Scrabble Entertainment, the India-based digital cinema deployment entity and an established leader in the business, is now extending its reach to Latin America. After successfully deploying digital cinema in India and the Middle East, Scrabble Entertainment announces its expansion into Latin America.
The company plans to deploy DCI-compliant digital cinema equipment to cinemas in the region. To facilitate this deployment, Scrabble is pleased to announce that it has so far signed separate non-exclusive digital cinema deployment agreements for the region with each of Major Hollywood studios: Warner Bros Pictures International, Universal Pictures International, Walt Disney Motion Pictures International, Sony Pictures Releasing International Corporation & is expected to sign the same with 20th Century Fox International. Subject to the terms and conditions under each agreement, each studio will separately provide certain financial contributions to promote digital cinema when supplying films, if booked, in digital form to Scrabble’s exhibitors.
Scrabble’s roll out plan will commence in early 2013 and will initially cover Brazil, Mexico and Chile. The benefits of digital cinema will be realized by all participants in these locations, from content owners, to distributors, to exhibitors, to most importantly moviegoers. Within a few months of establishing an operating presence in the region, Scrabble expects to widen its reach to other Latin American countries as well.
“Our creative ways & out-of-the-box model have made us successful in every country in which we have deployed digital cinema so far. The Latin American marketplace will be no different. This region has a unique set of challenges and there will be stiff competition with other deploying entities. We believe that exhibitors will be inclined to work with us because of our unique and flexible business model,” said Ranjit Thakur, CEO of Scrabble Entertainment.
UFO Moviez holds a controlling stake in Scrabble Entertainment. “ With the deployment window being so small & the end of 35 mm prints right ahead of us, exhibitors in the region are scrambling to get digital equipment at the earliest. Integrators who get in first with the most practical business model for the exhibitors will be ahead of the game. With the backing of UFO’s financial muscle, Scrabble is prepared to have more skin in the region. “ said Kapil Agarwal, Joint Managing Director of UFO Moviez.
Scrabble plans to convert to digital projection 100% of each and every cinema that
signs up with them. The management of the company strongly believes that with prints becoming harder and harder to come by in the near future, complete digitization in every cinema is essential. This benefits not only the exhibitors with whom Scrabble works, but the industry as a whole ensuring that the moviegoing public will continue to enjoy the higher quality theatrical experience.
