The format is outdated, but values remain: new rules of the game for content producers discussed at the National Centre RUSSIA
In line with the national development goals, it is planned that by 2030, 70% of state-supported cultural projects will reflect traditional Russian values, and by 2036 this figure will reach 80%. The new realities were discussed on 25 September at the plenary session "Value-Oriented Content: A Niche for Managers and an Audience Demand", part of Russian Creative Week, held at the National Centre RUSSIA from 25 to 27 September.
As cinema has become a powerful mechanism for shaping values in audiences, the need has arisen to produce value-oriented content. The state supports such projects and plans to analyse their impact on viewers.
"For me, all content is value-oriented. There is no content without values. It always leaves a trace in the soul, in behaviour, it influences emotions. The key question for discussion is what has changed in the consumer of content. The task of the authorities is not to tell professionals how to create content, but to assess its effect and build agreements with its producers," explained Vladimir Kosteyev, Adviser at the Presidential Directorate for Social Projects of the Russian Federation.
According to film, series and web content producers themselves, value-oriented content does not hinder commercial success.
"The era of purely entertaining products is over — and not only in Russia. The whole world is moving in this direction. And in this process, there is no contradiction between commercial success and value-oriented content," explained Andrey Myakenky, Deputy Director General and Executive Producer of News Media Holding.
This is confirmed by the phenomenal box-office success of the Russian film "Cheburashka", which grossed more than seven billion roubles.
"It is about kindness, light, sincerity, honesty — the most genuine human values. From that moment, a whole chain of fairy tales and adaptations of our national literature was launched. And what do we see? The audience is beginning to feel oversaturated. These values now need to be carried through other formats. Finding them — that is the main challenge for content producers," summarised Maria Shcherbal, CEO of the consulting company Wanta Group, which also conducts film audience research.
Content should primarily have a therapeutic effect, said Ivan Samokhvalov, Managing Partner of the Sreda production company.
"If a work also enriches a person culturally, that is priority number two. These are the two principles I always try to follow. There must be a genuine emotion and a narrative that makes the viewer’s inner world richer and deeper," said Ivan Samokhvalov.
The VI Federal Forum-Festival "Russian Creative Week" is taking place at the National Centre RUSSIA from 25 to 27 September. Livestreams of the events are available on the website of the National Centre RUSSIA in the "Livestreams and Recordings" section.
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