Trade News North (Nov 1977)

Odéon (continued from p. 1) Paul Morton of Global TV, Barry Allan of Premier Operating and Michael Zahorchak of the Canadian Theatres Groups. We spoke with Mr. Zahorchak about his bid, and asked him if he thought he could do a better job administering Odeon than the present group had done. ‘“‘No one will know if they can do better with it until ‘they get it,’ he replied. “Once your’re in the theatre business, the bigger you get, the better your chances to buy pictures.” For Zahorchak, the Odeon bid was essentially a more to strengthen his position to get product. There is little motivation for a distributor to book into third and fourth position chains when the first place chain has available screen time, according to Zahorchak. By a fluke, he managed to get Star Wars in conjunction with Odeon, and he’s not complaining about it. But in other cases he needs to use pressure to obtain product. The fact that he alone controls all the theatres in a given area, i.e. Niagara, gives him some leverage. But there’s a better way to do business, and getting bigger is one of them. Getting the Odeon chain would allow him to cover all of the national territory. For the moment, Canadian Theatres has houses in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta. One surprising rumor was the entry on the scene of American Multi-Cinema, owned by the Durwood family of Kansas City. The Durwoods operate in 81 cities and control 419 screens in the. USA. Their hypothetical expansion into Canada was also motivated by the need to secure more and better product. The Durwoods would not be eligible to bid on Odeon unless the Governor in Council so rules. Whether a ruling has been requested or obtained is unknown but some heavy lobbying was being done in Toronto in October. The Odeon chain consists of 160 screens, 20% of which are owned in partnership with Canadians. Rank was originally asking $30,000,000. In all,.the company employs about 2000 people, many of whom are part-time. Universal Produces TORONTO MCA Canada Ltd. has established a canadian production office which will operate under the name of “Universal Productions (Canada)”’ and be located at the company’s head office in Toronto. Appointed to head the new operation is Canadian filmmaker, Murray Shostak, who has had extensive experience in the Canadian motion picture industry, both in theatrical and television production. Shostak, who assumes his duties immediately, stated: ‘‘the formation of Universal Productions (Canada) will enable Universal to work closely with Canadian filmmakers, in an effort to encourage and stimulate the development and production of commercially viable motion pictures in Canada.”’ 2. The Actors Union in France got some mileage out of René Léves-, que’s recent visit to Paris by declaring a ten-day strike to underline their discontent with one of Lévesque’s cultural policies: support to the dubbing industry in Quebec. A battle has been festering be-. tween the two countries ever since the Quebec Law Concerning Cinema was passed in June 1976. In the law, the government gave its backing to a local dubbing industry. As things would have it, films dubbed into French in Quebec can not be shown in France. — Negociations have been on and off for the last two years. This summer they were undertaken in earnest. In June and again in August, delegations met to discuss the problem. As if to underline the importance of the problem for the acters in Quebec, the P.Q. government sent Mr. Gérard Frigon, the deputy Double Trouble minister of Communications, to the negociating table. Facing him was the General Director of the Centre Nationale de la Cinématographie. Nothing much was decided, and the Québécois came away feeling that the French government was extremely reticent to make any concession. Nevertheless, the P.Q, government is serious, and is aware of the tremendous importance of the Franco-Québécois connection, especially for the French. They, after all, benefit more from the cultural give and take — considering what an exceptional marketplace Québec is for French cultural products — than do the Québécois. Quebec has declared that if the French are unwilling to reconsider the matter, Quebec might retaliate through restrictions in other domaines. Just think what it might mean if all books read in French in the province had to be printed by a Québécois printer... etter trom the publisher Trade News North is just that; a trade journal, published in Canada, conceived to cover all aspects of the film industry here. Especially important, in this, day of increased marketing consciousness, is the news from the distributors and exhibitors which is often drowned out by the enthusiastic output of the producers. Production news will have a central role to play, to be sure, but Trade News North has space to include everyone. This current issue is not a ‘normal’ issue. First, several important reports have been published this month; censorship statistics, the annual Canadian Film Development Corporation report and the first evaluation of the Nouveau Réseau. These reports have been resumed or excerpted in this issue because of their importance to the industry. But they do make the issue more dense than will normally be the case. Second, because of the density of this first issue, the regular chronicals have not been published. They will appear in the December issue. Nevertheless, we count on _ feedback from the readers, and will build Trade News North to suit the needs of the industry. You tell us what areas you'd like to see covered, which information you can furnish, what we should be looking for, and we'll do the rest. Trade News North is newsoriented. The tabloid format allows for great flexibility, and news should be ‘up to date — at least as up to date as the Canadian Post will allow! Trade News North’s job is not to comment but to inform. And, for this, we need support, information and feedback. We extend our apologies to those outside of the Montreal-Toronto-Ottawa area. As_ usual, news from the golden triangle is easier to come by than news from other regions. We will establish permanent contact with corresspondents in the filming centres across the country and réflect the activity coast to coast in the future. Deadlines did not permit better communication prior to this first issue. Trade News North hopes to facilitate communication between all those who work in the