The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

24 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN Jan. -Feb.. 1953 number of new cases is mainly among young people, particularly young women between the ages of 15 and 30. Within this group there is an extremely high death rate. Dr. Leff, Medical Officer of Health for Willesden, pointed out that tuberculosis was a disease of social classes. The Registrar General had divided the population into five social classes, and the death rate in social class V — which included lower-paid and unskilled workers was double that of class I — which included the very highly-paid people employed in non-manual work. Therefore, the raising of the living standards of people to that enjoyed by only a few would have a great effect in wiping out the disease. Many experts expressed the opinion that the present food policy of the Government, wherein they are creating a class of the community that is compelled, by high prices of more nutritious foods, to economise on its food purchases, is a danger. In other words, a steady departure from the principle of fair shares, coupled with rising prices, might result in the slow deterioration of the nation's health. It would obviously manifest itself among the poorly-paid members of the community first as they would experience a breakdown in their defences, which have been provided by a reasonably good diet. The Conference also dealt with tuberculosis in industry and pointed out that no recognition is given, under the Industrial Injuries Act, to respiratory diseases contracted in industry unless they come within the range of pneumoconiosis and the victim is employed in a prescribed occupation. There are many industries which are not covered by this formula, particularly so far as we are concerned — our own industry. When it is known that the dusts from silica, asbestos and cotton are often the cause of pulmonary tuberculosis and that these are not notifiable under the Industrial Injuries Act, then the Trade Union movement has a great task to bring pressure on the Government to include all industries within the Industrial Injuries Act, as no recognition is given under the Act to these diseases unless they come within the range of prescribed occupations. Similarly, our laboratory members who are subject to pollution of air through chemicals are not covered by this Act. Therefore, A.C.T. has its own special problem in bringing pressure to bear through the T.U.C. and other bodies to which it is affiliated, so that our own industry can be fully protected against the ravages of this social disease. CINEMATOGRAPH BILL: A.C.T.'s part in getting the Cinematograph Bill suitably amended was praised on the Westminster Trades Council by Sam Butter, a delegate from the National Union of Tailor and Garment Workers. It will be remembered that this Union was among the first to sponsor propaganda films for their own use, so the Cinematograph Bill, in its original form, was a serious threat to them and other bodies who were sponsoring propaganda films. Whilst on the question of Trades Councils: the following resolution was sent to the London Trades Council and carried unanimously by the entire Council. "This Trades Council, believing that tin dollar drain of importing American films must be substantially reduced in an overall national interest, and believing that more British films can be made to fill the gap caused thereby, urges the Government: (i) to reduce the dollar expenditure on American films; (ii) to expand the British film production industry to its full strength without reducing quality; (iii) to secure a fuller and more efficient exhibition of British films available." TECHNICAL LECTURE: At Gaumont Theatre, Wardour Street, on January 21st, 1953; the subject: " The Art Department," by John Gow. On February 11th, 1953: "Television Technique as Applied to Film-making," by Dallas Bower, Gerald Gibbs " and a Mixer." U.S. WRITERS STRIKE A FTER fourteen weeks, the strike by the Screen '■ * Writers' Guild and the Authors' League of America, representing a combined membership of more than 6,000 writers, against the Alliance of Television Film Producers, has been settled. A joint statement issued by the guild and the alliance said the agreement represented " a precedent-shattering contract for writers of filmed entertainment." It is suggested, however, that the thirteen producing company members of the Alliance had gained a little from the writers on the issue of royalty payments. The writers had sought to have the royalty based on a percentage of the producer's gross earnings. The agreement stipulates that the royalty will be determined on the basis of a percentage of the original purchase price of a story. The producers conceded the other two original demands, involving the reservation of rights by the authors and the leasing of stories. Under the terms of the contract, writers of " one time shows " and " anthology series " the last term refers to a group of shows undertaken by the same sponsor — will lease their basic material to the producers for television use only over a period of seven years. " On payrient of additional compensation, motion picture, radio and sequel rights may be exploited by the producer within a time limit to be fixed; otherwise rights revert to the author at the end of such period," according to the announcement. Authors of such shows will, however, retain control over remaining ownership rights such as dramatic, book publication, magazine and commercial. " For original stories for one-time shows, anthology series and episodic series, the writer will receive $200 for ihe story and $550 for the teleplay,' the statement said. " When one person writes both Story and teleplay. he will receive $700, plus continuing payments for reuse in any case. In the field of westerns and serials, a fiat payment of $600 for the teleplay plus continuing payments is provided."