FILM HOUSE MONTREAL- Various Elements Until 1983, a Meeting Was Held Munications' Staff
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INE WWQ Helping you put it TRADE NEWS ail together is wfiat we'ie oil about. Budget wreaks havoc with film THE indusby-one year delay sought FILM HOUSE MONTREAL- Various elements until 1983, a meeting was held munications' staff. of the federal budget, tabled on on November 18 at the National The meeting resulted in November 12 by Minister of Film Board in Montreal, which representations to the Minister Finance Allan MacEachan, brought together represen Francis Fox by a delegation have dealt a serious, if not tatives of the film organiza comprised of Jack Gray, presi mortal, blow to the Canadian tions in Canada. Federal reps dent of ACTRA, Roth, director film industry. were present, including James Robin Spry and producer Jo In a move which was applied Domville, film commissionner seph Beaubien. "We have every to all tax shelters, MacEachen and president of the NFB ; hope that the government will announced that "taxpayers Andre Lamy, executive direc hear our arguments," reported will be permitted to claim only tor, and David Silcox, president Beaubien. Open skies policy one-half of the normal full- of the Canadian Film Develop There is no doubt that indus year's capital cost allowance in ment Corp.; Ian McLaren, try reps have got the message the year of acquisition." This director of Cultural Industries through to the Minister of Com a tlireat to Cdn pay TV effectively reduces the CCA for for the Department of Commu munications. What is not clear Canadian films to 50% in the nications ; and several mem is whether he can reach the TORONTO - The federal De nals, such as U.S. pay-TV's first year and 50% in the second, bers of the Minister of Com (cOnt. on p. ZO) partment of Communications Home Box Office, and several applicable on January 1, 1982. is expected to reverse its pre 'superstations', without fear of In other measures, the bud sent policy and permit the pri prosecution. At issue for some get reduced the top income tax vate reception of U.S. satellite time has been the individual's bracket from 68% to 50% - re television signals by individu right to receive satellite TV sig ducing the incentive for the Filmplan phases out, David on move als, federal sources say. nals, as persons are entitled use of tax shelters- and will no MONTREAL - Pierre David has Gas, The Fright and Comics) Federal Communications by law to receive all conven longer allow the interest on announced the creation, in and Filmplan International II Minister Francis Fox is expect tional TV and radio broadcasts, loans taken out to finance 1982, of Mutual Prd«uctions which has made two more this ed to announce the new policy versus the ability of the satellite shelters, to be tax deductible. U.S.A. based in Los Angeles, year {Dreamworld and Video- November 28 in Toronto. It is antennas to steal pay-TV sign The effect of the measures and the simultaneous closing drome}. Claude Heroux has anticipated the new policy will als. on the already fragile film in down of production functions been line-producer for all permit only the private use of Apparently, Ottawa will dustry is the subject of a by Filmplan International. shoots. earth stations by individuals or come down on the side of the serious debate. Although most Filmplan's affairs will con "I've enjoyed working with families using their own anten free right of use for individual producers admit that they can tinue to be administered by Solnicki," comments David, nas, and that Ottawa still reception. live with the reduced CCA, the Mutual Films Corporation Ltd., "but with Mutual Productions would prosecute anyone bring The federal government has abruptness of its applications is a wholly owned division of in Montreal and LA., I'll be able ing in the signals and retrans lost two important court cases thought to be wholly inappro Civitas Corporation Ltd. to work without a partner. mitting them for commercial concerning the reception of priate. "The CCA system may David, president of Filmplan Mutual will be fully owned by gain, such as cable companies, satellite signals in recent not be the best system," com and of Montreal-based Mutual Civitas." Increased mobility, or owners of apartment blocks. months. Charges of operating ments Stephen Roth of RSL, Productions Ltd., told Cinema and a willingness to work in Earth stations - bulky satellite an illegal earth station were "but the government has no Canada that the new arrange L.A. are crucial, according to dish antennas about eight to dismissed against Shellbird business removing it until ment will allow him to "struc David, for continued success in twelve feet in diameter and Cablevision Ltd. of Comer- something else is in place." Al ture projects in the U.S. or the feature sector. costing close to $6000 - enable brook, Newfoundland, on Oc ternative methods of govern Canada