Trade News North (Nov 1977)

PemnNCNG 2 623 6 Filmmaker as Entrepreneur We must find ways of encouraging the development of the entrepreneurial spirit in a larger proportion of filmmakers and technicians. This would serve to direct their significant skills and knowledge to worthwhile commercial projects. Such development is an essential mainspring for the future evolution of a viable feature film production industry with a strong position in the Canadian and international marketplace. We must nurture more filmmakers who can be “men of action’ as well as “men of knowledge’. There are a few filmmakers who are already able to marshall actors, writers, technicians and the necessary monetary resources, and combine these with the leadership and administrative skills of the film producer. These are the characteristics that result in innovative productions capable of achieving meaningful “share of market”’. As a business consultant, providing management assistance to closely held, growth companies, I regularly observe two key factors, namely: — the very central position of the entrepreneur, and the ability of that entrepreneur to successfully utilize the appropriate technology. Entrepreneurs, regardless of their background or their business activity, are vigorous creative people who: adapt to rapidly changing situations, respond enthusiastically to both stimulation and response, persist and try a variety of approaches when necessary, are creative and open to innovative ideas. In my view, and based upon my observations and experiences, one of the main reasons that we do not have a feature film industry in Canada is that we do not have a sufficient number of individuals prepared to apply these essential ingredients to the problems of filmmaking! To date, we have generated a series of film projects. Some have received critical acclaim (the entertainment business has never thrived on critical success) but most have been financially unsuccessful. The result has been an unfortunate thrashing and casting’ about to establish blame, to attack other industry segments, to attempt to penalize certain sectors, to invade the capital accounts of specific organizations, and to endeavour to constantly change definitions. and guidelines so that it is virtually impossible to track or measure impact and trends. There is much talk of an industry and industrial development, but with too few of the traditional industrial influences. Canadian entrepreneurs, their counterparts like around the world, are generally apolitical and . seek to avoid the non-productive confrontation of lobbying activities. They are attracted by the challenge of the marketplace, the opportunity to be their own bosses, the freedom to explore new ideas! . Filmmakers and _ technicians somehow must be excited by these same factors. and not interested solely in the production experience. We must consider how entrepreneurial skills and characteristics can be developed. Can such a subject be taught? Probably only to some limited degree by an appropriate miulti-disciplinary approach. Courses that included aspects of law, marketing, human factors, and accounting, would be useful. In fact, the University of Waterloo has included a similar course as a permanent part of its Engineering curriculum. Such exposure could be useful, but it is doubtful that film entrepreneurs would be created. A more dramatic approach is through direct exposure — working with other successful and knowledgeable film producers. The net result means achievement, excitement, and money! Canadian filmmakers today have a very real opportunity. Attractive financial incentives are in place and steps are being taken to establish keen interest on the part of CFTA Winners Category Best Overall Film Public Relations Sales Promotion Travel & Recreation Nature & Wildlife Sports Title of Production Under the Polar Sky Don’t Forget to Smile Under the Polar Sky Winterfun Canada The Narwhals Came Behind the Scene . Sponsor Northern Construction Hospital for Sick Children Northern Construction Can. Govt. Tourism Undersea Research Ltd. Mediavision Inc. National Finals Rodeo Educational & Instructional T.V. Information Public Affairs Special Jury Award The Whole Body Manual Greenpeace Voyages to Save the Whales Ontario Milk Mktg. Board nt o NFB, Canada Council, BC Cultural Fund. Produced by Canawest Films Chetwynd Films Canawest Films Crawley Films Insight Prod. Inc. Greenpeace Film producers and investors around the world. A very few individuals have already stepped into the void and are taking advantage of this opportunity to apply technology and to innovate both in terms of filmmaking approaches and financing. Unfortunately, at the same time, a vocal few are attempting to make the exercise a political issue — grounds for promoting actions that could lead to transfer payments from one sector of the industry to the other, and, nicely described, LIP Grants. I don’t believe that this is the way to approach a highly complex undertaking and deal with the basic question of how we can produce more, better and financially successful pictures. Government fiscal measures support the financial requirements of the filmmakers. However, funds without a sufficient number of entrepreneurs will not solve the problem, and it would appear that this is one area where government can have little real impact. Until there are sufficient individuals functioning as full-fledged film producers, any further policy development by Government will achieve limited success. This very fact underlines the vital need for Canada’s film policy to be flexible, to recognize the limitations that the absence of entrepreneurs creates, and to maintain appropriate incentives so that individuals will, more and more, be attracted’ front the ranks of filmmakers to the ranks of producers/entrepreneurs. The challenge today is to put our pictures on screens around the world, to reduce the level of confrontation amongst the various filmmaking sectors, to stop reacting to pressure, and to maintain our regulations