Film makers back delicensing bill

Press, 27 August 1980, Page 10

Film makers back delicensing bill

t 'A Wellington Film makers have sided with the Government over proposals to delicense cinemas, an issue that looks set to polarise the film industry. The Feature Film Producers and Directors Organisation, representing the country’s main feature film makers, 'has endorsed the Cinematograph Films Act Amendment Bill which exhibitors say will ' put small cinemas out of business and pronipt a flood of pornographic movies on to New Zealand screens. The bill, which has had its first reading in Parliament, is aimed at getting rid of anachronisms in the licensing of exhibitors and renters by delicensing cinemas. ; . , The film makers said it could only improve opportunities for New, Zealand’s developing film industry. The Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Highet) foreshadowed the bill in May as part of the Government’s policy of encouraging competition and removing restrictions wherever practicable. It is. hoped delicensing will encourage independent companies to open cinemas in suburbs such as Porirua .and Mangere,’ which in spite of their

large population have no commercial cinemas. . The amendment would bring electronic projection a step closer for New Zealand commercially. New cinemas would be likely to follow overseas trends for small “s tor e-front” theatres where electronic projection meant fewer staff were needed than the traditional canned film projection. But some sectors of the film industry look set to oppose the bill when it goes before a select committee in a few weeks. When Mr Highet announced the bill, the Motion Picture Exhibitors’ Association voiced concern that such changes would throw exhibition wide open for schools, sporting clubs and the like, thus draining audiences from small commercial cinemas. To survive, these cinemas would have to start showing pornographic movies— and they would get away with it. Without licensing there could be no policing, the association said. The film industry largely opposed the bill. Its members felt it was aimed at opening the field for Australian interests to start drive-in screenings in New Zealand. But just what the bill means to drive-ins is. not

yet clear. Mr Highet has rejected them, citing the petrol crisis and the econ'omy as why their introduction should be delayed. In May he said the amendment bill would not necessarily mean the allclear for drive-ins.

Delicensing would do away with the three-mem-ber Film Licensing Authority, which is charged with granting licences. As things stand, no person or chain may own or control more than 20 cinemas without permission from the authority.

It is npt yet clear if that provision will remain after the authority’s demise.

Although exhibitors have said delicensing will cause chaos, and . instability, other regulations take care of some of their concerns.

For instance, monopoly and take-over provisions of the Commerce Act should cover fears that big distributors and exhibitors may take advantage of freedom from licensing and squeeze out independents.

Local authority by-laws, building codes and fire safety provisions will take care of public safety and comfort of cinemas.

Film makers say that although they respect the existing theatre set-up, delicensing will widen their scope.

They lament the lack in the exhibition industry of a voice representing film producers.':-,, “This year the production- industry will employ more people than the exhibition industry. It will pay more in taxes and it will promote this country abroad,” they told members of Parliament in a note of. support for delicensing.-

“Our feelings on this subject are of paramount importance in any decision ON this matter.”

Signatories include the producer of “Beyond Reasonable Doubt” and “Middle Age Spread” (John Barnett), the producer of “Good-bye Pork Pie” (Nigel Hutchinson), its director (Geoff Murphy), the director of “Solo” (Tony Williams), and the director of “Sleeping Dogs” and “Nutcase” (Roger Donaldson).