The motion picture almanac (1932)

220 The MOTION PICTURE ALMANAC 1932 hair dressers, property people, photography directors, and others. 5. To prohibit double featuring in sound theatres^ 6. To establish admission scales in order to prei'ent price cutting detrimental to the industry as a whole. To insure application of these regulations to the producers' staffs, a department was organized in the Spitzenorganization of the German motion picture industry, instructed and authorized by all producers to issue figures on the wages last paid, costs of photographic apparatus, electric licenses, and so on, to the other producers and companies which adhere to that decision. A commission, together with the Spitzenorganization, will test and supervise the adjustment of salaries of stars, actors and others and direct operation of the plan. Dr. \Y alter Plugger, president of the Spitzenorganization, took over the direction of the project. Companies adhering to this decision bound themselves to make known the salaries paid by them also in the open market, as well as the charges for photographic apparatus and electrical licenses. To obtain lower license costs for the use of photographic apparatus and reduced exploitation licenses, negotiations were opened immediately with Tobis-Klangfilm. General reduction of the level of wages and raw material requires also lower prices for raw stock and negotiations to this end were opened with the standard companies. The copying plants also were approached regarding a reduction of prices for developing and printing. The circular announcing the decisions was signed not only by the distributors but also by • both exhibitor organizations, the Reichsverband and the Schutzverband. It was also decided at a meeting of the Association of Germany Copying Plants in Berlin, with Tobis representatives attending, to re duce the copying price for sound film from 21 pfennigs to 15, per meter, for both domestic and foreign distribution. This did not involve the Tobis copying license, amounting to 3 pfennigs a meter for foreign distribution and 5 pfennigs for distribution in Germany (the 5 pfennigs rate applies to both domestic and foreign pictures distributed throughout Germany). The new copying tariff, effective November 15, 1931, included both the 6 pfennig reduction and further decreases and simplifications for various technical operations. Following are the names of the 33 producing companies which signed the agreement : Aafa Karlheinz-Wolff Aco Production Allianz-Tonfilm Lamprecht-Film G.m.b.h. Lothar Stark AtlantisFilm Majestic-Tonfilm Chronos Matador-Film CiceroFilm May film Cinema-Film Messtro-Orplid Deutsches Lichtspiel NeroFilm Syndikat M.-R.-Film Elite-Tonfilm Richard-Oswald Film Ellen-Richter-Film Tempo-Tonfilm Emelka Terra-Film Felner & Somlo Thalia -Film Froelich-Film TransoceanFiim Greenbaum Film Universum-Film Hisa-Film (Ufa) Itala-Film Zentralfilm-Fett The decision to bar double featuring in sound theatres and to fix admission prices was embodied in the following resolution : "The Reichsverband (exhibitors' organization) and the A. D. F. (distributors' union) will instruct their members to control admittances in their respective bailiwicks. In all places where admittances are too low or where cinema performances include too many or too extensive pictures, the local representatives of the above organizations will call trade meetings and seek ways and means to change this policy, which is considered extremely prejudicial to the film industry. The Spio is authorized by the various trade associations, upon the request of local organizations, to send a kommissar with special powers enabling him to take all necessary measures to protect the industry against prejudice of this kind." Another of the subjects taken up at the general conference concerned exchange cur rencies of the various countries. Negotiations were undertaken with the government and the Reichsbank to clear frozen credit balances by either direct payment or loans. The new scale for admissions was agreed upon by a commission selected from representatives of trade associations. The motion pictures of Berlin were divided into four groups : Pre-release houses, one mark minimum admittance ; first-runs, 0.80 mark ; second-runs, 0.70 mark ; and all other houses, 0.60 mark. If a stage-show were included in the program, 50 pfennigs might be added to the minimum ticket charge. Any privileged admissions such as cut price tickets, presents, lottery prizes, free drinks, included in the price were prohibited. However, up to the actual starting of the first performance, patrons might be admitted to any seats at the minimum rate of admission. Immediately thereafter, the regular admission scale would apply. Young folk were obliged to pay the full minimum rate for regular shows, but at special shows for children and other minors only 50 per cent of the minimum rate for each of the four categories of theatres was to be charged. JAPANESE AGREEMENT Exhibitors of all Japan, late in 1931 launched a program of economies and cooperation, the movement having its inception at a meeting of exhibitors in Tokyo November 12. More than one hundred exhibitors representing close to fifty cities of various parts of the Empire met at the Tokyo-kaikan, the social center of the city, at the call of Mr. Sai Ichikawa, proprietor of the Kokusai Eiga Tshushin (The International Film News Service, Inc.). Mr. Ichikawa organized the Motion (Continued on page 222) AMKIXO CORPORATION Exclusive liepresentatiies in U. S. A. OF iviom.Rivo The All-Union Export and Import Offices SOY1 ZKI\0 The Combined Motion Picture Industries of the USSR Composed of the following Producing Companies: Soyuzkino Moscow — Leningrad Ukrainrilm Kiev toskinprom of Georgia TiBis Armenkino of Armenia Erivan Belgoskino of White Russia Minsk Turkmenkino of Turkmenistan Askhabad Uzbekgoakino of Uzbekistan Tashkent Vostokkino Moscow Sibkino Novosibirsk Azioskino Baku Tadzhikkino Slalinabad AND Mcjrabpomfilm of Moscow » 4 Importers and Distributors for the United States, Canada and Central America of Motion Pictures, 35 mm. and 16 mm., Newsreels and Film Slides— Produced in the U. S. S. R. and Purchasers for the U. S. S. R. of American Morion Pictures, Raw Film and Motion Picture Equipment 723 Seventh Avenue U. S. A. New York, N. Y. YOU THEATRE MANAGERS HERE'S AN ASSISTANT AND ADVISER YOU SHOULD HAVE AT YOUR COMMAND Building Theatre Patronage (by BARRY & SARGENT) Lessons on newspaper and billboard advertising— patronage pulling ideas and schemes on exploitation — advice on how to meet every day problems that arise in dealing with your public, etc. PRICE, $5.10 A COPY Money Order or Certified Check, or We Will Mail C.O.D. HERALD BOOKSHOP 1790 BROADWAY NEW YORK