The local film market has seen a 20-per-cent plunge in revenues this year, due to widespread piracy, recent heavy flooding and political and economic difficulties.

One company feeling the pinch is Rose Video, a leading Thai manufacturer and distributor of VCDs and DVDs, which will change its name next year to Rose Media and Entertainment as part of a rebranding strategy to diversify operations. The company said sales of certain movie titles had experienced a dramatic 20- 30-per-cent drop since last month, when flood waters first started inundating areas upcountry and some parts of Bangkok.

"Consumers want to stay at home during this time of flooding. The floods have hit people's income and buying power for non-essential products like VCDs and DVDs," said Oraphan Monphichit, managing director of WPM Film International, Rose Video's subsidiary for film distribution.

"We expect our film-distribution

operations, both to theatres and recording onto VCD and DVD, to grow 15-20 per cent this year, due to a larger number of films being supplied to the market," said Oraphan.

"There are no less than 24 blockbusters being screened in theatres this year, together with about five full-length animated features. These will generate revenue of about Bt300 million for the company this year," she said.

Oraphan said her company had increased the number of films to be recorded on VCD and DVD, from only 100 titles last year to more than 200 this year, both big- and small-budget. Animated features, will focusing on characters like Doraemon and Naruto.

"The larger number of titles in VCDs and DVDs will make up for the drop in sales per title," Oraphan said.

Oraphan said that along with changing its name from Rose Video to Rose Media and Entertainment, the company would consolidate all of its subsidiaries, including WPM Film International, Cherry Entertainment, which is a retail chain for home-entertainment products like VCDs and DVDs, and Colour Zone, a production house. These will be run as business units under Rose Media and Entertainment.

She said that under the new structure, Rose Media and Entertainment would have four major departments.

Rose Movie will be in charge of foreign-film distribution.

Rose Animation will oversee animated features.

Rose Shop will look for retail outlets for the company's home-entertainment products.

And Rose Entertainment will look after non-movie VCDs and DVDs, such as likay and exercise videos.

"Up to now, Rose Video has dealt with several brands and businesses, which has confused customers. The consolidation of our businesses into a single brand will help our customers recognise our brand more readily," said Oraphan.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation