Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1929)

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It appears that the U F A's first sound pictures will be synchronized musical films, intended for world distribution. As a matter of fact, by a sound film agreement between UFA and the Italian Ente Nazionale per la Cine-matogrofia, the latter's product will be released in Germany and exhibited in all theatres equipped with Klangfilm apparatus. On the other hand, the Ente Nazionale is reported to have acquired the entire UFA sound production for 1929-30, with a view to showing these pictures in properly equipped Italian theatres. The German industry has a double tie-up with Great Britain; The British Union Corporation (Ltd.), has an important share in the Polyphon Werks A. G., which is one of the founders of the Klangfilm, and the British Photophone, Ltd., has a financial interest in the Tobis. There is, moreover, a German coalition with Russia. In fact, a contract is said to have been concluded in April between the German Prometheus A. G., the British Photophone, and the Russian MeschrabponFilm, for joint oroduction and distribution of sound pictures, and the sale of German and British sound apparatus for Russian theatres. For the exploitation in other countries, a company is now bein" established in the Netherlands by Dutch financial companies, with Tobis reoorted to be having a 25 per cent share in the capital and profits. German sound film interests were furthered recentlv with the creation of the International Talking Screen Production, Ltd., a registered British Company which acquired the entire capital of the Filmwerke Staaken A. G. (German) and Derussa (German-Russian), and 51 per cent of an American company. These German sound film developments and international tie-ups show the German industry still to be in a rapidly evolving stage, but there does exist a possibility of such a well organized and efficiently conducted program as to overcome the present difficulties in the film industry, and to acnuire a domination of the Continental sound film market. Great Britain In proportion to the number of theatres, sound motion pictures in this country are progressing as rapidly as in the United States. It is estimated that there are over 4,000 theatres in Great Britain, of which 680 have a seating capacity over 1,000 and 2,231, with seating capacity ranering between 500 and 1,000. At the present time there are about 400 sound reproducing: installations in the theatres of Great Britain. While this figure is small as compared with the 6,000 or more installations in the United States, other theatres are beinq equinoed as rapidlv as the apparatus can be received in Great Britain. The advent of sound pictures has brought about a situation in the quota system, unlooked for at the time of its framing. It is understood that there is a movement afoot in Great Britain to modify the Film Act, the promulgation of which, 18 months ago, led to the formation of a number of British film companies with the object of producing a larce part of Great Britain's requirements. Had the trade developed along expected lines, the formation of these companies would have been justified, and the British industry would have been in a thriving condition. But nobodv dreamed that in the short space of 12 months, the demand for pictures would be reduced from 700 features to 300 or 400 per year. The leading theatres in the country have gone in for the "talkies" almost exclusively, and the silent oicture is fast disappearing from the British market. Producers in Great Britain are losing no time in reorganizing their studios and reshapingtheir production schedules to cope with a situation similar to the one that existed in the United States 18 months ago, when all the producers began laying plans for the pro duction of sound pictures on a large scale. British International Pictures, a newly formed company, also has under production its first sound picture. Gainsorough Pictures, Nettlefold and various other companies have under actual production sound feature films. The Blattner Sound System, which operates entirely differently from all others, the sound being recorded on a metal taoe, is to be used by Max Reinhardt in all his feature stage shows. Reinhardt intends to include scenes in sound and color film in these productions, the first of which is now in the process of production. A new company has recently been formed to turn silent films into synchronized form, probably with dialog. This firm has secured a studio within easy reach of London, for which a complete American recording apparatus has been ordered. A large number of British and other films which are now being offered as silent features, will thus be available in sound and talking form. Production of talking pictures in several languages is taking on large proportions. British press reports indicate that at the Twinchenham Studios, ambitious plans for the making of two 100 per cent talking pictures will shortly be under way. They will be made in English, French, and German, the English version by an English director, the French bv a French director, and the German by a well known German. Another press report informs us of the extensive plans of another producer for the creation of an international "talkie" studio, which is to have 20 stages, to be built near London with the latest devices and manned by the best technicians that Great Britain and the world can supply. It is the plan of this multilingual film center to produce the English version of the picture with the Continental producers present, with whom arrangements for cooperation are to be made. When the English version is completed, the first of these producers will bring over his native stars and make the talking version for that country. He in turn will be followed by another Continental producer, and so on. In this way "talkies" for France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and other Continental nations will be made. By using the same story, sets, costumes, etc., and with each of these Continental producers paying his share of the expenditure, it is felt that the cost of production of the first version will be from 30 to 40 per cent lower than for a picture made for Great Britain and Empire distribution only; and at the same time the Continental versions will have been produced at correspondingly lower costs. The number of British sound reproducing apparatuses at present on the market are too numerous to mention. Several of them have proven their interchangeability with American sound pictures, but opinions of those in the trade is that they do not have the quality of tonal reproduction credited to our American devices. Prices for the various English-made synchronizers range anywhere from 195 to 3,000 pounds. France The development of the sound film in France has been at a standstill, owing to the protracted delay in settling the regulations for the administration of the French Film Control Decree for the film release season 1929-30. Coupled with the decision of American distributors to withhold contracts for the 1929-30 product, in view of the uncertainty of the number of films which could be imported into the country under the terms of the new French film regulations, the leading American sound film equipment manufacturers, last March ceased making contracts for the delivery of either recording systems or reproducing apparatus. The fundamental demand expressed by the theatre-goers themselves has already forced three of the Boulevard first-run theatres to install sound equipment. Concerning the potential demand for this equioment, however, it is safe to predict that it will be several years before there will be as many sound installations in France as there are in the United