Year book of motion pictures (1947)

Title Registration Bureau IT IS GEiNERALLY BELIEVED by motion picture executives and theater managers that an appropriate and intriguing title [hat arouses public curiosity, or a title that has achieved fame and wide popularity as a book or play, has a profound influence on the success or popularity of a motion picture. Numerous examples of distinctive and unusual titles on widely popular pictures support the theory. For this reason more and more attention is being given to titles by the producers and distributors of modern motion pictures. The difficulty of protecting valuable property rights in motion picture titles in the absence of copyright protection on the title itself and the expense and delays of litigation, to establish usage rights, brought about in years gone by the gradual development by experiment of a voluntary method of title registration in a central agency by the members of the Association. The present procedure for the registration of titles was established by the .Association in 1936 for its members and such non-member established producing and distributing companies as desire by agreement to use the service. In all the years the title registration service lias been operating no company once using the registration service for its titles has ever lequested it be discontinued for them. Now 45 motion picture companies use the services of Title Registration Bureau. Each company using the Bureau recei\es a daily report of all title registrations. The registration of motion picture titles to prevent duplication and harmful similarities serves a dual purpose: first, it enables the theater going public to readily identify the motion pictures it wants to see without confusion or misleading similarity between titles; and second, it protects the valuable titles of published books and plays acquired for motion picture production, and original titles with popular appeal, against the use of identical or unfairly similar titles by any producer or distributor that is a party to the title registration voluntary agreement. Buy such agreement each participating company undertakes to refrain from using such International Division IN the quarter century since motion picture producers and distributors formed their trade association, international problems have increased enormously. The peace of 1918. with its silent pictures, was a comparative calm in relation to the turmoil of 1947, with the Babel of sound. Increased nationalism and new spheres of influence in a world of flux have compounded confusion upon confusion. Eric A. Johnston, with his vast international experience, is tackling these complex tasks with statesmanship. A believer in the free flow of commodities across national bar registered title until the prior registration is terminated or otherwise released for use. Titles that are considered to be salacious, indecent, obscene or otherwise offensive are not aaccepted for registration. Differences of opinion on similarities and other title contro\ersies are adjusted first by direct negotiation and discussion between the registrants involved, but may be referred to the Association for possible mediation. If this fails to adjust the dispute it is then referred to arbitration for a final decision. In the past year 447 formal protests were filed with the Bureau against the registration of titles deemed to be too similar to a title already registered. .All but three of these protests were adjusted by friendly negotiation benvcen the companies and by mutual agreement without resorting to an arbitration of the dispute. By agreement the producers and distributors who participate in title registration limit the number of original titles which any company may have in registration at one time, so that an unreasonable number of titles will not be reserved indefinitely but ncrt used on a produced picture. Of course as the pictures are produced and released the titles are taken off the "priority registration" and placed on the release index or list of produced motion pictures. However, the indexes of titles of motion pictures produced and released by member companies keeps grouing e\ery year. In 1937 there were 36,000 titles of feature pictures and short subjects registered on the release index, today there are over 50,000 titles registered, and the index file used to call attention to similarities with titles previously registered, based upon the use of key words, now has over 45,000 cards in it. For those companies who do not register lUles with the Bureau, titles are considered and approved for suitability in connection with the Code of Production Standards. Last year 354 titles were thus approved, and since 1937 over 3,054 such titles have been considered by the Bureau for use on pictures that have received Code approval. riers, he is even more concerned about film, which is also a medium of communication, art and culture. W'iih the appointment of Gerald M. Mayer as managing director of the International Di\ision of the Motion Picture Association, his years of experience in the U. S. Department of State becomes a factor in the solution of U. S. film problems. Establishment in January, 1947, of the International Information Center in Hollywood will contribute to the international awareness of producers and distributors. 820