Ottawa to ~Eal with Broadcast Report 1 Non-Theatrica~ Indu~Try Looks OTTAWA - the Caplan- the Report Through the Various Communications and Culture
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
c I N E M A G • , R A D E NEW 5 • I Ottawa to ~eal with broadcast report 1 Non-theatrica~ indu~try looks OTTAWA - The Caplan- the report through the various Communications and Culture. to Ottawa for financial help Sauvageau report on broad- stages of examination. She has The members of this com casting has set off a flurry of ac- promised a n~w broadcasting mittee for the current par OTTAWA - Situation desper The interests of Canadian tivity within the department of act as a result of the study by liamentary session were ate repofts a federal govern non-theatrical producers and Communications as bureau- the end of the Conservative named Oct. 15 and DOC insid ment task force commissioned distributors should be the sub> crats weigh the implications of term of office. ers expect Jim Edwards (PC in May 1986 to study the non ject of stronger federal the political decisions which A thorough and exhaustive MP Edmonton South) to be theatrical film and video indus copyright legislation and a must be made; it will soon re- study of·the state of broadcast- elected president. During the try. joint federaUprovincial train ceive close scrutiny by the ing in Canada, the repo'rt has 1985 session, he served as the The 38-page report entitled ing program should be estab Commons. meet with general approval parliamentary secretary to the The Other Film Industry, re lished to help improve the use The Report of the Task within the industry, indicating minister of Communications. leased Oct. 6, recommends a of audiovisual materials in edu- Force on Broadcasting Policy - that the high expectations Edwards age 50 has spent $15 million per year support cation. informally, the Caplan- created by the time and energy most of his professional life in package for the industry to en Non-theatrical programs in Sauvageau Report - was offic- put into the study were met the broadcasting industry. In sure a balance between public clude films and videos used in iaIly made public on Sept. 22, (see article pp. 9). 1967, he joined CFRN AMIFM and private sources of product. classrooms from kindergarten 15 months after work had MacDonald has said that she in Edmonton, resigning his The main problem as the through university, audio/visual begun on what was, at first, a will act promptly to bring the post as general manager in task force sees it is that the trammg materials, 16mm six-month project. It is now report before the Commons, 1984. That year he was elected small Canadian market makes prints or videos borrowed the responsibility of the minis- the first step being to submit it it difficult for Canadian pro from public libraries or gov ducers to recoup the cost of ernment departments, de ter, Flora MacDonald, to guide __to the Standing Committee on cont. on p. 48 producing Canadian material monstration films or videos indigenously. Only 30 to 40 used in hospitals, museums per cent (or approximately and industry. UK accepts Cancon case-by-case $11 million) of the total non Co-chairpersons appointed theatrical purchases made in to the task force by the former communications minister Mar MONTREAL - The British tele signed in 1975 and amended in allowing for 14 per cent of all Canada in 1985 were of Cana cel Masse were Fran~ois N. vision industry has agreed to 1985 to include television. programming to be foreign of dian material. Sixty per cent of Macerola, commissioner of the grant a 100 per cent British "I would say a great clarifica which a minimum of 1.5 per this Canadian material was National Film Board of Canada content ruling to Canada/U. K tion took place," says Ferns, cent is reserved for Common bought from a federal or pro and Merit Jensen of the Win co-productions on a case by who is also a past president of wealth programming. This rul vincial government institution nipeg Film Group. case basis following a meeting the Association of Canadian ing has relegated CanadalU.K with the remaining 40 per cent from private industry. Task force members were Sept. 17 and 18 of the Canada! Film and Television Producers co-productions to the prog The report also states that Aimee Danis, Les Productions U.K Film and Video Mixed and the Canadian Film and ramming margins already the non-theatrical sector is du Verseau Inc.; Cari Green, Commission in London, Eng Television Association. crowded with U.S. programs "generally neglected or com Canadian Filmmakers Distribu land. The focus of the meeting and a high percentage of Aus pletely ignored when govern tion West; Bernie Hart, Media Paterson Ferns, president of was centered on the reluc trailian programs, Vladimer ment policies are formulated Services, Nova Scotia Depart