Canadian Film Digest Year Book (1976)

“THE CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE DISTRIBUTORS’ ASSOCIATION To many people in the Canadian motion picture industry, the CMPDA is synonymous with the major international distributos; to others, it is probably unknown. Unfortunately, only a few know that the Association really is, and who it includes, much less what it stands for. It might come as a surprise to some to know that our Association has existed in Canada for fifty-five years. It was formed in 1920 and consisted of fifteen nation-wide distribution companies. However, over the years, the group has changed with the economic fortunes of the country, and today the membership includes representatives of the following companies: Astral Films Limited Bellevue Film Distributors Limited Columbia Pictures of Canada International Film Distributors Ltd. Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures of Canada Limited Paramount Pictures Corporation (Canada) Limited Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. United Artists Corporation Universal Films (Canada) Warner Brothers Distributing (Canada) Limited The basic criterion for membership in the organization has always been that a distributor be established nationally and serve all parts of Canada. In addition to this basic membership requirement, the Association has the following basic objectives: 1. Promoting the interests and development of the motion picture distributing industry in Canada 2. Providing a forum for the exchange of views, and recommendation of any matter of concern to distributors in Canada; and ; 72 WHO AND WHY?” by Frank Mancuso 3. Promoting and maintaining good relations between members of the Association and all other segments of the motion picture industry, government, and the general public. As a long time supporter of a Canadian film industry, the Association readily supported a 1964 resolution of the Motion Picture Industry Council. This resolution recognized that it wasin the best interests of Canada, and the industry in Canada, to encourage production on a continuing basis of motion picture feature films by private interests for commercial exhibition throughout the world; on the understanding that the encouragement of such an industry was predicated on the assumption that it would be based on sound business principles. One of the major concerns of the Association today is the fact that the embryonic Canadian _— production industry has not been able to sustain itself and, as a result, the traditional, commercial sector of this industry is being approached by both the Federal and Provincial governments to analyse the background of these problems and to assist in the determination of alternative solutions. In terms of sustaining a feature film industry in Canada, we see two basic problems, namely: 1. The virtual impossibility of recouping an investment in a feature film if it is restricted solely to theatres in Canada; and therefore, the production industry must address itself to producing motion picture films for the international market-place. 2. The inherently high risk factor in investment in any feature film, since only nominal returns can be anticipated, and thus a serious “‘capital gap” is created. Given these conditions, the sustenance of a Canadian feature film industry must be buttressed by such additional supports as: —greater incentives —more flexibility in the definition of a “Canadian Film”, so that these films can be more competitive in the international market —a broader base for the use of Canadian talent and technicians such as more direct access to T V production In order to improve the Association’s ability to meet the needs and demands of the industry, and to improve its communications capability with all sectors of the industry and government, we have significantly increased our administrative and executive capability. This was done by retaining Messrs. Millard Roth, lan Kennedy, lan Butters and Anthony Ross to function respectively as the Executive Director, Director of Inter-Government Relations, Director of Provincial Government Relations, and Director of Information Services. As a result of these appointments, and the establishment of a permanent executive, we hope that our ability to react to social, economic and political changes, as well as industry problems, particularly those highlighted by exhibitiors, will improve both in terms of response time and in terms of the quality of the response. One of our greatest difficulties in the past has been explaining our industry to government and to the public at large. Early in the Fall of 1975 we initiated a campaign to reverse this situation. We began explaining and documenting, for the first time. anywhere, who we are and where we fit into the motion picture entertainment industry. We presented facts and figures to show the relationship between distributor and exhibitor, and to show once and for all, the very positive level of economic activity generated by our industry in terms of employment, tax revenue generated, and support services utilized. Asan Association, we are concerned also with the changes in approach to censorship and to classification taking system, and we feel that within the not too distant future this entire area must be reviewed in detail with government. Finally, we would like to correct a major misconception about film distribution in Canada. Contrary to some opinion, there is no particular problem for Canadian film to obtain distribution in Canada or elsewhere, provided that it is the “right product”. Distributors in Canada are no different from their counterparts in other countries; they compete with each other to obtain distribution rights to marketable products, and any major feature which is favourably received by the Canadian public can obtain 800 to 1,100 bookings across the country. cont'd on page 141