FilmIndia (Dec 1937 - Apr 1938)

April 1938 FILMINDIA producers in America submit the story in script form to the critic months before it goes into Production. The critic, of course, charges his fees for his opinion, comments and suggestions. Sometimes several critics are employed for this job and their opinions are discussed and debated upon by the producer and his production staff. And no story has come out of an American Studio unless it has previously gone through the mill of stern and famous critics. And no wonder, that the American pictures lead the film world by the ear to-day. Our producers ought to do the same if they ever hope to achieve even a part of the success which Americans claim to-day. Before rushing into production, like blindmen, they should ask a critic to criticise the story in view, most mercilessly from all viewpoints. The result will be a better story and a far better picture than before. This is the only wise method of guarding against failures by diminishing their chances and minimising their numbers. Only the other day I had the opportunity of reading the script of two stories which are under production now and which will come to the screen within the next few months. They are being chaperoned by people who have studied production problems in text bo^ks. Due to trade courtesy, I would not like to mention the name of the Company producing these pictures, but I may as well tell you io-day, months in advance of the actual releases, that if these pictures come out with the scripts I have seen, they will fail and fail miserably. Any critic could have told this to the producer and saved him from a loss which seems almost certain; or, in the alternative the critic could have suggested several alterations to make the story more appealing and gripping and thereby giving it a better chance of success. But a critic is ignored by the Indian producers. A critic plays a great part in film production, and it is better to bring him in as a doctor in the early stages than as coroner over the corpse. A GREAT FAMILY! No one can stop the Fazalbhoy family from going out and doing the most unexpected things. There is no end to the enterprise of the Fazalbhoy Brothers — I think there are four of them. But one of them has taken up law, perhaps to protect the other three who are in trade — or rather in trades. Trades, because they have so many irons in the fire that they themselves perhaps do not know what the next item of their activity would be. With the introduction of colour in Indian picures, I had all along suspected that Fazalbhoys would not keep quiet without getting some sort of colour into their own activities. They have done the trick. Only six months back they started the General Films Ltd., and heralded their entry into film APRIL BRAIN TWISTER PRIZE OF Rs. 10 To the 1st correct solution Picked up at random from our mail. "Had a good season?" I inquired of Batsman Amarnath Jnr. "Pretty good. I finished with an average of exactly 30." "For how many innings?" "I forget. But we seldom had more than one in an afternoon. And I have only been able to play on Saturdays." "Thirty is quite good." "Not bad," said Amarnath Jnr." "But I was Not Out several times, vou know. My friend Naidu worked out that if I'd have scored another dozen, in each of my Not Out innings, my average would have been 35." "Have you had any good scores?" I asked. "Nothing special. Two Blobs. Otherwise my lowest score was 17. But I had no two scores the same, apart from the Blobs, I mean. And all my best scores were Not Out Ones." What was Amarnath Jnr's best score? Only one prize will be given. Address replies to: The Editor, "filmindia" 104, Apollo Street, Fort, Bombay.