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Divya Trivedi

Mumbai, Nov. 28 United Film Organisers – distributors and exhibitors of digital cinema – plan to bring third-dimensional (3-D) film viewing experience to Indian theatres soon.

UFO Moviez, as the company is better known, will use its existing digital projection systems in 1,000 theatres across the country, to screen imported 3-D content, Mr Rajesh Mishra, Chief Executive Officer – India Operations, told Business Line.

“3-D films are making a come-back like never before, and our digital projectors and servers are in place to offer them to our consumers,” he said.

The current 3-D market in India is negligible, but it has great potential for growth, considering the low penetration of providers, he said. The 20-25 minute films that UFO will offer will be of a superior quality compared to the present hazy nature of 3-D animations and will be projected before or after a film show, but these particulars are yet to be fixed. The ticket prices (of the main film) will accordingly be hiked to cover the cost of the 3-D experience, he added.

Apart from betting on revenues from 3-D films, UFO is expecting to earn revenues from the advertising market by offering reliability through digital screening of ad-films, said Mr. Mishra. With digital projection, stringent monitoring of content comes in, guaranteeing the screening of the ad through constant verification of log codes.

This transparency would secure a reliable source of income for both the advertiser and theatre owner, expanding the market of audiovisual advertising to theatre halls. Currently, the bulk of audiovisual advertising goes to television.

Cinema advertising would be more effective, because it is not in your face and does not appear in between the programme, as it does on television, said Mr Mishra. “Also, it is catering to a captive audience, who is more receptive. And even if the theatre’s occupancy is half full, a sizable population can be reached,” he added.

UFO Moviez, the digital cinema venture of UFO India Ltd, has installed digital projection systems in 1,000 theatres and transmits films via satellite. It targets to install 3,000 digital projection systems by 2010.

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