Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

COLOR TELEVISION EXCITES BRITISH Color in Newsreels Also Gets Attention; Pathe Studies New Process by PETER m London BURNUP The considerable behind-the-scenes activity in television was expected to come to a head here this Friday. Two small London newsreel houses, the Classic and the Agar, have indicated they intend to project BBC's first post-war television program this Friday and Saturday. On Saturday London holds its Victory Parade. Should these theatres follow up their intentions, they will undoubtedly precipitate a ruling, yet undecided and doubtful, on whether BBC can retain a copyright on such a transient thing as a direct televised broadcast. Rank May Show Telecast When J. Arthur Rank hears of the Classic's and Agar's plans he may well throw a spanner in the works by the wholesale projection of the televised broadcast in his already equipped London theatres. Aside from this specific action on television there is a considerable smoke-screen about the field in general and about the adaptation of color to newsreels and to television. So far, however, General Film Distributors, Ltd., is the only organization which has come across with anything practicable in the way of colored newsreels. They announce that a Technicolored three-reel "Victory" subject will be available to their customers early in the week following the parade. This is not strictly a newsreel. Castleton Knight, general manager of Gaumont-British News, started production on it many months ago ; has had the bulk of it in cold storage this long while. It is intended to be a sort of anthology of Britain's contribution to Victory. Presumably newsreel shots of the actual parade will be cut into it. Pathe Studies Color Pathe, under its newsreel chief, Howard Thomas, has been having quiet talks with a color promoter and inventor, Arthur Locan, who has an impressive record in the research field. Mr. Locan does not vouchsafe particulars of the principle on which he has been working, but demonstrations on extremely improvised apparatus show remarkable results. Mr. Locan claims that his system— he calls it Supracolor — costs far less than Technicolor, is processed in shorter time, and demands less light in projection. The Locan interests also have devised a color television system. Mr. Locan claims tliat this system (which provides its own BRITISH FILMS SHOW INCREASE IN 1946 Eighty-three British features were registered in London during the year ended March 31, 1946, compared with 356 foreign features in the same period, the British Board of Trade reported Monday. This compares with 67 British and 377 foreign pictures for the previous year. British short subjects rose from 157 to 175, and foreign short subjects declined from 354 to 301, the Board reported. transmission system based on color pulsations of fuller color reproduction by interlocking sequences of eye reaction colors over the whole spectrum) can be used in television apparatus receiving transmission of other standards. The Locan system derives from the combination in a new fashion of the "interlaced" television system with color transmission; rotating filters of a novel type being used at the camera and plus "twofold interlacing." At the receiver end, however, no moving parts are involved, a stationary filter being used instead. The transmission is ef¥ected on a reduced frequency band width. Uses Medium-Priced Tube It is claimed that the system is operative on medium priced, directly-viewed Cathode ray tubes. In this case, all mechanically moving parts are absent at the receiver end. Extremely high voltages, moreover, are not required. This end is achieved through the medium of a special "line grating" based on the principle of interlocking colors. Mr. Locan maintains that — given manufacturing facilities — a convenient type of fair-priced television receiver, showing high color quality, can readily be developed on these lines. His claims excite considerable interest hereabouts, not only among radio set manufacturers, but also among promoters of wide-screen television. Set Publicity Campaign For "Duel in the Sun" With plans for the over-all publicity, promotion and exploitation campaign on David O. Selznick's "Duel in the Sun" almost completed, Sid Alexander, eastern advertising and publicity director, has announced the realignment of his staff. Ted Baldwin is now in charge of promotion and exploitation. Under him are James Eastman, assistant; Herb Berg, special assignments, and George Bernstein, exploiteer. Joseph Roberts continues as publicity manager. Refinancing for British Lion to Pay Expansion London Bureau British Lion Film Corporation was to have issued Friday £200,000 ($800,000) of ordinary stock in the proposed recapitalization of the company following its purchase by Sir Alexander Korda. It is understood the stock was to be offered in one-shilling units at a price of five shillings each, this expected to yield the £1,000,000 required for the financing. British Lion, one of the smaller distribution organizations this side, was made into an uncommonly profitable business by the late Sam Smith. Holders of the previously issued £25,216 ordinary stock received no less than 50 per cent dividends annually for the past three years. Studios Included In January last, following Mr. Smith's death, control of the company was acquired by the Korda interests. Included in the assets acquired, in addition to the flourishing distribution business which held the British franchise for Republic's films, were the Beaconsfield Studio and a half share in Worton Hall Studio, both of which plants were under Government requisition during the war. Sir Alexander has made public ambitious production plans which demand as a minimum the delivery to British Lion of three top-ranking features before the end of 1947 and not less than six in 1948. Because of the smallness of the acquired studios, British Lion has paid £380,000 for a 75 per cent controlling interest in the Sound City Studio which, although it has seven floors, will be considerably enlarged. It is to finance these wide plans that the new issue is to be offered. The first step taken by the Korda interest was to create new ordinary stock to the face value of £100,500. In other words, British Lion's directors now have on their hands something like £663,000 unissued capital, comprised of £463,000 preference and £200,000 ordinary stock. Seen as Rival to Rank The present operation will be the first step toward setting up an immense fabric which, although it will not equal in physical dimensions the vastness of the Rank holdings, will be a serious rival to the Rank dominance in the production and distribution fields. How soon the Korda crew will get down to the practical job of picture-making is a speculative matter. Definite long term contracts have been entered into with Herbert Wilcox, Leslie Arliss and Anthony Kimmins. Producer Edward Black also has been loaned to Korda by MGM for at least one year. Vivien Leigh, Gary Grant, Paulette Goddard and Ralph Richardson have all been signed for varying terms. 32 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 8. 1946