Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

RAW STOCK IS CUT 20.000.000 FEET Allotment in First Quarter Of 1945 Is 300,000,000 Linear Feet for All Washington Bureau The motion picture industry will have approximately 20,000,000 feet less raw stock for use this quarter than it had in the last three months of 1944, it was indicated here Tuesday by tentative figures reached by Lincoln V. Burrows, chief of the War Production Board photographic division, in conferences with representatives of the Federal raw stock claimant agencies. It now appears probable, Mr. Burrows disclosed, that the industry will receive slightly more than 300,000,000 linear feet for the quarter. To Work Out Details Whether the cut is to be applied equally among the companies or graded on their ability 'to bear a reduction will be worked out with the industry advisory committee when it meets with Mr. Burrows here on Thursday. It has been suggested that if each company is cut between six and seven per cent, some of the smaller organizations may find themselves in serious difficulties, whereas it may be possible for some of the larger companies to take a somewhat larger cut without undue impairment of print service, thus easing the impact of the curtailment on the small outfits. The cut now anticipated, falling within five to 10 per cent will be somewhat less than was forecast Monday by the WPB in a review of the situation in which it disclosed that because of increased military demands, total requirements for 16mm, aero and X-ray film this year are substantially in excess of present productive capacity. Increased Demand Generally The WPB review said that consumption of 35mm film for entertainment purposes will have to be cut by 10 per cent from the 1944 level to meet the increased demand for other types, while civilian consumption of X-ray film will be cut to 75 per cent of last year. The civilian consumption of 16mm, film already has been cut to a minimum, now running at 1,000,000 linear feet a quarter, against 65,000,000 feet before the war. The WPB explained that every square foot of X-ray film produced above the present level will necessitate cutting the production of 35mm raw stock by 2.5 square feet or of cut-sheet film by 1.5 square feet. For military purposes alone, 170,000,000 linear feet of 35mm and 142,000,000 feet of 16mm motion picture film and 24,000,000 square feet of aero film will be required. The Army and Navy requirements for 16mm film are 8,500,000 feet in excess of the industry's present capacity, it was said. Academy Awards to Be Presented March 1 5 The board of directors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced in Hollywood Tuesday it had set March IS for the 17th annual awards ceremony. The traditional banquet again will be replaced by an informal gathering at the Chinese theatre, 'Los Angeles, with some of the seats available to the public. 32 Newsreel Length Will Be Retained At 750'Foot Level Washington Bureau Recognizing the invaluable service performed by the newsreels, Army, Navy, Office of War Information and other Government agency leaders are agreed that the current shortage of raw stock should not result ii? curtailment of newsreel length below its present 750-foot level, it was disclosed at the year-end by Claude R. Collins, Washington representative of the newsreel division of the War Activities Committee. However, Mr. Collins said, there was no certainty how the continued lack of film might affect newsreels, although it was hoped some additional raw stock would become available in the near future when manufacturing plants abandoned by the Germans when they retreated from France and Holland were brought back into production. "The American newsreels have recorded the most vivid page in the history of the world during 1944," Mr. Collins said in reviewing the past year. "Never before have so many events occurred within one twelve-month period and never before in newsreel history have so many outstanding pictures of history in the making been recorded on film. "Not only have notable events happened fast and furiously, both in combat areas and in the more peaceful sections of the world, but through wider coverage and the increased expertness of newsreel representatives, as well as of the camera crews of the Army, Navy and other Allied defense agencies, more and better pictures have resulted." The newsreels are on the job in all sections of Europe, China, India, the South Pacific and the Far East, supplemented by crack camera crews trained by the military forces and serving with all of the Allied armies. The volume of pictures of actual combat operations was becoming tremendous, Mr. Collins said, but much of it could not be used, first because of the restrictions on newsreel length and secondly because much of it was repetitious, and one bombing mission was very much like another unless some particular target or unusual action was pictured. However, he said, despite these handicaps, "there is a sufficient amount of footage that is spectacular and different to offer a good variety to all of the newsreels and to give each of them the opportunity to present really outstanding issues one after another. "As the new year starts the outlook for a continuance and even increased flow of pictures of probably even greater importance appears certain," he added. Hempstead Leaves RKO David Hempstead, RKO producer, has been released from his contract, at his request, because of illness necessitating a long convalescent period, it was announced by the company in Hollywood Tuesday. Mr. Hempstead is now at St. John's Hospital, Los Angeles. He first joined RKO as producer of "Joan of Paris" in 1940. British Industry Faces Carbon anc^ Raw Stock Crisis London Bureau The carbon and raw stock situations are causini the British Government extreme concern. Tn carbon shortage, now serious, promises to becom!, critical in March, when stocks probably will bl exhausted. The Treasury is being urged to suspend tem porarily the present prohibitive import duty ojapproximately 100 per cent on these materials, fol lowing the precedent established in 1940, whei importers voluntarily adjusted their prices to thos prevailing in the home market. Also, manufac turers may be urged to restrict the number o prints per film. Paris plants are understood to b unable to assist Britain in view of American Arm; demands, but it is hoped that the Antwerp plani which worked for the Nazis throughout the perio( of German occupation and is still in good shape may supply most British Army requirements. It is likely that the whole raw stock situatior will be reviewed with authorities in Washingtonli and Lincoln V. Burrows, chief of the U. S. Wa| Production Board's photographic section, is under^ stood to be satisfied that the British industry ha^i taken all possible steps to prevent a crisis. Mean^; of remedying the labor shortage in the raw stocks field are being considered by the Ministry of Laboril As in America, the shortage here has been caused largely by governmental service demands, it Q claimed. The Board of Trade has been compelled to freeze film exports temporarily, but is deter-i mined to adjust the matter by instituting a stricli census of service requirements and insisting upoi5 the elimination of waste. It is hoped that the dis-;. tributors' present film allotments will not have toi be reduced for the new ration year, which startsji February 15. Emanuel Cohen Promoted to Rank of Full Colonel Lt. Col. Emanuel Cohen, of the U. S. Army' Signal Corps, former production head for Paramount, has been promoted to the rank of full colonel, it was announced Tuesday in New York I by Col. E. L. Munson, chief of the Army Pictorial ? Service. Colonel Cohen is executive producer ofP the Signal Corps Photographic Center at Astoria.) L. I. He is in charge of all production of training films, industrial incentive pictures, the Army-Navy Screen Magazine, combat bulletins, G.I. pictures and other Army productions except those of Col. Frank Capra, who is assistant chief of the Army Pictorial Service. Chamber of Commerce Backs Theatre Building Petition Supporting the application of William C. Hunt for WPB permission to construct a new theatre in Cape May Court House, N. J., the local Chamber of Commerce cited the injury to countyseat retail business caused by the lack of a theatre. The Chamber contended that too many residents will use their tires more and burn extra gasoline to reach theatres in other places. The WPB denied Mr. Hunt's application to replace the Grand theatre, recently destroyed by fire. End Suit Against Selznick Astra Pictures, Inc. $250,000 suit against David O. Selznick, Ernest Scanlon, Raymond A. Klun and Daniel T. O'Shea in New Vork Federal Court, was settled out of court Tuesday. The action had sought damages over the alleged rights of the ^ plaintiff to three Selznick pictures, "Prisoner of Zenda," "Garden of Allah" and "Adventures of Tom Sawyer." Mrs. Martin Smith Dies Ethel Smith, wife of Martin G. Smith, of Toledo, Ohio, died January 2. Mr. Smith is co-owner of Smith and Reidler Theatres, Toledo, and president of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio. The funeral was held Thursday. MOTION PICTURE HERALD. JANUARY 6, 1945 i