SM group firms up lead in local cinema sector

The SM group has cemented its leading market position in the local cinema business with the expansion of its nationwide cinema footprint in 2015 alongside the use of state-of-the-art technology to upgrade its chain of movie theaters, particularly those in provincial areas.

SM Cinema ended last year with a total of 307 screens and seating capacity of 141,753, expanding its nationwide network by 12 percent, the SM unit said in a statement yesterday. The group held a nationwide cinema market share of 60 percent.

The group’s cinema portfolio consisted of 289 2D and 3D screens; eight iMAX theaters and 10 Director’s Club Cinemas. All cinemas have also been converted to crisp digital surround-sound systems and crystal clear images in a bid to convey the best theater experience.

“We are very pleased to bring state-of-the-art cinema technology and a whole new movie experience out into the suburbs and provincial areas. We remain focused on providing the complete entertainment experience to every corner in the country,” SM Lifestyle Entertainment Inc. (SMLEI) president Edgar Tejerero said.

SM Cinema is a unit of SMLEI, which also operates brands under the SM group such as Mall of Asia Arena, ePLUS, SM Tickets, Blink, Exploreum, SM Skating and SM Bowling and Leisure Center.

Beyond technology, SM Cinema said it had extended its cinema offerings to persons with disability (PWD) by providing dedicated areas for their convenience. SM Cinema also holds separate screenings of sensory friendly movies for those with special needs such as the blind and deaf, as well as children with autism and down syndrome.

For the blind, a headphone is provided, where a voice describes in great detail what is happening on the movie screen. For the deaf, there are subtitles provided below the picture of the movie screen.

In 2015, SM Cinema added four fully digitized cinemas in SM Center Angono in Rizal, its 55th branch. Each theater will cater to 200 patrons in a stadium-like seating.

In Cebu, SM Cinema recently added the first laser projection system in Southeast Asia in its large screen cinema at the recently opened SM Seaside City, Cebu. This format uses the Christie® 6P laser projection system and features a super-sized screen, which is almost 30 percent bigger than the regular cinema screen size.

“The Christie® 6P laser produces the brightest images with 80 percent illumination and offers the best 3D platform that accurately reproduces the colors of the actual movie set, developing the most immersive cinema experience,” the company said.

The SM Large Screen Cinema also uses the Dolby Atmos Sound System and the top-of-the-line Christie Vive Speakers, seeking to fully immerse the audience in surround-sound technology. SM Large Screen Cinema will house 351 guests in stadium-like seats.

Earlier this year, SM Cinema also opened in Cabanatuan City through SM Megacenter and SM Cabanatuan; in Rizal Province through SM San Mateo and SM Angono, and in Caloocan through SM Sangandaan. SM Cinema also teamed up with housing arm SM Development Corp. to open its cinemas at Light Mall, the first theater available in an SM residential complex.