The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

February, 1954 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN 27 HOBSON'S CHOICE (Continued) Editing Department: Editor, Peter Taylor; Assembly Cutter, Theodore Darvas; 1st Assistant, Norman Savage; Dubbing Editor, Theodore Darvas. Production Department: Production Manager. John Palmer; Prod. Secretary, Margaret Dukelow; 1st Assistant Director, Adrian PryceJones; 2nd Assistant Director, Albert Pearl; 3rd Assistant Director, John George; Continuity, Margaret Shipway. Still Cameraman: Raymond Hearne. Special Processes: Wally Veevers. INTIMATE RELATIONS Year of Production: 1952. Studio: Nettlefold, Walton-on-Thames. Producing Company: Advance Films Ltd. Producer: David Dent. Stars : Marian Spencer, Harold Warrender, Ruth Dunning, Elsy Albiin. Director: Charles Frank. Camera Department: Lighting Cameraman, Wilkie Cooper; Camera Operator, Bob Walker; 1st Camera Assistant (Focus), Nobby Smith. Sound Department: Recordist (Mixer), C. Tasto; Boom Operator, E. Cass. Art Department : Art Director, Duncan Sutherland. Editing Department: Supervising Editor, Charles Frank; Editor, Peter Bezencenet; Assistant Editor, Ted Jefferies. Production Department : Production, Manager, John Workman ; 1st Assistant Director, Barry Delmaine; 2nd Assistant Director, David Middlemas; 3rd Assistant Director, Basil Somner; Continuity, Marjorie Owens. Still Cameraman: Curtis Reeks. THE LIMPING MAN Year of Production : 1953. Studio: Merton Park. Laboratory: Denham. Producing Company: Banner Pictures Ltd. Producer: Donald Ginsberg. Stars: Lloyd Bridges, Moira Lister. Director: Charles de Latour. Scenarist: I. S. Black, R. Long. Camera Department : Lighting Cameraman, J. Jones; Camera Operator, R. Robson; 1st Camera Assistant (Focus), Many Yospa; Other Camera Assistant, A. Mills. Sound Department: Recordist (Mixer), R. C. Smith; Sound Camera Operators, Hales, Barnes ; Boom Operator, D. Drinkwater; Boom Assistants, Sutton, Lecker; Dubbing Crew, Gate Studios. Art Department : Art Director, C. Dawe; Assistant Art Director, J. Stevens ; Draughtsman, F. H. Mannin. Editing Department : Editor, S. Willis ; 1st Assistant, G. Saxby; Other Assistant, J. Davidson; Dubbing Editor, D. C. Withers. Production Department : Production Manager, E. Hatchett; 1st Assistant Director, P. Kelly; 2nd Assistant Director, D. Hickox; 3rd Assistant Director, J. M. Pitcher; Continuity, G. Reeve. Still Cameramen: D. Reed, M. Scott. The General Council Decides In the December issue, "The Desperate Moment" was credited with a Supervising Editor. This error was not ours, and we have traced it back to the B.F.P.A. listing. The sole Editor on the film was John Guthridge. Messrs. R. Dorman and J. Gow should, of course, join Messrs. Jack Maxsted and Peter Lamont as Draughtsmen on the same production. Among the main items discussed at the February meeting were: FOREIGN TECHNICIANS: Further consideration has been given to this problem which the Feature Directors and Associate Producers placed before the Executive in November last. The original legislation to protect the Industry, passed in December 1927, was based on three declared principles, namely: 1. To increase the quantity and proportion of the British films screened in the U.K. and elsewhere. 2. To establish an Industry under British control in the U.K. for the production of these films. 3. To encourage the production of such films as will directly or indirectly give employment to British labour at home, and increase the prestige of the British products at home and abroad. Successive Governments have increasingly tended to ignore these basic principles and a dangerous practice has grown up whereby promoters of socalled British films are trading their distribution rights in the Western hemisphere in return for American technicians. Such films are necessarily influenced in their treatment by the habits and outlook of Western hemisphere audiences. They are usually distributed outside the U.K. as if they were actual American products. Such films cannot fulfil the conditions laid down in the third principle quoted above. It has been argued that the interpretation of the Films Act, the American Agreement and the Eady Fund fulfil a necessary economic purpose in that they save dollars and provide employment for technicians. This is fallacious because: (a) the foreign rights in such films are not traded for dollars but for the services of American technicians ; (b) these films are technically " British " under the existing Act and qualify for Eady money, thus constituting a drain on the fund expressly set up to stimulate genuine, independent