The digital projection equipment on easy payment terms would be available initially for 50 theatres in Sri Lanka.
“Theatre owners interested in getting digital projectors will have to make a refundable deposit of one million rupees and the projectors will be handed over to them,” Serasinghe told LBO.
“The projectors can be connected to the existing sound system whether it is DOLBY digital or stereo,”
The payment of the equipment will be charged out of the income from the tickets which is still under discussion.
“The Film Corporation will act as a facilitator to the theatre owners in providing the equipment," Serasinghe said.
"If they are not satisfied with the projectors, they can return the equipment. A small sum will be deducted from the deposit and the rest will be returned.”
At the 35 anniversary of the Film Corporation Monday, movies using the new equipment were screened for theatre owners in Sri Lanka.
Deals to bring down necessary equipment will be finalized within a month
Cinema owners have been granted five year tax holidays to equip theatres with advanced technological features.
Sri Lanka has 171 cinemas and six new ones are being built.
The 2007 budget gives newly built cinemas ten year tax holidays and imports of cinematographic equipment have been exempted from VAT.
With the tax benefits from the latest budget, the NFC hopes more investors to contribute the production of local movies.
Its Dalugama studios would be made available to local movie producers on January 22 after installing state of the art non-linear editing equipment brought from India.
This year’s budget has also given tax relief up to 25 million rupees to movie producers, which the NFC hopes will persuade more producers to finance films.
“With the new technology we can produce movies at a lower price," Serasinghe says.
“The average cost of ten million rupees can be reduced to around six million with the new technology.”
The NFC and University Grants Commission are jointly funding a film academy at Kelaniya University to raise technical skills and proficiency of artistes.
“We have not yet decided how much the cost is,” Serasinghe said. “Both parties will contribute 50 percent each.”
Although specific dates have not yet been decided to commence the project Serasinghe says classes will commence within two months of signing the agreement, with equipment brought from China.
Serasinghe hopes the Presidential Awards Ceremony on January 30, will also give a boost to the industry.
Awards will be given for 18 films screened in 2006 and 15 in 2005.
The NFC also hopes to kick off a project to preserve films produced in the country.
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