The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

October 1955 CINE TECHNICIAN 157 Film and T.V. Round-up Edited by Morton Lewis TV TIMES. ' B.B.C.'s Radio Times has a rival — the TV Times. Their first issue was a tremendous success; they estimated to sell three hundred thousand, but they actually sold four hundred and eighty thousand. It looks as if CTV have both feet in the door. A LITTLE CULTURE DOES YOU GOOD. Sir Thomas Beecham has signed an exclusive contract with Granada TV as Musical Adviser. He is preparing an " unconventional " series of programmes featuring the Philharmonic Orchestra. NEW GROUP TO MAKE TV FILMS. Herbert Wilcox and Bernard Delfont have announced that they have formed a partnership association for the production of TV films and for their worldwide distribution. By this arrangement all artists under contract to both Wilcox and Delfont will be made available for the production of a series of TV films, all of which will be produced in England. Production will commence immediately after Christmas. Stars available to the partnership include Norman Wisdom, Anna Neagle, Ruby Murray, Joan Regan and Winifred Atwell — Bernard Delfont is at present in New York arranging American distribution for the pictures. TV CUT-OFF. Cameramen and Operators, did you see the cut-off on CTV.? A lot of the agencies are complaining that their products are being lost and that some of the commercial packs will have to be re-shot. A good tip: if it looks good on a 75mm. lens — then shoot it on a 50mm. lens, thus allowing for the cut-off. WHAT THE CRITICS THINK. "The Star": "Commercial TV came in like Christmas Day — full of good things and surprises. It had an array of personalities that Hollywood would call ' Colossal.' It had freshness. It had gaiety that spoke of freedom from pending trays and administration barriers." "Daily Telegraph": "CTV made a subdued and dignified start reminiscent of the B.B.C. Senior Service ... it warmed up late in the evening ... it did not become the huckster's riot of vulgarity that opponents of CTV had predicted." " The Times ": " All in all, the new TV service has passed its first evening's test with a good measure of professional accomplishment." "The Daily Mail": "If judged by this evening's scope and variety, the ITA has established high standards for itself to follow." "Financial Times": "Britain's Commercial TV service was successfully inaugurated. Reception was far above expectations." " The Daily Sketch," " News Chronicle," " Evening Standard " and " The People " all more or less commented along the same lines — one or two said that the light was bad on some of the plays. One said that the sound was canny, otherwise O.K. 21 YEARS AGO In October 1934 SIR REGINALD MITCHELLBANKS intimated his desire to resign as President of A.C.T., as he had been made a Judge; it was suggested that Mr. Kenneth de Courcey or Mr. Shakespeare Morrison, K.C., M.P., take his place, but most members at the Executive meeting on the 9th October, 1934, were against a predominance of Conservatives as A.C.T.'s Patrons. To quote one member, " In the event of A.C.T. feeling bound to call a strike, none of these Conservatives would support it." The same Executive meeting heard a report from members at B.I.P., who wanted A.C.T. to be a proper Union and not a Guild; these members were in daily contact with studio electricians, " who," their delegate reported, " had got better hours and conditions through the E.T.U., and would like something of the sort for themselves." NEWSREEL SCOOP OF THE YEAR — assassination of the King of Yugoslavia on arrival at Marseilles on 9th October. The reels showed the way the crowds attacked the assassin after he had killed both the King and the French Foreign Minister, M. Barthou. CAMERA HIRE SERVICE NEWMAN SINCLAIR MODELS G and HIGH SPEED with FULL RANGE of EQUIPMENT and GYRO TRIPODS Telephone: GER. 1365/6/7/8 S.F.L. LTD., 71 Dean St., London, W.I