FILM INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 10 August 1928, Page 3

FILM INDUSTRY

SIR VICTOR WILSON’S VIEWS,

AUCKLAND, Aug. 7

A distinguished visitor who arrived by the Ulimaroa from Sydney this morning is Sir Victor Wilson, K.15.E., president of Motion Picture Distributors of Australia. He was commissioner for tho Australian section at tho British Empire Exhibition at Wembley from 1923 and was the representative of Australia at the opening of the Exhibition in April, 1924. He was the first Minister for Markets and Migration, being on office from January. 1925, until June, 1920. in which year lie was created a K.B.E. In his own characteristic words, Sir Victor said: “I am the Chamber of Commerce of the film industry and the spokesman for it. My sphere of activities is Australia and New Zealand and I have come over here to confer with the New Zealand section of the industry.” It is more than likely, although Sir Victor does not sav so, that lie will give evidence before the Select Committee on the Cinematograph Film Bill now' before Parliament.

Asked what progress was being made in the Commonwealth as far as the production of films was concerned, Sir Victor said that the great difficulty was tho market. There were only 6,000,000 people in the Commonwealth, and the average earning power of a film was £2750, while production costs were anything from £SOOO to £IO,OOO for an average picture. For an Australian production to be successful there must be an overseas market and so fur this had been very disappointing, as Australian films were not being purchased outside the Commonwealth with any degree of likelihood of them being successful. \We cannot make films,” he added, “simply for our own market.”

As to tho British quota Sir Victor said: “The feeling generally in Australia, ns far as the exhibitors are concerned, is that the quota is not required as they have always been anxious to exhibit British films with a box office value. They feel that having done this they have done everything that is necessary. I will go further a,id say that there is an ambition among those engaged in the industry in Australia to secure more British films, but they must be up to standard as the public have become so well educated in the picture business that they demand the \ ery highest standard of production. Any intelligent individual can prove this by a visit to any picture theatre and see lor himself what class of audience they get when a poor picture is put on the screen. Tf a quota is made that exceeds the quantity of good British films available it must be disastrous to British films, because it would result in forcing something upon the trade generally known as junk. Whether or j no t the Government by legislation can | compel picture theatres to show certain films, there is no power under any Act, nor likely to be. to make the ! public attend it. It all fines itself ! down to the question whether the I exhibitor can pay twenty shillings in I the pound, and to be able to pay that j amount he must have the best productions possible.”