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

COMMITTEE ON CINEMATOGRAPH FILMS 97 23 June, 1936.] Mr. D. E. Griffiths, Mr. S. Eckman, Mr. J. C. Graham, [Continued. Mr. J. Maxwell and Mr. F. Hill. country. It has been a difficult and laborious job, and even yet, after eight years, there is nothing like an adequate supply of skilled personnel available. Even in Hollywood, where they have behind them almost 30 years of accumulated experience in largescale film production, although having a supply of creative talent many times that available in this country, they still find a shortage of creative personnel one of their problems. 6. The Cinematograph Films Act imposed upon distributors of foreign pictures in this country the obligation to acquire a certain percentage of British pictures rising to and at present being 20 per cent. It should be observed that this obligation is imposed on these distributing agencies, the officials and personnel of which are not expert or even in most cases acquainted with the business of film production. As will be seen, most of these companies distributing foreign films have about 50 pictures a year to handle (or one per week), and that is an onerous job, apart from being called on by the Act to tackle in addition the production of a number of pictures ranging up to 18, or under an increased quota it may be 20 or more pictures a year. In a country where the native producing companies are already finding great difficulty in getting expert personnel for the manufacture of their output of pictures, this presents an almost insoluble problem for the officials of such distributing agencies. 7. The number of pictures under the current 20 per cent, quota required by these distributors of foreign films are as follows : — MetrorGoldwyn-Mayer Warner-First National Columbia Paramount Radio Universal Fox 16 19 10 16 17 13 13 8. In my view it is practically impossible for any of these distributing agencies to undertake and effectively carry out the making of such a number of pictures each year, if made on a proper standard of quality and cost. I can speak with some knowledge on the subject because I have been engaged in the production of pictures as practically a whole time occupation since 1928. My own company has tried to increase the number of pictures beyond the 20 or so that we handle each year, but has found it impossible to get the talent and skilled personnel necessary to do so. When we did try in one or two years to largely increase the output we found several of the pictures were of such poor quality that we hastily abandoned the idea and confined ourselves to the figure mentioned above. I find that the number of pictures produced since 1928 by the various British producing companies are as follows: — First quota year 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th ended year. year. year. year. year. year. 31-3-29. 8th year. Gaumont-British (including Gainsborough) B.I.P British and Dominions Twickenham... British Lion London Films Associated Talking Pictures Butcher's 18 18 7 3 5 10 15 17 13 21 21 16 27 23 25 21 20 4 6 8 18 19 19 3 3 18 14 23 24 1 5 2 4 13 6 — — — 5 3 2 4 4 5 3 18 14 19 7 9 3 4 6 9. In the past, owing to the inability to get a sufficient number of worth while pictures, the agencies distributing foreign pictures have had to buy such stuff as was available for them to comply with the terms of the Act, and there is no doubt that the class and quality of the pictures so acquired has, in many cases, been greatly inferior to the standard output from Hollywood of such companies, and even of the major British producing companies. These companies fully appreciate the serious disadvantages that arise from putting out quota " quickies," but their experience is, and personally from my own experience of the business I confirm it, that it was impossible in the circumstances for them to do otherwise. It must be kept in view that the primary purpose of their business in this country is the distribution of films, and it is in that rapacity that the burden of producing a large number of British pictures is imposed on them. It seems to me unreasonable to expect them to be able, in addition to carrying on their business of distribution, to also undertake the production of such a large number of pictures each year as is called for under a 20 per cent, or higher quota, i.e., an output equivalent to that of a major British producing company. 10. These companies have also given us the assurance that it is their serious intention to acquire and produce worth while pictures and put in the substantial money necessary for that purpose if the number they are called upon to produce or acquire is limited to what is regarded by practical people as possible and reasonable. 11. The poor quality of many of the pictures acquired for quota, in order to comply with the 37873 letter of the Act, has done a great deal of harm to the standing and prestige of British pictures generally, and for myself and I am sure all those seriously engaged in the busines of British film production I would welcome an alteration of the Act which would permit, and possibly ensure, that the number of pictures acquired or produced for quota were of a quality and standard that would not bring discredit on British pictures generally. -12. I am also prepared to go the length of stating that if the number of pictures which are required to comply with quota remains at the present figure— or is increased — and if it were possible that these should all be good quality, marketable pictures, the result on the fortunes of the native British producers would be serious, owing to the greatly increased quantity of pictures they would find competing with them in the British market. So far the native British producer, owing to the poor quality of the pictures acquired for quota, has not felt them as competitors. If the number of pictures required under a 20 per cent, or greater quota, are all, as it is now hoped, to be made of a good quality and cost standard, such a large addition to the number of worth while British pictures would make serious inroads on the returns that have hitherto been got by the purely British producing companies mentioned above. The margin of receipts over cost at present got by the purely British producing companies is narrow, very narrow indeed. Indeed, I am safe in saying that very few of these companies' pictures show any profit, and if their present returns were going to be diminished, as I am sure they would, by a large increase in the number of worth while pictures made here, the results would be A 3