Script, Screen and Art magazine
by Tom Foley
..... and a prosperous New Year to you all.
Though with the lack of professional production planning on up-coming films the outlook for the year is rather bleak for our freelance members. In an effort to help, your Committee would like all such members to contact the Guild and supply sufficient data to enable us to compile a list of freelance members for publication and distribution to interested production houses. If we can get such a scheme to operate efficiently the members will have to ensure that they keep the Committee informed of their current status. This is the nearest we can get to acting asan employment bureau - at least for the moment. Your Committee has a number of plans and ideas which we would like to initiate in the coming year but nearly all require the active participation of you the members - and how many of you have really become involved in your own Guil0? Unless you attend meetings and actively support Guild activities you are severely limiting the work of your Committee. Is one night a month really too much to set aside for activities relevant to your professional abilities??? Make this your New Year resolution - for your sake.
MANY THANKS! ... for all the articles and contributions for the magazine - all one of them - and that was unprintable. (Four letter words are becoming a bit of a bore).
CONGRATULATIONS ... to Barbara Laletin of Porter's who made it legal in December. She almost made her brand new (?) husband a widower at the festivities which followed by nearly falling overboard. Sincere best wishes for the future to Barbara and Rodney from us all. Congratulations also to JOHN McCALLUM who received an C.B.E. in the New Years Honors List - a worthy tribute to someone who has been a good friend and supporter of the Guild. CHANGES ... Malcolm Smith departing from the C.F.U. to work with Eddie Scragg at SCOPE FILMS. David Huggett takes the plunge from freelance to FONTANA Films. Freelancers Graham WHELAN and Richard HINDLEY are at the C.F.U.
EVENTS ... GENERAL MEETING.. WEDNESDAY 13th January ... 7.30 prn The spectacular success of the Commonwealth Film Unit at the recent A.F.I. Awards can no longer be attributed to lack of competition or preferential treatment. The Australian habit of 'knocking' the home product or person will undoubtedly apply with these recent awards but no matter. The C.F.U. has progressed from the old 'D.O.l.' films to where it can take its place as one of the best documentary units in the world - on par with and maybe even better than the National Film Board of Canada. I am not one to give praise lightly but it cannot be denied that the pool of talent at the Unit is the best insurance for the future of the Australian film industry in all its spheres. If it were granted the same degree of autonomy as the Canadians, the uhit's future successes could lead to the same increase in quality features as has happened in Canada. This coming-ofage of the Unit must raise all sorts of questions so ... Producer G I L BREALEY will be our Guest Speaker on Jan 13th at the Commonwealth Centre Theatrette and will introduce 'THREE TO GO' - Grand Prix and Silver Award winner - together with one of the young Directors associated with this trilogy. We will also screen 'BIG ISLAND'which won the F.E.G.A. Award for ROD ADAMSON who will also be present to answer questions. A good night is expected but for Members only.
THINKS ... why are cutting rooms always like monastic cells with only the minimum of essential equipment?? What is a standard dubbing cue sheet?? Why don't you contribute to the magazine and Guild activities??
STOP PRESS 'WAKE IN FRIGHT' will have a Guild preview as soon as the (Ugg) Censor has done his thing. Viewing strictly limited to Members only. Tom Foley Reminder ... membership fees are now due and Treasurer Bill Stacey advises that prompt payment will help us to pay all of those nasty January bills. Part of your fees go to this magazine and what with mailing lists, receipts etc the sooner you pay the easier it is for the Committee. Employment ... the idea of having an Employment Bureau for f reelance members has been taken a step further. To facilitate the compilation of a central register of members available for employment - would all such members who wish to be listed please contact Miss Susan Toohey on 439 3341/2. This service is available to paid-up members only. Raise your voice . . . with the N.S.W. State elections on the horizon the time is ripe for some pertinent questions to be asked during the hustings. I have yet to see any reference to film or television production aid in any of the Partie's manifestos. Though I suppose that we in N.S.W. should be accustomed to brIand indifference or very sure, prior to elections, a token handout from Askin & Co. Government and public apathy will only be stired if we in the industry raise our voices. Will YOU bother???? Screenings ... a report on the very succesful screening of 'MICHAEL' and 'THE BIG ISLAND'will appear in the nest issue. We also hope to have a follow-up to the private screening of 'WAKE IN FRIGHT'held on February 3rd.
Complaints ... and/or contributions to this column are welcome - even begged!!!