Sponsor (Jan-June 1954)

As gathered by sponsor editors from producers, agencies, stations, equipment makers and film companies, here are the facts: 1. Networks are adding color film equipment now, and there will be a limited, rotating schedule of colorcasts during 1954. Advertisers on this color schedule will need a certain amount of color film commercials; or they will have to do their commercials live. NBC TV for example, plans to air all of its network shows at least once in color during the year. 2. The average U. S. tv station, according to station and equipment supplier estimates, won't have local color film equipment (for spot use) before early 1955, which puts the starting date of spot color video a year away. 3. There's still a lot of work to be done in the 16 mm. field to resolve the problems of finding a good, stable, durable color film print stock for tinted tv. The 35 mm. color print stocks look much better on color video — but few stations have 35 mm. equipment for black-and-white: fewer still will have it for color. 4. Color experimentation is expensive. Just to shoot a minute announcement in color inste-ad of black-andwhite, according to Transfilm Executive V.P. Walter Lowendahl, will add anywhere "from 25 to 40% or more to the cost of a finished color negative." Thereafter, color prints cost about three times as much per foot. 5. The big question mark is RCA's Video Tape Recorder. If this gadget conies into widespread use in the next two years, it will make present color film commercials, on a processing basis, over-priced. Color may be cheaper, in other words, if you wait. ► Industry problems: In recent months, the business in tv film commercials has boomed along — but for the most part the boom has benefited the larger film producers. The smaller independent producers — those who do most of their business with local and regional accounts — cited two financial headaches to sponsor: 1. A narrowing margin between production costs and production profits has put the squeeze on the smaller film companies. 2. A general lack of film knowledge at the regional and local advertiser level makes life tough for small producers. As a result, several of the smaller 16mm Film Achievements w The Look off Things" It is a truism that the most perfect printing and projection in the world cannot make up for uninteresting subject matter in a film. But the opposite also holds true. The finer the subject, the more it deserves — and needs — perfect laboratory duplication to set it forth. This is why we feel that the finest combination of every factor won for the notable 16mm film subject THE LOOK OF THINGS the first prize in the Public Relations Category of the recent Cleveland Film Festival. The competition was keen, but this winner was outstanding. Every producer, every film man and, indeed, every individual with an interest in viewing a superior motion picture should make it his business to see this film. The producer would be pleased to arrange for screenings through inquiries directed to us. Precision Film Laboratories doffs its hat to this unusual example of a fine industrial 16mm color and sound production. Precision Film Laboratories — a division of J. A. Manrer, Inc., has 16 years of specialization in the 16rnm field, consistently meets the latest demands for higher quality and speed. PRECISION FILM LABORATORIES, INC. 21 West 46th St., New York 36, N.Y. . JU 2-3970 8 FEBRUARY 1954 95