SF Cinema buys hi-res projectors

Suvit Thongrompo, managing director of SF Cinema City, said the first shipment of 25 projectors, costing Bt150 million, would be delivered by the end of this year. This will increase the number of digital cinemas handled by SF Cinema City from 22 screens currently to 47.
Sony developed the world’s |first 4K digital projection system, which features up to 8 million |pixels. With advanced microdis-play chips using reflective liquid-crystal technology to create more than 4000 pixels horizontally, Sony’s 4K technology provides four times the pixels of 2K projectors. The resulting resolution and picture quality provide a more compelling, more entertaining experience, Sony says.
Sony announced recently that |it had shipped 9,000 4K projec-tion systems globally by this month. The 4K system also allows exhibitors to show alternative content such as live sports and concerts.
SF Cinema City started its first digital cinema in 2003 with “Finding Nemo”, the first blockbuster shown in digital format.
The company currently oper-ates 112 cinemas in Bangkok and another 80 in major provinces, including Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Phuket and Khon Kaen.
Suvit said the company would open eight cinemas at the Terminal 21 complex on Sukhumvit Road next month, and another 11 at CentralPlaza Rama IX in Novem-ber. About three cinemas at Termi-nal 21 and five at CentralPlaza Rama IX will be operated in digital format.
Suvit said the company planned to open between 30 and 40 new cinemas next year.
“We want to increase the proportion of digital cinemas in our portfolio from 30 per cent currently to about 80 per cent by the end of next year.”
He said digital was becoming the standard projection format used by Hollywood. Many Thai producers are trying to launch their movies in digital format, which is a good sign for the industry. Many blockbusters such as “The Amazing Spider-Man”, “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Men in Black III” have been developed and will be shown locally in 4K digital format.
Suvit said SF Cinema City expected to grow its box-office sales by 20 per cent to about Bt1.5 billion this year.
“We achieved 15-per-cent year-on-year growth in ticket sales in the first two quarters of this year. We are also counting on a strong line-up of blockbusters in the fourth quarter, including ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’, ‘Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows’ and ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1’.”
He said the overall cinema market was expected to grow at least 10 per cent this year to about Bt4 billion in ticket sales.