British production. The situation has been further aggravated by the granting of permits to foreigners to make second features, shorts and television films in this country. A letter was written to the Ministry of Labour suggesting that a condition of the issue of a permit should be that the foreign technician informs the Ministry of his date of arrival in the U.K., and that no permit is issued for a period in excess of six months, subject to review in special circumstances. The Ministry replied to the effect that the issue of permits to foreign technicians dates from the time that the foreigner lands in this country, and his passport is so endorsed by the Immigration Officer. The endorsement includes a condition that the foreigner does not take employment other than that specified on the permit without the consent of the Ministry of Labour. The E.C. informed the General Council that there had been a meeting with the B.F.P.A. to discuss the problems raised by the Section. It was agreed there should be a joint approach to the Ministry of Labour to try and find an effective solution. DUBBED FILMS: Applications were received from two Companies for exceptions to be granted to the A.C.T. general policy on Dubbing in respect of five films. These films had been the subject of protracted negotiations which had commenced before A.C.T.'s ban was imposed. Full details of the films concerned were submitted to the E.C. and it was agreed that provided the companies gave an undertaking in writing that there would be no other such cases we would agree to the processing of these five films, provided a definite assurance was received that any future dubbing for which these companies would be responsible would be placed with a British company. The Executive were influenced in their decision by the fact that a British company engaged in dubbing had since been able to commence its activities again after a temporary close-down, it being understood that the reason for its being able to re-open was mainly contributable to the success of A.C.T.'s policy in connection with the dubbing of films. COMMERCIAL TELEVISION: A further meeting has been held with interested Unions and other organisations to discuss the question of safeguards in the event of the introduction of " Commercial Television." Decisions from this meeting unanimously agreed that the Bill which establishes " Commercial Television " should contain the following safeguards: 1. That not less than 80 per cent of the programmes transmitted by any television station should be British. In order to ensure the effectiveness of this safeguard, the quota should be applied separately to peak and off-peak periods and separately to live and recorded material. 2. That there should be no transmission of films or other recorded programmes which have already been publicly exhibited at home or abroad before the date of the first licence. Exceptions to this should be permitted only on cultural or educational grounds subject to the approval of a Selection Committee. 3. That there should be a Fair Wages clause analogous to that in the Cinematograph Films Act 1938. 4. That the new corporation and other undertakings engaged in the commercial television service should be under the obligation to recognise and negotiate with the organisations representative of the employees concerned. It is intended to make known these views to Parliament, the press and the public, and to arrange a Press Conference, a meeting with the Postmaster-General, and an all-party meeting in the House of Commons. FILM CENTRE: A Company sought permission to employ two Australian Cutters on a film for the Australian Government Films Division on the Queen's Tour. It was agreed, subject to the Editorial Section raising no objection, the Company be asked to restrict Australian employment to one technician and A.C.T. would then raise no objection to the other Australian being employed provided there were also the necessary additions to the A.C.T. Cutting staff. FILMS OF BRUTALITY AND VIOLENCE: The General Council noted with pleasure a circular sent to Secretaries of Trades Councils and Federations of Trades Councils by the T.U.C. following the resolution moved by A.C.T. and passed at the last T.U. Congress. L.R.D. CONFERENCE ON RENTS: A.C.T. sent delegates to this conference and from their report it would show that many of the delegates present were well aware of the dangers of this Bill and the general concensus of opinion was that everything should be done to rouse the public against the Bill through Trade Union Branches, Trades Councils, Tennants' Associations and by lobbying M.P.s.