FINDING FILM TALENT PROBLEM

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1937, Page 16 (Supplement)

FINDING FILM TALENT PROBLEM

VISITING DIRECTOR OF PARAMOUNT

AMONG the passengers on the Aorangi, which passecl through Auckland a few days ago en route to Sydney, was Mr. Harry Hunter, from Washington, U.S.A., who succeeds the late Mr. John E Kennebeek as managing director of Paramount Pictures in Australia and New Zealand. Mr. Hunter has had a brilliant eareer with Paramount, having been associated with the company in various high positions in America for the past 20 years.

"To-day, more than ever before," said Mr. Hunter, "Hollywood is making an important issue of the varied tastes in entertainment. Production executives are completely conscious of the fact that they must strive to please distant and foreign countries, This part of the world, just as much as larger European centres, is considered by an educated group of men, whose duty it is to determine whether story material and planned production detail is in keeping with the desired tastes of world audiences. Paramount has long discarded the policy of producmg pictures with limited appeal, or with appeal only to 'home' or American audiences." Paramount, said Mr. Hunter, was actively engaged in , British production and that splendid progress was being made; There was a wave of enthusiasm in Hollywood just now, and Paramount _ in particular was proud of its productiqn activity.

Commenting on talent in Hollywood, Mr. Hunter claimed that this is the industry's greatest problem to-day and always has been. "Hollywood is not overflowing with this precious commodity," he said. "Talking picture requirements are so exacting that no artists come to the screen ready made. "Prospective players must be discovered by the many talent scouts, who are spotted all over the world. "They must be encouraged and trained tirelessly and, as I have said before, an important part of their training to-day consists of apprising them to their international responsibilities. Tliey must be taught to guard against anything that will misrepresent or injure any nation. It has been found that even trade can bematerially stimulated or reduced by the manner in which certain countries are represented on the screen." Mr. Hunter, however, commended the artistry and talent of the many hundred players at present engaged in Hollywood.