|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 1 August 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Watching films with DVD comfort by Vimukthi Fernando 'The Day After Tomorrow' - the much talked about movie of the world was launched nearly a month ago. But you don't have to go to a cinema to watch it. If you have a DVD player, on a computer with DVD facilities and you can order the copies via the internet and the movie at your own comfort and convenience at a place you choose.
And it is not just Hollywood movies, the day draws near when the Sri Lankan film industry could boast of the availability of the Sri Lankan films in DVDs and VCDs no later than 90 days after a film is launched. The first steps, have already been taken by the gentle giant of the local entertainment scene, Sarath Kotelawela, owner of Thorana Home Videos who loves and enjoys the business of producing DVDs. "We are going to work with the producers so that the DVD could be available within 90 days of the release of the movie similar to the developed countries such as USA" he says with pride. Though his line of business until recently was the audio casette industry, the idea for films on DVD/VCD was mooted due to many requests he received from Sri Lankan expatriates. "There were many requests for Sri Lankan teledramas and movies. So, I decided to start with the movies because teledramas running into many episodes and hours, with those considered short running into about six to eight hours, needs a lot of editing to bring them into a reasonable time slot," says Kotelawela. The project was started last year. Transfer of the movie from the reels to bits and bytes are able to produce colour and sound is not easy. It takes many hours and needs state- of-the-art equipment. The pictures and sound recorded separately on different tracts need to go through two intermediate transferring processes before they are finally stored together in a computer. Thereafter, the movie goes through necessary editing and the master DVD, which goes for mass production is burnt. By June 2004, more than 50 films produced locally were completed and available on VCD and DVD. The collection of films on DVD is a representation of the whole gamut of films ranging from commercial or classical, comedies and tragedies. 'Aswesuma', 'Thushara', 'Vasana', 'Apeksha', 'Chanchala Rekha', 'Aasha Desin', 'Arumosam Vehi', 'Yakada Pihatu' and 'Salelu Warama' are some of the films already produced on DVD. Soon to be launched is one of Sri Lanka's most popular films of the early years, 'Kadavunu Poronduwa'. Though the collection includes some movies produced in the 1970s, according to Kotelawala. "It is hard to get a preserved copy of the earlier productions." "The sad story is that some of the movies produced afterwards also do not have a preserved master copy," Kotelawela points out. For instance, the only preserved copy of one of the popular movies of the 1990s is one that had been sent to Japan for a screening. The producer himself does not have a preserved copy of the movies. "I am negotiating with the Japanese people to get a print of this copy," says Kotelawela, who is happy about his library of master copies. "With the change of technology we have to find different ways to preserve our heritage for posterity," he points out. "Transferring the film onto DVD itself is preservation, for this is the latest and most long lasting form of preservation. However, if a better form becomes available that should be used," he says. Producing films on DVDs, "brings me great pleasure for on the one hand it benefits the Sri Lankan film industry and helps bring quality movies to the Sri Lankan living room be it here or in other countries," says Kotelawela. Though the DVD production had been more or less smooth sailing with producers of the movies so far "supportive towards the project", finding the proper owner of the movie has become a problem at times, for Kotelawela. Piracy also is an impediment of the trade, he points out. Besides producing Sri Lankan movies Kotelawela is also involved in producing Karaoke versions of Sinhala songs on DVD and has already produced over 12 DVD releases. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
