Film and TV Technician (1957)

56 FILM & TV TECHNICIAN April 1957 The Case for Co-productions W/HEN the Annual General " Meeting of A.C.T.T. unanimously voted in favour of exploring ways and means for the setting up of co-productions on the European pattern, a decision had been taken which can result in a very substantial increase of film production in this country, provided it is pursued vigorously by our General Council, protected with the proper safeguards by the Board of Trade and launched with skill and determination by our producers. Trade follows the film. We all know the slogan. Hollywood has proved its validity over the years. The Government tell us that Britain is about to enter the Euro and, last but not least, in order for this country to work in partnership as an equal with other nations, perhaps even as primus inter pares and not as the poor relation. By Charles Frank Time and again in recent months we have witnessed the fantastic spectacle where some of the biggest productions (financed with frozen money, every penny of THB Hl'NOHBACK OF NOTRE DAME A Recent Example of International Co-production pean Common Market and its Free Trade Area. This, then, would appear to be the ideal moment for British Film Production to join hands with our colleagues on the Continent, in order to make the kind of pictures which we should otherwise never make, in order to make more pictures than would normally be made in this country. which had been paid by the people of this country) had an American producer, an American director, an American script and one or more American stars; and each of these films was given British Quota, and all of them are eligible for money from the Eady fund, a fund specially created to help British producers in their struggle against overwhelming odds! Maybe I should mention here that I have no intention of attacking Hollywood. The Americans make pictures of world-wide appeal. In production, distribution and exhibition they believe themselves to be champions, and they defend their title with the same stamina and enthusiasm for the rules of the game as did Rocky Marciano in his fight against Don Cockell. I do not blame Hollywood for going all out for their pictures. I blame us for failing to look after ourselves. What, you may ask, has all this got to do with co-productions ? I will tell you. The advent of Cinemascope, VistaVision and the like has brought in its wake the trend towards bigger films. The longer and costlier they get, the smaller is the number of films actually being made. The Basic Pattern On the Continent of Europe, the leading film producing nations have got together. Their respective Trade Ministries have worked out a formula which brought into being the so-called twin-productions, jointly financed and produced by two nations under certain rules mutually agreed upon by the industries and Trade Ministries of both countries with the one tremendous advantage that the pictures thus created by both countries should be eligible for quota in both countries. To illustrate the procedure, here, very briefly, is the basic pattern of the co-production Agreement between France and Italy: 1. A French and mi Italian production company agree to make two films, one in France and the other in Italy. In Picture 'A' the studio work is done in France, in Picture 'B' in Italy. 2. Each company provides one French and one Italian Producer to work on both pictures. In Picture 'A' the Director is Fnnch. in Picture 'B' the Director is Italian. Key personnel on both films are appointed and shared by mutual