Kinematograph year book (1944)

Film Exhibition and Kiuema Technique. 171 and presentation, but quite a number will be found of vital interest to the Industry. Last year there were few specifications published which affected our industry. One of the most useful is a film core standard which for all 35 mm. and 16 mm. films is set at 50 mm. in diameter. Spools are also standardised in the 16 mm. and 8 mm. gauge, but unfortunately not for 35 mm., possibly because of the difficulty in reconciling the differing gauges of take-up spindle. Rationalisation Of Equipment. — -A great deal has been heard during the year about Councillor J. Pollard's proposal that steps should be taken at the cessation of hostilities to consider the standardisation in respect of all departments of kinema equipment. It is argued that a more complete interchangeability of parts and materials would result in a better and more constant performance, with consequent benefit to all sides of the Industry without prejudice to the production of the high-quality equipment by individual enterprise. Joint discussion between manufacturers and users of equipment represented by the K.M.A. and C.E.A. have admitted the advantages of the proposal, but owing to the war it was realised that further progress was most likely to be achieved through the medium of the British Standards Institution. By standardisation is meant that parts common to a number of systems or manufactured articles should be of standard design and readily obtainable and manufactured by manufacturers. It was recognised that within the limits imposed by shortage of material and labour, a good deal might be done immediately by adaptation, and in this respect the representatives of the K.M.A. promised +heir full co-operation. Exhibitors are asked to report their problems to the C.E.A., and the K.M.A. will ascertain if there is a ready solution available. An important step has been taken by the institution of a Joint Liaison Committee to deal with all matters arising as between manufacturers and exhibitors. This will be composed of C.E.A. and K.M.A. representatives. lHE direction by the Board of Trade that the Industry must. cut its use of A basic film material by 25 per cent, has been carried out with the minimum disturbance of existing presentation arrangements. The solution arrived at at various conferences between all sections of the Industry involved a definite raw stock allowance for production based on cost, a reduction by 20 per cent, of the number of copies printed, a readjustment of the North and South London release areas into three to reduce the number of prints, and the introduction of a scheme of rationalisation of the five news reels in which one copy only slightly shorter than formerly would be used for two concurrent runs, as the pre-restriction consumption of stock by news reels is estimated at 30 per cent, of the whole, this last proposal alone represented a saving of at least 15 per cent., but it evoked the strongest opposition from exhibitors, who objected to the terms of the new contract into which it was necessary to enter under the new arrangement. On the whole, however, the situation has been philosophically accepted — and a few cases of difficulty were satisfactorily straightened out. In addition to all these proposals, discussion with the Board of Trade resulted in a series of practical suggestions for the better physical preservation of the actual copies in circulation. They comprised the hardening of prints by special processing, the better care by exhibitors in the projection box, and more care and attention by the renters. The importance of these suggestions was recognised by all parties concerned, but, with the exception of the processing, which is done automatically at the laboratories, shortage of trained personnel was an obstacle in putting these ideas into practice. In recent months, however, the deterioration of the condition of film copies has led to concerted action by exhibitors and their projectionists. The raw stock situation impelled the K.R.S. to set up a mutual aid scheme to ease the plight of renting companies whose output of films during the FILM STOCK ECONOMY