BRITISH FILMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19692, 20 January 1926, Page 13

BRITISH FILMS.

AN AMERICAN OPINION. VALUE FOR PROPAGANDA PURPOSES. EFFECTIVE TRADE PROMOTER, The value of the motion picture for trade promotion and national propaganda is just being reorganised by tbe British Governments, says the National Bank of Commerce in New York. At a time when a great advertising programme is urged to build up British foreign trade so powerful a medium as the film cannot fail to be utilised. The Government recently called attention to the loss of invaluable advertising through the films, which now accrues almost entirely to tho United States. The Federation of British Industries reciprocated by holding a meeting to discuss the social and political effect of the foreign film invasion in British countries. The producers of motion pictures have made their supreme effort to re-establish the national film industry. A syndicate was formed in the summer of 1925 by a number of British producers who hoped by combined effort to face the competition of imported films. The Board of Trade, an official body, has taken under consideration a programme for Government assistance. Although it is unlikely that any direct subsidy to producers will be granted, there is strong expectation that the Government will aid in the creation of a large national studio for production. Regulations affecting the exhibition of foreign films may soon be a, reality. „ „ GREAT CAPITAL OUTLAY.

Capital is needed in large amounts to enable the producers in England to improve their position. The world standard for motion pictures is now the American standard. American pictures cost on the average from 100,000 dollars to 200,000 dollars, with super-productions running into a million or more. This rate of expenditure is far beyond the present reach of any European industry. So long as the public taste calls for expensive pictures the British producers must struggle against heavy odds. The British market for motion pictures is second in importance to the American. There are more than 40,000,000 people in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, against over 110,000,000 in the United States. Yet the output of British pictures is far from being one-third the volume of the American production. It is well known that 90 to 95 per cent, of the pictures shown in the British Isles are of American origin, as are almost all those shown in the EmP *At its best, in pre-war years, the British industry furnished about 25 per cent, of the pictures shown in the country. The war naturally diverted energy and capital from picture production, hut the six years following the war have not strengthened the national industry, on the contrary, the situation in the winter of 1924-35 was the most discouraging in its history. SOME EXCELLENT REPORTS. After the winter and spring depression in 1925 a noticeable improvement has become evident. Partly owing to the prospect of Government aid producers feel more hopeful for tho future. Several new British pictures have just had trade showings of which excellent reports are given, and two new producing companies have been organised The British Government’s interest in the fortunes of the film industry became evident when the Budget for the fiscal year 1925-26 was made public. One of the items in the tax programme was the restoration of tho Jl'Kenna duty of 33 1-3 per cent, on foreign motion picture films. The duty, however, is not a formidable weapon of defence, states the bank. A five-reel negative, 5000 ft in leugtb, would be subject to a total duty of about fIOO.