cmDum FunriEUJs its membership (nearly 300). Salty the the preoccupation of the people in the Some Major Developments Sea Lion, a kid's series for television, is region." That's how Bob Verrall, head The major developments on the film shooting in the Caribbean, along with of English production for the National scene at the moment are John Hirsch, Swiss Family Robinson from the same Film Board started explaining the CBC Drama Head, reaching out for the genre. Police Surgeon is resuming in Board's plan to open more regional pro­ best talent available cross-country. Sec­ Toronto, and the CBC has three series duction offices throughout Canada, retary of State Hugh Faulkner being al­ going at present to keep all those dir­ "The basic objective is to reconnect the most ready to announce Phase II of the ectors, AD's and PM's busy. Other than Board to the country which is vast and national film policy, the National Film that — commercials, industrials and a inhabited by people who are less in- Board making plans to truly regionalise few low-budget features. cUned to move into population its production facihties by expanding to The involvement of fresh talent with centres." Winnipeg and Toronto in the fore­ CBC programming is the most exciting The program is well underway with seeable future, a strong showing by news in the wake of the CRTC's tough production units actively filming in Canada at Cannes and of course, Duddy and admirable directives to improve our Vancouver and Hahfax, and we've just Kravitz being picked up by Paramount public broadcasting system. Pierre received word that Jerry Krepakevich is for a July opening in the States. Juneau might be catching a bit of flak editing a documentary in Winnipeg and The new film policy might not be an­ for his outspoken decision on the CBC, getting settled there as the first staff nounced until after the elections but his judgement is vindicated by the member of the Prairies production of­ though, and the CFDC expected only roster of filmmakers being hired by the fice. Edmonton or Calgary, Quebec City three new project proposals to arrive by Drama Department: Don Shebib, Don and Sudbury are possible locations for its June 10th meeting, along with seven Owen, Peter Carter, Allan King, Rene future NFB regional centres, all encom­ re-submissions. The Global network is Bonniere, Eric Till, Ted Kotcheff, and passing the surrounding "region" as tottering on the edge of bankruptcy at John Wright are producing or directing their territory. The Vancouver office, press time, hoping to be salvaged from series episodes or Anthology programs. for example, now covers the Yukon and its $20 million predicament {Variety's Beverley Roberts is working with Till on Alberta, in addition to B.C. And as for figure) by the good graces of its credi­ four drama shows and Julius Kohanyi the Far North, a workshop is being done tors and/or an angel of mercy with a has replaced her as producer of the in Cape Dorset and another is planned fresh bundle. The CRTC has postponed Canadian Filmmakers Series. Julian for Frobisher Bay. its hearings on Canadian content in Roffman, Jim Innis, David Ruskin and But the major point in Venall's an­ commercials until the Fall in order to Maxine Samuels are working with John nouncement was the decision to open a give more time for lengthy briefs to be Hirsch as well, and the list doesn't stop Film Board production centre in prepared by interested groups. Cinema- there. Jack Darcus, Judith Eglington, Toronto possibly by 1975. Whereas be­ tographer Don Wilder CSC is drafting Leonard Yakir, Sylvia Spring and Frank the one for the Council of Canadian Vitale are the first young directors to be fore the prevalent thinking at the Board Filmmakers, which along with ACTRA's approached to take part in the new was that Toronto is a rich town with a and the Director's Guild is sure to ask apprenticeship/observer programme, de­ multi-milhon dollar film industry (and for 100 per cent Canadian content, signed by Hirsch to develop this coun­ therefore not in need of NFB involve­ claiming any lower percentage would be try's dramatic talent. Maureen ment), after their Board of Governors hard to pohce. O'Donnell has been hired as Drama's meeting here in April - when they got new publicist, in the wake of Colum­ to meet many local filmmakers - the CCFM Chairman and Directors Guild bia's pact with Astral which caused a lot powers that be changed their attitude. President Peter Pearson has proven to be of unemployment. They would like to estabhsh closer con­ a very active spokesman for our ailing tacts with the people in Ontario who production industry, along with CCFM The CBC is also planning major