Founded in 2020 by Chinmaya Sharma, Lakshya Kapoor (both alumni of Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communications, Pune), and Arnav Bhan, Qissa Studios is a Delhi-based content production house that helps build exceptional video assets for their products. It is an end-to-end solution to all content-related needs for a brand, whether it is DVCs, TVCs, web series, or a documentary. They are storytellers who believe in conveying stories of meaning and purpose who get their client’s narrative across in the best way possible.
Qissa Studios are storytellers who believe in conveying stories of meaning and purpose. If you want your story to be heard and we will get your narrative across in the best way possible.
In an exclusive chat with Medianews4U Chinmaya Sharma, Lakshya Kapoor, and Arnav Bhan, Qissa Studios talk about their Studio, the opportunity they are giving content creators, and how brands now telling stories to their TG, and much more…
In 2020 in the middle of the pandemic/lockdown what made you start Qissa Studios?
With the pandemic hitting us in Feb 2020, we realized over a couple of months that there has been a major shift, not only just in the way brands use digital as a channel to communicate with their consumers or to onboard new consumers but also in the way consumers interact or want to interact with brands. We noticed that video popularity was on the rise before the pandemic too, but the pandemic has accelerated a larger appetite for video content. Thus, in July 2020, we realized we want to be the ones to help brands narrate their story. Nowadays, brands want to use the power of social media platforms and video content to build stronger connections with consumers. They want to be storytellers rather than just be sellers of products. So, the 3 of us with diverse backgrounds and experience decided to follow our passion and own the content space. Qissa means an art of storytelling and we want to convey stories of meaning and purpose to the brands in the best possible manner.
The studio now has a pool of collaborators, what made you do that?
We believe that there are many new and different ways to tell a story. At Qissa, our aim is not just to build a production house, but to build a creative laboratory. A company where we build creative and innovative content as well as help in the personal and professional development of individuals. When we are not working, we are in the constant process of learning various things from our peers. With our experience in the industry and as a whole, we realized that everyone is looking to experiment. There are brands that want to experiment with new people and on the other hand, there are brands that want to take the traditional route and work with an experienced team. So, at Qissa we have a mix of both, the beginners as well as the industry experts in order to cater to both the categories and thus the reason for having a pool of collaborators on board. Also, we believe that such artistic minds helps us deliver one-of-a-kind work to our clients.
How does the studio go about pitching for work and on what criteria do you select the freelancer?
We have a very structured approach, and our roles are very well-identified in the team. We have a dedicated business development team. The team scouts for work and we also have the organic networks that we activate time and again to produce and co-produce videos and branded content. Once the deal is closed with the client, the creative and production team comes to play. Additionally, we follow a buddy model for the internal team that we focus on where we place one experienced individual and ask a beginner to assist them as per their ability. For e.g. If we get an experienced DOP, we also provide him with an Assistant Cameraperson from our pool so that the learning happens both ways and everyone within the system keeps growing and learning.
On the other hand, talking about freelancers, we filter and select them based on their past experiences. By this, we don’t mean only on the brands he/she has worked on, but we focus more on the kind of work they have done, the independent projects, and how thoughtful and creative the person is on the projects he/she has worked on. It is the imagination and the concept that counts more for us.
Can you elaborate on your philosophy and the meaning of Qissa?
When the opportunity comes knocking, it is all about opening the right door. Qissa Studios is that door for everyone who wishes to produce unique and innovative content pieces for their brand. We are a Delhi-based content production house that believes in conveying meaning and purpose-driven stories while offering an end-to-end solution to all content-related needs of a brand. In ancient times in North India, the art of storytelling was called Qissa. Inspired by this concept, we have transformed oral storytelling into visual and digital. The art of storytelling remains intact but the medium changes. Our philosophy is to help brands convey creative stories while keeping the consumer at the heart of them.
Can you talk to us about some of your campaigns?
The campaign which is very close to our heart and a very recent one is the Campus X Truly Madly for Valentine’s Day. The brief was to showcase a fitness-tied affair that fits the narrative for Campus as well as does justice to the concept of Valentine’s Day.
The brand was open to experiment and try something different. That’s where Truly Madly came into the picture, and we weaved a story around how people were using online dating apps as well as took into consideration the sudden boom where people opted for cycling as a means of fitness during the lockdown. We married both the ideas and showcased a story of a couple who met on a dating app and then decided to go out on a cycling date to a beautiful unexplored location in Delhi and celebrate Valentine’s Day there.
To give the essence of love we got a song composed so that the build-up is spot on, and couples can actually groove to this romantic number and the brand could venture into on reels with their audio. That’s how ‘Safar mein tere saath chalna hai’ happened with Campus X Truly Madly.
Way forward and where do you see yourself in the next 2 years?
With a presence in all major metros, we want to explore the regional brands and regional markets as well. Now with the acceptance of regional culture and content, we also plan to penetrate into the regional content space in the ad domain. We all come from different backgrounds with a common passion and liking for web series and films. So, it’s just not ads but we will also move into producing web series and films. That is the next goal that we are working towards, and we hope we will achieve that in the next two years.
