The Film Daily (1928)

J. JEaruary 19, 1928 THE ■^^ DAILY — — P) STRIDES ARE BEING IN THE FOREIGN ). KEEP POSTED HROUGH "FOREIGN MARKETS" Foreign Markets NEWS FLASHES FROM FILM CENTERS ALL OVER THE GLOBE: MELBOURNE, LONDON, BERLIN. PARIS ^ OF rilN IS OUTUNED itgf its discussion of the }ta bill, the third instalarticle on the industry I prepai-ed by the M. P. the Dept. of Commerce port by Assistant Trade ler C. Grant Isaacs in lows: ction of the act enforces the proportion of British films in f Great Britain by means of d "The quota." The act lays one shall exhibit a new picture first been registered, and, fur■y renter shall acquire for rentyear and every exhibitor shall :red British films in a fixed and easing proportion to the registerms rented or exhibited by bim. m is called the quota, and there arate quota for long films (films in length) and short films, so that films (which are cheaper and ce) cannot be used as quota to importation of long foreign in any British film be used for !S by a renter more than once. "',11 Jitor this does not apply, and proportions simply on the Britign footage shown. The prole renter's and exhibitor's quota , _ and it will be see.i that the iligation starts later and at a J the renter's which should promargin of British pictures for ind give the exhibitor a reasonlity of selection. First Schedule rt I — Renter's Quota e year h 31. Per Cent 7 'A rd 10 10 U'A 15 \7Vi 17'A 20 20 20 II — Exhibitor's Quota le year :h31. llittt ■ the Per Cent .. 5 .. 7 A .. 7'A .. 10 . . 12^ . . 15 . . 15 . . 20 . . 20 . . 20 jasii >a 'U "Jj lition of British Film jiP.li D qualify as a British film under !)«» I must comply with the following ,i\ ii :— 1gi dii (t have been made by a British gtnd |7 a company registered in the i,i t ire, the majority of the directors ". ! British subjects, (ijudio scenes must have been phoa studio in the British Empire. )t apply during the first year of as it is thought that there may e of studio space. , athor of the scenario must have » «2 ish subject. r' '* St 75 per cent of the salaries and ' J the making of the pictures must '? aid to British subjects, but one [0 r or actress, or a foreign pro *' be engaged and the salary paid , »»; ion need not be counted in the Oilier allowed to be paid to foreigners Quota Trouble? Sydney — Government authorities investigating film conditions in Australia, and film executives here appear doubtful as to the success of a quota, chiefly because of unwillingness of financiers and the public to invest the money needed for domestic production. I which is not a British film is Hit tor the purposes of the act. to be a foreign film and therefore will have to find quota before it can be dealt with in this country. It may well be that where the nature of the story necessitates the filming of scenes abroad, bad weather conditions, breakdown of transport, or some other reason may involve the payment of salaries and wages to foreign personnel exceeding the fntended proportion, and thus prevent the picture from ranking as a British picture. In order to mitigate this very unfair result the Board of "Trade is given power to grant an exemption within the limits to such cases. It will be noted that a picture will not cease to be British because it is made by a foreign director or because the cast includes a foreign star. The Advisory Committee The last provision of the act, which it is necessary to summarize, is a very important one. It provides for the setting up of a committee to advise the Board of Trade on the administration of the provisions of the Act. This committee is to consist of: — (a) Two representatives of film makers. (b) Two representatives of film renters. (c) Four representatives of film exhibitors. (d) Five members, of whom one shall be chairman and including a woman, being persons having no pecuniary interest in any branch of the film industry. Great importance is attached by the trade to the establishment of this committee, as the film business is an exceedingly technical one and the commercial arrangements are very complex. 