The 1963 Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures (1963)

the MPAA. The progfram includes many cooperative projects with government agencies, with professional organizations in the visual education field throughout the United States, and such international organizations as UNESCO, the American Friends Service Committee, and the Departments of Education of various foreign countries. It has also cooperated with the Committee on International Non-Theatrical Events (CINE) in the screening and nomination of American nontheatrical films as entries on world-wide film festivals. The TFC program has made the motion picture industry a very useful ally to education, and has developed common interests between the industry and educational leaders resulting in a clearer understanding of the relationship of the programs of both groups. TECHNICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT This Department has as one of its responsibilities the analysis of logistical and mechanical problems that occur in the shipment, storage and servicing of films distributed to the nation's theaters. The department also extends to the member companies engineering and planning services directed toward efficiency and economies inherent in modern methods of film exchange operation. In providing these services, the department continually studies all current technical advancements in film servicing equipment, new film bases, film splicing and repair devices, automatic film re-winding equipment, etc. In connection with film servicing, the department keeps in close touch, through engineering societies, film manufacturers, equipment suppliers, with all advancements and new developments in projection processes and sound reproduction methods. The Technical Services Department continues to supervise the association's film exchange safety program, originally developed some 32 years ago on a self-regulatory basis. The value of this program's continuation, in spite of the steadily decreasing percentage of nitrate flammable film, is evident as the association's member companies continue to maintain an almost perfect avoidance of fire loss in their operations. The film industry's fire safety record is unmatched in American industry. Coupled with this safety effort is the department's constant protection surveillance of film condition, particularly pointed toward avoidance of film base and image deterioration in films stored for long periods. With the almost complete conversion to safety base film, the department maintains close liaison with the civil regulatory authorities in exchange centers to secure and maintain liberalization of the former highly restrictive regulations imposed on the exchanges when nitrate film was stored. In all but a few exchange centers, current safety films are now stored in open areas instead of the former confining film vaults releasing the companies from the heavy rent burden of specialized ibuildings required by laws proposed on flammable film storage. The department's director also heads the association's Foreign Film Advisory Unit organized to assist overseas producers in the presentation of their film product to the member companies and independent distributors for possible distribution in the United States. In connection with this activity the department also renders technical aid to overseas motion picture organizations in almost every area of motion picture work extending from studio production, camera and laboratory equipment, theater design and even to the preplanning of drive-in theaters. The director serves on the National Committee of Films for Safety organized for the purpose of encouraging the production of non-theatrical and theatrical films designed to prevent injury and loss of life in every area of human hazard. Each year this committee presents bronze plaque awards to the outstanding film produced in the safety field. The department also supervises the maintenance of records covering nontheatrical institutions which obtain their film service from the member companies. In order to assure audience safety in these institutions and avoidance of unwarranted damage to the company films supplied, the department's survey of these places of exhibition includes (1) type of equipment used for 35 mm. exhibition (2) projection booth construction (3) experience and qualification of projectionist and (4) determination that the place of assembly has the approval of local regulatory authorities. The department, in its functions, maintains a close liaison with the national and international organizations interested in reducing fire waste and life safety. These groups consist of the National Fire Protection Association, National Board of Fire Underwriters, National Fire Waste Council, Bureau of Explosives, Fire Protection Association of England, National Safety Council. 7Z6