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

138 COMMITTEE ON CINEMATOGRAPH FILMS 30 June, 1936.] Mr. J. Gbiebson. [Continued. the Board of Governors which is certainly not in close touch with the public at large, but through its own staff? — I do think some of the committees reach very widely 1495. But those are ad hoc committees of which there are at least half a dozen? — They suggest lines on which the special film committee could be formed. 1496. You accept the B.B.C. as being a reasonably good example of an unofficial and elastic organisation ? — For an organisation with its many responsibilities in many parts of the community, we all agree to its having succeeded in principle. 1497. The B.B.C.'s public relations officer who is not unknown to the Post Office? — Yes, Sir. 1498. Do you think that it would be a good thing for the film industry if, apart from the Censor, it maintained a public relations officer who could enlighten the industry as a whole of tendencies and ideas? — They badly need, not some individual but some organisation which will interpret the wishes of the public a little more wisely than they are interpreted by the Box Office at present. There are long range and necessary policies which are largely forgotten in the sweat of daily competition. 1499. You have felt the need of some man or some office which, representing and able to speak not for but to the cinema industry as a whole, would be open to impressions and advice, and discussions, and would be the medium through which the directing commercial heads of the industry would be kept in touch with what is going on through Great Britain? — I think it would be most valuable because any good public relations department must represent not only the film trade to the public but also the public to the film trade. That is the more vital part of public relations as I see it. 1500. Supposing, for the sake of argument, there were to he established under the direction of His Majesty's Government (whether under the Board of Trade or some other office is not material for the moment), a British National Cinema and Film Industry Board with certain powers delegated to it which are at present by Statute exercised by the Board of Trade, and some powers such as those which are at present unofficially exercised by the trade such as that of the censorship, and with certain powers too as you suggest in your memorandum to modify from time to time the actual practice of industry, to decide when there are differences within the industry as to what does or does not constitute a film of special exhibition value and what is or is not a short ; what is or is not educational ; and if there were to be a public relations officer maintained by the Board, which would endeavour to unite and co-ordinate the cinema industry at the top whilst the component parts retained their individuality, do you think that that would in the long run contribute to the stability of the industry? — If I may give my personal reaction to that question I should say definitely yes. Perhaps reasonably, and because of the conditions of the film industry, there is a great deal of anarchy in it; on the financial side particularly so. On the other hand, the film industry is a difficult industry. It depends on the intangible values of Box Office appeal and entertainment, and control might be bad as well as good for it. It is some power of adjustment rather than one of control that is needed. 1501. That has been equally true of the B.B.C, but its licensing fees would be the first indication that control had been over exercised. One must always accept that as the necessary feature of any control ? — Yes. 1502. You are a Government official, and therefore you can express your opinions with greater freedom, perhaps, than many men with your experience who are in it — has it occurred to you that the film industry is threatened with a certain lack of stability due partly to the financial anarchy to which you have alluded and as to which we have had evidence, but due also to the fact that public taste is fickle and there might be a rather sudden swing over? — I do not believe that public taste is fickle. 1503. I agree it is a cliche and I am glad to be corrected. — There is a great continuity for certain vital things. Epic for instance, and comedy also, have had great and continuous success. 1504. The industry has evidence of real permanent stability. Looking back over your fifteen years' association with it, do you see any real tendency to swing over to a new form of film? — I think the continuity has been fairly smooth, even the continuity between silent and sound. We always had sound and not silent films, and it was merely the machinery that changed. 1505. Thank you. 1506. (Mr. Cameron) : You think. Mr. Grierson, that there is a considerable overseas market both in Europe and in the Dominions for shorts, do you? — I see the beginnings of it now. 'Within the last year there has been a certain increase of interest in America for shorts from this country. We ourselves have sent over some 11 films during the last six months. There is certainly a taste for British shorts in the Scandinavian countries ; we have sent films to Belgium and Portugal ; and some have gone to Australia and New Zealand. There is the beginning of something worth developing. We, as a Government department, with our entire commission in the British field, are not in a position to develop that as we might otherwise do. 1507. That development is consonant with other evidence we have had. — If the whole situation were taken up and some energy applied to selling short films abroad we could build up a worthy market. The shorts carry a presentation of this country that is not possible in the long films. 1508. You are definitely of the opinion I gather. that the more we can link up financially with America in order to secure the entry into America and distribution there of our products, short or long, the better it will be ? — I believe the real line of strength is from America and not from Europe. The mind of the American film is nearer to our mind than the mind of the Continental film. 1509. We should make as much contact America as possible? — We should exploit American contacts much more than we do on both the production side and the distribution side. They have still to give us the secret of their gusto. They have certain vitalities we have to capture if our films are to be as good as theirs. It is a matter of necessity and not only a matter of advantage. 1510. You spoke of the 3,000-5,000 feet group. Itis an obvious group but you were not suggesting it should be a legal group ? — -I was suggesting. 1511. Why? — The cost would have to be lower in that field than, say the cost laid down for long films over 5,000 feet. The cost basis for long films has been put by certain representations at 25s. 1512. Yours was a recommendation to withdraw the 3,000-5.000 feet group from whatever cost basis might be given? — And allow these smaller costs so that a chance may be given to short comedies, and stories, and quasi documentary films. 1513. You said shorts might be set against long if they cost as much as 7s. 6d. on the Form " C ' basis. That means assuming again a cost basis for longs ? — Yes. 1514. In addition to having a short quota with short set against short you would allow special shorts also to be set against lone: in addition to and apart from short quota? — That is my case. 1 think on examination it will be found that is the only secure way of finding a market foT short-. It would be an advantage to the producer who spends some considerable money on shorts. 1515. So as to net them, so to speak, into a different category? — As far as one can see it is only in exceptional cases that you can now bring back money on an expenditure of 15s. a foot all-in. If you are going to have 15s. a foot as a minimum all-in production cost for the shorts quota then 1 am afraid with our