Canadian Film Weekly (Mar 17, 1948)

March 17, 1948 RankWinsAppeal 16 A e gainst Emp-U (Continued from Page 1) versal commenced action against eight corporations in Canada, Great Britain and the United States as well as against J. Arthur Rank, claiming breach of an alleged contract for the distribution in Canada of certain molion pictures produced overseas in the J. Arthur Rank studios. The three companies making the appeal were included in that group. By the judgment, present proceedings in Ontario, Canada, against these three companies have been set aside. In his judgment, His Lordship, Chief Justice Robertson, referring to the supporting affidavit. made by an official of EmpireUniversal Films when the action was begun, described it as “fatally defective” and states: “J cannot find any statement in the affidavit of the fact that any contract or contracts were made or when nor where any contract was made nor who the contracting parties were. “The affidavit says that the said contract or contracts have been preached within Ontario but there is no statement that any of the defendants was a party to any such breach in Ontario,” His Lordship continues. “In fact, there is nothing of substance in the affidavit to indicate why the defendants, who are out of Ontario, are sued in Ontario for the relief claimed. “There is nothing to show what, if any, connection, contractual or otherwise, the defendants within Ontario had with the several defendants to be served out of Ontario. There is no information anywhere as to the extent or importance of the alleged breaches of contract or when they occurred.” Referring to the statement of claim filed by the plaintiffs, (Empire-Universal Films Limited), which had attached to it copies of two purported agreements dealing’ with the distribution in Canada of the films concerned, His Lordship says that “there is no affidavit verifying these alleged agreements nor deposing to the truth of the allegations in the statement of claim.” D. L. McCarthy, KC, appeared for the three companies who made the appeal and J. R. Cartwright, KC, for the respondents. Miami Variety Tent Runs Charity Preem The Miami tent of the Variety Clubs, International raised over $10,000 for its Heart Fund through a world premiere recently. Picture selected for the charity affair at the Lincoln Theatre was 20th-Fox’ “Sitting Pretty.” Canadian FILM WEEKLY Mm. Tried In Key Toronto Theatre (Continued from Page 1) and make the house independent of Hydro facilities. The 16 mm. machine, an Ampro Arc Projector, was installed by Sam Collis, acting general manager of Telephoto Industries, which has the Ampro agency. It was placed in the booth, from which the throw is 120 feet to the screen, and operated by a regular projectionist. The machine, lit by a carbon arc, carried two-inch lens and provided an image only a shade smaller than the 24-foot screen. The experiment was possible because the house has two power lines, one 550 volts and the other 120. Only the 550 volt one, which operates the projectors, was cut off by the Hydro during the daily stoppage and when this happened at first the patrons, like those in other theatres, had to wait for the show to go on again or leave. The things fed by the 120 power line, such as lights, remained unaffected. Stanley Gosnell, manager, and Jerry Collins, assistant manager, were talking about the problem and the idea of trying 16 mm., which requires only the 120 to operate, developed. They figured that a 16 mm. machine, placed in the front of the balcony for a short throw, might work out, in spite of incandescent lighting. Half in earnest, Gosnell got in touch with Collis, who has great faith in 16 mm. and was glad of a chance to test his machine in a large theatre. He placed it in the booth, lit it with an arc projector, fixed up the sound and all were pleased with the result. One of the big problems arose out of the fact that the power ended during the picture. Collis overcame this by placing the 16 mm. projector beside the 35 mm. one that was to be used to begin the performance. Both machines, which ran 24 frames to the second, were started at the same time and synchronized but the 16 mm. one operated without sight or sound. When the cutoff ° stopped the 35 mm. machine the sight and sound on the 16 mm. was put on without a noticeable break and continued the show. The experiment began during the run of “The Senator Was In discreet” and was_ continued during “A Double Life.” Both films were Universal-International productions from EmpireUniversal and Walter Kennedy, who handles the latter company’s 16 mm. department, Sovereign Films, was able to supply small-gauge prints of each. Where 16 mm. prints of the scheduled short subjects where not available, other were played. The effect of 16 mm. exhibition in theatres now being serviced by 35 mm. can be far-reaching, affecting manpower and building regulations if it ever becomes general. Because slow-burning film is used for 16 mm., the severe building regulations relating to fire prevention and safety would become unnecessary. Present technical proficiency would not be needed to project films. Certainly the Uptown experiment was one of the most interesting and important in Canadian motion picture history. February MERCY FLIGHT wt NATIONAL FILM BOARD PRODUCTION Destubuted by COLUMBIA PICTURES Vol. 18, No. 11 March 17, 1948 .HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada. Entered as Second Class Matter. Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Phone ADelajde 4317. Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year. Page 3 NFB Influence Good—McLean (Continued from Page 1) Canadian Government Film Commissioner, in a recent short-wave radio address beamed to the United Kingdom and Western Europe. McLean, who spoke on Canada’s National Film Board, appeared on the “Lively Arts,” broadcast weekly by the CBC International Service. On the same program Graham McInnes interviewed NFB artist Norman McLaren on his developments in synthetic film sound and new screen animation technique. In speaking of the Board's “duty to convey to others in the most effective way we can, through pictures, everything that Canada represents,” McLean referred to the extensive Canadian gecgraphy and numerous origins of the people of the Dominion. “In so wide a space,’ he said, ‘it simply isn’t possible for everyone to travel long distances and see his fellow-countrymen, so by the film and photograph the Film Board is doing what it can to bring them within sight of each other.” Of NFB productions concerning other countries, the Commissioner said, “In a complex world like this it is just as important for us to know why and how things happen in Asia or in Europe as it is for each of us to know how people live in other parts of this country itself. That is why for some of our themes we go outside of Canada and more particularly that is why we send our films and photographs to fifty or more countries.” Artist Norman McLaren termed his synthetic sound and music, created by drawing on film in ink, ‘a world for the ear as different from ordinary sound and music as animated films are from films of actuality.” He emphasized his descriptions of the technique of artificially creating sound and music with recorded examples of his product. McLaren also described, with McInnes’ assistance, his technique of producing animated films by drawing the figures and other items directly on the films, as distinct from the usual method of photographing drawings. Lightstone Returned As Distribs’ Prexy Gordon Lightstone, general manager of Paramount Film Service, was re-elected president of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association. David Griesdorf, head of International Films, was returned as vice-president. Ed Welles is secretarytreasurer and all other directors and committee members are the same,