Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 18 June 1927, page 32


FILM INDUSTRY.

STANDARD IN AUSTRALIA.

Canberra as Second Hollywood.

SYDNEY, Friday. - Mr. Frank Hurley, who has produced several motion pictures, gave evidence before the Royal commission on motion pictures to-day. He said that the complaint of film exhibitors tin

Australian productions, generally, were not up to standard was justified. He suggested that a board should be caught started

judge the quality of Australian and British films, to determine whether they were worthy of presentation. It should consist of a member of the trade, the Commonwealth censor, and an independent in histrator. It was not enough That Austin

lian films should be up to a certain Standard an entertainment for Australian and cocoa. The film stories should have world-wide appeal in order to obtain

world market for them. Of suitable stories there was at present, not a wide range, but if a market were created many capable writers would be found to supply the material.

Mr. Hurley added that he would also recommend the establishment of a central studio at Canberra, where the climatic conditions were ideal. The studio would be the means of developing the city v

quickly, ranking a second Hollywood of Canberra, in four or five years. At least £250,000. capital would be necessary to establish the studio. An ordinary pro-gramme picture suitable for a world's market would cost from £15,000 to £20,000, find occupy a producer's time for several months. To assist the film industry in Australia he advocated that a tax of 1, on every reel shown should be used as a Government subsidy, for the industry, and that a, heavy duty should be imposed on the "positives," or actual copies, of films which were imported, in conjunction with a low duty on negatives, from which the copies were made. This would compel American organisations to send the negrotives to Australia and so provide work for many persons in making the positives from them. He considered that the suggested quota of 50 British and 20 Australian films annually was too high.

FILM STORIES WANTED.

All-Australian Season.

Starring Melbourne actors and actresses and forming the feature of a comprehensive' all-Australian moving-picture season, The film, "Environment" will be screened twice daily at the Palace Theatre from July 23 Australian music will be played at the screenings by an orchestra of Australian musicians, and Australian songs will be sung by Australian singers, given the projecting ' machine to be used is of Australian manufacture It was made in Sydney, and is claimed to equal the best imported machines.

Mr. Vaughan C. Marshall. completed the production of "Environment in Victoria recently for Advanced Films Proprietary Ltd., which is an Australian firm.

As the company is anxious to obtain an Australian story by an Australian writer for its next production, it intends offering a £100 cash prize for the best story (suit-able for a scenario). Mr. Marshall wishes to emphasise on writers 1rs desire for a story synopsis, and not the scenario form. A committee of three well-known Melbourne citizens will be appointed to act as

judges.

Full details of the story competition, as well as the personnel of the judging committee, will be announced next week.

The leading roles in "Environment" are played by Miss Beth Darvall and Mr. Hal Percy (now with the Maurice Moscovitch company in "The Ringer"). Included in His cast are Miss Phyllis Best, a daughter of Sir Robert Best, Miss Kitty Mostyn," nil Messrs. A. Scarlett and J. Joyce. The story was written by Mr. G. M. Boyle.

Mr. Marshall will interview those who desire to act for the screen on the two Wednesday mornings of the season at the Palace Theatre. Endeavours will be made to give them private screen tests.