The Cine Technician (1939)

Oct. -Nov., 1937 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN 153 he had received, very little headway had been made. Mr. F. W. Bussey, President of the Electrical Trades Union, seconded the motion and pressed specificially for T.U.C. action to help reduce the cinema workers' bonis of labour. British Films and the British Film Industry The second motion was the more important to A.C.T., dealing with the industry generally. After referring to decisions of previous Congresses, it said : — "It recognises the increasing importance of the Film in influencing the thoughts, customs and habits of the people, and its powerful potentialities for propaganda as well as for entertainment. It considers t/iat a flourishing and efficient British film producing industry is a national necessity, not only to proteet British cultural and educational standards from alien disparagement and infiltration, hut particularly to safeguard the employment of thousands of British Workers of varying grades now employed. This Congress, having regard to all the issues involved by any foreign domination of this powerful medium of organised commercial entertainment, reasserts its desire that every means possible be utilised to protect the British film-producing industry from those influences designed to weaken it, and instructs the General Council, in association with affiliated organisations interested, to press upon the Government that the new legislation shortly to be introduced before Parliament on this subject shall provide adequate safeguards of the principles to which this resolution calls attention." Mr. O'Brien, in proposing the motion, dealt with its general terms and implications while I, as seconder, confined myself to the more domestic issues. The mover drew attention to the great economic importance and potentialities of the industry and claimed that eight large American companies controlled nearly eighty per cent, of the world's film supply, apart from the dictatorship countries. The film exercised a greater influence on the minds of the people than either even the radio or the press and we could not afford to neglect it. It was the ambassador of trade and must not be allowed to come under foreign domination. To-day it took a sum equivalent to nearly one-half the value of our cotton exports to pay for the importation of foreign films into this country. The need for development of the industry was of the utmost importance, Mr. O'Brien continued, not merely to give greater employment but also to give to Great Britain and the British Commonwealth a status of security and dignity appropriate to its position in the world. A British film industry was a vital necessity, as vital to the country's protection and interests as any weapon of national defence. In seconding the motion, I stressed that support was wanted to ensure that protection afforded under a Cinematograph Films Act covered technicians and workers equally with other interests. The present Act did not give these safeguards. The letter only had been observed and technicians were ashamed of some of the junk which they had been forced to turn out as quota footage. The present White Paper proposals had suggestions which should help to ensure quality — although nothing could guarantee it — but the proposals as they now stood might very well tend to less employment than heretofore. The actual quota was being lowered in its initial years and the double quota proposals should be strenuously opposed. It was also essential to remedy the foreign domination, referred to by the mover of the: motion, particularly as on the labour side it had resulted in the importation of unnecessary and superfluous foreign labour. To-day's present heavy unemployment amongst British technicians would be halved if the foreign labour at present in the industry was not employed. Film technicians were not being narrowly nationalistic, but the position must be reviewed in relation to conditions in the industry generally and particularly in other film-producing countries where it was virtually impossible for British subjects to obtain employment. The White Paper as at present framed may well lead to the ironical position of technicians being thrown out of their jobs through an Act of Parliament intended to foster the industry. Mr. R. A. Bradfield, of the Shop Assistants Union, opposed the motion, objecting to the words "alien infiltration and disparagement," in view of the fact that the trade union Movement was an international one. His speech was a clever one, but carefully evaded all the issues made by the proposer and seconder of the motion, and stressed the good films made in other countries— which, of course, we admit — thinking apparently that we wished to prohibit the exhibition of foreign films in this country. The support which this delegate obtained was quickly dispelled by Mr. O'Brien who, in a vigorous reply to the debate, reiterated the present position ol workers in the industry and urged on Congress to protect them. Upon the vote being taken, the motion was carried by an overwhelming majority, not more than a dozen hands showing in opposition. I trust that as a result of this decision the various unions in the industry, under the lead of the T.U.C. General Council, will combine together to ensure that the best possible safeguards for the technicians and workers in the industry will be incorporated in the new Quota Act, and that there will be similar co-operation to remedy the other matters to which attention was drawn. Lab. Topics (continued from page 150) the prints in fact being quite "green." He then copied the prints on 10 x 8 flat film and on developing quite good negatives resulted, giving contact prints of the usual contrast and full of detail. The Labs. Have a Do Last month Humphries and Pathe ran a joint social under the able direction of George Hughes, who welcomed friends from other labs. The Film Labs, team won the film winding competition. Jock Milne of Olympic and Miss Costar of Humphries with their "sweet music" won the crooning event, Bill Collo of Denham carried away a handsome bedroom clock in the draw. Leo Cass did a spot of bending when judging the ankle competition, which was won, after a keen contest, by Miss Woodcock of Humphries Little lady, come up and see me sometime. Community singing wound up a very successful evening. The next social evening will be in the capable hands of our members at Automatic Barnes and Olympic. Both of these labs, have a fine record for promoting social events, and we are expecting great things of our next "social." Gamma.