The Bioscope (Jul-Sep 1931)

13 THE BIOSCOPE August 12, 1931 Unit Production to Save Overheads Return to “ Individual ” Filming Methods? Maxwell Companies’ Magnificent Reports B.I.P. and A.B.C. : £250,000 Increase 8 Per Cent, and Heavy Reserves As forecast in THE Bioscope some weeks ago, the total gross trading profits of British International Pictures and Associated British Cinemas show a joint increase of considerably over £250,000 on the figures of last year. The directors' report and accounts for the year ended March 31st last show that the trading profit in the case of British International Pictures amounted to £186, (hi l 5s. 2d., compared with £170,000 for the preceding year. Associated British Cinemas’ accounts for the same period reveal a gross trading profit of £431,451 15s. 3d., compared with £282,238 19s. Id. for the preceding year. These accounts will be submitted to the shareholders of the respective companies at Winchester House (Hall No. 47), Old Broad Street, E.C.2, to-morrow (Thursday), the B.I.P. meeting being timed for 11.30, and the A.B.C. meeting for 12.30. Ordinary dividends of 8 per cent, are recommended in each case, the rate being the same as that paid last year. This would leave an amount of £56,478 to carry forward in the case of B.I.P., and £21,303 in the case of A.B.C., Ltd. The B.I.P. report shows that the directors have appropriated £15,000 of the additional profits for the investment depreciation reserve which now stands at £30,000. They have also appropriated £20,000 for property depreciation reserve, which brings that account up to £50,000. The report states that since March 31st part of the company’s property not required for studio space and hitherto leased to another company (British and Dominions) has been sold on advantageous terms, the sale price received showing a substantial profit on cost price having been applied in reduction in the value of land, buildings, etc. Randall Terraneau, of Humphries & Co., who has just returned from America, where he completed negotiations to give his company the British rights in the " Dunning” process of film faking, was greatly impressed while at Hollywood with the " SplitMatte ” process, a development of the use of painted glass for providing backgrounds. In the current issue of the Bestlab Gazette — house organ of Humphries & Co. — Mr. Terraneau describes the system which, he says, enables almost impossible shots to be made in the studio, sets of colossal size being shot on a stage no bigger than those in England. He suggests it is typical of Hollywood that the technicians, realising the disadvantages of painted glass, should, instead of discarding it, give all thoughts to elimination of the defects. " With the ’ Split-Matte ’ method,” says Mr. Terraneau, " the set is built in the same way as was customary for a painted glass set, the glass is placed before the camera and the portion which will have the painted scene is blocked out — blacked on the glass the black naturally follows the easiest lines to be matched, and as the distance from the B.I.P. s £300,000 General Reserve A further appropriation of £50,000 has been placed to general reserve, which now stands at £300,000. The directors report the continued success of and increasing demand for their company’s productions and state that to meet an increased public interest in their pictures, the volume of production was greatly increased during the year. This fact accounts for the substantial item of £492,820 10s. 9d. at which the item “ film productions ” stands in the company's assets. J. D. Bright and M. Arthur Dent retire as directors, but being eligible offer themselves for re-election. A.B.C. : More Reserves The report of the A.B.C. directors shows that £75,000 has been set to property depreciation reserve, £90,000 is being transferred to general reserve (bringing this account up to £180,000), and £34,840 is to be utilised in writing-off share issue expenses and stamp duty on debentures. The directors report that they have continued the policy when favourable opportunities have arisen of issuing preference shares in exchange for shareholdings acquired in cinema-owning companies and in addition further leasehold theatres have been acquired on terms advantageous to the company. During the year under review the Forum, Birmingham, and the Forum, Liverpool, have been opened and the company now has under construction in York Road, Wandsworth, a theatre seating approximately 2,000. It is expected that this theatre will be completed for public opening by Christmas. It is further stated that economies effected in administration and working costs have been offset largely by the diminution in theatre receipts arising from the prevailing industrial depression. glass to the camera controls the softness of the matte, a small glass, about 4 in. by 3 in., is used. " This glass is blacked out as quickly as the director can rehearse his artists, so that no time is lost. After the action has been photographed, a test is taken of 50 to 100 feet, and this, with undeveloped negative, is sent into the Special Effects Camera Department, and it is here that the glass is painted and superimposed on to the scene of the action already photographed. It is in this department that the time, originally lost on matching on the stage with the old method of painting the glass first, is spent. This only entails the time of one man, since he is generally both cameraman and artist. “ The sky in Hollywood is always blue, with no clouds, so when you next see a Hollywood product, notice the clouds on exteriors and you will be able to count up how many ‘ Split-Mattes ’ have been used ! The other ones are so good that you would never be able to detect them, and they have saved producers thousands of dollars. Their adoption in this country would enable us to put Hollywood ‘sets’ into British studios.” (By Our American Representative, Ernest Rovelstad ) Unit production will have a real test under the plans of David O. Selznick, formerly with Paramount. Nine series of pictures, each production individually made, figure in the plans to date. Lewis Milestone will be responsible for six pictures in the first company, Selznick-Milestone. And now Selznick is seeking the services of Clara Bow and King Vidor, at present with M.-G.-M., for his second and third units. The fact that Selznick, on his visit to New York, spent much time with Walter Wanger, former general manager of production for Paramount, and the fact that the reported Directors’ Guild idea, in which Wanger was said to be interested, included a series from Milestone, gave rise to speculation as to whether Wanger would not be found in the new venture. Selznick points out that the plans of the organisation are directed toward big savings in overhead. He says the company will not buy or build a studio, but will rent space as needed. U.F.A. Community Theatres A circuit of small, modernistic, community theatres in the Middle West is about to be born, and exclusive showing of Ufa pictures is expected to be announced any day now. Louis Machat, independent exhibitor in Chicago, is the key figure in the plan. The proposal also calls for selection of Machat as Middle West distributor for Ufa. Shaking Out Yes-men Freelance workers are the first to bear the brunt of the salary-reducing movement which now is gathering momentum at the studios. “ The grandest shaking-out of do-nothings and yessers that Hollywood ever has known is under way,” is the way The Hollywood Herald characterises the new developments in the movement which was begun some time ago. “ Just as necessity is the mother of invention, so has necessity been a blessing in disguise for the harassed production heads. Called upon to economise on a big scale, they have turned to their trusted lieutenants for help and, in numerous cases, have failed to find it. Instead, they have encountered non-co-operation in such high degree as to approximate disloyalty — in places where they have every reason to expect 100 per cent, assistance. “ That many posts heretofore considered important are to be abolished is indicated by a statement issued by B. P. Schulberg, who stated that the office of executive assistant vacated by David Selznick has been wiped out, with its duties being split up among several studio production executives.” Max Thorpe to Join Warners Max Thorpe, for some time past London sales manager for Universal, is shortly relinquishing that position in order to become general sales manager for W arner Brothers. How Hollywood “ Fakes ” Backgrounds Randall Terraneau Describes “Split-Matte” Process