THE INSTITUTE   

When you've been around the Society for a while, you'll hear tell of something called "the Institute" and you may conjure up for yourself peculiar pictures of some sort of impressive building. In this case, it's nothing of the sort.

The NZ Film Institute is simply a federal body of all the film societies in the country - a number which grows just about every month, but is currently around forty. There are something like 2000 members altogether, but of course they are members of the various societies, not of the Institute.

The Institute is in existence so that the film societies, working together, can carry out activities which could not be undertaken separately. Chief of these is importing films from overseas. Each year, perhaps four or five films are brought in (at a cost of well over £100 each normally, for hireage, performing rights and what-have-you). On this year's programme, Alexander Nevsky, Olivia, A Nous la Liberte, Les Amants de Verone, are those which have been specially imported. Birth of a Nation is one which was imported several years ago; the print (like a number of other older screen classics) belongs to the Institute permanently.

That is the chief function, perhaps. Obviously, films cost far too much to import if only one society tried to do it - even our Society, the largest in NZ, could import only three if it had no other expenses whatever!

It should be remembered that "importing" is a very short word to summarise a process of investigation and business formalities which may take more than a year to get through. The Institute has a President (this year Mrs. Peggy Dunningham, of Dunedin) who does not necessarily live in Wellington. In Wellington, where its paid Secretary (Mr. D.K.Carey) is, the Institute has a central committee. The chairman of this committee is Mr.W.J.Scott (Vice Principal of Wellington Teachers' College), and other members are Mrs.C.McKenzie (who is in charge of film bookings and ordering) Mr.Ray Hayes (programme organiser - officially, he is also librarian of the National Film Library in Wellington) and Mr.D.Garrett (President of this Society also).

This central committee - and especially Mrs.McKenzie - have a major job in keeping up film supplies. When a film which looks worthwhile is listed in some overseas periodical, we cannot be sure whether there is a 16mm print available - the normal 35 mm print would be no use. Then the Institute must find out who is acting as agent for the film. The agent may be listed, but after a series of enquiries, may turn out to be agent only for the British Isles. It may be necessary to start all over again finding out whether Commwealth rights exist, and who can part with them. Then, supposing the film is available, there is the business of negotiating a satisfactory agreement. This isn't always possible - though some of the English film distributing firms are very good indeed. So, next time you feel tempted to ask "Why doesn't the Society get such-and-such?" remember that the process is somewhat less simple than it might seem.

The Institute has other functions than those, of course. The status of film societies in New Zealand is rather peculiar, mostly because the legislation governing film licensing in this country is antiquated. At present, the Institute is preparing a set of submissions to be placed before the Government, and if the amendments which are sought, can be gained, then film societies will be able to operate with a clear legal status, and much more effectively. For acting on behalf of all film societies in the country, some form of central organisation is certainly required, and the Institute, whose revenue comes mainly from a per capita levy on all societies, more than justifies its existence.

Societies range from the largest ones (Wellington, with over 500 members; Auckland, with more than 400; Dunedin, with not many fewer) and so on to small societies in isolated areas in Central Otago or the Coromandel Peninsula, who may not have many more than the minimum 20 members. The societies keep in touch with each other by exchanging Bulletins, and through the Institute's annual conference, held in January each year. This year it was in Timaru, and next year, will be in Palmerston North. It is interesting, by the way, to note that with a thriving society at Wallaceville, the Wellington area has almost 600 of the 2000 members in the country.

The Department of Internal Affairs does recognise the Institute and the member societies officially. It has in the past been fairly strict about the conditions under which societies operate, and has in at least one case where a society outside the Institute was carrying on screenings of ordinary commercial films and working something like a racket, informed people that Institute membership is evidence of a society's good faith.

There is one large society - in Christchurch - which is not in the Institute, and endeavours are being made to have this Society come in, for their good and for ours. There is also another "Modern Film Society" which has no connection with the Institute. This organisation is partly distributing and partly exhibiting, and has rather different functions from that of any society affiliated to the NZ Film Institute.