Canadian Film Digest (Aug 1971)

IN THIS ISSUE N. A. Taylor—Our Business M. L. Axler, Pioneer of the year. Exciting New F. P. Projects Disney Product to Herb Mathers. Toronto WOMPI Convention Canadian Production Scene Report from Censor Board New Triple in Sudbury Automated MultiTheatres EDITOR DAN KRENDEL Asst. Editor HARRIET BERNSTEIN Published Monthly by Film Publications of Canada Ltd. 175 Bloor St. E. Toronto 285, Ont. Telephone 924-3701 Second Class Mail Registration No. 2587 Postage Paid in Oshawa CANADIAN FILM DIGEST WHY AN EXHIBITORS’ ASSOCIATION? A frequently-posed question, even by active, dues-paying members of the various Exhibitors’ Associations across Canada, is ’’Just what does membership in the Association mean to me personally?” It’s a good question and one deserving of an honest, intelligent answer. Just as a labour union represents its membership at the bargaining table, so does the local or National Exhibitors’ Association act as spokesman for its hundreds of members, and when it speaks with authority and a hundred voices, it commands respect and attention. Perhaps a ‘Little’ exhibitor in a small town sees his grosses going down the drain because a local school, nearby camp or public auditorium is showing 16mm. movies day and date with him, sometimes a week or so late, and at times even ahead of his playdate, due to the carelessness or disinterest of a Distributor’s 16mm. booker trying to make an impression and hoping he won’t be caught. This non-commercial, non tax-paying opposition charges from ten to twenty five cents for children and fifty cents for adults, against the local exhibitor’s fifty cents, a dollar and a dollar and a quarter, and in addition, to confound the felony, flagrantly advertises titles and prices in the newspapers, on the air and through posters. When such violations are brought to the attention of the Association, which in turn exerts pressure on the distributors, this abuse is quickly and amicably resolved. Often advertising posters reach a theatre dirty, torn and completely unacceptable for display purposes. A meeting is arranged with the poster people who quickly trace the condition either to their own poster department or the last exhibitor to use those posters. Immediate corrective action follows. Perhaps the local politicos are planning restrictive legislation which can work a real hardship on the local theatre. The Association quickly steps in, presents legal briefs and more often than not comes out a winner, The railways indiscriminately increase the cost of shipping film. Again the Association steps in and negotiates a cost policy more acceptable to its members. But, the Distributors also benefit from the Exhibitors’ Associations. Recently there was an outbreak of punch-holing change-overs by a number of projectionists, ruining several feet of film in each reel. This was reported to the Association which in turn notified its membership and the situation was immediately rectified. Or, take the exhibitor in a distant, out-of-the-way location who orders trailers weeks ahead and then hangs on to them for several weeks more, depriving other exhibitors of their use — just so he may Contd on page 15 3