Kochi Smart City plans media cluster

“We are looking at establishing a world-class facility for the post-production industry which will service the film sector in India and abroad,” Smart City Kochi managing director Baju George told Deccan Chronicle.

“This will be one of the four clusters that we are planning, the others being IT, finance and research and innovation. The facility will be spread over about 10 lakh sq ft,” he said.

The media cluster will have state-of-the-art facilities for editing, dubbing, graphics and allied services. “It will primarily be an IT-enabled service,” he said.

There are specialized requirements for the media cluster which include floors and studios and facilities to host artists who come there for work. “We will provide the basic facilities. The shell of the next phase will be completed in 18 months from the launch,” he added.

The training of manpower required will be another major activity for the cluster. “There will be movement of people from one city to the other and we have to ensure a steady supply of trained people to sustain the industry. Hence the importance of training,” he said.

India has already earned a name in the post-production industry, he pointed out. “We have already conducted studies and found that there will be potential for the industry to thrive,” he said. The success of the project will also depend on the social infrastructure, he added.

Actor Mammootty, who recently visited the Smart City project, has offered all support for the media cluster, Dr George said, but refused to divulge the details.