co- have been sending in many fine ideas to Vice-Chairman Jack Gray, who's also re­ productions both with private com­ the Board but have only been voices on presenting ACTRA's point of view. The panies and the National Film Board. the telephone until now. "Does this Council was going to organise the forum Coup d'Etat, Ultimatum, A Lark in mean that Don Shebib might be hired where Hugh Faulkner was to make his Clear Air and now Agency might be by this new Toronto office to shoot a Phase II pronouncements, but Anne done internally or with the private sec­ documentary on Cabbagetown?" I Dadson from the Minister's office could tor, whereas some NFB staff directors asked Verrall. "Why not?" he replied, not confirm a pre-election policy state­ are being told to clear their scripts with and went on to explain how these of­ ment at this writing. The Secretary of John Hirsch before presenting them to fices would work very closely with the State's Advisory Committee made its re­ the Board's own programming com­ Challenge for Change programme, con­ commendations to Faulkner late last mittees. The theme evenings planned centrating almost entirely on social doc­ year and Ms. Dadson didn't think it was jointly by the two government agencies umentaries and similar genres. unreasonable to wait for a public state­ have aheady been kicked off with the Community access to the media is ment on the matter for over six months. Arctic broadcast, and Adieu Alouette the main object, and the Board also In the meantime, at least some and West are soon to be followed by the hopes to be a centre of non-NFB activi­ people seem to be working, although Coastal Regions. ties in these regions by assistin|M more on television projects and low- "It may be a decision made at head­ groups to express themselves thi0# budget endeavours than feature films. quarters to undertake this kind of activ­ audio-visual means. "It doesn't matter if The Directors Guild reports that almost ity but you have to have people in these full employment has been achieved for it's VTR, super 8 or 16mm," continued regional positions who are sensitive to the Head of English Production. "We're 6 Cinema Canada George Csaba Koller convinced, by the way, that VTR and Productions: fore. As a result of the many rejections Super 8 is the exciting technology for recent/current/imminent hardly any films are being made in Mon­ regional activity." The concepts formu­ treal or Toronto or Vancouver. Yet, lated at the Fogo Island conferences of The Canadian Film Development Cor­ as no one other than the CFDC is seeing 1968 and 1972 seem to have captured poration had a meeting on June 10th, at the screenplays, is it possible that most the imagination of enough people in which ten submissions came under dis­ of them are of doubtful quahty? And power that many of them are now being cussion. Only three of them were new what are the qualities that make good actually implemented cross country. projects, however, the other seven re­ films? Is a good film a bad picture that The Film Board's present five-year plan submissions. No big budget productions makes money or a sensitive, recogniz­ incorporates a great deal of the Fogo are on the horizon, according to Ted ably Canadian subject, that might not Process and Philosophy, but a fuller dis­ Rouse, the CFDC's Toronto representa­ do as well at the box office? Is it that cussion of these matters must wait until tive. The reason for this was delved into more and more producers, running the next issue of Cinema Canada. at the recent ParUamentary hearings scared, with no faith in Canadian wri­ The Ted Kotcheff/Mordecai Richler/ into the activities of the Corporation ters, actors and directors, are trying to John Kemeny collaboration, The (see Kirwan Cox' analysis and letters by pressure the CFDC into putting up Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz shall Michael Spencer and Peter Pearson con­ money for films which are pale imita­ henceforth go down in Canadian film cerning the situation further back in this tions of America's best, with largely history as the first completely indigen­ issue), where the two chief officers were second rate American casts and crews? ous theatrical feature to be purchased questioned at length and with a sense of It by a major U.S. distributor. Paramount urgency not only by the members of the "It is no secret," continued Pratley's has committed a reported $750,000 as Standing Committee on Broadcasting, insightful article, "that one film which an advance on rentals and for a big pro­ Films and Assistance to the Arts, but everyone thought would be essentially motional campaign, and plans to open also by CCFM President Pearson.