Movie buffs in Kerala will now have the facility of watching their favourite films on demand in cable networks. Mainstreamers, which was launched earlier this week, provides movies on demand facility across three cable networks — Asianet Digital, Kerala Vision, and Den.
Through its Home Release arrangement, the company has released two Malayalam movies this month — Njan Steve Lopez directed by Rajeev Ravi and Kanyaka Talkies directed by K.R. Manoj. According to a press release, a film will be scheduled for Home Release, either on the same day of its release in movie halls or soon after its successful run, after evaluating the market potential.
24 times in 12 days
The ‘ticket rate’ to watch two films per month is Rs.100. In order to make the scheme attractive, insertion of commercials during the show time is restricted to bare minimum. To ensure maximum viewing the telecast is scheduled on weekends. A film will be repeated 24 times in 12 days. The show timings are 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m., and 10 p.m.
Mainstreamers was formed by a group of young professionals from three different areas — cable industry, media, and film industry. The arrangement is expected to be of much help to independent filmmakers who struggle to find movie halls for their releases. With the cable networks in the State moving towards 100 per cent digitisation, such new distribution models for films are waiting to be tapped.
“New distribution models for films are being developed across the world. In Kerala, we have now achieved 70 to 80 per cent digitisation of cable networks. By the end of 2016, this is set to be 100 per cent, covering all the rural areas in the State. This provides immense possibilities for a movie-on-demand model, wherein a customer can choose the films he wants to watch at his home, at a nominal price,” said a partner of Mainstreamers.
