The Cine Technician (1943 - 1945)

July— August, 1944 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN 59 LAB TOPICS— Continue d Rush Priority There are some of the producing fraternity who once went to Southend in their youth and were invited to "have their photo taken while they waited." Result, an unintelligent mess stuck on a white decorated pasteboard delivered in (id seconds or less, which they had to believe was a reproduction of their features. Every lab is a fully equipped, highly organised plant, with an efficient staff standing (or sitting, if one can sit) at the ready, waiting for any chance rush job that might come in like a bolt from the blue. Can you imagine what agony of mind and unspeakable torture the technicians suffer, if, after standing keyed up all day no rush or priority job shows up. Watch out for a series entitled " How Hypo Sweats " or "The Film Lab from Start to Finish" beginning in the next issue, especially written for those who have never been told. A Veteran Passes On Many of the older technicians will have heard with regret of the passing of Tom Day of the Olympic. The boys at the lab and the Union sent expressions of sympathy to try and make life easier for Mrs. Day and young Tom, who is serving in the Army. Whodunit? This page is for the views of all lab technicians, so please let us have your views and news of your own particular lab in time for the next issue. LONDON TRADES COUNCIL— (Continued from page 52) Bank and State-owned Studios, Laboratories and equipment facilities would be available to all bonartde producers untrammelled by any obligations to their financiers or the owner of the facilities they were using. This was essential if independent iproduction was to continue and flourish. The resolution was seconded by Ralph Bond (A.C.T. Vice-President). Mr. Bond, in seconding, dealt specifically with rhe State Film Serivice that had been developed luring the war, with particular reference to the .vork of the Crown Film Unit, the Films Division >f the Ministry of Information and the Central Film Library. Since September, 1943, he said, he Central Film Library had lent films to 5,000 leparate organisations of every type. They had 800 ilms in the Library — 500 of them made since 1010 -and some 12,000 copies of these films were scut tut each month. In addition, the M.O.I, had 140 aobile units giving 1,400 shows every week in (Continued at foot of next column) First "Closed Shop" Agreement Agreement has been reached between HalasBatchelor Cartoon Films and our Association. The company is one of the pioneers in the making of cartoon films in this country and is actively engaged on work for the Fighting Forces. The Agreement provides that all employees of the company shall be members of A.C.T. This is the first time in our history that we have established the " Closed Shop" principle in an agreement. The general conditions of employment by the company are covered by the Shorts Film Standard Agreement. We append herewith the schedule of minimum wage rates : — • Per 47-hour week £ s. d. Key Artists or Animator (capable of action planning from the script) ... 10 0 0 Animator (not responsible for action planning) ... ... ... ... 9 00 Background Artist ... ... ... 8 00 In-Betweeners : Grade I ... ... 7 10 0 Grade II 5 0 0 Tracers: Grade I 5 0 0 Grade II 3 10 0 Not less than 50% of In-Betweeners and Tracers employed by the Company shall be in Grade I Supervisor of Colourists ... ... 5 0 0 Colourists 3 10 0 Rostrum Cameraman (able to photograph Diagram Cartoons, etc.) ... 7 0 0 Assistant Cameraman ... ... ... 4 10 0 To these, of course, must be added the cost-ofliving bonus payable under the Shorts Film Standard Agreement. In addition to Halas Batchelor we hold similar agreements for the Animation and Diagram sections of the Industry with Publicity Picture Productions, British Industrial Films and Technicolor Ltd. LONDON TRADES COUNCIL— (Co ntinued) factories, villages, hospitals, etc. All this work was a public service and no charge was made for the hire of the films. The issue, said Mr. Bond, was whether this would continue to be a public service or whether it was to be handed over to private monopoly interests . Strong interests were at work to close down the M.O.I. Films Division, the Crown Film Unit and the Central Film Library after the war. If this were done it would be a disaster and a defeat for democratic progress, and it was the responsibility of the Trade Union Movement to ensure that these services did not pass into the hands of interests whose primary concern is profits. (Concluded at foot of page 67)