Star Media (It is old Media)

Star Media - works in the field of production and distribution of film and television movies, TV series and series, television programs and to dokudra.

Assets

For 2010 were a part of Star Media Group:

• film companies Star Media in Moscow and Kiev (production),
• Star Media Distribution (sale),
• "Babich Dizayn" (television graphics, animation, design),
• Star Media IT (production of software).

Strategic partners are Mostelefilm and Kiyevfilm companies (production). The state — about 400 people. The prime time of series in a year — more than 100 hours.

For 2010 in Star Media library more than 2300 hours of different content.

History

2009-2010: Life in the conditions of crisis

Star Media actively made projects for the Ukrainian and Russian television including under mortgage means. In 2009 connections with emergence of economic ailments and panic in the market at the company arose serious problems too. From the beginning of crisis the industry stood. Channels suspended purchases and orders and about four-five months did not carry out in general any transactions.

When the producer risks, experiments, he introduces the new ideas, new forms on the market. Income from library of the rights is at the same time the main source for investment into experiments. The founder of the company Vladislav Ryashin began active work with channels at once, and work experience in television industry allowed to predict demand — what products can be demanded at clients. Besides work on Inter and the made projects created to it reputation of the professional.

Ryashin practically at once caught in the portfolio three of seven largest Russian television customers — First, Russia and TV Center. Now NTV and STS joined them. And the group Star Media is considered one of leaders of teleproduction and Russia, and Ukraine — more than 100 hours of the prime time of series a year.

Practically is a producer of all the series and movies Star Media independently and offers TV channels already ready ideas. However from 60 scenarios on which screenwriters and editors of the company can work within three-four months the embodiment on the screen is received at best by 10-15%.

As a result of Star Media decided to cut by half credit loading at the expense of current assets and agreed about restructuring of the remained debts.

"We received payments on earlier made projects and also lowered costs and reduced investments into experiments — Vlad Ryashin at the beginning of 2009 explained. — The rest of a debt was prolonged".

The company then actively invested in scenario developments that significantly low costs of film-making process. Thus, by the end of crisis in an asset of Star Media there was a large number of offers, a part from which in 2010 was already at a stage of the end of production. According to Ryashin, the company found means and under new projects, including due to involvement of partners in coproduction:

"At the beginning of the 2009th, in the heat of crisis, nearly only in the Crimea and in Moscow we shot the second full-length film "Hide!" for rolling together with STV company and Russia 1 TV channel. To the second half of year resumed work on series "Kotovsk", "Efrosinya" for "Russia 1", "The sky on fire" for NTV, "Great war" for Channel One and others".

Recovery of production volumes was necessary only for the beginning of 2010, active shootings began. In total in the company at this time at this or that production phase there were more than 20 movies and series. Star Media, according to the estimates of Ryashin, in crisis lost 30% of revenue. All film industry, according to Association TV and filmmakers, failed for 40%.

"Now the market slowly comes to life, but to an absolute recovery is still far" — the producer believes. At the beginning of 2009 channels sharply reduced purchasing budgets. So, if the cost of short series on TV channels reached in 2008 on some positions $500 thousand for a series, then in the 2009th for it offered already no more than $250 thousand. Producers were forced to reduce cost value of production services and also the actor's fees (which often reach 40-50% of the budget).

"However there were also pluses. First of all, all of us returned on the earth, in a new way looked at the strategy of the company, costs and efficiency, drew personnel conclusions" — Ryashin notes.

Rates of production gradually grow and move to a pre-crisis level, but TV channels do not hurry to raise the prices of telecontent. At the same time actors because of the growing demand go a bull the fees.

"Now the question with profitability of the production companies is particularly acute. The matter is that along with the fact that TV channels significantly reduced purchase prices and in many cases do not hurry to return them on pre-crisis level, recently they also try to hold for themselves the rights to secondary sales of movies and series" — Ryashin in 2010 said.