Primedia Productions Ltd., To tance of Britain's Independent Skok, policy advisor with the and programs established." ment of Education; Les Mod- ronto, who has worked exten Broadcasting Authority (IBA), Canadian federal department Thus in order to ensure a 010, Marlin Motion Pictures. sively with the British industry the regulatory agency for inde of Communications, says the balance between public and as an independent Canadian pendent British television, to "defensive position" taken at private sources of production, give 100 per cent British con the outset of the meeting by producer, characterizes as major recommendations with Astral and Telefilm tent approval to CanadalU.K the IBA might have been ':successful" this meeting be in the support package are as co-productions under the ex avoided by more in-depth con tween representatives of both follows: governments, industry and tended agreement. sultation prior to the signing of into romance series a rebate program to encour unions. With jurisdiction over the the 1985 amendment. MONTREAL - Eight TV movies age increased purchases of The meeting was held to 15 independent lTV channels However, Skok says the based on the romance novel Canadian non-theatrical finalize details of the Canada! in Britain, the IBA has held fast mi.-xed commission succeeded will be shot in Montreal for ap material. UK co-production treaty to the British Broadcasting Act in softening this position. proximately 51 million each This was accomplished, he creation of a production on two week schedules. Emi says, by a clarification of the fund. tied Shades of Love, the series treaty advantages in Canada for establishing of a marketing, is being financed by Astral Film Taxes pull Viacom out of Be a British producer which in promotion and advertising Enterprises in association with VANCOUVER - Viacom Pro per cent withholding tax is just cludes 100 Canadian content program. First Choice Canadian Com ductions Inc., the Los Angeles a down-payment on what status and subsequent access a 150 per cent Canadian munications Corporation and company that is producing the could be as high as a 65 per to Canada's feature film and content credit for eligible UA House Romances Inc. (Los Return of Perry Mason series cent income tax on high-in broadcast funding. films shown on television. Angeles) with the participation which shot in Toronto and come performers; as well, The need for an agreement an increase in the capital of Telefilm Canada. The series Vancouver last year, has can hotel costs, airfares, transpor amenable to both sides was un cost allowance to 1 50 per will be released on TV and to celled its fall shoot in Van tation, per diems are being re derscored by Telefilm Canada cent allowable in the first the horne video market simul couver because of "uncertain classified as taxable). statistics showing 550 million year for eligible films. taneously in Canada and the application of Canadian tax The tax that is causing so generated by British/Canadian a tax credit of 1 50 per cent U.S. during the spring of 1987 laws to foreign performers." It much consternation, particu co-ventures outside of the co for Canadian corporations Stewart Harding is producer, is the first loss of a confirmed larly for B.C., whose film indus production treaty, in the past which use private produc Ken Atchity is executive pro production to hit the West try is 90 per cent U.S. gener two years, and 540 million tion companies to produce ducer. Coast, but will not be the last if ated, is a result of the new generated by co-productions. eligible films. Lilac Dreams, the first in the new implementation of in CanadalU.S. tax treaty, which The British were also Also recommended is that the series is shooting during come tax on foreign film stars offiCially came into effect nudged towards re-thinking the NFB should share half of its the first two weeks in October. is not relaxed or at least Jan. 1, 1985, though a year of their position, says Skok, by the production volume with pri Director is Marc Voizard. Dack clarified to U.S. producers. grace was given in which the undeniable high quality of vate companies; that Canadian Rambo who currently stars in While production com most beneficial treaty (old or Denys Arcand's Le Declin de distributors be allowed to ten Dallas as Jack E"'ing " 'i11 play panies in the East are being new) could be applied. In l'empire americain and der for the distribution of NFB the leading man. asked to open their books to 1985, then, U.S. performers Kevin Sullivan'S Anne of films. The CBC should avoid Titles in the series include federal audits, the 11 produc chose the old treaty which Green Gables, two award repackaging programs that Rose Cafe, Champagne for ers currently shooting in Van stated that employees of a cor winning Canadian films draw compete with private sector Two.