Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1936)

July 2 5, 19 3 6 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 13 WPA SETS OUT TO BUY WAY TO THEATRE PUBLIC Producer Shall Agree to Cause To Be Distributed One Newsreel Story a Month Through a Nationally Released Newsreel by WILLIAM R. WEAVER The Works Progress Administration of the U. S. A. has set out to buy its way to the theatre public. The project, with its invitation to sell film to the government, is addressed at makers of pictures, not the operators of theatres and owners of screens. Specifying that "the contractor shall agree to cause to be released and/or distributed one newsreel story on the subject of WPA activities each month during the life of this contract through the medium of a nationally distributed newsreel," printed forms inviting standard commercial newsreel companies to submit bids on a contract for production of films "recording the story of Works Progress Administration activities" were dispatched to these concerns from Washington headquarters of the WPA under date of July 17. Forms were designated as returnable at 1 1 o'clock A.M., July 24, to Chief Clerk Harry L. Kinnear at the WPA offices, 1734 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, D. C, "to be publicly opened". The following concerns, all of New York except as otherwise indicated, were listed by the WPA headquarters staff on request of Motion Picture Herald as those circularized : General Business Films R. O. Bondy Pictorial Films Pan American Photo Service, Miami, Fla. Celebrated Pictures Yates Sound -on -Screen Advertising Company Bray Pictures Irving Browning Studios Artcrest William Vogel Productions Mason Wadsworth Loucks & Nobling Studio Winthrop Productions Paramount News Craftsman Motion Picture Company William J. Ganz Company Ruby Films McLarty Motion Picture Service, Buffalo Threlkeld & Edwards Caravel Films West Coast Service Studio Inquiry as to why Universal Newsreel was not included on the list elicited the explanation that it "must have been an oversight," to which was added the information that "since the WPA is required only to invite three bidders, any greater number of William Pizor J. H. Skirball Film Guild Bud Pollard Castle Films Pathe News Fox Movietone News Screenart Sales Company Lang Brothers Films of Commerce Pictorial Service, Washington Hearst Metrotone News Promotional Films Peerless Motion Picture Bureau, Springfield, Mass. The March of Time Douglas D. Rothacker Olympic Pictures Escar Motion Picture Service, Cleveland Eugene J. Cour, Chicago Cinelog Corporation Newsreel Distribution Required In Terms of WPA's Contract /FANDARD GOVERNMENT FORM OF CONTINUATION SCh (SUPPLIES) ARTICLES OR SERVICES amount of the "bid. Distribution The contractor shall agree^ to cause to be released and/ or distributed one newsreel story on the subject of x WPA activities each month during the life of this contract through the medium of a. nationally-distributed newsreel. GENERAL CONDITIONS Conditions of Contract This contractor shall hold and save the Government, its officers, agents, servants and employees harmless from liability of any natir' 3 including cost and names is merely to secure additional competition." Charles E. Ford, managing director of Universal Newsreel, confirmed on Tuesday the discovery that his company had not been invited to bid on the contract. It will be recalled that Universal Newsreel expressed itself emphatically as "utterly independent" and warned exhibitors, "Don't let your screen be used for propaganda by anyone or any interest," in an advertisement addressed to the trade early this Spring. Dispatch of the forms inviting bids on an "unknown quantity" of films followed quickly upon release in Washington last week of the news, reported in last week's issue of Motion Picture Herald, that WPA plans contemplated production of 30 films at an estimated cost of $6,000 each. Forms received by the newsreel companies contain the statement that "as the quantity of films is not known, one film will be used as a basis for the period." "One film" is described as a "unit or reel of 600 feet." "The period" is defined as "from the date of acceptance until June 30, 1937." Item 8 of the specifications, quoted in full above, appears under the heading of "Distribution" on the eighth of 13 pages of general and technical description of the product. It was a somewhat less definite but similar provision in the text of invitations extended newsreel companies under date of March 17th to bid on a contract to produce films for the Federal Housing Administration that gave rise to trade apprehension as to the trend of New Deal agency plans and policies with relation to use of (.Continued on followiiifl page)