The Film Daily (1931)

bundav. lune 14, 1931 Latest Newi From London, Paxil, Berlin, Sydney, Melbourne and Oilier Foreign Centen FOREIGN MARKETS Happening in Other Lands of Interest to Producers, Distributors and Others in the U. S. By GEORGE REDDY \ Lack of Technical Knowledge Handicaps Soviet Film Industry Plans of Soviet Russia, to great stend it > motion picture activities under the "Five-Year" program of expansion are meeting with serious handicaps due to lack of technical knowledge and scarcity of capable manpower, an article published recently in the Moscow "News" indicates. The "News," in its survej of Soviet film industry condii said in part: "Four new feature talking films have been completed, but are being held up pending improvements in sound apparatus. Recording devices have been developed to a fair degree of perfection, while reproduction equipment is chiefly in need of further improvements. The inventions a German and a Soviet engineer lor reproducing apparatus are to be used. They are based on the principle of separation of sound from the film and reproduction by means of photographic records. "This system has the approval of the technical department of the Soyu/kino, which leads in the production of audible films in the Soviet Union. Typical of the unfavorable attitude of certain film people in the Soviet Union toward talking pictures is that of Dzig Yertof, one of the production managers of Soyuzkino. Although he produced 'Enthusiasm,' one of the first four Soviet talkers, he is against producing this type of sound picture for the time being and favors sound only for news reels. Nevertheless, dialogue films have come to stay in the Soviet Union. Their development is assured, as the government is anxious to make use of them to the fullest extent in educating and entertaining the masses. "Insufficiently trained actors, inadequate sound equipment, lack of cooperation among producers and aversion on the part of certain directors to sound films are the principal reasons for the somewhat slow development of talking films here. Two years of experimentation have resulted in the production of only four feature talkers, namely, 'The Five-Year Plan,' 'The Olympiad of Art.' 'Enthusiasm' and 'The Promparty Trial.' The last named pic 1932 International Meet Rome A decision to hold the next Inte rnalional Film Zonference in London in June 1932. was arrived at before closing of the 1931 ses sion held in this city recently. ture, in so far as sound is concerned, is compared favorably with American pictures. Voices are clear and there is no exce»s of sound volume, creeching; in all there is a naturalness in reproduction leaving little to be desired in the way of improvement. It gives the impression that, technically speaking, such Sovietmade films have reached a stage oi perfection for which their producers need not be too apologetic. "What is lagging behind is quantity production of sound equipment. 1 lus appears to be due chiefly to the desire of the engineers to manu' lacture equipment as nearly techniperiect as possible before making it available for installation in theaters. This explains why onl> seven theaters are wired for sound in the entire Soviet Union — three in Leningrad, two in Moscow and one each in Minsk and Kharkof. Equipment for seven additional houses is being installed in other places." British Acoustic Portable Is Placed On the Market London — Portable sound apparatus, consisting of a projector fitted with a sound head, an amplifier and screen, the whole of which is being offered for $2, (XX), has been introduced on the market by British Acoustic. The projector is housed in a compact metal cabinet lined with asbestos, and the 1,000-watt projector lamp is set in its own ribbed iron box, air cooled. British Acoustic is making available to schools, institutions, ships and small cinemas for which the portable apparatus was designed, a librarv of films on non-flam stock. French Film Year Book Out ^ Paris — Newest issue of "Le Tout Cinema," French Year Book of the film industry, containing more than 1,500 pages of information relating to the trade in all parts of the world, with particular attention to activities in France, has been issued by Publications "Filma" here. The volume includes lists of theaters, distributors, producers and players active in the film field in France. Next Educational Meet in Berlin Vienna — At the international educational film convention held here recently, in which 14 countries participated, it was voted to hold anr conference in 1934, with Berlin r.s the proposed city. Writing Chaplin Book London — Thomas Burke, English author, and intimate friend of Charlie Chaplin, is reported writing a book on the life of the comedian. New French Import Pact Sought by U. S. Producers Paris — .Negotiations tor a new film import agreement to replace the present drastic accord expiring in October were opened here during the past week Dy Harold Smith, representing Will Hays and the .American producers. Under the present regulations, American producers are obliged to buy a heavy percentage ol French films for the privilege oi importing their own into France. Basing his arguments on the advent of ihe talkies and changed market conditions under which France has insufficient talking films and language facilities, Smith is seeking to eliminate all limitation of imports. Actually there is a shortage of American films in France, but American producers are obliged to buy license permits from French producers to import their films, and the permits are hawked openly. German Capitalization Berlin — Figures prepared hy the German "Institut fur Kojunkturlorschung," show that during the last years of the silent film era (1924-28) approximately 130,000,000 marks new capital was invested in the German picture industry. During the same period the capital applied to the construction or extension of legitimate theaters by municipalities and provinces was 40,000,000 marks, or less that 1/3 of the amount spent on motion picture houses. 8 Types of Sound in Portugal Lisbon — There are eight different types of sound-film equipment at present on the Portuguese market, four of "which are of American manufacture, three German, and one French. The U. S. leads in the number of installations with a total of 9, including two replacements of German and French equipments. Berlin Film Tax Below Estimate Berlin — Official statistics covering the amount of entertainment tax collected by the city of Berlin during the year 1930, place the take at 12,541,000 marks or 6 per cent less than was previously estimated by the Government. Tax paid by motion picture theaters amounted to 5,000,000 marks, or approximately 40 per cent of the above mentioned total. 12 SUDFILM RELEASES I PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR Berlin — Herr Goldschmid, managing director of Sudfilm, has announced plans for the release of 12 German features during the coming season. It is understood that some of these productions will be made at Elstree, Fug., by British International Pictures, in accordance with the Anglo-German policy already established. British Equipment Firm Enters Sound Set Field London — A new sound set known as the Philisoner has been placed on the market by Philips Lamps, Ltd., leading British equipment firm. The device, designed for both disc and film reproduction may be fitted to any projector, and is supplied in 42 different types, suitable for all classes of houses. Prices range from $1,350 for the small set up to $8,575, the latter being adaptable for a 4,000seat house. An important feature in the design of the set is said to be that the sound-on-film is mounted on a separate pedestal, detached from the projector, the sound-head being attached to a horizontal adjustable bar connected to the top of the film pedestal. Automatic lubrication is arranged to all moving parts. The photo-cell amplifier is a single stage all-electric amplifier, and the exciter lamp supplied from mains. Tobis Installations Reach Total of 1,375 Berlin — World installations of Tobis-Klangfilm-Gaumont reproducing apparatus as of April 30, totaled 1,375. Of these 915 are located in Germany and 460 abroad. Seating capacity of the Tobis equipped houses in Germany is estimated at 600,000 or more than 50 per cent of the total seating capacity of daily operating houses in Germany. Swiss Production Limited Zurich — Film production in Switzerland is confined almost entirely to one organization, the Praesens Film A.G., whose principal activity is the making of short length advertising sketches. Vienna Theater Curfew Vienna — Closing hour for motion picture theaters here has been finally fixed at 11 p. m.. following a long campaign waged by exhibitors. Former closing hour for film houses was midnight.