British Kinematography (1949)

152 The second principle which the use of the Independent Frame process sought to establish was that while it cannot make a cheap picture more cheaply, it does provide a method by which the basic cost of any feature film can be controlled. It gives the producer the opportunity of enormously increasing his production value while keeping his costs down. The production of subjects which would otherwise be prohibitively costly is also made possible, and the more expensive the production the greater, proportionately, is the saving. In endeavouring to establish these particular advantages of the Independent Frame, it would obviously have been foolhardy to have launched into high budget pictures with valuable stars at this early stage. With these considerations in mind, I was entrusted to ensure the following : 1. Making films of first-feature quality. 2. Using only one stage with an assembly bay. No sets were to be built on other stages, and all construction was to take place off stage. 3. Ensuring that studio shooting schedules were to vary between six and seven weeks on the floor with one week's acting and technical rehearsal. 4. Delivering a married print of each picture within eight to nine weeks after studio shooting was completed. 5. Choosing subjects so varied as to prove the flexibility of the Independent Frame method. 6. Without employing stars, to cast the pictures with the best available feature artistes comparable to those employed in other films of the scale envisaged. 7. During production to use all known and experimental devices to obtain maximum economy in set construction simultaneously with increased production value. 8. Evolving a scheme capable of continuous production and susceptible of expansion when full-scale production was agreed. 9. Taking no artistes except doubles on location. All the other principles of the method are inherent in these rules except one, which becomes necessary as a result of these — namely, the principle that a final and detailed shooting script must be completed six months before any picture goes on the floor. The films themselves must, of course, stand as evidence as to whether the first rule was kept, but in an analysis such as this, it may be stressed that technical quality was the objective aimed at. In an article which appeared in the Investors' Chronicle after " Warning to Wantons " was first shown, the writer stated that, in his opinion, the picture was indistinguishable in production quality and scale from one costing £200,000. The stupendous fact, and that of interest to investors, was that the picture cost only £120,000. All other rules and conditions enumerated above were adhered to strictly throughout. In fact, in considering rule 7, I should state that during this production we deliberately set ourselves problems and experimented with new technical devices. Their solutions, while adding to our difficulties at the time, proved of great benefit in the subsequent planning of such films as " Boys in Brown," " The Astonished Heart," " So Long at the Fair," and " Prelude to Fame," which is the latest Independent Frame picture to go on the floor. It is worth while noting that for the first four pictures these rules were adhered to strictly to see whether the job could be done. This does not mean that all pictures made by this method must fall into a rigid pattern. Each subject must be taken on its own merits, and if, for example, it becomes economically or artistically necessary to take certain artistes on location for certain specified shots, this would be done. The principle stands that all methods of solving a particular problem must be explored in advance and the best can be selected while choice is possible.