Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1936)

14 MOTION PICTURE HERALD July 2 5, 19 3 6 WPA SETS REQUIREMENTS FOR FILMS (Continued from preceding page) the screen for the dissemination of information. Investigation Demanded When, in April, first intimation was made of the WPA's intention to produce films on contract, Republican Representative Bertrand H. Snell denounced the project as "bold and flagrant diversion of relief funds to campaign purposes." Quick to echo his opinion, Pennsylvania' Senator Davis introduced a resolution calling for an investigation of WPA activities.. To these and other protests and criticisms WPA Administrator Harry L. Hopkins replied that the War Department had compiled a motion picture record of the world war and that this and other precedents amply justified his organization in making a film record of its operations. Representative Snell's charge of "diversion" was predicated on the text of the legislation granting funds to the WPA for the purpose of providing productive employment to the unemployed and upon the claim that this purpose would not be served in the case of films produced on contract by commercial companies employing their own staffs for the work. Administrator Hopkins did not reply directly to assertions of this kind, and no further announcements relating to contract production of WPA films were immediately forthcoming. Authority to expend WPA funds for the production of films on contract by commercial companies derives, as disclosed on page 13 of the July 18 issue of Motion Picture Herald, from the executive order by which President Roosevelt created the Works Progress Administration. This order authorizes the WPA Administrator to "formulate and, with the approval of the President, to require uniform periodic reports on all projects ; and, where any avoidable delay occurs, forthwith to recommend to the President appropriate measures for eliminating such delay." Cameramen Employed It was upon this authority that Sydney H. MacKean, former employee of various commercial newsreels, had been assigned to establish a Motion Picture Record Division of the WPA in June, 1935, and to employ cameramen and other assistance in the production of films depicting the work of the agency. Also recounted in last week's issue were the events and circumstances culminating in the then comptroller general John R. McCarl's refusal to approve vouchers covering approximately $90,000 of expense incurred by the Motion Picture Record Division until he had received a copy of the following letter addressed to WPA Administrator Hopkins by President Roosevelt under date of February 6, 1936: "This will confirm verbal authority given you in July, 1935, relative to Executive Order 7034, paragraph 1, section C-a, to formulate the permanent record of periodic progress by means of motion picture recordation. "The above instruction was given to you by virtue of and pursuant to the authority vested in me under the Emergency Relief Act of 1935, approved April 8, 1935 (Pub UNIVERSAL NEWSREEL STRESSED INDEPENDENCE Complete text of a page advertisement placed in the Motion Picture Daily of May 21 by Universal Newsreel, the only standard newsreel company not invited to bid on the WPA picture project, follows: "From now on the newsreel you show should be independent. "The Universal Newsreel is utterly independent of everything except your audience. "It has no candidate for political preference. "It does not care a rap about wets or drys. "It is not currying favor with peace advocates or war seekers. "From now on until election time {and forever after) it is smart for you to watch your newsreel — and watch your step. "Don't let your screen be used for propaganda by anyone or any interest. "Run the newsreel which entertains, thrills, and furnishes laughs. "Run the newsreel which is edited by newspaper men who are cool and independent as a hog on ice. "Don't let your own political leanings influence your show. Most of all, don't sponsor any newsreel which has any axe to grind. "The Universal Newsreel is happy and free. It is the best newsreel in the world. "Universal Newsreel." lie Resolution No. 11, Seventy-fourth Congress)." Terms of the WPA requirements pertaining to the films for the production of which newsreel companies were invited to bid this week are flexible in many respects, inelastic in others. It is stipulated that "the finished production is to be of such high entertainment standard as to be acceptable for exhibition in any commercial motion picture theatre within the United States." It is stipulated that the films are "to consist of subjects and sequences of State and or city-wide interest." Subject material included in a "Tentative Draft of Working Script for Motion Picture Record" ranges from the fighting of forest fires to the conducting of sewing projects. No maximum or minimum number of films is stipulated. The WPA "will furnish a liaison man in each state to make all necessary arrangements regarding scenes to be recorded, approvals and other similar matters." The company contracting to produce the films is required to "furnish a qualified script writer, film editor, camera crew, technicians, director, actors and actresses, the use of studios, lighting equipment, a competent production and idea man in Washington during the life of the contract" and related personnel, properties and services. The WPA "will furnish automotive transportation during the production of any record or information unit or reel at the call of the contractor for his employees within any state or area to be covered" and "the selection of music to be used in each record and information reel shall be made by the contractor and approved by the Works Progress Administration." Item 3 of the forms supplied to invited bidders is captioned "Method of Award" and contains, among others, the following statements : "The Government reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids or any part or parts thereof and to award the contract or any parts thereof to other than the lowest bidder as the interest of the Government may require." "All other factors being equal, the award will be made to the bidder who is better able to aid in distribution, both theatrical and non-theatrical. The decision of the contracting officer shall be final." No reference is made to the 16 mm. prints commonly used for non-theatrical purposes in the paragraph headed "description," which reads : "One negative and positive of Dupont or Eastman stock or equivalent to be 35 mm. complete with sound print, cans, reels and labels, either RCA Photophone system, Western Electric system or equal, of 600 feet in length." Under the heading of "General Conditions," the statement is made parenthetically that "the RCA has offered to waive all charges for royalty on Government films where no charge is to be made against the exhibitor for showing." TEXT OF WPA CONTRACT Herewith is the text of the Short Form Contract of Invitation, Bid and Acceptance, issued by the Works Progress Administration at Washington to the newsreel companies, under date of July 17, 1936, for production of WPA films. (1) Films — One negative and one positive, each complete in accordance with specifications and conditions in attached pages to consist of subjects and sequences of State and/or city-wide interest, recording the story of Works Progress Administration activities. This contract shall be in effect from the date of acceptance until June 30, 1937. As the quantity of films is not known one film will be used as a basis for the period. GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS 1. Description — One negative and positive of Dupont or Eastman stock or equivalent to be 35 mm. complete with sound print, cans, reels and labels, either RCA Photophone system, Western Electric system or equal, of 600 feet in length (25% variance payment adjusted accordingly), containing subjects of the character set out under topical outline (see paragraph 2) and similar to the picture titled "Making a Better Indiana" (which may be viewed upon request at the Washington Auditorium, Washington, D. C.), which represents the general plan to be followed in each of these record and information units or reels, but which shall not be regarded as a criterion of quality. The finished production is to be of such (Continued on page 49)