The British Academy of Film &lelevision Arts NEWSLETTER JANUARY 1 9 8 7 talked with David Plowright, Managing Director of Granada Television, to float a similar idea. FRONTISPIECE David was receptive to the proposal but for a A HAPPY number of reasons it was not possible and we let the suggestion drop. But we failed to count on HAVE written many times about the ways in the determination of the BAFTA North Com­ NEW YEAR I which our awards structure is scrutinised, mittee and in particular the tenacity of its Chair­ often leading to change, and you will read man, Peter Ridsdale Scott. Peter has worked FROM THE elsewhere of the newly created Huw Wheldon tirelessly on the project and it is because of him award for arts programmes and the return of the and the generosity of GRANADA that this year Rediffusion award for educational programmes. I the CRAFT Awards will be the subject of a large­ CHAIRMAN would like to illustrate other areas which cause scale, big budget programme which will run at problems and take our time and consideration. least an hour and be fully networked during Paramount among these are the Craft Awards. prime-time on the Sunday evening prior to the - and don't forget to keep those voting papers Production & Performance Awards. There may Some years ago, these were presented on the coming in, please. Once again, it's your awards be some same televised evening as all our other awards. weary Willies who will complain about and it's only two and a half months to both the The only concern was that they were given in going to Manchester, but the way I see it is that Craft and Production/Performance presenta­ our commercial breaks and were considered industries are based throughout the tions. More about awards elsewhere in this throughout the industry to be second class. We, Kingdom and I am personally proud that we newsletter. of course, never believed this. We then decided to have come from the days of almost throwing these split them from the production and performance awards away to an equal status with their A healthy, happy and successful 1987 to you all. categories and give them a special evening of more glamorous equivalents. Second class? their own at the Academy. There are those, and I Never! GRAHAM BENSON am one of them, who thought these evenings CHAIRMAN were an outstanding success. They were BAFTA North has been our model and inspira­ marvellous jolly occasions which had the bonus tion. The Academy's idea has spread even fur­ that, having created a new and separate forum, of making a proper use of our Headquarters. This ther North and BAFTA Scotland came into be­ the possibility now exists to expand the awards was a view shared I believe by our President, ing on Sunday, 7th December, with its first open­ into other educational areas as and when they HRH The Princess Anne, who usually graced ing session. There is an article about this by the jostle for recognition. these events. Chairman of their Steering Committee, David NEW Bruce, elsewhere in this newsletter. It may be The 30th Anniversary of Schools Broadcasting They still however lacked the glamour and ex­ that BAFTA Wales will be the next step towards in this country has, therefore, given us the op­ posure of being part of a television programme. an even more national view of the Academy. portunity to tackle the vexed problems of two Through our friends within the industry and AWARDS This idea has progressed to the extent that a very important areas of the nation's television thanks to the generosity of Channel Four, we meeting has been set for early January with in­ output. eventually achieved this aim and for the past terested parties. I have previously told you that INCLUDED in the Awards Suggestion Papers three years there has been a programme on that there are those in Los Angeles who are looking recently sent to you was notification about channel, albeit of a somewhat limited nature. AN OLD AWARD RENAMED into the possibility of a chapter in that city. The some new awards. I am now able to expand on Two years ago, the Committee of our Northern It is with great pleasure that I am able to tell you thought of the Academy becoming truly interna­ that information. chapter, BAFTA North, asked Council if we tional is very exciting. We have come a long way that in future the SHELL AWARD will be would consider the Craft Awards moving to since we lived in two rooms over a tailor's shop in THE HUW WHELDON A WARD known as the RICHARD CAWSTON Manchester. The Council of that period gave a Great Portland Street. AWARD. Dick was the Shell Award. He had somewhat cautious approval. We thought the In memory of Huw, both as a distinguished per­ been