Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Wednesday 8 January 1936, page 12


PICTURE FILMS.

AMBITIOUS PLANS

For First "Quota" Year.

28 NEW PRODUCTIONS.

If the hopes of the leading Australian film producers are realised, at least 28 full-length films will be produced In the coming year, which will be the first year of the New South Wales film quota One company alone-Cinesound-has planned fourteen pictures, as well as four which are to be made in Victoria Another group of companies intends to pro-duce at least six The Film Quota Act re-quires that 20 to 25 approved Australian pic-tures be made available by the distributors in the coming year

A number of the new films are to be made to the order of American distributing com-

panies

The first year in which the New South Wales film quota is to operate began on January 1 so far as distributors are con-cerned When 1936 is over, distributors must present a return to the Chief Secretary show-ing that 5 per cent of the films tiley have each made available in the year have been Australian pictures of approved quality Tor exhibitoio, however, the fiist quota year does ne1 begin until July 1 In the year ended June 30, 1937, each theatie must show 4 per cent of approved Australian pictures The later beginning and the smaller percentage for exhibitors is to provide for the inevitable gap between the production of a film and its circulation among the theatres far and wide One experienced producer said yesterday that It took five years for a successful film to finish its journey throughout Australia

This programme should keep the existing studios busily occupied National Studios, Ltd have two studios at Pagewood, and they will be occupied chiefly by the two produc-ing companies associated with National Studios, Ltd, namely, National Productions, Ltd, and Pacific Productions, Ltd Cinesound has two studios in Sydney and one in Mel-bourne Each of these, therefore, will have to turn out from four to six films in the com-ing year

Already several Australian pictures made recently enough to fall within the scope of the Quota Act have been approved, among them "Heritage," "Grandad Rudd," and "Splendid

Fellows "

CINESOUND'S PLANS.

Cinesound's first production of 1936, "Thoroughbred," will be finished within a few weeks The company will then embark upon "Big Timber," from a tale by William Hatfield, and is negotiating for a well-known American player to take the leading role, and Rolf Boldrewood's "Robbery Under Arms," with an English actor in the principal part Mr Ken G Hall will direct these One addi-tional film Is to be made foi release by United Artists Corporation, and two others each to the order of an American film dis-tributor Four romances, each 5100 feet in length, displaying Australian scenery, animals, and industries, and with local players in the leading parts, are to be made under the super-vision of Captain Frank Hurley from stories written by Mr Kenneth Wilkinson Four outdoor films with plenty of action will be made by a director who is to be brought from Hollywood These are for delivery to Ameri-can dlsti lbutors, who are required by the Act to include 5 per cent of Australian films in their annual output in 1936 In addition, now that a Film Quota Act has been passed in Vic-toria, Cinesound proposes to make four fulllength pictures at its St Kilda studios

National Productions, Ltd, aro not able yet to announce the titles of the three films that will follow "The Flying Doctor," which will soon begin production at Pagewood with Charles Farrell, the American player, in the leading role, but they expect to finish this film early in April and to begin a second production then Pacific Pioductlons Is busily engaged making short descriptive films, and advei Using and propaganda pictures This company will specialise in such work Already it has made a film describing the attractions of the Woy Woy district, and will soon begin one dealing with Blackheath for the local council It intends to make a full-length dramatic pic-ture dealing with the wool industry It is negotiating with the Queensland Government concerning the making of a series of descrip-tive pictuies in Queensland "Magic Shoes," a pantomime, has already been made by this

rnmnanv at Pagewood

MR CHARLES CHAUVEL S PLANS

It appears that the establishment of the film quota, is not to affect the established policy of Expeditionary Tllms the director of which is Mr Charles Chauvel whose Heritage won the Commonwealth prize last year

Mr Chauvel said that it was the plan of Expeditionary Films Ltd to produce two films a year behind which would be placed the full resources of the company The subjects to be filmed would be of uncommon inteiest and would have an international appeal

Mr Chauvel said that he was at present completing plans for the making of a very ambitious film as Expeditionary Films next .subject involving large capital outlay He felt that sufficient local players and technicians would eventually be found to fulfil all require-ments Uncivilised would be finished in a

icw weeks

Mr Zane Grey has announced that he in-tends to make a film while he Is in Australia Argosj Productions in which Mr Noel Monk-man who has made some distinguished nature pictures is interested propose to make an

outdoor film on the Barrier Reef

NEW STUDIOS IN VICTORIA

In Melbourne Mr Brnest C Rolls who is known In Sydney os a producer of lavish levucs and who has lately been staging some elaboiate shows with great success in Mel-bourne theatres has bought a sito for a film studio at Werribee near Melbourne proposes to erect three film making stages there and to make six costly films In his first year One of these will be Flame of Desire which will be a film version of a musical romance he Is now presenting at the Apollo Theatre in Melbourne The proposed transfer of Mr F W Thrings film producing activities f"om Melbourne to Sydney Is referred to In another

column

THE PLAYERS

Three players from overseas are now at work in Australia or are on their way here They are Helen Twelveti ces ( Thoroughbred )

Dennis Hoey ( Uncivilised ) and Charles Farrell ( The Flying Doctor ) Among the players recruited locally (though some of them carne originally from overseas) are John Longden Margot Rhys Ashton Jarry Frank Leigh-ton Kenneth Brampton Nellie Barnes and

Harold Meade

EMPLOYMENT FOR HUNDREDS

A member of the Clnesound company said ycsteiday that before the making of Thor-oughbred was begun a skeleton staff of 40 was employed at the Clnesound studios at Rusheutter Bay and Waverley To day there are 327 and It is expected that at least 100 will be added during the year As well many thousands of pounds have been spent and will be spent on ephemeral things and sei vices from dressmakers bootmakers florists still photographers and transport firms

About GO people are employed at the Page wood studios and when The Tlylng Doctor

is being made it is expected that another 70 people will be engaged Pacific Productions has recruited a staff of about 30 Expeditionary rilms is employing about 100 people