The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

January 1956 CINE TECHNICIAN 13 Film and TV Round-Up Edited by Morton Lewis FILM PLUG ON TV. Were you one of the millions that watched the fantastic publicity Mike Frankovitch of Columbia Pictures got for the film industry on the BBC last month? It was quite entertaining and I'm sure the public enjoyed it. To support Mike on this programme there were Patricia Medina, Anita Eckberg, Eunice Gayson, Donna Reed and Yana, Dennis Price, Ron Randell, Lee Paterson and Herbert Marshall, and Director Peter Glenville. OLD FRIENDS. All the old friends of Anatole de Grunwald will be glad to hear that there is a possibility that " Tolly " will be coming back. I understand he is contemplating making a film here for a Paramount release, it will be nice to see him back in harness once again. AN AMICABLE ARRANGEMENT. Directors Francis Searle and Terrence Fisher, who have their own production company, have a working arrangement that they alternate their jobs on their own productions, and take turns in producing and directing. We wish them the best of luck. BRITISH FILMS SHOW IN FINLAND. Finland is honouring the British Film Industry in Helsinki by holding a special " British Film Week." Eight British films will be shown at the Kino Palatsi and Ritz cinemas. The eight films will be selected from The Dam Busters, Happy Ever After, Animal Farm, Josephine and Men, I am a Camera, A Kid for Two Farthings, Richard III, Doctor at Sea, Touch and Go, Above us the Waves, Value for Money and Simba. The films will be accompanied by Executives of most of the leading companies as well as numerous stars. This invasion by our stars, executives and films should do a great deal towards building up a market for us in Finland. TODD A-O. We understand that American Producer Michael Todd is so delighted with the direction of Michael Anderson that he has got him to sign on the dotted line to direct the next Todd picture, which will start immediately Around the World in Eighty Days is finished. This will of course depend on Anderson's boss, Robert Clarke, releasing him for the job. ACTORS' MINIMUM RATES. The agreement between the British Film Producers' Association and the British Actors' Equity Association came into force on January 2nd. It looks as if Equity have got themselves a good deal. They are to receive a minimum of £7 per day or £30 per week. It's unlucky they do not pay people by the number of words, because if they did Clapper Boys and Assistant Directors would be in the Super Tax class ! CAMERA SECTION. We have been asked by the Camera Section Committee to let them have a monthly column. The Editor has agreed to do this and the column appears this month on page 5 over the pen-name of "Viewfinder". FILM EDITORS PLEASE NOTE. Peter Mosley, who is cutting several shorts for Max Munden of Film Workshops, is, much to everybody's surprise, keeping up to schedule. You might wonder why I mentioned this. After all it is quite normal for an Editor to keep to schedule (I think?). But considering that Peter is working with one hand, as he broke his left arm, l think this is quite a good effort. Keep the good work up. WILCOX DELFONT. Herbert Wilcox and Bernard Delfont have formed a production company to make TV films. They have taken a three-year lease on Brighton Studios and intend to turn out fifty-two hours of TV film a year. This will not interfere with the Wilcox programme of feature pictures. This should be a good deal for the Wynn's, who have made Brighton Studios what it is today. IRISH FILM COMPANY. Four Provinces Films, of Dublin, are to start production on TV films. Among the Company's Directors are Lord Killanin and John Ford. Their first feature will be directed by John Ford and will be completed early this year. Lord Killanin announced that their future programme will be two feature films, and thirteen shorts suitable for TV and theatrical distribution each year. NEW ELSTREE STUDIOS. The Danziger Brothers say that their new studios will be opened officially on March 15th. Harry Danziger said that the reason for the delay was that they were so busy that they couldn't spare the personnel to finish the other stages. They have been working on two stages, and hope to have a further stage ready every two weeks until the studio is completed. He says that they have made twenty pictures so far, and by the time the studios are open they will have finished twenty-six. He added that there were 300 people working at the studios at the moment. These studios should give a lot of work to A.C.T. members when they get going full blast. MORE TV SERIES. Sir Alexander Korda says that his new company, Television Services Ltd., will start production this month on a series of films for TV based on famous trials. He intends to shoot one film a week. He also states that he has secured distribution in the United States. OUR INDEX The Cine Technician Index for 1955 will appear in February.