Moving Picture World (May - Jun 1918)

1412 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD June 8, 1918 gj jg g g gg <g. ^j^^g-^* ^iS^* g •• 3 ^ ;> 'j^j^j^^g^g ^ *s ^-^^ Foreign Trade News Conducted by F. G. ORTEGA. ¥g> ^ <£ ^og1g^1g1g^gl^1g1^« §g g g ♦ • • 1 ^ °;s .«^. g -^ -s jg §j cs» o ^ -^ ^ -S? -s?' :■ 10 /fen/ /feac/s Foreign Organization New Exchange Will Distribute Films in the Antilles, Central America, Venezuela and Colombia. ARCH G. KENT, representing the Central American Film Company, a corporation with main offices in Havana recently formed for the purpose of distributing American pictures throughout Cuba, Santo Domingo, Porto Rico, Jamaica, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama and all the Central American republics, has been in New York for the past four weeks closing contracts and making purchases — and he certainly has not wasted his time. "We have closed contracts," said Mr. Kent to a representative of the Moving Picture World, "with David P. Howells for the First National Exhibitors' pictures and with William M. Vogel for the new Chaplin series; with Edna Williams of t h e Robertson -Cole Company for the various productions controlled by this firm ; and from Sidney Garrett, of J. Frank Brockliss, Inc., we have purchased The Natural Law' and 'The Liar.' 'The Triumph of Venus' (Victory) and 'Don Quixote' (Triangle) w ere also bought through A. T. Bimbers; and Hiller & Wilk respectively. "The Central American Film Company is a new partnership formed by Torvaldo Hoff, an influential business man of Havana, and myself. We will endeavor — and the connections already made proves it — to present the best photoplays produced in the United States to the different markets covered by our firm, some of which have been sadly neglected by American producers and distributors." Mr. Kent, who is also the manager of the Fausto theater in Havana, owned by the Caribbean Film Company, is already on his way back to the tropics. Before leaving, an office was established in New York, at Room 1101, 729 Seventh avenue, with Cluster E. Sawyer in charge, for the purpose of keeping in closer contact with the producers. It is understood that the Central American Film Company will release its films in Cuba and Porto Rico through the exchanges organized by the Caribbean Film Company, of Havana. Arch G. Kent. "Fjrst of all, I wish to state that I am practically entirely in accord with the statement of Mr. Cromelin, who, as an expert in the film export trade, recognized at once the danger of duping subjects should it become a common practice. All film men can easily see the difference between a positive print taken from an original negative and one taken from a dupe-negative, and in many instances, if the duping is not done by experts or if the original positive is not of absolutely first class photographic quality, the results are far from encouraging. However, it has become a common practice with the manufacturers to have two original negatives, both made at the time of taking the picture, and those manufacturers who have this advantage can, of course, easily ship one negative abroad. However, for those who have only one negative I would not advocate the duping for any other country than the United Kingdom, and only then in case the dupe-negative remains the property of the manufacturer to be returned immediately after the necessary prints for Great Britain have been taken off same. "In such cases as this, I rather try to consider the film business from the public's point of view than as a business proposition. I believe that the moving picture house, as a cheap public entertainment, is essential in all countries today involved in the great conflict, because it has been proved on many former occasions that in war times the nations need wholesome and inexpensive amusements. "If, therefore, the Government should be unable to spare space on the ships for the shipment of films in general, I would still be of the opinion that with the right restrictions duping should be allowed. However, the manufacturer ought to have the duping made in laboratories where the printing receives the most careful handling by an expert and he should not try to dupe any films, the photographic quality of which does not justify it. Lamy Agrees and Disagrees Holds That Duping Should Be Allowed in the United Kingdom Only Under Certain Restrictions. THE question of allowing "duping" privileges to European buyers while the war lasts has created quite a stir among the New 5fork exporters. When asked for his opinion on the subject, Joseph Lamy, of the Piedmont Pictures Corporation, was rather inclined to favor a middle course. However, we will let Mr. Lamy discuss the matter in his own \\ •' "I road with much interest the opinions on the duping question' of my friends, Sidney Garrett, of J. Frank Brockliss, Inc., and Paul Cromelin, of the Inter-Ocean Film Corporation. Burlingham Fears Unwarranted, Says Cromelin The International Film Market Cannot Be Monopolized by Conducting Business at a Loss. PAUL H. CROMELIN, of the Inter-Ocean Film Corporation, considered among leading American experts on international film conditions, has given out the following statement as the result of the warning of Frederick Burlingham, who recently reached the United States from Switzerland, that Germany was preparing to control the world's film business. "I have no doubt that a German Film Trust has actually been formed," says Mr. Cromelin. "But I really doubt that it will become the world menace its projectors expect it to be." "I absolutely agree with Mr. Burlingham that the Germans would like to control the international film business if for no other purpose than propaganda use. The World has time and again published stories calling the attention of America to the development of films-for-propaganda-use by Germany, and if our officials have not heeded it, it is not for the want of sufficient publicity on the part of our trade press. "But how can Germany monopolize the international film market by mere willingness to conduct their film business at a loss? Even if theaters were willing to show certain makes of pictures because they were cheap, that does not mean that the public will patronize these houses. I am sure that in this country exhibitors can get films that 'are given away' so to speak, and yet they pass them up to pay big prices for the films they actually use. And the publics of all countries are the final judges of the films and they will not support theaters that do not show the best, regardless of price. If Mr. Burlingham would fully realize this, he would not take his fears nearly as seriously as he does. "Then as to keeping American films out of the lands of the Central Empires and Allies, it is simply to be done the way Mr. Burlingham believes the Germans have decided to go about it. When peace comes the publics of the Central Empires, too, will only go to see the films that most en