Thus, the producer performs one-time work under the order and is not interested in that the project was long-playing. Existence of library at it of the rights to an own product allows to perform secondary sales on this market and also sales on foreign canals, on DVD and in the Internet. For Star Media growth of own library of the rights — one of strategic problems of development, and the company tries all rights not to give. In many cases it turns out.

"I am sure that the market develops through experiments. When the producer risks, experiments, he introduces the new ideas, new forms on the market. He looks for interesting genres, persons. Income from library of the rights is at the same time the main source for investments into experiments. Work "suborder" deprives of the producer of this perspective opportunity. At the same time I understand channels which plan broadcasting by all possible methods — digit, an analog, the Internet. But now practice of the fact that channels take away all rights beats quality of series, and here it is necessary to aim to observe reasonable balance of interests" — Vlad Ryashin explains.

Success of one of the documentary cycles "Great War" which Ryashin produced together with Channel One allowed it to think of an exit to international market seriously. The businessman intended to make of the project the international version using ZD-graphics in partnership from one of the western manufacturing companies. As a basis of each series it was going to take the key fights of World War II which were taking place not only in the territory of the Soviet Union, but also worldwide.

The cycle "Great War" which Channel One showed on air to the 65 anniversary of the Victory purchased the English History Channel satellite channel, and the company of the Air Force in 2009 included the manufacturing studio of the Babich Dizayn project entering into Star Media group, in number of priority suppliers of graphics and animation for the TV channels that also gives new opportunities for Star Media on production of telecontent for the West.

For 2010 as the main sales market for projects of the company Russia, behind it — the CIS countries acts. Abroad noticeable money is brought by Eastern Europe. Ryashin also lays hopes for Western Europe, and afterwards hopes for success and in the Asian market, on Russian-language channels of the USA and Israel. North Africa can become the interesting market in farther perspective, he believes^[1].

At the end of 2010 the distribution company of the Star Media Distribution group signed large agreements with China, Japan, the Czech Republic, Romania selling such projects as "Hold me more strong", "Sisters by birth", "The city romance", "Hot ice".

"In China and Romania our series were pleasant. Now their representatives returned and ask whether we do not have something new" — Vlad Ryashin tells.

At this time Star Media Distribution annually receives a 100% gain in a share of foreign sales.

The company begins to experiment actively and in other directions. So, at the end of 2010 it distributed the first big picture "Oh, Lucky!", and in the spring of 2010 the second — "Hide!", created together with Sergey Selyanov's STV and Russia 1 channel.

In 2010 Star Media entered the advertizing market, the sales house of the company will provide services in placement of product placement in movies and series — both own production, and production of other large film companies. According to the plan, by 2011 the number of movies and series which will be taken on service by the company will reach 120 projects.

2006: Vladislav Ryashin with partners creates the company in Moscow

In 2006 with partners Vladislav Ryashin created in Moscow Star Media group which for a short time took the leading positions on production of a TV content for the leading TV channels of Russia and the CIS. Based on own studio on production 3D - animation and diagrams "Babich design" are created by group the formats of historical cycles, unique for Russia and the CIS, and to dokudra competing with the best western educational and popular scientific programs.

At Ryashin understanding was initial that offices need to be opened both in Russia, and in Ukraine. In Russia there is a primary branch — the main TV channels, directors, operators, actors, and in Ukraine — successful locations, climate, favorable for shootings, and the acquired production base. Now the company removes in different places — in Moscow, Kiev, Tver, the Crimea, in St. Petersburg and even in Thailand — being guided by common sense, calculation and convenience. As a result for the first four years together with partners Ryashin managed to create powerful structure which sells the movies and series in the territory of all former Soviet Union, as well as worldwide.

At once after foundation of home company of Vlad Ryashin invited together with Alexander Oleynikov to head a rebranding of TV Center and appointed the advisor to director general of the channel. For TV Center Ryashin created the historical animation cycles "History of the State Russian" and "Legend on the Christianization of Kievan Rus'". Thus, making different genres series, movies and documentary cycles, crisis of 2008 took many production companies unawares.

Notes