Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

LIGHTS AND SHADOWS FALL ACROSS RAW STOCK PICTURE CAPACITY REQ SHIPMENTS REQ. ALLOC REQ ALLOC REQUIREMENTS 4th Qtc IstQtr. 2nd Qtr. ■ 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr. fetQtr 1944 1945 1946 * Includes Army and Navy Entertainment Services, major and Class C entertainment, factual and special pictures. ** Army and Navy Entertainment Services, t Class "C", factual and special pictures. THE 35mm row stock production capacity as of now; requirements of all agencies for fhe fourth quarter of 1944, all of 7945, and the first quarter of 1946, and fhe actual shipments and allocations made so far, are shown in this chart released by the Consumers Durable Goods Division of the War Production Board. The references are in millions of linear feet. WPB to Give 50% Credit on Army Prints; Argentina Asks Share of Film A brightening horizon in the outlook for Elm raw stock was spot-shadowed over the past fortnight with reports oi the effect of previous curtailments in the face of fading supplies. Information which the industry advisory committee will take to W ashington for a conference June 7 with the War Production Board on 5-ock allotments for the third quarter reportedly p.'ill show a tight situation continuing. Some of the more optimistic phases : 1. The WPB revealed in Washington Monday that it planned to restore the original 50 per cent raw stock credit to the distributors for film consumed in making advance prints for Army theatres in the United States. 2. A formula was reached for the allocation to independent producers from the 28;C00,000-foot pool, assuring established companies of supplies. Some of the cloudy spots : 1. The complication of the situation by the demand of Argentina, new convert to the antiNazi camp, for more raw stock and the instructions from the U. S. State Department that the country is to be treated on a par with other □embers of the United Nations in exports. 2. Reports from Chicago that distributors are delaying release schedules in the Chicago area to accumulate an adequate number of prints for operation under the Chicago clearance system. 3. A request by the Navy for an increase of 600 prints, two more per feature on 300 features, for showing aboard ships and at bases abroad during the new fiscal vear which begins July 1. 4. Indications that V-E day would bring no easement in either the demand or the supply situation came from Washington Wednesday. Army, Navy and export requirements are expected to remain at present levels or even to increase after the war ends in Europe. It appeared likely that the plan of the WPB to increase the credit for Army printing would permit continuance of advance printing for the Army theatres by adding some 30,000,000 feet per quarter to the distributors' supply. The WPB previously had announced that only 25 per cent credit would be allowed for the advance prints during the current quarter and distributors generally had discontinued the early release prints. WPB to Abandon Print Ceiling on Features It was announced in Washington last week also that the WPB definitely would abandon its earlier demands for a 285-print limitation on features, permitting the distributors to consume their allotments of stock as they desired. The formula for independent producers did not include individual allocations. It was reported that the footage would be granted on the basis of the number of pictures made during the 1941-44 period. A producer who made no product before 1944 would not be penalized, but would be eligible on the basis of footage for that period. New producers were advised they would have to use stock from that allocated to their distributing agencies, that no stock would be allotted to them individually. WPB officials indicated Wednesday that independent and foreign producers who receive a raw stock allotment will not be permitted to supplement that allotment by drawing stock from their distributors. A decision is expected within two weeks* on the proposal to abandon civilian controls and allot a single block of raw stock for all civilian uses. WPB spokesmen said replies from industry leaders who had been asked their opinion of the plan recorded themselves unanimously opposed. The situation in Argentina went beyond the raw stock emergency, carrying overtones of competition with the U. S. industry in Argen tina after the war. The country has been the most active producer of Latin American nations, and is seeking to encourage its domestic industry still further. Blocked in their attempt to get exhibitors to agree to a change of the Chicago general release to a zone arrangement to avoid a print shortage, exchange managers were planning to delay general release schedules to build up a backlog of prints. The demand by the Navy for additional prints was disclosed in testimony on the Naval appropriation bill released by the House Appropriations Committee in Washington. To provide for the 9,000 programs of features and shorts, the bill carries an appropriation of $7,023,750. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 28, 1945 31