Motography (Jul 1918)

July 13, 1918. MOTOGRAPHY 81 Activities in the Independent Field INCLUDING STATE AND FOREIGN RIGHTS U. S. Modifies New Export Censorship Films for Canada to Go Through Unseen and Same Concession May Be Granted for Other Countries Later AS A RESULT of representations to the Treasury Department and the War Trade Board at Washington by a committee representing the exporters' division of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry, the government has granted concessions in its announced plan of censoring all films for export. The most important concession is the fact that a general license will be issued for films shipped to Canada. It is hinted that a general license may even be granted to films exported to Great Britain and other Allied countries. News of the government's action was contained in a letter to Paul H. Cromelin of the exporters' division committee from F. M. Halstead, chief of the Division of Customs. Following is the letter: TREASURY DEPARTMENT Office of the SecretaryWashington June 22, 1918. Mr. Paul H. Cromelin, Chairman, Export Division, National Association Motion Picture Industry, New York, N. Y. Sir: The receipt is acknowledged of your letter of the 11th instant, relative to the restrictions placed upon the exportation of moving picture films by the department's recent film censorship regulations. In reply I am enclosing herewith copy of a circular letter, dated June 13th, addressed to collectors of customs, amending the censorship regulations of May 29th, which, it is thought, will meet the principal objections raised by you so far as they relate to the censoring of films. As I explained to you personally the censorship of films for exportation to Great Britain, Australia, France, Italy and Japan is done at the request of the War Trade Board, which Board has made the censorship of such films a condition precedent to the licensing thereof. As will be noted in the attached circular letter, the War Trade Board has issued a general license for films exported to Canada, and that hereafter the customs authorities will not require them to be submitted for censorship. Should the War Trade Board see fit to issue a general license for films exported to Great Britain and the other Allied countries, like treatment of films (whether positive or negative) exported to those countries, may be accorded by this department. As to your suggestion that films be censored for export by customs officials at the time they are passed upon for use in the United States by the National Board of Review, this is a matter which will require considerable thought and investigation before the merits of such a plan could be determined upon, but the Department will give the matter consideration. Respectfullv, (Signed) F. M. HALSTEAD, Chief, Division of Customs. Enclosure. Following are the new instructions to the various customs offices: TREASURY DEPARTMENT Washington, D. C, June 13. 191S. Division of Customs, Circular Letter No. 65. CENSORSHIP OF MOVING PICTURE FILMS. To Collectors of Customs and Others Concerned : The instructions contained in Division of Cus toms Circular Letter No. 45 ofMay 29, 1918, are hereby amended as follows: (1) The War Trade Board having granted R.A.C. License No. 8 for moving picture films exported to Canada, such films need not be submitted' for censorship until further instructed. (2) The provisions of Circular Letter of May 29, 1918, do not apply to films licensed by the War Trade Board and which were in transit on or prior to June 8, 191S. (3) When multiple copies of any given film are intended to be exported, only the original thereof will be censored, which, if approved, shall be sealed and retained in customs custody. After the original has been censored and approved, the copies may then be submitted to the Collector of Customs for comparison with the original. For purposes of comparison the Collector will not require each and every print of the same subject to be projected, but only such number as he considers necessary. If the representative copies so examined are found to be identical with the original, all of the copies will be approved and sealed and retained in customs custody pending exportation. L. S. ROWE. Assistant Secretary. The industry as a whole will welcome the government's concessions and Mr. Cromelin and his associates deserve credit for their victory. Shipman Gets New Films Ernest Shipman reports to his New York office considerable activity following his arrival in Los Angeles. Several new and important independent productions have been taken over by Mr. Shipman for exploitation on the state rights basis. Mr. Shipman further reports that a new arrangement has been entered into between the W. H. Clifford Photoplay Company and himself and that the fourth and fifth releases of the Shorty Hamilton series have been completed and their release dates will be announced shortly. Mr. Shipman claims that these new Shorty Hamilton pictures are exceptionally good and will prove an agreeable surprise to all holding the franchise for the popular series. Mr. Shipman is seriously considering confining his personal activities largely to the offices he is opening in Los Angeles, that he may be in closer touch with the independent producers, and visiting his New York headquarters from time to time as the occasion requires. Screen Novelty Appeals A decidedly original screen offering is called "Topics of the Day" and is a selection of timely "punch" paragraphs, selected from editorials of newspapers and magazines. These are being prepared through the co-operation of the staff of "The Literary Digest." The short paragraphs, witty and humorous, are flashed upon the screen one after another, and deal with timely topics of national interest. The Strand Theatre, New York, has been using these for the past seven weeks and they have met with great success. Mr. Siegel, who is the creator of this novelty, is arranging for an international distribution of his latest venture. He has already disposed of the coast territory to Sol L. Lesser of California and the entire European rights to Robertson-Cole Company, 1600 Broadway, New York. Mr. Siegel has his offices in the Times Building, New York. Frederick Truesdell, who makes his screen debut in Emily Stevens' new Metro picture, "A Man's World." Celebrates First Anniversary On June 25, J. Frank Brockliss, Inc., celebrated the first anniversary of its entry into the export and import industry. A few of the manufacturers that the house of Brockliss has represented the past year include the Rex Beach Company, Arrow Films Corporation, Rita Jolivet Film Corporation, Selig Polyscope Company and the King-Bee Billy West Company. President Sidney Garrett is also exclusive purchasing agent for the MundusFilm Company of Paris, Clement Mason of Australia and J. Frank Brockliss, Ltd., of London.