Shaw Organisation’s executive vice-president Christopher Shaw shares how the cinema operator is building on its legacy of film production, distribution and exhibition
Like many of his contemporaries in the film and cinema industry, Christopher Shaw grew up before the age of home entertainment—and the only way to watch films was to go to the cinema. “Over the years, I’ve enjoyed all sorts of films on the big screen whether they were studio blockbusters or art house, from the West or East,” shares the executive vice-president of film acquisition and distribution at the Shaw Organisation.
This voracious appetite for film has helped him lead his team to procure releases of all genres and nationalities from international festivals for the Shaw Theatres. He explains, “Watching the crowd react to what is going on the big screen is as exciting to me as the films themselves. In fact, it gave me a ‘good eye’ and understanding as to what audiences liked.” To date, Shaw Theatres has distributed in Singapore the largest number of Oscars Best Picture winners and nominees, including Green Book (2018).
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So when cinemas, including the seven operated by Shaw Theatres (two others are currently closed for renovations), were shuttered in late March at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in Singapore, this astute understanding of what its patrons want came in useful for the cinema operator to pivot its business. It introduced a new digital platform KinoLounge by Shaw Theatres to deliver the magic of films to the comfort of homes. “During this time of the ‘new normal’ when global film festivals and movie releases are migrating online, we launched KinoLounge as a natural evolution of what Shaw Theatres has been doing for almost a century—and that is bringing the best in world cinema to film lovers wherever they may be,” says Shaw.
A film is only selected for KinoLounge if it is critically acclaimed, award-winning or associated with various film festivals, archives and societies. “Unlike the myriad on-demand streamers like Netflix, which are dedicated digital services and essentially a buffet of content, KinoLounge will operate in parallel with Shaw’s physical cinemas, acting as a complementary space to deliver specially curated content—some of which may have had a previous theatrical run (which patrons may have missed), but many would be exclusive to KinoLounge,” enthuses Shaw.
