Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1938)

60 MOTION PICTURE HERALD February 5, 1938 HOLLYWOOD IS STRONGER ABROAD j DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO WEAKEN IT Argentina Listed as America's j Best Film Customer in 1937 m Among the ten leading foreign countries to which film was exported by the American motion picture industry, Argentina proved the best customer, in point of footage, during 1917 and the United Kingdom, second in footage, was the best revenueproducing market. A comparison of the ten countries' purchases in 1957 and 1936 follows : -1937 1936 Feet Value Feet Value Argentina 17,213,406 $337,638 18,036,629 $323,274 United Kingdom 15,432,385 396,627 16,210,307 443,462 Brazil 12,856,031 258,336 12,731,057 251,724 British West Indies 10,169,863 24,762 7,158,685 25,745 Panama 10,123,039 127,992 9,814,771 122,985 8,594,637 271,331 8,820,437 283,997 France 7,930,138 1 5 1 ,492 7,896,664 168,935 6,1 10,452 209,357 5,1 10,480 190,372 5,801,007 1 15,358 5,370,519 106,580 Australia 4,362,681 1 16,783 4,777,668 107,263 Six Million More Feet of Film Shipped to Foreign Countries Than in 1936; Motion Picture Equipment Sales Also Gain Unshaken by efforts of foreign countries to supplant American motion pictures with those of native production or from other nations, American distributors last year shipped abroad 6,000,000 feet more of film than they did in 1936, according to figures compiled by Nathan D. Golden, chief of the motion picture division of the Department of Commerce, Washington. Total shipments during the year of negatives and positives, both sound and silent, reached 215,721,956 linear feet with a declared nominal value of $4,797,641, compared with. 209,651,404 feet valued at $4,531,639 in 1936, Mr. Golden reported. To permit the better exhibition of American pictures, foreign countries purchased American sound equipment, recording and producing, valued at $2,280,96 1 , compared with $2,105,288 the preceding year, in addition to 1,625 standard gauge 35 mm. projectors valued at $449,142 against 1,454 valued at $383,078; 21,327 16 mm. projectors valued at $662,750 against 7,383 valued at $304,378, and cameras and other equipment. While exports of sound positives increased over 1936 (sound negatives showed a decline), silent films, both positive and negative, _ showed a greater percentage rise, the figures disclosed. Exports of sound positives totaled 200,245,663 feet valued at $4,242,012 against 195,907,374 feet valued at $4,025,767, an increase of less than three per cent, but shipments of silent positives were 2,851,039 feet valued at $87,362 against 1,695,980 feet valued at $51,670, an increase of over 70 per cent. Shipments of Negatives Drop In negatives, shipments of sound film dropped from 9,904,111 feet valued at $362,035 in 1936 to 9,586,631 feet valued at $354,578 last year, while silents increased from 2,143,939 feet valued at $92,167 to 3,038,623 feet valued at $113,689. Argentia, as usual, was United States' best customer in point of footage, but the United Kingdom, second in footage, was the best revenue-producing market as shown in the table published on this page. In Washington this week bids for providing motion pictures exploiting the government's housing activities were opened by the Federal Housing Administration. Bids were asked for production of 35 mm. sound film in lengths up to 1,000 feet, 1,000 to 3,000 feet, and 3,000 to 5,000 feet ; 35 mm. silent film in the same lengths ; optical reduction of 35 mm. sound film to 16 mm. film in the same lengths, and reduction of 35 mm. silent film to 16 mm. film in the same lengths. Proposals Received Proposals received were as follows : Lauks & Norling, New York : 35 mm. sound film, $5 per foot up to 1,000 feet, $4.75 to 3,000 feet, $4.50 to 5,000 feet ; silent 35 mm. film, $4.60 per foot to 1,000 feet, $4.40 to 3,000 feet, $4.20 to 5,000 feet, with an alternate bid that if no new material not incorporated in the sound film was