[1971-5 SSA] FEGA NEWS

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F.E.G.A. NEWS

Since this column has to go to press a month in advance our 'Happenings' will only be of a sketchy nature.

Members are advised to refer to their notice board for exact details of meetings. Every production house should have a notice board in a prominent position near the cutting rooms ? if you require assistance to make one please contact a Committee member. To refresh your memories the following is a list of Committee members: Tony Buckley Chairman. Ron Williams ? Sec. Bill Stacey Treas. Tim Read. John Oakley. Tim Wellburn. Tom Foley. lan Walker ? Junior Rep. Members are invited to consult any of the above on any matter concerning the Guild or its activities and will, if necessary, invite such members to address a Committee meeting.

HAPPENINGS.

Wednesday June 23rd. Details to be announced. Wednesday July 21st. Nicholas Roeg's 'WALKABOUT'.

FEGA'S VOICE.

To ensure that your Committee carries out the directives of its members and continues to pursue the aims and objectives of the Guild, delegates attend meetings or are on committees of a varied nature.

AUSTRALIAN FILM COUNCIL (Tom Foley). The A.F.C. is at present engaged on an investigation into the possibility of a co?production agreement between Britain and Australia on a Government level.

A.T.A.E.A. (Tim Read) Tim is still actively following the progress of our proposals on the 'Minimum Award' submissions from the Guild to the Union.

MASS COMMUNICATIONS CONGRESS (Tom Foley) Members will have read details of the Congress in the National Press and summary will be published in the next issue.

QUOTA COMMITTEE - CASSETTES. (Tim Read & lan Walker) This Committee is investigating the Cassette development and reproduction issue, and its possible effect on the Australian Entertainment Industry. What we vaguely expected to be a threat of the future has become an immediate problem.

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Following a motion passed at the last Annual General Meeting your Committee forwarded a letter to MR. CHIPP, Minister for Customs and Excise requesting that Guild members be allowed to see films of importance prior to censorship. We received the following answer:

Minister for Customs and Excise Commonwealth Offices,
Treasury Place,
MELBOURNE,
VIC. 3002

Dear Mr. Buckley,

I refer to your letter of 9 March requesting permission to view films rejected by the Film Censorship Board. I appreciate your guild's interest in films and its particular interest in certain films rejected by the Board.

However, your request that members above a certain age be permitted to view such a film is neither administratively practicable nor desirable. It would also set a precedent for similar applications, and lead to a reasonable accusation that various sections of the community were granted privileges denied to others. I regret therefore that I am unable to agree to your request.

You have specifically referred to the film "Performance". This film was rejected by the Film Censorship Board in October 1970. A reconstructed version, said to be identical to the one released in many European countries, was recently submitted to the Board and is now receiving censorship consideration.

I may add that there is no print of the complete film available in Australia.

Thank you for your guild's support of my administration of film censorship.

Yours sincerely, (D.L. Chipp )

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We are always glad to receive letters for publication from our members including those which have constructive criticisims to make of Guild activities or indeed this column.

The Secretary
F. E. G. A.
Box 195
Roseville

Dear Ron,

I would appreciate your raising the following matter with the Committee for their consideration.

When I read the latest edition of Script, Screen &Art 1 read something, in the section devoted to F.E.G.A., that concerns me. The article appears on page 34 in column two. It is signed by Tom Foley, but is obviously an official item from F.E.G.A. as it refers to the screening of Wake in Fright.

The part that concerns me is the use of the word (ugg) before the reference to the Censor. I do not question that any member has a right to react to censorship in such a manner and write to any paper or magazine concerning his or her feelings. What I do object to is that such a thought should appear as the official opinion of F.E.G.A. This could not be the case as there has never been a Committee discussion or a general meeting consideration given to the subject, as far as I know.

There are members of F.E.G.A. who believe that censorship is valid, morally sound, and an asset to the Industry. I am one such person.

Yours sincerely,

Harold R. Dews