1758 Subjects Released in England During 1927 London— In 1927, 1,758 features and shorts were submitted to censors, an increase of 40 subjects over 1926, when 6,288,176 ft. of film were submitted. The 1927 linear total reached 6,593,995 ft. Majority of the releases were passed for general use, while a number were approved for adult showing only. Herz, Polish Producer, Passes Warsaw — Alexander Herz is dead here at the age of 49. He was chairman of Sfinks Films. Prior to the World War, Herz was associated with Pathe Freres, Paris. New Italian Company Rome — Socicta Anonima Cinematographia Internationale has been organized at Geneva, to import and export. Deals with several companies are pending. Sovkino Closes Deal Moscow — Iris Films, has closed with Sovkino to distribute all Sovkino I product in Syria, Balkan States and Palestine. THREATEN TO CLOSE ALL FRENCH THEATERS Paris — So bitter and determined is the opposition of French exhibitors to the new quota legislation, that a theater strike is suggested for April 13, when every theater in France would close. All of the 13 exhibitor associations were represented at a mass protest meeting held in Paris, where it was revealed that the Minister of Education had abandoned the idea of carrying through legislation embodying the proposals which exhibitors had examined, but, instead, would apply, by decree, new measures, the text of which was not made public until just before the measure was presented to the legislators. At the protest meeting, exhibitors voted against the new proposal to establish a list of priority for the exhibition of films. The proposals gave exhibitors no guarantee assuring their livelihood and independence of their theaters, and, in fact, gave certain persons a firm grip on the whole French market. Once again, the exhibitors went on record with the statement that the French trade could be protected without quota restrictions, or without injuring exhibition. 8 New Houses Scheduled Vienna — Austria has 762 theaters. Eight more will be opened in 1928. The theaters operate as follows: 209 give daily performances; 180 are open two or more nights per week; 172 open once or twice weekly; 164 show only once a week; 18 open but three times each month; nine open irregularly and ten are closed temporarily. Rules Against Fast Projection Munich — Exhibitors in Bavaria are protesting against the proposed order to limit projection to 28 pictures per second. The Government claims accelerated projection causes fires. 43 German Houses Closed Berlin — Although most German theaters are well-kept, authorities have closed 43 in the Rhineland. Structural alterations have been ordered in eighty. Somptier Leaves Paris Paris — Rene Le Somptier, director, is on an official mission to the French Colonies, where he will produce several Government films. Victoria Censors Drastic Melbourne — Many complaints have been received from theaters and producers because of severity of the Victorian Censor Board. New British Daily London — "The Cinema," weekly trade publication, now publishes a daily, titled "Today's Cinema." Sam Harris is publisher. TAXES HALT THEATER BUILDING IN JUGO-SLAVIA IVashington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — High taxes have halted theater construction in Jugoslavia. No new houses opened in 1927 and probably none will be erected in 1928, according to a report from Consul K. S. Patton, Belgrade, to the M. P. Section, Dept. of Commerce. The situation has become so acute that theater owners contemplate closing unless cuts are made. Present tax amounts to 33 per cent of grosses in Serbia and 44 per cent in Croatia. A new tax was imposed in 1927, amounting to three dinars per meter on each picture imported. About 284 films were purchased from the States in 1927. Agitation against American films does not exist. War Films Banned in France Paris — Foreign and domestic pictures dealing with the World War will no longer be permitted on French screenSj because they "stir sad recollections" and keep old bitternesses alive. Albert Sarraut, Minister of the Interior, who issued the decree, ruled that such films placed in production after Jan. 1, 1928 are banned. Britain will Bar "Dawn" London — "Dawn," the Edith Cavell film, will be banned in England by the unofficial censor, T. P. O'Connor, Irish member of Parliament, who was influenced by a protest made by Sir Austen Chamberlain, Foreign Secretary. It is felt by Government authorities that the picture would revive war-time animosities. Aafa Pays 10 Per cent Berlin — Ten per cent dividend, for 1927, has been declared by Aafa, which announces 12 features for 192728.' Rudolph Walther-Fein, 'Max Obal and Dr. Johannes Guter will direct. RICHMOUNT PICTURES, Inc. 723 7th Avenue New York City D. J. MOUNTAN. Prw. Exclusive foreign represenatives for Rayart Pictures Corporation and other leading independent producers and distributors. Cable AddrcM: RICHPICSOC. Parla Cabl* Adreit: DEBJAT. London Cable Addreaa: RICHPIC, N. T. Exporting only the best in Motion Pictures