The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1935)

February, 1935 T h INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Five Upper left — "Soiled Silken Shoes," starring Chicko Takehisa. Behind the camera is our own Harry Mimura. Upper right — "Giving a Sync Mark." Lower left — Shooting a close-up of Miss Sachiko Chiba, P. b L. Studio, Tokyo, Japan; Harry Mimura, cameraman. Lower right — Star Motion Picture Company on location near Shanghai, China. Center — Charles H. Christie, Vice-President, Mitchell Camera Corporation. is very slow. The program should have variety. It must be balanced just like a good meal. India should produce 'shorts,' picturing the lifeways of the people in different parts of the country. The Indian film industry is at present producing only studio pictures. The natural scenic background could very well be brought into the studios as is now done in Hollywood with the help of the background projections. In short, India should try to learn to picturize a story in eight or nine reels." While in Bombay one of a half dozen exhibitors changed his policy from running American and European pictures to exclusive Indian policy. The Bombay Radio Company, controlled by Abdulla Fazelthoy & Sons, became agents for India of the Mitchell Camera Corporation, Inc., and, under the direction of Mr. Christie, their agency was inaugurated by large sales of cameras and equipment. Cairo, Egypt, was the next stop after Bombay and there Mr. Christie encountered an encouraging sentiment in favor of production. Rome was the next on his itinerary and here the L. U. C. A. were making pictures and scenics for the government. Another studio was building some distance from Rome, while at Turin a new company had been formed to take over the old Cines plant where the celebrated picture "Cabiria" was made. Business in a cinematographic way was good and Mr. Christie looks for a revival of the good old days when Italy was one of the aces of the cinema. At Nice our ambassador met Syd. Chaplin and Rex Ingram. They were happy and apparently prosperous. At Paris production was fairly active, while at Joinville, the big plant of the Paramount, was busy with independents and he gathered that American pictures were still mighty popular in France. Mr. Christie sojourned two weeks in Munich where he found a health}' market in equipment, but he was called to England before he could go further. At London he came in contact with the many American boys who were holding down good jobs with the British production companies. He spent four weeks among the various studios and handled a large volume of business in both Mitchell cameras and equipment, with more in sight. He found the tone of business better in England than in any foreign country and conditions in picture production little less than ideal, with a Mattering outlook into the future. Gaumont, Elstree ; London Film Productions, with Alexander Korda at the head — all are at present active and with bigger and better pictures coming up. Mr. Christie arrived, returning, at the home of the Mitchell in Hollywood, about Christmas and the sum total of his impressions on his circumnavigation of the earth, is that the whole world is becoming more movieminded every day and that if business isn't good enough at home all you got to do is to take a trip around the world and bring the bacon back with you. TELEVISION IN ENGLAND The television committee of inquiry, chairman of which is Lord Selsdon, one-time P. M. G., has completed its investigations, and will probably table its report towards the end of February. No authoritative statement, of course, is yet available, but it is known that the report will deal with big-scale television, under Government control, and will give special attention to the broadcasting of films. Amending legislation to the Wireless Telegraph Acts will probably go through the House in spite of opposition from a section of the B. B. C. I forecast that by the end of June television sets will be available to a wider public, priced at £30. Members of both Houses will secure amendments to deal with an expected monopolisation of television talent by certain private interests. — The Weekly Kinematograph. Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.