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Jan., 1930] SOUND PICTURES IN EUROPE 13
Ufa is now producing its first sound film in the Klangfilm studios, and it is planning to release 22 talkies during the 1929-30 season, under the Klangfilm system. It seems that the wiring of theaters is keeping pace with production, for by May 1, 30 German theaters were equipped with Tobis apparatus. The present monthly output of Klangfilm is said to amount to 20 such installations, and it is expected that this output will later reach 80 monthly.
Latest prices announced in Germany for Klangfilm-Tobis sound apparatus for theaters run from approximately $3200 to $15,000, according to the size of the installation.
German Theaters Suitable for Installation of Sound Equipment. — Of the 5200 German motion picture theaters, only a few are large enough to install sound equipment at the present time. It may be roughly estimated that 193 theaters with seating capacities over 1000 and approximately 700 theaters with seating capacities from 500 to 1000 offer an early market for reproducing apparatus.
One American company had installed its apparatus in five Berlin theaters, but a permanent injunction handed down against it forced the withdrawal of this apparatus and of the company in question from the German market. However, negotiations are in progress between German and American electrical concerns to bring about a combine which will end all patent suits of the parties concerned.
German feature film production has slumped badly in recent months. This is due to the German inability, so far, to turn out sound films, and the native industry's fear of producing too many silent films. Exhibit demand is irregular, and spot-booking is sought more now than formerly, since cinema owners are afraid to contract too far in advance for silent production. Feature imports are also necessarily lower than last year because of the "kontingent" limitations. But while some slump was due in view of the sound film departure, a general depression was in no way expected.
Sound Film Production in Germany during 1928-29. — During the year from July 1, 1928, to June 30, 1929, the German sound film industry produced and submitted to censorship 75 short sound pictures totaling 17,814 meters in length, making the average length of each sound picture about 235 meters, which comprised short speeches, musical scenes, and similar sound experiments. During the same period two foreign sound features and three shorts were censored in Germany.
The production industry is at present in a state of defense against