ডাকবাংলা

The social media generated demand to be seen and not just heard is a reality that a lot of musicians in India are currently grappling with. Whether or not they wish to accept this reality or acknowledge its rather startling influence on their possible progress as professional musicians, is of course entirely their prerogative. But for many artistes currently the burning need of the hour is to grapple, not with the number of hours required for rigorous taaleem and riyaaz, but the effort and resources required to plough into the regular posting of reels and video content on social media, creating YouTube content and growing views and followers. Many are of the firm belief that life as an artiste will neither take off nor exist if this obsessive regimen of being seen and heard through social media posting is not adhered to or taken seriously . 

Perhaps I view this dilemna from the lens of an older artiste for whom this is a recent change. And yet, as an insider in the profession, I feel the need to examine and evaluate what demands such as these entail for an artiste. I attempt to do so with information that is available either in the public domain, or in some instances, through information provided in personal communication by artistes who prefer to remain anonymous. 

To begin with, let’s take a look at the expense involved in making one single video of about 3 to 5 minutes duration. Going by the information provided by many sources including instructional videos on YouTube like this one, you could get a decent music video shot and edited for around 30,000 INR, or a lakh of rupees if you wanted better quality, or anywhere near 10 lakh INR if you wanted to shoot on multiple cameras, get a fancy venue or floor to shoot in, hired a makeup artiste to give you the much desired makeover etcetera. The fancier it gets the more it costs. Mind you, this is the estimated cost for a music video where the audio track has already been recorded and mixed. For classical music it would not be possible to record the audio before the shoot, because lip synching would not be possible given the spontaneous elaboration so integral to the system. Therefore it would be necessary to shoot the video while performing live in a studio or any other venue of choice. But let us for a moment assume that similar rates would also be applicable for video content involving classical music. Even if the estimate is a very conservative one, other expenses involved in the shooting of the video would mean incurring other costs. For example, payment to accompanying artistes, hiring of audio equipment, stage set and design, and other miscellaneous expenses. 

This roughly estimated expense would provide only a single video to be posted on social media or YouTube. To be relevant on social media, I am told regular and strategically planned posts are absolutely essential. So if an artiste wanted to post one video a week, it would be fairly easy to work out the monthly expenses coming their way. And would a month of weekly video posts turn the fortunes of an artiste ? Naturally not. Follower count which may go up if people like the video, will as easily start slithering down the game of Snakes and Ladders should the weekly posts be abandoned, halted or even staggered. 

Let us turn our attention to the time and effort required to shoot one such video. If the duration of the video were to be of approximately ten to thirty minutes of raagdari music, one can easily assume that setting up, tuning up, getting the set, lights, sound in place, could easily take several hours. Commuting to and from the location would also take time, as would working out clothes, hair, jewellery and other aspects for each shoot. I have usually found most prolific social media posters to be always elegantly turned out in lovely sarees and kurtas and other ensembles. The ladies look particularly gorgeous in coordinated jewellery, nail paint, and makeup. All of that is bound to take up time, effort and money, even with brand collaborations that bring in the sarees, jewellery, and makeup. To even find collaborators and work out mutually acceptable terms and conditions with them would be an uphill task for most new artistes. I gather there are also agencies that handle these aspects of an artiste’s career, but they would hardly be willing to do so without adequate compensation for themselves. 

Finally after having spent all this money, effort and coordination, what is the artiste assured of ? Is there any guarantee that the videos and posts will get millions of views, or generate considerable revenue from streaming platforms, or get them more shows and performances? In personal conversations with artistes I am told that a million views or more by no means assures the artiste of even a few thousand rupees as revenue. Neither is there any guarantee that more properly paid performances will start trickling in. 

Given the pitiful amounts we pay artistes, as well as the massive uncertainty surrounding revenue generation generated from video content, there really seems to be little or no point in wasting time, money and effort at the cost of one’s taaleem and riyaaz. The only people who may make some money would be the crew and perhaps some agencies handling social media accounts for artistes. The artistes themselves remain as stressed, under pressure, and lacking funds for bettering their own lives and work. And yes, let’s not forget the GST we deposit for every and anything we use or consume. But there still remains some hope of a better tomorrow, one where every YouTube view will attract GST and every follower you add on social media after bankrupting yourself, will also attract GST at the highest rates in the slab. It truly is amrit kaal for the artiste, isn’t it ?

Illustration by Suvamoy Mitra

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