Nakumatt’s Planet Media Cinemas enters film distribution market space

Local multimedia solutions firm, Planet Media Cinemas, has announced its formal entry in the lucrative film distribution market.

The firm, which, is part of the Nakumatt Group and currently operates the Planet Media Cinema Halls in Nairobi and Kisumu, now makes its film distribution debut by availing a just released Bollywood film, to the local market.

Film distribution services, locally estimated to be valued at more than Kshs 18billion annually, typically features the availing and end to end marketing of new film releases.

In its debut entry, Planet Cinemas is availing the CHALK N DUSTER film for local distribution to other cinema hall operators on a digital format, from Planet Media Cinemas. Planet Media Cinema, will also provide the necessary marketing support for the film locally.

Speaking, when he confirmed the development, Planet Media Director, Mr. Raman Subramaniam, said the firm, will leverage its existing network and infrastructure to provide world-class film distribution services.

The services, cutting across all film genres produced in Hollywood and Bollywood among other film production destinations, he disclosed, will be initially available in Kenya, with plans, now, at an advanced stage, to provide a regional film distribution solution in Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, in coming months.

The firm, he confirmed is already courting global film distributors, seeking to act as the local partner for such firms including, Sony Pictures Entertainment and its subsidiaries.

“At Planet Media Cinemas, we have made a strategic plunge into the film distribution market as we seek to expand our exemplary service in entertainment industry,” Raman said, “Planet Media Cinemas, shall be seeking to satisfy a growing demand for digital film distribution services in this market.”

Last October, the Film Distributors Association (FDA) in the United Kingdom provided a market illuminating report which indicated that the British film distribution market features annual turnovers of £1.2bn ($1.8bn) generated by 801 cinema releases.

Regional retailer, Nakumatt Holdings, recently completed a digital migration project for its Planet Media Cinemas both in Kisumu and Nairobi.

The migration, from analogue cinema screening to digital format, makes Planet Media Cinemas, the first movie theatre house in Kenya to adopt the new digital standard ahead of an expected global transition set for mid-next year.

Globally, movie theatres are rushing to complete their conversions to digital formats as all leading movie distributors continue to reaffirm a mid-2013 cut-off date to cease analogue 35mm film distribution.

In Kenya, Planet Media Cinemas have installed new digital cinema systems with specifications technically known as 4K 3D and High Frame Rate (HFR) capabilities running on Dolby Screen Servers.With HFR 3D digital format, patrons at Planet Media Cinema will enjoy a smoother and more life-like picture as the eye sees twice the number of images per second.

With the commissioning of the new digital film projectors, Planet Media Cinema patrons also enjoy better sound clarity.