Business screen magazine (1961)

They're Talking FILM in West Germany •chniques. Festival Jucl^in^ Problems and an Executive A-V Workshop Share Spotlight As Reported hy Robinson P. Ri^g European Editor of Business Screen IVER SINCE the 3rd International In.dustrial Film Festival in Berlin last fall, the German A-V world has buzzed with mment. opinion and ideas about industrial ms and festivals. Paul Zils, producer of the prize-winning film lanlasie unci Gesuilliing (Fantasy of Shapes), reported in Filmblatter as saying that he les the success of the film (which shows lool leavers that there are opportunities for lativity in employment today) to his 15 ars of experience in documentary film proction in India coupled with an interest in all iS, good and bad. The secret is to make the industrial worker. it the machine, the focal point of the film, learned this from the English industrial film .kers," says Zils. * * * Iging at International Film Festivals •aws Sharp Comment from German Jury The judging system of the International m Festivals came in for some sharp comment ni the German members of the Berlin jury. \\ ill Riesenberg, jury president, said that the \\ points system for assessing the winner ' tlic Grand Pri,x had worked very satisfactor . hut the jury found great confusion when aing the films into their correct categories. e hoped that in Madrid the categories would ■ \ery clearly defined. Heinz Pieroth, a member of the jury, was tore outspoken; he said that several fUms Tiich should have won prizes were, in fact. It cunsidered because they had been entered unsuitable categories. He was in favour of an Kii competition without categories, but with II explanations of the purposes of the films that juries could judge their effectiveness. Peter Nickel of DEMAG. speaking at a Ini Conference in Essen, recommended that ambers of festival juries should include: .1 1 engineers or subject specialists to judge technical points; h I film producers or technicians to evaluate production qualities; e I journalists to judge the commentary or scenario; and d) a public relations or advertising man to judge the overall impression of the film. ^ ^ # 0 Executives from Ruhr Companies at \mference on Industrial Film Technique Over 200 executives from Germany's Ruhr jiustrial area attended a one-day conference Essen to discuss current developments in idustrial film technique. Speakers included Dr. Hugo Ritter of the •irman Federation of Industries, who opened 'e conference. Peter Nickel of DEMAG and in^ Campen, Krupp Public Relations Of LM BER 8 • Volume 2 3 ficer, who emphasized the need to integrate music into a film so that the picture, movement and sound became as one — if music was to play its real part in stirring the emotions and setting the mood of a film. Dr. Wilhelm Packenius of BASF said that the growth of the industrial film movement in Germany had been slow by comparison with the United States and other countries because of smaller firms" lack of experience. Films need not be confined to subjects like the company's 1 00th Anniversary or some great social or industrial achievement. "But whatever the subject or reason for a film it was of no value at all unless it was brought to the audiences." said Dr. Packenius. Dr. Hans Schaller (AEG) said that there was no such thing as a "ready-made" film. Each film should be specially designed for its subject and the cost should be related to the value of the publicity it should attract. Dr. Klaus Brepohl recommended that German industry should spend more time studying the needs and tastes of audiences, before they approved any film treatment. After a discussion which centered around film costs, the delegates viewed a selection of prize-winning films which included Enispannles Wasser (Henkel) Compo Limpo (Krupp), Remini>ton Eleven (Remington Rand). Spiel in Fur ben (BASF), and Kahl (AEG). News of Film.s from Britain Britain's Film Technicians Ask Equal Rates for Theatrical, Factual Films ■ The British film technicians' union, the Association of Cinema and TV Technicians, want to be reimbursed by the Association of Specialised Film Producers on the same terms as those of the British Film Producers" Association who produce theatrical features. The "problem" is that the Specialised Producers pay lower wages and use smaller crews on their industrial films than the British Film Producers Association members do on their entertainment features. The union claims one rate for the job whether it is on industrial or entertainment films; they say that filmstock manufacturers, studio proprietors, equipment rentals, etc., charge the same, irrespective, so why should the technicians get less? There are 1.400 technicians employed by the Association of Specialised Film Producers, 1,200 technicians on the books (but not necessarily in employment ) of the British Film Producers Association, and over 1,000 technicians, not members of the union, who are employed directly by British industry, government and nationalised organizations. Typical basic weekly wages are: Head Cam eraman now at $78, asking for $150; Assistant Director $40, asking for $60. Present crew for a 16mm film shot on location with mute camera is four technicians. The union is asking that this should be increased to eight to include 1 Exterior Cameraman ($110), 1 Camera Operator ($80), 1 Follow-Focus ($50), 1 Clappers ($36), 1 Director ($90). 1 Assistant Director ($60), 1 Continuity ($54), and 1 Production Secretary ($36). Producers say the increased weekly wage bill for camera crews on simple 1 6mm films would be in the region of $300, more than industrial sponsors would stand for. Specialised film producers employ technicians on yearly contracts. Many have given notice that they could not be renewed if the wage and conditions of service claims are accepted. * * * ?ieus Theater Circuit Audiences Applaud Good Sponsored Films, Says Booking Chief * Bob Morgan, booking manager for Classic Cinemas. Britain's largest art and news theater circuit, in an interview with Business Screen International stated that industrial sponsored films formed a valuable part of his programmes. "Films like British Oxygen's O for Oxygen have been applauded by audiences in our cinemas this year and we are delighted to show good industrial 'shorts' because the public like them. Our managers like them too as they can tie in lobby displays and local press publicity. "Ford's Classic Holiday, a beautiful movie about a motor holiday in Greece, is just completing a six-months' run in the circuit's cinemas and Ford has offered a prize for the most imaginative and attractive lobby display — Ford dealers have been most co-operative in advertising the film when it played our cinemas." Bob went on to say that other films which played his circuit this year were British Nylon Spinners' Briiish Nylon in Fashion, a preview of the latest fashions in nylon fabrics (produced by Film Partnership). Newspaper Run. a B. P. film produced by Rayant Films, which describes newspaper deliveries in Lapland, Dunlop Rubber's Made for Travel which deals with tyre care in a lighthearted way. ■At press time. Bob was viewing Ford's new cartoon film. The Ever Changing Motor Car,