Healthy Revival In British Film Industry

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 98, 16 July 1927, Page 23

Healthy Revival In British Film Industry

Shortage of Studios TRADE COMMISSIONER'S COMMENT A healthy revival in the British film industry is responsible for a shortage of studios in the Motherland. THE SUN’S Wellington corrspondent sends the Movie Editor some interesting information conned from a report by H.M.’s Trade Commissioner, Mr. L. B. Beale. So effective has been the impetus given in recent months to the British film-producing industry that there is a shortage of studio accommodation

at Home. This is announced in the trade bulletin received by the British Tr&de Commissioner, which also mentions the slow progress of the passage of the Film Quota Bill—the measure that will bear almost directly upon cinematograph legislation in this country. FILM QUOTA BILL “Progress with the Film Quota Bill, which is now before one of the Standing Committees of the House of Commons,” it says, “continues slow, as a large number of amendments have to be considered. “Although this measure cannot be . said to have gained the entire support of all sections of the trade, it is becoming recognised that some such support as is offered by this Bill is necessary to re-es-tablish British film production in the United Kingdom. The Government has made various concessions of a minor character to meet the wishes of the trade, and for other reasons, but in the main, the features of the Original Bill have been maintained.” Satisfactory progress in the lilmproducing industry generally in the United Kingdom is reported by the bulletin. “There is no doubt,” it comments, “that a great deal of this activity is due to hopes of better times in store for British film producers through the expected passing of the Film Quota Bill. A stage has now been reached, which could hardly have been anticipated even so lately as six months ago, when there is an actual shortage of studio accommodation in the United Kingdom, where projected pictures can actually be made. “As there is likely to be a continued increase in the number of British films being made at any given time, the shortage of studios is a serious matter, and steps are already being taken in some cases by enlargements and in others by the building of entirely new studios to provide sufficient studios for the future needs of the industry. AWAITING PRESENTATION “As an indication of the progress made in the film-producing industry in the United Kingdom, it may be stated that there are at present eight British films completed and awaiting presentation to the trade. In addition to these there are eleven pictures in course of production, and in many cases nearly completed. “Further plans have been made for the production in the near future of no less than twenty-nine pictures, while it may be expected that other subjects will be announced before very long. These figures are sufficiently striking in view of the rather low state into which the industry had fallen until recently.”