and definitions, while, at the same time, stimulating the entrepreneurial potential which may act as the continuing spark for our new and developing film industry. ; ‘Y: Millard S. Roth Executive Director The Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association Producer & Director Kelly Duncan Robin Chetwynd David Cherniak Kelly Duncan J.W. Turpie Patrick Crawley Crawley Films Joe MacInnis Mediavision Inc. Rupert Macnee Steve Hyde Pen Densham Michael Chechik Ron Precious Fred Easton The Craft awards went to Kelly Duncan for Direction, Laszlo George for Cinematography, Ron Payne for Script, Bill Street for Editing, Bruce Carwardine for Sound and Larry Crosley for Music. Canadians Faring Well OTTAWA — In mid-October, Andra Sheffer and Dinah Hoyle of the Secretary of State department compiled the statistics relevant to the certification of films as ‘Canadian’. To date, 36 films have received certification according to Part A of the application. (Part A involves the project of the film; producers can request a ruling early on in the production. Part B, however, requires the final audit, done by a chartered accountant, and can not be ruled upon until the film is completed and the books closed. Producers have one year from the date of completion of principal photography to apply for the ruling under part B. Certifications awarded under Part A of the application can be withdrawn if the information given in Part B is not acceptable.) The films which have received certification are as follows: The Keeper, Recommendation . for Mercy, Point of No Return, Wilderness Trails, A Sweeter Song, Aho... au coeur du monde primitif, The Man Who Skied Down Everest, Shoot, Canadian Grand Prix, Hamlet, Goldenrod, Des idées des pays des hommes (a series of 10 films from Via le Monde), Panique, Who Has Seen the Wind, L’eau chaude l’eau frette, Deadly Harvest, Death Week-end, Rituals, Rabid, Skip Tracer, Homage to Chagall, Jacob Two-two Meets the Hooded Fang, Tell Me My Name, L’ange et Ja femme, Bretheren, Partners and Starship Invasion (working title: Alien Encounter). The categories examined and the percentage of Canadians in those categories follows: Directors 94.5% Screenwriters 91.4% Art Directors 100% Director of Photography 100% Music Composers 87.5% Editors -97.6%" Lead Actors 48% Second Lead 64% Ms. Sheffer commented that the low percentage of lead actors was partly a result of the ten documentary films which were included and which have no actors per se. Nevertheless, of the 25 lead actors tabulated, only 12 were Canadian. This result reinforces the charges made by ACTRA concerning the slight use made of ifs members in feature films. Despite the commotion caused at the Cannes Festival last May about _ the definition of a Canadian film and the subsequent press coverage, it seems that no changes will be made in the definition of a Canadian film. The statistics have been judged by the SOS department as proof that the present definition is working well. Current Releases On the Big Screen: Starship Invasions is the official title for Ed Hunt’s Alien Encounter, and Warner Brothers spent a half million dollars opening the picture in four hundred U.S. theatres in October... Why Shoot the Teacher passed the one million dollar box office gross mark in October... Outrageous took in $16,000 in its first three days at Toronto’s Odeon York Theatre... Cathy’s Curse, a Cinepix FrancoCanada co-production written and directed by Eddy Matalon, opened in Montreal and Toronto in late Fall. Pic is about a young girl who manifests, in typical grisly fashion, a curse on her family. Stars include Alan Scarfe and Randi Allen... Another in the Cinepix Ilsa series opened in Toronto and Montreal in October. This one’s called The Tigress... The National Film Board’s Games of the XXI Olympiad was seen by 45,000 people in CFTA Awards TORONTO — At a luncheon held on Oct. 28 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, attended by 250 persons, the Canadian Film and Television Association announced the winners of their fifth annual motion picture awards for sponsored productions. The Canadian Film and Television Association represents over 90 motion picture production companies and laboratories in the private sector who produce sponsored films and videotape productions for business, industry and Government. Guest speaker at the luncheon was Harry J. Boyle who retired recently as chairman of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. This year there were 70 entries CUNEO v ee TATarardraratara) its summer-long travel across the country. An outdoor theatre, dubbed Cine-Route, was used... Allan King’s Who Has Seen the Wind opened for its world preem on location in Arcola, Saskatchewan on October 19, and promptly set a record for the longest run for any film to play there: five days. On the little screen: Global TV has purchased TV rights to several Canadian Films, including Rituals, Breaking Point, Partners, Recommendation for Mercy, Shoot, A Quiet Day in Belfast, and Child Under a Leaf... World of Wizards, an Insight Productions hour-long TV show, was seen on the CBC October 8. The advertiser had bought the time period, the only real method for independent films to get on the network... As part of the OECA series Saturday Night at the Movies, a Young Canadian Filmmakers series will be run. in the competition, 18 more than the number of entries last year. Awards were presented to those judged best in seven categories. In addition, a special jury award was made. Craft awards were also given.for best direction, cinematography, script, editing, sound recording and music score. The award for best film of the competition was won by ‘‘Under the Polar Star,’’ sponsored _ by Northern Construction Co. Ltd., Vancouver. B.C. A highly topical film, the production was entered in the category of sales promotion and dramatizes the sponsor’s expertise in pipeline construction. The film, by Canawest Film Productions Ltd., Vancouver, B.C., was produced and directed by Kelly Duncan.