The Cine Technician (1935-1937)

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114 The Journal of the Association of Cine-Technicians ncc, 1936J an., 1937 British Technicians Get Together During 1936 george h. elvin, a.c.i.s. Technicians have their own review of the year elsewhere. My object is to turn the tables and review them. For the first time British film technicians have shewn during 1936 a real sense of industrial co-operation. There have been several efforts in the past to launch organisations of one sort or another. A.C.T. itself was formed three and a half years ago, but the year which is closing is the first to show important practical results, to which, of course, the initial spade work, loyalty and enthusiasm of a small band of visionaries over that period has been an essential contributory factor. Teclinicians' Organisations Abroad. We are behind other countries where, in France and America particularly, technicians have learnt the value of organisation. Conditions of employment and salaries are regulated, technical activities have been encouraged, and the organisations have been sufficiently powerful to control the question of foreign labour by virtually calling a closed shop. But here there is a pleasing development through the friendly contacts which we have been able to establish with kindred organisations abroad. Sound recordist Alex. Fisher was recently in Paris with Jack Raymond on a post-synching job, recording on a Western truck supplied by Bianco Studies. Before he was allowed to work he was politely but firmly asked if he was a member of a trade union. On producing his A.C.T. membership card he was made very welcome and given every facility. Otherwise he would not have been permitted to work. Other technicians should note this and be sure to carry their membership card with them when abroad. It may save trouble both for themselves and their company. Reciprocal arrangements with technicians' organisations and companies in other film producing countries may be a solution to the foreign technicians' problem to which A.C.T. is forced to devote so much attention. Mention of this will be found elsewhere in the correspondence between Mr. Cunnynghame and myself. Professional Activities. Our activities are dual, professional and industrial. 1936 has seen continued progress in the former and important developments in the latter, attention to which could not be commenced on a large scale until membership was sufficiently strong, as it now is. During the year the Journal has grown in size, circulation and prestige. Following advertisements in the Journal advertisers have made contact with firms in France and Czecho-Slovakia. Technical Abstracts, issued free to members, is published monthly and has had five issues. Lectures and film shows have been held during the winter. Our professional standing has been recognised on several occasions. For example, we gave evidence before the Government Committee enquiring into the "Quota" Act ; we were invited to the Conference convened by the British Standards Institution on Standardisation in the Motion Picture Industry ; and we have again co-operated with the GEORQE H. ELVIN. Royal Photographic Society in the holding of their Annual Kinematograph Exhibition. Industrial Activities. Full details of the A.C.T. Employment Bureau were published in our last issue. Sixty companies and studios have used the Bureau and over 200 members have secured either temporary or permanent employment. This is one of the big advantages of membership, and to those who may think their jobs are safe for life may I add that a recent registration is that of a technician who had had twentythree years' experience with a large company now in the throes of re-organisation. A Standard Agreement has been drawn up during the year. Most employers to-day realise the benefits and advantages of trade unionism — in fact, employers in many industries have trade unions of their own — and are happy to negotiate with a reasonable organisation on behalf of their employees. The film industry is no exception and most studios have agreements with the organisations representing the chippies, sparks, and so on. A.C.T. has endeavoured to set out as a basis for discussion reasonable conditions of employment and salaries which are, in fact, based in some case on existing agreements in Hollywood and elsewhere. Two of the largest employers are already {Continued at foot of next page).