DTS is perhaps second only to Dolby in digital recording and playback systems globally. In India, DTS is being marketed by Real Image Media Technologies Pvt Ltd, a Chennai based firm. The first DTS film was Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park in 1993. Seven years later, the number of movies and theatres using this digital sound is only increasing. There are over 535 theatres in the country using DTS of which 72 are in Kerala. Mr John Lawson, engineering head of Real Image, was in Thiruvananthapuram in connection with the launch of DTS facility at Kerala State Film Development Corporation studios. He has been associated with several Hollywood studios including Metro Goldwyn Meyer before coming to India. In an exclusive interview with R Sreekumar, he expressed the hope that India would leapfrog into digital age much faster than other countries. Excerpts:What is the significance of DTS over other digital recording systems?
The technology employed by DTS is much the same as six track Dolby or Sony STDS. But the difference is in technique of storing and playback of sound in the theatre. In Dolby, the sound track is recorded into the film itself. But in DTS the digital sound track is stored separately on CD-ROM discs. The six tracks of digital studio data that are stored on CD-ROM are read by the DTS-6D processor and played back in absolute synchronisation with the film by reading a special timecode track that is recorded on the film along with the existing analog sound track. DTS films thus contain the traditional optical soundtrack for compatibility with every mono or stereo theatre and it also contains a serial number which ensures that the DTS unit in the theatre will not play an incorrect CD-ROM disc. DTS is also suitable for multi-language films where in a common sound effect can be used and voice can be dubbed in various languages in separate tracks as required.
How far has Indian cinema gone digital?
Worldwide there are thousands of theatres using DTS. In India there are over 535 theatres and there is further expansion. In Kerala there are over 72 theatres. I think in the next 10 years, there are going to be much more digital cinemas in the country than anywhere else in the world.
What makes you think so?
Well, Indian theatres and films have leapfrogged from mono to digital without absorbing the evolutions in between as has happened in developed countries. There are many theatres in the country still using mono playback facilities. The cable TV might have taken away viewers from theatres, but the phenomenon is only temporary. With digital surround sound you may find the old movie goers coming back to theatres. I was told that there are over 1000 multiplexes being planned in India. These complexes will have small and big theatres for video projection and film apart from commercial complexes, hotels and auditoriums. They are all going to utilise digital sound, no doubt.
What changes do you foresee due to the convergence of media?
With Internet, telephone, movies, television converging it is possible that in future the film theatre could be used for Internet broadcasting. Let's have one movie with different versions all finetuned in real time and beamed to audiences anywhere in the world. So you may find different theatres playing the same film with a different version or ending. The projector and the film itself may become obsolete then as people will then be talking only about `digits', no cutting, peeling or shredding even after the 1000th show. This can happen within 10 or 15 years time.
Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
