Compulsory Quota For Australia?

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 230, 17 December 1927, Page 23 (Supplement)

Compulsory Quota For Australia?

£BOO,OOO Taken Away ANTI-BRITISH FEELING

The Australian Film ComJ mission recently had before it ! a keen supporter of a comI pulsory quota system, to open | the screen to Australian producers, in Mr. John F. Gavin, j who said he had played 300 ! parts during eight years in ' America, and had made 26 ; features himself.

Mr. Ga/in suggested 20 per cent, as the quota. “That is not a bit too high,” he said. “We have the talent, the audiences, and just as much brains as the Americans.” “Within three years,” he declared, “it would mean another million people to Australia I have seen Hollywood grow from a bush track to a great city. It is unthinkable the millions that are made out of pictures.” Mr. Marks, chairman: What would happen if Paramount and the other big distributors closed up? Mr. Gavin: There are so many independent producers in America a shipload of stuff would come into this country that would keep us going for three years. Mr. Marks: But are the pictures any good ? Mr. Gavin: They are very good pictures. £25,000 FOR £450. “My last big success,” said Mr. Gavin, “was ‘The Martyrdom of Nurse Cavell. It cost under £ 450, and its net earnings were over £ 25,000. That was in Australia, the United Sta.tes, Canada and England.” Witness explained how he and those interested with him in that enterprise had unfortunately not reaped the full reward of their efforts. “All the pictures that are made are sold in New York,” said Mr. Gavin. “The first thing they ask is: ‘Who’s your lead? Who’s your director?’ If they do not know them, you have no possible chance. The motion picture industry in the United States is controlled by Jews, and they are very keen buyers. First they ask what your cost of production was. A stenographer makes estimates, while the film Is screened, and if you have over-esti-

rh Ve mated by 100 dollars you have no chance.” < Witness related how in several cases, when it was discovered that he was an Australian, he was told to get out; that they had not enough work for their own boys. That was in 1918. ANTI-BRITISH FEELING “They do not like to see an English picture on the screen,” he continued. “A kind of cold feeling comes over the place. It is not so bad with Australians. They are fighters. But the Englishman says nothing and goes home to brood over it. They will not bear a film in America with the British flag in it. I saw a gazette shown in Los Angeles once, and it was greeted with hissing. That was in 1918.” Witness told how, half an hour after a German picture was shown in Los Angeles, 25,000 people in the streets were wearing badges saying they would not have German films. Even the Mexicans, he said, had got tired of always being represented as greasy outlaws, and as the result of action by the Government the picture producers were now making them “a little more like gentlemen.” Mr. Marks interpolated a story of how he had seen a leading lady obliged to kiss a man suffering from tuberculosis 25 times, and every time she went away at once to wash her mouth and throat with disinfectant. “No wonder they get big salaries, the risks they have to take,” he said. Mr. Gavin said Harold Lloyd was now one of the richest men in America, and Mr. Roach, who made short comedies, was a multi-millionaire. His comedies were shown in 35,000 theatres every night. He received five dollars from each theatre, and the comedies would cost about £7oo' to produce. What must it be like, he asked, with a great feature such as “Ben Hur”? Mr. Marks; Would you put the quota on the distributor as well as the exhibitor? Witness: Certainly. Mr. R. R. Doyle, managing director for United Artists, said his company In America would be prepared to handle Australian pictures, but the trouble was they would not guarantee a return to any producer. It was .the only company working outside the block-book-ing system. Mr. Marks: You think there is a chance of our stuff, if it is up to standard. being shown in America? Mr. Doyle: Certainly. You vourself would be after it?— Quite so. Have you been offered any Australian pictures?—Well, we were offered “The Term.” like the rest, but we would not give a of any return. PRICE ARRANGING Asked what he thought of "The Romance of Runnimede.” Mr Doyle said he would admit that it was a good film, but he did not think it would command much money in America. Americans would not appreciate it as Australians would Senator Duncan: You would line price-arranging for Australian pictures, but not for American? Mr. Doyle: I think there is pricearranging now in an open market. Mr Doyle said .hat as a taxpayer he would very much against the Government undertaking fhe gi?ve risks involved in establishing a national i studio.