As Internet players scramble to carve out a slice of China's booming film sector, cinemas in the world's second-largest movie market are undergoing a rapid transformation, starting from the way they sell tickets.

"We have seen an explosive growth in the number of people who have migrated to online platforms to purchase tickets since last August," said Li Chao, marketing director at Beijing Jinyi International Cinema's Zhongguancun Branch.

"In January, over 47 percent of our visitors bought their tickets online, surging from 21 percent last December," Li said. "To meet the growing demand, we set up dozens of new ticket vending machines by teaming up with online platforms."