Philippines—Jul 16, 2009
SM Cinema and DCI Jump-Starts Philippine Dcinema Rollout
Finally, after five years of planning and study, SM Cinema and DCI have decided to initiate the roll-out of DCinema installations in the Philippines. SM Cinema is the largest cinema exhibitor in the country today, currently operating 204 cinemas in more than 34 branches nationwide – and still growing.
Through this move, SM revolutionizes the movie industry with the SM Digital Theater. Moviegoers can truly enjoy a whole new movie experience at SM Digital Theater. Aside from having the screen and speaker strategically designed to make every seat “the best seat in the house”, movies will be seen in ultimate perfection in the projection and unparalleled quality in vision and sound – no weaves, pops, scratches and ghosting, i.e., So Clear, So Real.
SM Digital Theater shows high-quality 2D/3D digital films in a regular cinema. SM Digital Theaters have shown Blockbuster Hollywood Digital contents and digital educational alternative contents.
This technical arrangement was made by the joint efforts of SM and DCI. DCI is a local company which pioneered and initiated the efforts of trying to bring Digital Cinema Technology in the Philippines 5 years ago. Though its acceptability was not that much due to initial high costs of investments, Philippine exhibitors have accepted that this new technology would create bigger changes on how movies would be presented to the general movie fan.
Over time, SM and DCI finally ventured into the Digital Cinema in 2007. After which the SM Owners and Management have fully supported the roll-out for many more SM Digital Theaters which would be strategically distributed all over the country.
By August 2009, SM shall have a total of 12 SM Digital Theaters and looks forward to converting at least 100 screens in a 3 years rollout plan.
Other players in the industry that followed after SM are: Araneta Cinemas, Robinsons Cinemas, Ayala Cinemas, The Cabanas Cinemas and Greenhills Theaters.
