Editor's note: Haider Rifaat is a writer for South China Morning Post, Arabian Moda magazine, Good Times magazine and OK! Pakistan. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Cinema lovers have had to wait for nearly a year to watch their favorite films on the big screen. A temporary pause on productions, uncertainty that followed as a result of it and the dreadful impact the entertainment industry experienced overall were among a string of concerns for production companies and filmmakers alike.

As COVID-19 gradually mellows down in some countries, the question of heading back into production and launching cinemas in full capacity remain impending challenges. For countries like the United States, India and Brazil, getting cinemas to operate in full swing is not a top priority.

However, for a resilient country like China, cinema houses were already up and running a few months ago. A rather ingenious strategy of reducing the cinema capacity down to 30 percent proved successful.

Cinema houses in China are now expected to increase the seating capacity to 75 percent in light of the success that followed earlier with a small percentage of cinema audience. Strict social distancing and wearing of face masks also proved effective in curbing COVID-19, thus allowing people to experience the magic of films on screen once again.

In a similar vein, countries with lesser COVID-19 infections like Germany, Canada, Japan and these in the Arab world, can follow suit and softly relaunch their film industries with strict precautions and limited seat capacities. Countries are making relentless efforts to get their economies back on track with similar strategies in place but these aren't long-term solutions.

What is an even bigger concern right now is the future of the global film industry, especially when the pandemic wanes completely. Placing more emphasis on web content seems to be the right move in a post-pandemic scenario. Getting more independent filmmakers on board to make compelling films in a smaller budget, as opposed to wasting millions, is a winning tactic.

Registering these films on the web and having their premieres on social media are the safest options to gradually kick-start any film industry. Observation is key here. Producers and filmmakers are required to observe if their films are attracting a large audience. If people are responding well to online cinema, prioritize making more films for the web in small budgets to conserve money and earn maximum revenue through monetization.

Producing and getting similar, constructive content released on the big screen will incentivize moviegoers to spend their money. It is all about making a quality product shine, and allowing the audience to respond to it.

If, for some reason, people are not choosing to invest their money to watch your film, opt for alternatives. Get more writers and creative stakeholders on board. Brainstorm ideas and make more web series and films that they would respond to. Observe the content people are choosing to watch on the web and follow a similar footprint for the big screen.

Production companies should save money at this point and not make hasty decisions. They must take careful, concise steps to ensure that they earn profit, and not end up in a financial loss.

Re-release cult classic films on the big screen such as "The Goddess," "Farewell My Concubine," "Psycho," "The Silence of the Lambs," "Harry Potter," "Casablanca" and "Frankenstein" among others to gather crowds of people under one roof. Set up small theater hubs and cinemas in rural areas of the country. Tap into any local, distant regions where the content is not being seen.

Moreover, make solid content that is representative of culture, societal issues and above all, compelling cinema. Collaborating with other countries on projects and making things work on a parallel would also help the cause of strengthening the global entertainment industry.

These are key strategies that can encourage every country to come out stronger once the pandemic is over. Avoid undergoing further financial loss with poor decisions and experimentation. For now, limiting cinema capacity and emphasizing on web content is crucial.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)