outside of the hmits of Guy Desmarais of Geoffrion, users to receive television tober 29, after Newfoundland ment support must be forth the tax shelter," and says that Leclerc, an officer of Filmplan signals direct from satellite Provincial Court Judge Gordon coming, according to Roth, if he has already been hired by International and the broker transmissions, bypassing such Seabright ruled that satellite an independent production Universal in L.A. to produce a who handled its public offer conventional carriers as public reception and redistribution sector is to exist in Canada. film next year which it will ing in '79 and '80, told Cinema broadcasters or cable. Federal did not constitute broadcasting In an effort to convince the fully finance. Canada that recoupment on sources say the estimated as defined in the Broadcasting government to postpone ap Since 1979, Civitas and Jillian the '79 package had now number of known earth sta Act. The company had been plication of the half-year con Film and Investment Corpora reached 50% and that last year's tions in Canada is around 300, receiving and rebroadcasting the signals of the U.S. Public vention for film investment tion, owned by Toronto lawyer offering had already brought in with the actual figure possibly Victor Solnicki, have shared an 40%. "We're still missing the around three of four times Broadcasting System, and has interest in two companies, revenues on major sales to higher. resumed broadcasting the sig Contents^ Filmplan International which Home Box Office and the net If private use of earth sta nal even though the Canadian see page 6 produced six features [Dirty works, and we expect to fully tions is permitted, users would Tricks, Hog Wild, Scanners, (cont. on p. 4) be able to receive foreign sig (cont. on p. 4) r^ • • • • • ADVERTISING JO MOTION PICTURES IS OUR ONLY BUS NESS 1407Y0NGEST. • Product Reels • Theatrical Trailers TORONTO, ONTARIO IVI4T1Y7 • Teaser Trailers • Audio-Visuals •Television Commercials Michael Goldberg/Joel Reitman • Radio Commercials • Print Advertising (416) 964-7539 wsa^-'i^^^^ Cinema Canada/December 81-January 82/3 CIHE_MA^ Technical realities forcing political hand ..... C Fl loses key staff in dispute clude continuous updating Commission, not the CRTC. OTTAWA - Five employees of Radio-Television and Tele of the satellite signals andThe the Canadian Film Institute and computerization of data." communications Commission delivery point of that signal Under the terms of a 1972 Also, the CFIplans to establish Intergovernmental Agreement have tendered their resigna has announced its intention to into the home, if it were through tions over objections to the a new Documentary Film Fes appeal the decision. cable. between Canada and the U.S., tival in 1983 to complement the both nations agreed that neither manner in which the CFI was A County Court judge in Bri Paul .'Vudley, head of the being administered. The International Animation Festi tish Columbia also dismissed Tele-Canada application for a would, except on an incidental val currently being run every and periferal basis, beam any resignations were accepted by the Crown's appeal of an earlier Canadian pay-TV license, ex the management. other year. Plans for building pressed apprehension of the satellite signals across the decision acquitting Lougheed Piers HandUng, associate an Omnimax/Imax theatre in proposed federal move to per border without the prior con Village Holdings Ltd. of operat director of the CFI and spokes the capital are also in the mit the private use of earth sta sent of the other government. ing an illegal earth station at its man for the group (which also works. tions by individuals, fearing But recently the FCC has grant 760-unit apartment complex in includes the director of the that it would only be a matter ed several U.S. carriers the Burnaby. The Court decided National Film Theatre in Ot of time before the cable com right to provide trans-border that the Crown failed to prove tawa, the regional coordinator Distiibutors furious panies demanded their right to satellite services, including that satellite signals constitute and the editor of Film Cana- receive and retransmit satellite transmission of TV signals, TORONTO - Canadian distribu radio communication as de diana) called for a public in TV signals. Once the Canadian conditional on the subsequent tors are irate about the new fined under the Broadcasting vestigation of the CFI, claiming cable companies start receiv approval of the Canadian gov valuation rates, effective Nov. 4, and Radio Acts. that the board of directors is ing and retransmitting signals ernment. Canada was not con established by the Customs Communications analyst now "self-elected" and that "no directly from the U.S., said sulted in advance of the FCC and Excise Division of the Sandra Gathercole said the annual meeting of members Audly, they effectively would decision, but now appears Department of Revenue.