to preview, purchase and download immediately.
BBC Motion Gallery licenses clips to the broadcast, corporates, advertising, digital media and education markets as, increasingly, Creative Directors, Corporate Communications Officers and TV Producers are recognising the benefits of using existing content in their creative projects.
The Dubai office is relatively new and was set up in response to a growth in enquiries and demand from customers in the Middle East for content, especially for advertising purposes and for use on digital screens. We offer the full Motion Gallery service in the region and felt it was the right time to have a representative there to deal with growing demand locally.
Q.
Who are the main clients today in the Middle East for video galleries, and is there now a better appreciation and understanding of the value of original video material?
A.
The way I look at it, anybody with a screen is a potential client. Traditionally, we work with broadcasters, advertising agencies and production houses but we are exploring and encouraging new sectors like mobile phone media, IPTV sectors, education, websites and Corporate Social Responsibility drives. Nakheel's Blue Communities is one good example of how BBC Motion Gallery can be used to drive a social message.
There is a better understanding and in turn demand for original, forward thinking video material in the Middle East, especially for digital content to use, for example, within digital screen networks and on websites. The region as a whole is becoming a rich environment for creativity - broadcasters are using the Middle East to showcase material and independent production companies also seem to be setting up there now.
Q.
What differentiates BBC's motion gallery compared to that of competitors in the video content field?
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One of the key differentiators is the quality and the extensiveness of the Motion Gallery archive. It is an treasure trove of footage - from classic television moments, historic news items and scientific discoveries to beautiful scenery, great sporting feats and terrific landscapes - and the available material is constantly updated. The content itself originates from a diverse range of subjects covering natural history, sport, news, locations, art, music, celebrities, historic events and more.
The site is very easy to use. Anyone can access the site to browse through the content available. Once a clip is found the user will need to register to purchase and download a high quality version of the clip. As well as BBC sourced content it contains additional exclusive global content from partner broadcasters including the CBS News Archive and footage from global distribution deals with NHK, Japan's national broadcaster, China Central Television and ABC, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, providing a completely rounded offering.
Q.
What is the impact of Internet and mobile news and programming on services like yours? And do you supply major websites across the region with your services?
A.
IPTV represents a big opportunity for any content owner. The key to capitalise on this opportunity is to be quick with up to date and relevant content. News content is especially important here and we are looking at getting news content direct to our customers for use on, for example, online newspapers. Another tool we are looking at is packaging together relevant content on a particular topic, region and so on. This bundled content is then ready and to hand and can be drawn upon to illustrate a story.
Q.
Is Arabic language content and Middle East specific video at the BBC evolving sufficiently to cater to the growing needs of the region's broadcasters and producers?
A.
Middle East specific video content, by the nature of the BBC and its programming, is growing all the time. We are new to this region and are listening to the content requirements of our customers. We do not currently have Arabic language content but are looking at opportunities such as this if demand were high enough. It is worth noting though that many customers in the area do not actually need or require Middle East footage as it is relatively quick and easy for them to film it themselves, what they do require from Motion Gallery is footage they cannot shoot themselves.
Q.
What's your general prediction for video content syndication in the Middle East in the foreseeable future?
A.
That it is going to grow. There will be more outlets for content, distribution and syndication will be important. BBC Motion Gallery will look for the right direct customers and partners already established locally to take full advantage of these growth opportunities.