Minutes of evidence taken before the Departmental Committee on Cinematograph Films (1936)

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34 COMMITTEE ON CINEMATOGRAPH FILMS 5 May, 1936.] [Continued. Renters' Number of films registered. quota year. Long. Short. 1928-29 8 (1 serial) 1929-30 2 8 (1 group) 1930-31 2 6 (1 series) 1931-32 1 1 1932-33 2 4 (1 series) 1933-34 2 6 (1 series) 1934-35 1 6 (1 series) 1935-36 4 14 (1 series of 6; 1 group of 8) Total 14 53 3. Under proviso (ii) to the Section any film being a British film and falling within class (b), (d), (e) or (/) of the excepted classes can be registered for the purposes of the exhibitors' quota only. That is, the renter who acquires the film for distribution cannot count it against any foreign films which he acquires. but the exhibitor who shows it can count it against any foreign films which he shows. The following table shows the number of films which have been given E registration since the Act came into force: — Year. 1928-29 .. 1929-30 .. 1930-31 .. 1931-32 .. 1932-33 .. 1933-34 .. 1934-35 .. 1935-36 .. Total Short. 1 16 Nil Nil 3 29 1 16 3 32 5 12 1 56 3 46 17 207 It will be observed that the registrations under this head are mostly confined to short films and that there has been a tendency for the numbers to increase. SECOND DAY. Tuesday, 12th May, 1936. PRESENT : The Rt. Hon. Lord MOYNE, D.S.O. (Chairman). Mr. A. C. CAMERON. M.C.. M.A. Mr. J. S. HOLMES, M.P. Dr. J. J. MALLON. LL.D., J. P. The Hon. ELEANOR M. PLOIER. Lt.-Col. Sir ARNOLD WILSON, K.C.I.E.. C.S.I., CMC, D.S.O.. M.P. Mr. W. H. L. PATTERSON (Secretary). Mr. F. W. Baker, Mr. M. N. Kearney, Mr. A. Korda, Mr. N. Loudon. Captain the Hon. R. Norton, representing the Film Producers' Group of the Federation of British Industries, called and examined. The Committee had before them the following memorandum of the Film Producers' Group: — Foreword. In connection with the various observations and recommendations contained in this memorandum, a brief explanation of the scope and functions of the several sections of the British Film Industry may be of use to the Committee of Inquiry set up by the Board of Trade. The Film Industry, so far as theatrical or entertainment films are concerned, is divided into three " ".-. sections, namely. (1) Producers, (2) Renters (or Distributors), and (3) Exhibitors. (1) Producers include both studio-owning companies and companies who produce pictures but do not own studios, merely hiring studio space as and when required. The majority of studioowning companies make pictures for their own account and also let space (including equipment and technical personnel when required) from time 1o time, but one or two of them rarely make pictures lor their own account, limiting their activities to the letting of stages and equipment, inclusive of technical employees. All leading British Producers numbering 23 in all —are members of (he Film Producers' Group ol the Federation of British [nd istries, which is the official Trade organisation of the British tction Industry. Certain technically British companies, which are in tact controlled mi ' ion of American producing companii and allied with the latter's renting „, -amo tions in this country, also produce films in Great Britain, but their activities are conn to the making of such films as are needed bj their principals to enable them to comply with. the law relating to British quota. These latter producers are not members of the F.B.I. Film Group, and are ineligible for membership since they are foreign controlled and — except in the strictly legal sense — are foreign companies. The purpose of genuine British Film producers i bo make pictures which will be distributed as widely as possible both at home and overseas on their merits; they are not primarily concerned in making British films to supply quota to enable foreign pictures to be distributed in Croat Britain, although some of them make British pictures to the order of foreign renters. The genuine British producer employs lab technicians and artistes and expends very important sums of money annually on the making of British films. It is the business ,,, these genuine British producers that the I inematograph Films Act was designed more icially to foster and protect, and it is films made by these companies that tend to enhance British presti e and carrj the British point of view to all places, both at home and abroad, where thej are publicly exhibited. The business of renters is to r .,,t to Exhibitors in this country the films -either British or Foreign— which they have acquired.