the inspiration for the award and its guiding idea had slim chance of success, partly because son in television and as a Fellow of the Academy, light from its inception. It was SHELL who asked sometime previously I and the then Chairman, REGINALD COLLIN an Award has been named in his honour and will if we would consider the change and of course we James Cellan ]ones, made a vi,it tu that city aud DIRECTOR be given for the most distinguished television were delighted to agree. Dick has a special place programme in the field of the arts. Council in the history of our Academy and to remember believe that this is a most appropriate way of his name in this way gives us great happiness. perpetuating the name of this great man of televi­ BAFTA SCOTLAND sion. REDIFFUSION/"FLAME OF Howard Thomas, CBE KNOWLEDGE" AWARDS Award systems cannot be perfect and the quest THERE is to be a Memorial Service for the late to make them less imperfect never ceases. This Howard Thomas at St. Martin-in-the-Fields year the opportunity was grasped to do on Thursday, 15th January at 12 noon. We something about Childrens' and Educational are sure many members will want to attend. programmes. With hindsight, it was illogical to During his distinguished career, Howard was join them in the same category, as practitioners Managing Director and later Chairman of in these two fields have never ceased to point Thames Television, out! and Chairman of Thames Television International. He gave a great deal of Now they have been separated for reasons his time to the early days of the setting up beyond pragmatism and fairness. BAFTA is of our Headquarters as a member of the Board of recognising the programme-makers great con­ BAFTA Management. The industry has lost one tribution in the Schools Broadcasting field, and of its pioneers. wants to ensure that the ever increasing impor­ tance of educational broadcasting is given both recognition and status in a more deserving and enlightened way. AWARDS Happily, 1987 provides an opportunity for an in­ novatory approach. May 1957 saw the transmis­ sion of the first broadcast to schools, when ITV From left to right: Reginald C ollin, lain Smith, Graham B enso n, C hris Maclean and David Bruce was still in its infancy. It was Associated­ AWARDS Rediffusion who displayed that vision and THE Mission was the film chosen to Glasgow will obviously be invaluable to us a nd courage, and now, 30 years later at BAFTA's inaugurate BAFTA (Scotland) on the 7th we feel we are very fortunate to have her. request, THE FLAME OF KNOWLEDGE December 1986 at the Glasgow Film Theatre, For our first meeting A WARDS are being re-introduced under the AWARDS and maybe there was more than a touch of mi s­ The Miss ion was accom­ generous sponsorship of BET / Rediffusion. The sion and achievement about panied by lain Smith, Associate Produce r and a the occasion. The awards will be administered and presented joint­ growing strength of film and television in Glaswegian who has justifiably acquired an ly with BAFTA on a separate occasion still to Suggestion Papers Scotland in recent years has been observed with enviable reputation for getting movies made in be announced. For the first time practitioners in some pleasure, and maybe even surprise, by the extremely difficult circumstances, The Killing this field will have the chance to participate at an THE final date for returning these papers is population north of the Border and the Fields being among his previ ous c redits. Co­ event which recognises their specialised contribu­ Monday, 5th January 1987. Remember, it's establishing of BAFTA (Scotland) is both a incidentally, lain was returning to the v ery tions. your suggestions which are needed to make the logical and very welcome development. Even building which was the base for his e ntry into list as representative as possible. Please act now logic, however, needs a help occasionally and it is features - Bertrand Tavernier's Glasgow film There will be 3 awards which will cover Primary, and send those suggestions to Doreen Dean, the generous support of the broadcasting Deathwatch. The Mission and lain's vivid account Secondary and Continuing education. Beyond Assistant Director at the Academy. organisation in Scotland, (BBC, Scottish Televi­ of its making gave us a memorable start to sion, Grampian and Border) and of BAFTA itself BAFTA (Scotland) and we are very grateful to that has given us the reality. him and all those who made the event possible. It was an important occasion for film and television Reception Desk BAFTA (Scotland) now has two years to in Scotland not least because it provided alm ost establish itself as a going concern.