Robert Halmi, Senior Chairman, Hallmark Channel
Television Movies is a big business in US. My recent production Dinotopia is $ 85 million project. That's big! Today, I can afford big Hollywood stars and pay them comparable sums of money.
Television Movies is a big business in US. My recent production Dinotopia is $ 85 million project. That's big! Today, I can afford big Hollywood stars and pay them comparable sums of money.In a telecon with Robert Halmi, Amit Agnihotri of exchange4media learns more about the nuances of making a television movie and discovers that Halmi follows our Bollywood Cinema trends pretty closely! And that he plans to shoot his next tele-series in India.
Q. On Hallmark receiving 20 EMMY nominations... "I am happy for having being nominated. Acknowledgement from pears and colleagues is always good. But for me this is not really something I crave for."
Q. But aren't 'Family Movies' a little utopian in todays times. Reality TV... I find Reality TV disgusting! This way of looking at human beings is a pity. I don't believe that Family values, around which our stories are woven, are utopian. If that was the case my movies weren't be so popular.
Q. So what really gives you maximum satisfaction? "I get maximum satisfaction when my grandchildren's go to a video shop and say 'hey, I know that movie on the shelf. My grandpa did it'! And I get lots of satisfaction when I know that my movies are getting popular and people are watching them. "
Q. On how is producing a film for TV different from the ones made for the big screen... Well, television movie format has its limitations. While the movies on big screen spices it up with violence, sex and Schwarzenegger, a television movie has to tell a good story. A Good Story. Some of the techniques of cinematography are also different. Big screen movies use a lot of wide-angles and we rely on close-ups. Hallmark really believes in clean, family movies.
Q. How big is the television-movie business in US. How does it compare with the big brother? "To answer your question with a fact, my recent production Dinotopia is $ 85 million project. That's big! Dinotopia is the technically the most sophisticated project ever developed for American television. It runs into six-hour and made its début in May this year. Today, I am in a position to afford stars and pay them comparable sums of money. So quality of television movies is quite good."
Q. But while big screen has global appeal of their Stars, small screen hasn't any? Does this in some way limit the appeal and acceptance of TV-movies? "If you were to look at Hollywood, more than 90% of the stars have a lineage to television. Take Shean Conory or Pierce Brosnan. Both these guys have played the biggest big-screen icon - James Bond. Both started with television. I believe a good actor is a good actor. And a good actor doesn't limit the appeal of cinema, be it big screen or small."
Q. You are familiar with Indian society and movies. Do you think 'made for television' movies will have an audience here. "Yes I am pretty much in touch with Indian culture and movies. I have traveled to India several times. Rajasthan is my favorite spot. I was also in Mumbai last year. I think India has a lot of liking for Hollywood genre of movies. Big Stars and Glamour! But over the years, I have seen the movies change. Earlier most movies were the same. Now, they are more story oriented. Look at your movie Lagaan! And this is a favorable trend for television movies. "
Q. When do we see you in India next? "Soon. I am working on a script that requires oriental setting. The movie is based on an Arabian Night story - The Thief of Bagadad. My preferred location is somewhere close to Kashmir, but I guess that will have to wait till situation improves there. So I am considering Rajasthan. I think next year I should be in India ready to shoot."
Q. But aren't 'Family Movies' a little utopian in todays times. Reality TV... I find Reality TV disgusting! This way of looking at human beings is a pity. I don't believe that Family values, around which our stories are woven, are utopian. If that was the case my movies weren't be so popular.
Q. So what really gives you maximum satisfaction? "I get maximum satisfaction when my grandchildren's go to a video shop and say 'hey, I know that movie on the shelf. My grandpa did it'! And I get lots of satisfaction when I know that my movies are getting popular and people are watching them. "
Q. On how is producing a film for TV different from the ones made for the big screen... Well, television movie format has its limitations. While the movies on big screen spices it up with violence, sex and Schwarzenegger, a television movie has to tell a good story. A Good Story. Some of the techniques of cinematography are also different. Big screen movies use a lot of wide-angles and we rely on close-ups. Hallmark really believes in clean, family movies.
Q. How big is the television-movie business in US. How does it compare with the big brother? "To answer your question with a fact, my recent production Dinotopia is $ 85 million project. That's big! Dinotopia is the technically the most sophisticated project ever developed for American television. It runs into six-hour and made its début in May this year. Today, I am in a position to afford stars and pay them comparable sums of money. So quality of television movies is quite good."
Q. But while big screen has global appeal of their Stars, small screen hasn't any? Does this in some way limit the appeal and acceptance of TV-movies? "If you were to look at Hollywood, more than 90% of the stars have a lineage to television. Take Shean Conory or Pierce Brosnan. Both these guys have played the biggest big-screen icon - James Bond. Both started with television. I believe a good actor is a good actor. And a good actor doesn't limit the appeal of cinema, be it big screen or small."
Q. You are familiar with Indian society and movies. Do you think 'made for television' movies will have an audience here. "Yes I am pretty much in touch with Indian culture and movies. I have traveled to India several times. Rajasthan is my favorite spot. I was also in Mumbai last year. I think India has a lot of liking for Hollywood genre of movies. Big Stars and Glamour! But over the years, I have seen the movies change. Earlier most movies were the same. Now, they are more story oriented. Look at your movie Lagaan! And this is a favorable trend for television movies. "
Q. When do we see you in India next? "Soon. I am working on a script that requires oriental setting. The movie is based on an Arabian Night story - The Thief of Bagadad. My preferred location is somewhere close to Kashmir, but I guess that will have to wait till situation improves there. So I am considering Rajasthan. I think next year I should be in India ready to shoot."
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