industry. No one need insist on the differences of opinion which have plagued our industry for so long. Trade News North is a positive voice; one which facilitates communication and which, in the long run, may have the effect of helping those of differing opinion to understand — if not to agree with — each other. Trade News North is independent of all interest groups and associations. It guarantees the free circulation of information and will promote the industry in general. Trade News North is available free with every subscription to Cinema Canada. This insures a large distribution from the beginning among those who already follow the Canadian filming scene regularly. In addition, it is available by separate subscription. Cinema Canada will continue on, filling its role of publishing feature articles of information, opinion and criticism while Trade News North will bring you all the news on what has become a blossoming film industry in Canada. Trade News North was founded by Jean-Pierre and Connie Tadros and is published by the Cinema Canada Magazine Foundation. Second class mail registration has been requested, Subscriptions rates are $5 a year within Canada and $10 in other countries. Trade News North is available at no cost to subscribers of Cinema Canada. All correspondence should be addressed to Box 398, Outremont Station, Montreal, H2V 4N3. West Coast VANCOUVER — None of the feature activity which has kept Montreal and Toronto busy seems to be finding its way out to the Coast. News from B.C. indicates that all is quiet on the western front: much too quiet for anyone's liking. Only two features have been made there this year. Flashback was shot in Lilooet and Ants was made in Qualicum Beach. There have been repeated nibbles and inquiries, but nothing definite so far as to other projects. The British Columbia Film Industry Association is counting on newly appointed film officer Wolfgang Richter to right a wrong situation. Richter’s plans are to publish a Film Production Manual which-the BCFIA had put together last year, and to take out ads in Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. Although it is premature it comment on Richter’s efficacy, all are relieved to know that the B.C, government is seriously interested in turning that filming situation around. ! And speaking of the BCFIA, the executive has appointed John Taylor to the presidency. The post was left vacant when Fiona Jackson left earlier this year. Taylor is Executive Producer in the Vancouver office of the National Film Board of Canada. Westerners note with pride that Canawest films won several prizes at the CFTA Awards with Under the Polar Star, a sales promotional film on building the Trans Alaskan pipeline. Kelly Duncan directed, filmed and edited the film. Honors too went to Greenpeace Voyages to Save the Whales, a film made by Michael Chechik, Ron Precious and Fred Easton. The Doldrums film has been sold to PBS in the States. Meanwhile, the other companies look after the bread and butter with commercial and promotional films. Circle Research has been producing spots for Copytron while Peter Reusch Pictures has completed some other spots for the Attormey General’s Dept. (B.C.) on Drinking and Driving. Take One is producing for Molsons, Trident Gum, Hudson Bay and MacMillan Bloedel. A new company, Western Video Systems has just incorporated in Vancouver. It is a service organization and is equipped with 2 CEI 310 Broadcast Color Cameras, one of which is equipped with a Steadicam Mount, Toronto Growing TORONTO — A new studio with two sound stages as its basis is in the planning stages for Toronto. Cameraman and entrepreneur Zale Magder has the design ready and is waiting for a building permit. The two million dollar complex will have two large sound stages with full office and support facilities for each. To be located at Pharmacy and Eglinton in Toronto’s east end (near Global TV’s headquarters), the complex coul be ready by next year. f' Magder has always kept his editing and sound facilities at advanced technology stages; recently a computer-editing machine was installed at his present downtown headquarters. TV Prods Look Good TORONTO — A Toronto Niteclub will be the scene and set for Riner’s Diner, a TV special to be shot in Toronto this Fall. It’ll be.a mix of variety, music and comedy, with a very contemporary audience in mind. Known and unknown talent, domestic and foreign will be featured in the two hour shoot, with plans for a one-hour special as a result. This effort will be used as a pilot to sell a series with international locations. Producers are Telestage Incor| porated. The show was created by Sunseal Communications, a broadcast consultant company in Toronto, and it will produce for Tele Stage. Producers are Riner Schwartz (host), Philip Tunis and Sean Ryerson. Tim Thomas is handling audience relations and PR, Clowns is to be a one-hour variety special from the CBC. It was a cabaret show in Toronto last year, and CBC variety head Jack MacAndrew saw it and boughtit. Writer Jeri Craden is TV-ising her script and songs, and Rob Iscove will choreograph, produce and direct. Peter Mann is in charge of music. The filming site will be the Ontario Place Forum, and 3000 school children are being sought ee ee ee Py Pa Vg wl Were are. tr alas & he BANE as audience... Search and Rescue, the CTV-NTA-NBC series shot this summer in Kleinburg is being touted as possible prime-time material, At least NBC has asked for a feature script outline to show in the prime time hours... Another chapter of Morley Torgov’s A Good Place to Come From will be adapted for TV by the CBC. Producer will be Robert Sherrin and filming is set for the New Year. A coast-to-coast talent search will be held to find the lead: a brilliant nine-year-old precocious Woody Allen... Torgov’s daughter Sarah is an actress, and she’s currently in an episode for Ralph Thomas’ For the Record Series, They're Crying up the Streets. Robin Spry is directing from a script by Cam Hubert (Dreamspeaker), and the star is Len Cariou. Also in cast are Jayne Eastwood and August Schellenberg, a reunion of sorts for the One Man team... Don Franks returns to film to appear in the show. Donald Brittain is finishing The Champions, a CBC-NFB profile of Trudeau and Levesque... Claude Jutra finished shooting Seer is Here, a prison comedy starring Saul Rubinek. Film is for Thomas’ series, and was shot in Vancouver.