required, silent could be furnished at 75 cents, 65 cents and 60 cents, respectively, in the three lengths ; reduction of sound film, 7 cents per foot up to 1,000 feet, 6.75 cents to 3,000 feet, 6.5 cents to 5,000 feet, with the same prices for reduction of silent film. Ruby Films, New York: Sound film, $4.50 per foot to 1,000 feet, $3.50 to 3,000 feet ; $3 to 5,000 feet ; silent film, $3.50 to 1,000 feet ; $3 to 3,000 feet, $2.50 to 5,000 feet; reduction of sound film, 2V2 cents per foot to any length; reduction of silent film, 2 cents per foot to any length. Bray Studios, New York: Sound film, $6 per foot to 1,000 feet ; $5.45 to 3,000 feet, $4.75 to 5,000 feet ; silent film, $4 to 1,000 feet, $3.60 to 3,000 feet, $3.25 to 5,000 feet; reduction of sound film, 16l/2 cents to 1,000 feet, 16 cents to 3,000 feet, 15^4 cents to 5,000 feet; reduction of silent film, 16 cents to 1,000 feet, 15^4 cents to 3,000 feet, 15 cents to 5,000 feet. Pathe News, Inc., New York: Sound film, $4.90 per foot to 1,000 feet, $4.80 to 3,000 feet, $470 to 5,000 feet; silent film, $3.90 to 1,000 feet, $3.80 to 3,000 feet, $3.70 to 5,000 feet; reduction of sound or silent film, 9/10 cent per foot in any length. Stark Films, Baltimore: Sound film, $2.25 per foot to 1,000 feet, $2.15 to 3,000 feet, $2 to 5,000 feet ; silent film, $1.75 to 1,000 feet, $1.60 to 3,000 feet, $1.50 to 5,000 feet; reduction of either sound or silent film, 3J/2 cents per foot up to 3,000 feet, 3 cents to 5,000 feet. Sound Masters, Inc., New York: Sound film, $4.52 per foot to 1,000 feet, $4.10 to 3,000 feet, $3.64 to 5,000 feet; silent film, $1.00 per foot less than for sound film ; reduction of sound film, 3 cents per foot to 1,000 feet, 2.75 cents to 3,000 feet, 2z/2 cents to 5,000 feet ; reduction of silent film, 2.75 cents to 1,000 feet, 2J/2 cents to 3,000 feet, 2.25 cents to 5,000 feet. De Frenes & Co., Philadelphia: Sound film, $8 per foot to 1,000 feet, $7.30 to 3,000 feet, $7 to 5,000 feet ; $6 if without European scenes. George Schaffer, for the last 16 years a city salesman for Fox, Warner Brothers and Grand National in Philadelphia, is now city salesman for Columbia there. Central Casting Reports On Status of Extra Players Progress of the extra player in Hollywood in 1937 was reported this week by the Central j Casting Bureau, cooperative placement agency, in which all large studios participate. Extras in the coast studios earned $2,986,372 in 1937. This is an increase of $565,919 over 1936. Total placements showed an increase of 294,307 extras obtaining employment in 1937 as compared to 268,436 in 1936. In the JanuaryJune preScreen Actors Guild period, there were 128,101 placements at a cost to the studios of $1,173,038.94. In the last six months under the Guild contract, there were j 166,206 placements, with total payroll of $1,813,333.95. The extras received an average daily wage of $10.03, increase of $1 over the preceding year. Figured on a seven-month basis beginning with June 1, 1937, when the contract with the Screen Actors Guild was signed, the average daily wage of the extra has been $10.91. The average daily placement in 1937 was 944, a gain of 86 jobs per day. The total average daily placement showed that 637 men, 567 women and 48 children found daily employment as extras. In the 12 months 198,922 men extras were paid $1,773,675. In the same period 87,741 women extras were paid $792,900. Some 4,354 boys were employed and were paid $331,664. The number of girls who worked as extras was 3,290, and they received $24,311. The gain in the year was made on the part of adult extras, both men and women, showing a substantial increase in the number of placements. In the boy and girl class the number of jobs fell off. Plan Bellevue House A 1,000-seat theatre will be built in Bellevue, Ohio, by the Shine circuit in association with local interests. The building will cost $75,000, with an additional $25,000 to be spent on equipment. Completion is scheduled for early summer.