Melbourne’s December Media has established a distribution arm to handle films made for IMAX and giant screen theatres.
Known as December Media Distribution, the unit will be headed by Mark Bretherton and will distribute both December Media’s films as well as those from other producers. The first film on the slate will be December’s Earth Story, currently in production.
“We have been producing films for IMAX and giant screen theatres for six years and we have a long term commitment to the industry,” said Tony Wright, executive chairman of December Media.
“We believe we now have a very capable and experienced team able to carry out our own distribution. It’s a logical step forward for December in the evolution of our giant screen business.”
December Media’s head of giant screen Stephen Amezdroz said that all the key players in the giant screen industry have a vertically integrated business model, with both production and distribution handled in-house.
“It’s a business model that makes sense and I believe we’ve reached the stage where we are equipped to do this successfully,” he said.
Bretherton, the new unit's head, has worked in the IMAX and giant screen space for over 20 years and is a former CEO of World’s Biggest Screens Pty Ltd, the operators of the IMAX Theatre Sydney. He has released over 90 giant screen films in Australia, and served on the board of international body the Giant Screen Cinema Association.
"Ever since I first met Stephen Amezdroz, I’ve been impressed with the way December Media have entered the giant screen industry,” Bretherton said.
“They have invested time and energy really understanding the market and their first two film releases have demonstrated how successfully that has been achieved. Their forthcoming slate of films is exciting and relevant to the industry and I really look forward to introducing those titles to exhibitors”.