Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

^ard Cuts 1945 Rations; Freezes Producers ([mbia; N. Peter Rathvon, RKO; John J. 'Connor, Universal; W. C. Michel, Twenti h Century-Fox; William Kelly, MGM; Sam (j^:hneider, Warner Bros.; Gradwell L. Sears, nited Artists; Neil Agnew, representing Da |ild O. Selznick; A. W. Schwalberg, Internalilonal Pictures; James Mulvey, for Samuel lioldwyn; Samuel Broidy, Monogram; W. L. i'itus. Republic ; Leo J. McCarthy,, PRC Pic' ires ; T. L. Walker, representing Edward piall; Barney Briskin, representing Sol Les itr; L. E. Goldhammer, Film Classics; Roy ifisney, Walt Disney Productions, and R. M. ip,vini, Astor Pictures. 1| Three additional members of the new 21lan industry advisory committee, who were ihable to attend last week's meeting with Mr. [dams, were: William F. Rodgers, vice-presient in charge of distribution for MGM ; John J|:. Wood of March of Time, and Ted Toddy of bddy Pictures. Eighteen of the 21 members dtended the sessions. No substitutes for comlittee members will be admitted to WPB meet|igs in the future, except in the case of seriIjus illness of a member. Warned Against Meeting without Government Official The next meeting is set for mid-March in Vashington and the board has instructed memers not to hold meetings in New York or Isewhere hereafter without a WPB order or ther Government agency representative presnt. They have been warned that to ignore lis order would involve an anti-trust violation. When the WPB official presented the direcive for a 285 ceiling on prints several com (any representatives pointed out to Mr. Kdams that this would not mean a saving of aw stock; that exhibitors who couldn't oblin top product because of the print shortage rould be forced to buy elsewhere. One indelendent producer's representative was heard io murmur blissfully: "This will give us a Ilhance to get some of our junk off the shelf." After the meeting, at a press conference, Mr. yams said: "We will not allow raw stock in the hands of distributors to be used as a club over producers, or vice versa. On complaint from either side, we will step in and settle disputes of this kind." In addition to the detailed information concerning the use of the last quarter quotas, companies had to present to the board data regarding their raw stock on hand. Distributors also had to produce records showing how many prints are made for features, shorts and newsreels, how many prints ordered during the early run of features and how many delivered to exchanges. Only 16 Releases of 1945 Had No Dates as of January A questionnaire sent to the 11 companies by the WPB revealed that a total of only 16 completed features had no 1945 release date set as of January. The replies to the questionnaire also indicated that 528 release prints had been made for nine of the 16 features. Approximately half are held in vaults for release to the Army upon request. As of December 31, 1944, the total raw stock inventory of the 11 national producing and distributing companies amounted to approximately 10,000,000 feet, or equivalent to a fiveday supply of stock, Mr. Adams told the press. Sales officials in New York, queried Monday on whether or not the 285-print ceiling would mean a change in release patterns, definitely declared their sales organizations would continue to release pictures according to the policies already set. Samuel Goldwyn, independent producer who met with Mr. Adams in Washington prior to last Thursday's eventful meeting, reached at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York Monday, said. "I don't think exhibitors are going to suffer from the 285 ceiling." On this point, the producer said he didn't believe 350 or 400 prints were necessary for top features. "There's no hurry to rush pictures. There's no reason for the quick run given pictures," he said. Spokesmen for the WPB said they did not believe the reduced quotas for the current period would result in fewer films, but indicated it might be necessary for producers to cut down over-length features and possibly to make fewer short subjects. It was emphasized, moreover, that there were no restrictions on the use which each company made of its film stock. They pointed out that the board had no intention of prohibiting reissues, and added that the subject of double feature policy was not discussed at the meeting. Mr. Adams said that United Artists was to be considered solely a distributing company, not a producer, and is therefore entitled to no raw stock of its own. Nevertheless, because of UA's special setup, the board allocated an additional 1,000,000 feet for the current quarter to the company, which UA was authorized to use when and as it sees fit. It acts as the repository for the raw stock allocated to the individual producers who released through UA in 1941-1944 and who remain with the company. If a producer completes his contract with UA and makes a new deal with another distributor, he takes his raw stock with him and thereby is not dependent on the new distributor for film. Provisions for Producers In Service Made The new WPB regulations provide for independent producers who have been in the armed services during the 1941-1944 period and who otherwise would be deprived of a stock allocation. Special provision for such cases will be made, the board explained. Under the WPB directive, Hal Wallis Productions is deprived of a direct stock allocation. Independent producers who can obtain their raw stock direct from the board include International Pictures, Lester Cowan, Charles R. Rogers, David O. Selznick, Samuel Goldwyn, Walt Disney and Sol Lesser. States rights, or Class C producers, whose raw stock supplies have not been cut heretofore, were reduced by 25 per cent. Apportionment of Raw Stock for the Newsreeis ,\ Originally, the War Production Board planned to cut the raw stock Ifluotas for the six newsreel companies by 8,000,000 feet from the ijast quarter period. Representation by industry executives, who urged {hat war news footage would be seriously reduced, resulted in a |eduction of only 835,034 feet. I Under the new allocation, the newsreeis as a group are permitted to increase the number of prints by 651 a week, in line with the Government's desire to give wide distribution to war footage, but the length of reels will be reduced from 750 to 700 feet per issue. Newsreel quotas, including the new allocation and the last quarter of 1944 quota, are outlined in the tabulation below. Some minor arithmetical discrepancies occur in the percentage figures. ovietonenews News-of-the-Day Paramount »athe Universal Vlarch of Time /ssues 13 13 13 13 13 Lengfft No. Prints X 700 X 1366 X 700 X 1187 X 700 X 1271 X 700 X 944 700 3.25 X 1493** X 696 390 New Quota 12.430.600 10.801.700 1 1,566.100 8,590.400 6.333,600 1,992,378 L-178 Quota 12,121,70! 1 1 .685,076 II. 627,566 7.865,750 7.085.524 2,164.195 Difference -f 308.899 —883.376 — 61,466 -f 724.650 —751.924 — 171.817 Base Period No. Prints 1200 1118 1123 760 664* 338 No. Prints 2nd Week Jan., 1945 1366 I 187 1271 944 696 390 % Increase in Prints Over Base Period 13.8% 6.17% . 13.2% 24.2% 4.8% 15.4% 51,714,778 52.549.812 —835.034 5203 5854 1.1% * 1943 Average. ** Applied 6%% reduction to base period footage of 1600', based on same percentage reduction as other newsreeis from 750' to 700'. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, FEBRUARY 10, 1945 25