Sponsor (1956)

FILM (Continued) Q. Will new union demands affect film prices this fall? A. The most important negotiation underway at sponsor's presstime is the new cameramen s contract between [ATSE Local 0 1 1 and the New "i ork Film Producers' Association. It 's dilficult to estimate the effecl of this contract, once ii i signed, since there are hidden cosl boosts in il in the form of changed working conditions. I "i example, the film producers have agreed to a 200-hour rather than 275-hour quota of work over a fiveweek period before overtime sets in. This particular demand could ailed ist of a series of commercials more than the changes in basic scale, since commercials are usuall) ordered in packages ol minute-. 20's and I.D.s b) clients who want them done within a minimal time period. In terms ol basic wage scale, the union is asking sl20 daily for first cameramen instead of $100; $100 instead oi $75 dail) for second cameramen: $50 instead of $36.20 dail) for assistant cameramen; $75 instead of $50 dail) for >till cameramen. Negotiations were in the final stages at presstime. 'Idle basic wage scale demands. though steep, are not likel) to affect majoi film commercial campaigns for fall, since most producers pa) overscale in order to get top cameramen. Werage over-scale pa) for a first cameraman toda) ranges between $150 and $200 a day. Hut. of course, il -calc pa) wen |<> be $120, it' likely that the top cameramen would drive for higher pa) in their personal negotiations with indi\ idual producers. I he I \ I SE ( iartoonists union signed a new contract on I June which is likc|\ to boost the cost of animated commercials some 10'; immediateh . 'I he new contract pro ides foi a In, raise fur cartoonists, and since labor i ovei 00' ; of the cost of animated commen ials the effect on cost will show up righl away. \ third new contract, negotiated in Januar) 1956 but retroactive to 12 11 bei 1955, i with I VTSE Local TO!!, the Make-1 p Vrtists and II. n, St) lists union. I nder it term-. Ii in dressers got an increase from $30 to 8 >1 a day, and their working day on commercials went to 7:30 a.m. rathei than 5:30 a.m.. a il did pre\ i ously. Since the normal shooting da) •-tail around 8:30 a.m.. tin change in working conditions requiring overtime pay is another hidden cost factor. Still another contract, signed on 1 June, hut retroactive to March 10.10 is the one with the Film Editors Local 771 of IATSE. This contract provides for a 7'. wage increase during the first year. .''■' , dm ing the second. All told, the new union requirements are expected to boost commercial production costs h\ no less than 10' I and no more than \r>' < on the average over last year. Q. How much work is being done in color? A. Industry sources sav between 20 and 30%. This represents a fairl) sizable increase over last year, both in proportion to all commercials being -hot and parlicularlv in volume, since film business is up over last year. The increase in animated cartoon commercials seem to have contributed to more filming in color, since the cost differential in black and white versus color cartoon commercials is slimmer than in live action. Big network t\ advertisers are shooting more of their work in color than before, not onlv for use in color spectaculars, but also with an eve to the future. Q. What percentage does color add to the cost of commercials? A. The an-wei here varies not onlv b) technique hut from one commercial to the other. On the average, color adds most to the cost of making live-action commercials. Here the increase tend to be between 25 and ■ '>'.'>' , . One of the basic differences iin the amount of film exposed, but there are such additional hidden. under-the-line cosl factors as longer working hours to adjust lighting and make-up. With live talent, a directoi max find he has to shoot eight times to get the propei coloration. Whereas in animation, the control is on the cartoonists board. ( onsequenllv . color tends to add no more than 10 to 20^3 to the cosl <>l making an animated commercial. The usual cosl for color -lock in all processes is 20 cents a foot. Most fre ipienllv used processes for big commercial jobs are 35 nun. Technicolor and I astman. Industrial or sale films not intended for Iv are usuallv made on 10 nun. Eastman Kodachrome. Q. Are clients spending a reasonable proportion of their ad budget on production of commercials? A. Agencies tend to agree with film producers that the percentage of the l\ budget clients spend on the actual '"sell" is disproportionately low. A recent survey of the tv industry revealed that clients spend between 3' and V ! ol their tv budget on the commercials. "It's not unusual for an advertiser to bankroll a film show at $100,000 pei half-hour in time and talent."' one agency radio-tv v. p. told sponsor, " \nd then complain because lies asked to spend $10,000 for the three minutes he's got to sell in." In the past year there have been increasing dis< ussions in agenc) circles on the correct proportion to go into the sales message. A figure of 10' , ol the tv budget has been held up recently as a goal for the next year. Q. How can a client get the most out of his film commercials? A. Here arc tips from film producerinterviewed by sponsor: 1. Don't duller your commercial with too runny techniques. This ten dencv toward excessivclv elaborate Stor) boards and mixture of techniques may reach a point of diminishing returns this year. The danger is that the viewers will become so fascinated with the techniques, they" miss the salepoints. 2. Build your sales story around no more than luo main points. xou can't throw 500 ideas or concepts at a viewer without ((infusing him. It's better to dramati/e one or two product claims and explore them thoroughly, than to condense a volume into a minute. .'I. Illou the agency and film producer ample time for production. The less pressure for time you put on the producer, the more creative tou< hehell be able to develop and add to the commercial. Six week i still prettv much a minimum time requirement for am minute commercial. 1. firing the producer in at I fie rough storyboard stage, where his knowledge can still influence the development of the commercial. The Closer he can work with copywriters and agenc) producers in the early planning stages, the more likely is he to be able to make money-saving suggestions and add improvements to the commercial. 94 FALL FACTS BASICS