The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

April 1956 CINE TECHNICI A N 55 nificent photographic and pictorial qualities were remarked upon. Sir Arthur said he would wind up this programme by coming back to the Middle East — Bagdad, where the Iraq Petroleum Co. film unit was under John Shearman, and had a wide programme of all kinds of films. A number of Iraquis were being trained. IRAQ He was going to show an excerpt from a magazine designed for showing to the Shell staff. It happened to be almost the first film ever made about Iraq, almost the first time anyone had recorded what was happening in Iraq. In no time at all the film was showing in public cinemas to enthusiastic audiences. In fact, enthusiasm was so great that the film was sometimes played through twice, and tickets changed hands at a premium! The item he was going to show was about the new bus service which had just started in Bagdad. It was accompanied by a ballad written by the night watchman of the film unit who was discovered to have a flair for this sort of composition. This film was shot in black and white, but now all films are in Eastmancolour. Lab work and dubbing are done in Britain. MUSICIANS' PROBLEM The music which accompanied the film was rather interesting. In Iraq, music was never written down, and the musicians there had never before had to face the problem of shooting a piece of music to an exact length. The musicians who did the music for the film were members of a radio group; they saw the film in the theatre and worked out the themes to the screen; they then returned to the radio studio, which had the only recording facilities in Bagdad, and recorded the music with the conductor — presumably working by telepathy, as there is no written score — who conducted with a large laboratory clock in his hand to time the lengths needed! Another film excerpt from the I.P.C. magazine, shot in Eastmancolour and showing a craftsman making a musical instrument, the ancestor of the lute, was then shown. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks proposed by John Gow. Organiser's Page MIDDY WRITES ON MANCHESTER'S TV RECRUITING TOURING the past month there *-* have been great activities in Manchester. Officials visited the new Granada set up and a very fine meeting was held of prospective members supported by our old members of the Manchester Branch and members who have transferred from London to the Granada group. Most gratifying results have arisen from this meeting and we are pleased to report that a very heavy enrolment of new members has taken place. The new members have been invited to join our Manchester Branch and this will obviously become one of the strongest provincial branches of the Association. It is expected that there will be a very strong contingent from the A. B.C. TV Group who will also be working from Manchester. It is hoped that when this regrouping takes place with this very full membership technical lectures will be arranged and the Branch will function as fully as the various committees in London. ANNUAL DINNER While visiting Manchester the opportunity was taken to arrange the annual dinner. Our guests were Sidney Bernstein and Victor Peers, Granada Television, Howard Thomas, A.B.C., and Mr. D. L. Porter, Assistant Head of Programmes, Northern Region B.B.C. Other notabilities who will be tied up in the television activities were also invited. Our President and the General Secretary travelled from London for this occasion and full coverage was given in the Manchester editions of the press. The results of these activities have been reflected in the recruiting of members and also in the fact that labour relations have been established on a very friendly and satisfactory basis. It is interesting to note that following our first meeting in Manchester for recruitment purposes, within two or three days a representative of the B.B.C. Staff Association called a meeting and no one turned up. Perhaps a lesson can be drawn from this by technicians in the TV field who have not yet joined us. It must be quite obvious that the majority of the technicians in this field feel that A.C.T. is the only body that can adequately represent them in negotiations with the Programme Contractors. EQUITY'S HELP British Actors' Equity, who have offices in Manchester, very kindly agreed to share office accommodation with an official who may have to spend two or three days in the area at various times. They have also placed at the disposal of our local representative their office machinery for duplicating circulars, as well as rooms for meetings. From Pinewood we were very sorry to hear of the very serious accident to Kathy Hosgood and we extend to her husband, Stanley, our sympathy and trust that Kathy will make a speedy and full recovery. While writing about Pinewood, there appears to be a very strong rumour that Arthur Alcott is shortly to retire, there is no truth in this; in fact, the last time I saw Arthur he looked good for (Continued on page 56)