Kinematograph year book (1939)

The Year Abroad. 29 British films get a very substantial showing in Australia, and the British film entering Australia is given far greater preferential treatment than the Australian film entering England. British films are not only admitted duty free to Australia (as against a duty of 8d. a foot imposed on American films), but, "without any legal compulsion on the Australian exhibitor, they are shown in an even higher proportion on Australian screens than is the case in Britain itself, as a glance at the foregoing tables will show. New films legislation was passed through the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in December, 1938, providing for the setting up of a Theatres and Films Commission with power to control future theatre licensing in the State and other trade practices. The framing of a standard contract is among the duties of the Films Commission. A rejection right of 25 per cent, in place of the former 12^ per cent, on foreign pictures is granted to exhibitors, but British films do not come within that provision. A N.S.W. film quota of 15 per cent, of British films is incorporated, but this will only come into force at a date to be decided by the Governor, and it is understood that this will only come into force when certain amendments admitting Australian films to British quota are introduced into the British Cinematograph Films Act. A Government guarantee of bank overdrafts in certain circumstances to local producers is provided for. An amendment to the New South Wales Cinematograph Films (Australian Quota) Act, 1935, came into operation last year, and the following is a summary of its main provisions : — ■ In Section 4 of the 1935 Act, the provision for rising quota to be acquired by distributors (i.e., renters) is repealed and distributors' quota is fixed at 3 per cent, for 1938 and 1939. For 1940 and thereafter quota is to be as fixed by the Governor of New South Wales. If the distributor acquires for £10,000 an Australian quota film (paying £5,000 within six months) for distribution abroad, he shall be credited with another Australian film. If the distributor is unable to acquire sufficient films to comply with Australian quota he must produce or cause to be produced enough films to enable him to comply, to take effect from January 1, 1938. Exhibitors' quota is fixed at 2\ per cent, for 1938 and 1939. For 1940 and thereafter the quota is to be as fixed by the Governor of New South Wales, commencing July 1 in each case. A new Section (6a) is inserted in the 1935 Act, providing that the Films Advisory Committee shall annually inquire and report during the three months before September 1, commencing 1939, as to the extent of Australian quota production, and shall make recommendation as to the fixing of distributors' and exhibitors' quotas (1940 et seq.). The Governor of New South Wales shall fix the quotas after considering the Committee's report and recommendations. A new Section (7a) gives the right to the exhibitor to reject 12^ per cent, of films contracted for by block booking (other than Australian and British films). This right is in addition to that given by the Act to reject films in order to comply with quota. This Section is not intended to apply to films produced within the British Empire. Hoyts Theatres, Ltd. — in which the 20th CenturyFox have a big share" holding interest — reported a record trading year, with a net profit of £81,305after providing £58,780 for depreciation. The profit showed an increase over the previous year of £20,201. During the year paid admissions to the Hoyts and affiliated theatres numbered 27,543,716, or more than four times the population of Australia.