The Moving picture world (November 1921)

December 31, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1057 Hodkinson Urges Careful Preliminary Examination of the Overseas Market THAT the American film market is only just recovering from an overplus of indifferently done pictures, and that British producers, if they plan to enter this market, must send over their best, is the opinion of W. W. Hodkinson, president of the Hodkinson Corporation, and a pioneer of some fifteen years' experience in the motion picture business, as recently reported in one of the English magazines. "Perhaps you may recall," said Mr. Hodkinson to the New York representative of the Film Renter and Moving Picture News, "that some two years ago I endeavored to interest the leading British producers in a plan to enter the American market under auspices that would have gone far toward removing much of the uncertainty inevitably attendant upon a venture of this nature. "When the attempt was finally made, the only effect was to flood this market with a great many pictures which I firmly believe to be misrepresentative of the best British product, and the enterprise not only failed but it left the exhibitors of this country under a cloud of misapprehension as to the character of British pictures. The few English films that have come to us under skillful handling by those who have specialized on the needs of our picture theatres have proved successful. Foreign Pictures "Naturally, the vast size of the film industry of America has made it difficult for imported product to gain a foothold ; there has been too much domestic product to absorb. Germany has thus far had greater success than any other European country in popularizing her films here. This has been accomplished through the infinite care with which they are prepared for American consumption, and you will always find a German film coming out under the banner of some distributing agency thoroughly equipped to get out of the market all the market can give. "Italy has sent us very little accept the spectacular film in which mass scenes predominate. In this respect, the Italian importations have even surprised our own creators of spectacular features. France sends us comparatively few pictures, and I have also noted a marked falling off in English films." "What will be the effect of a tariff on foreign pictures?" was asked. Fffect of a Tariff "Picture production in this country," said Mr. Hodkinson, "has long since passed out of its swaddling clothes and needs no protection as an 'infant industry.' If England, France, Italy, or Germany produces a beautiful picture, let's have it by ajl means, The American public is entitled to view it as a work of art, if for no other reason. There is no occasion to penalize ability ; if every really worthy film produced in Europe were brought to this side, it would hardly reflect a moment's disturbance in our own market. "On the other hand, such a tariff may induce retaliatory action on the part of European countries, and here is where the shoe will pinch the American producer, for American pictures are popular in foreign markets, and the export revenue accruing to the American producer is a constantly increasing factor in his income account. "Our theatre-going public can and will readily absorb any ordinary tax placed on exceptional foreign films, but the European is carrying all the taxes he can bear, and the addition of a few centimes a seat for the privilege of witnessing an American film will go a long way toward convincing the Frenchman that he can get along very well without Chariot and his American film-compatriots. A Boomerang "The importation of foreign films into this country is a small factor. A tax on them wouldn't produce enough revenue to pay for its collection. But the export of American films is a very large and rapidly growing industry, and retaliation on the part of foreign countries would inevitably have the effect of By ROBERT Z. LEONARD Director General Tiffany Productions THE deeper one studies the field of motion pictures as a whole the more impressed one becomes with the fact that this industry is one of many angles and subdivisions. But when all the different problems of production, exploitation and distribution are viewed collectively, one realizes that the supreme problem is simply one of reconciling art with the dollar sign. In other words, a director must at all times realize that in addition to being a creative artist he must also have an intelligent understanding of the market conditions prevailing in the industry. Within the scope of my experience as a director I have seen many accomplished and sincere men wielding a megaphone, who refused to allow their creative work to be influenced by the advice of experts upon whose shoulders rested the responsibility of marketing the finished production. There are many facts about the motion picture business which we do not like restricting our export business. The tax would be a boomerang; it would kill revenue instead of producing it. "Only the very best of foreign films come here, anyway, and these will continue to come, tax or no tax. The public will, as usual, foot the bill. The one thing I fear is the practical certainty that any tariff we impose will very quickly result in retaliatory duties on the part of European countries. Thus, the tariff imposed here wouldn't cause a ripple of concern, from our own standpoint, but any action Europe took in retaliation would seriously affect our entire export business. "From a purely esthetic standpoint, we have much to learn from the European producer in spite of our leadership in the industry. He has recently turned out some clean, wholesome and well-conceived films — something we need. He isn't submerged by the heavy expenses of the 'star' system, and is constantly working out new and impressive effects. Therefore, let's welcome the foreign film and give it a free market. Perhaps we can learn something from it. "I should like to see British producers pay more attention to the 17,000 picture theatres of this country. It is a huge market, served by a constantly improving product, and there is no reason why the English film, carefully prepared for America and brought here under strong auspices, shouldn't make money." to admit. One of these is the fact that every detail, artistic or otherwise, connected with the making of a picture must be measured by a monetary standard. In other words, everything put into a picture must be of direct benefit to the box office. The drama, in some foreign countries, is subsidized by the government. Men of artistic ability can do many things purely in the interest of art, because their efforts are not directly dependent upon public response. But in pictures we must sell ourselves to the public. If it buys us we are considered successful ; if the people do not support us, we are, by all rules of the game, unsuccessful. Thus it is that the successful director is an artist first, and a manufacturing merchant afterward. Many people T have met are of the opinion that the principles of art and business will not mix. I think that they are wrong, and if I may say so, what success I have enjoyed is due to the fact that I realized that my pictures must be sold by the exchange to the exhibitor, and then by the exhibitor to the people at large. Reconciling Art with the Dollar Sign Is the Motion Picture Director's Task