The chairman [Rae] introduced Mr, [B.S.] Owensmith ⁷⁰ of the Motion Picture Association of America who is doing liaison work in the current programme to expand the use in the United States of films on Canada. Mr. Owensmith explained that it was the hope that this year there would be an increase of 5% (or about $12,000,000) over the $225,000,000 spent by U.S. tourists in Canada last year. By close co-operation with the U.S. film industry it was hoped to increase the footage of Canadian film and the amount of information about Canada in U.S. movies and to assist in making Canadian films and subjects accessible to Hollywood. This work could be divided into five main phases:

(1) Catalogue phase - Plans are now being discussed with N.F.B. whereby their films can be made available to Hollywood, with credit given for Canadian footage either in a credit line at the beginning of the picture or in the dialogue throughout. In this way awareness of Canada as well as actual footage will be increased.

(2) Facilities phase - An examination of the lab, shooting and general technical facilities in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto is underway to find out what and hew much the Canadian film industry can handle.

(3) Newsreel phase - The Motion Picture Association (which represents 70% of the industry) is making a concentrated drive to increase the use of Canadian newsreel material. In two months this year there were 31 Canadian newsclips used in U.S. newsreels, compared with 10 all last year.

(4) Tourist phase -- The possibility of providing leaflets about Canada at the showing of travel films is being discussed with Mr. Dolan. In this way people in the middle income brackets - a group with money to spend on holidays but not enough for the expensive hotels and trips usually advertised - will be reached.

(5) Production phase - Every attempt is being made to get more U.S. film production in Canada and to encourage the Canadian industry to stand on its own feet by having more things shown and used by the U.S. As an indication of progress, Mr. Owensmith mentioned two definite commitments for Canadian pictures: one on the Canadian Pacific which would be started in June; another, an R.C.M.P. story, to be shot in the fall and winter. Both would be medium priced movies with about two-thirds of the production cost spent in Canada.

Mr. Owensmith added that he would like to gather together detailed information from which he could answer specific queries on Canada from Hollywood producers. Mr. [B.C.] Butler⁷¹ suggested that there should be some focal person in the government service who would be responsible for watching out for and forwarding to Mr. Owensmith all materials of possible interest to Hollywood, as it would be of considerable value to keep up a steady flow of Canadian-interest material. It was agreed that this could best be done by someone in the Film Board and that a coltection of printed material which might stimulate interest in Canada would be sent to Hollywood regularly. Mr. [R.] Foster⁷² added that the Film Board representative would make a report at each inter-departmental committee meeting on all such information sent as well as material sent direct by Mr. Dolan and other interested persons.

Action: The chairman will write the Film Commissioner, asking him to designate someone to look after this work.

⁷⁰Agent de liaison avec Hollywood. projet canadien de coopération, Association cinématographique des États-Unis (Motion Picture Association of America).
Hollywood Liaison Representative, Canadian Cooperation Project, Motion Picture Association of America.

⁷¹Direction de publicité commerciale, ministère du Commerce.
Trade Publicity Division, Department of Trade and Commerce.

⁷²Office national du Film./National Film Board