Background:    

The Federation was formed in 1945, linking a small number of film societies. Today, it is the parent body of 35 film societies (approved under legislation by the Minister of Internal Affairs) throughout New Zealand. Societies have been formed in centres as small as Coromandel, Wairoa, Waiheke Island and Otorohanga. The largest society is Wellington with a membership of 2,500 - almost half the total film society membership in the country, which stands at 5,500. The number of film societies has doubled in the last five years, as has total membership. The age of members reflects trends in general cinema going - about 80% are under the age of 30.

Activities:

The Federation has a central role in the development of both film appreciation and practical film-making in New Zealand. The main function of the organisation is to bring into the country worthwhile feature films, which would not otherwise be seen here. Each year, about 20 feature films, of proven artistic merit, are acquired; about half are hired, with the remainder coming from diplomatic film libraries, mainly from the French cultural service in Canberra. These films are added to the Federation's main catalogue (updated each year and circulated to all societies), which lists 60 feature films, including a permanent collection of "classics". The Federation arranges bookings to circulate films throughout the country. In 1975, it has been responsible for providing more than 600 individual film programmes. Individual societies are responsible for regular screenings of films to members, and most are now offering two programmes a month between March and November each year. The Wellington Film Society also organises and runs an annual Film Festival. Film schools and workshops are promoted from time to time by many societies.

Broader Functions:

As well as providing films for its members, the Federation is active in many other areas involving film. It was represented on the working party setup by the Queen Elizabeth II  Arts Council to investigate the development of the film industry in New Zealand, which earlier this year published its findings. The report is currently under study by the Government. It has also been intimately involved in the drafting of Jonathan Hunt's private member's bill amending the Cinematograph Films Act, with the aim of reforming censorship provisions.
For five years, the Federation's working committee has had discussions with, and made representations to, successive Ministers of Internal Affairs and departmental officers on the need to rewrite the law affecting film distribution and exhibition in New Zealand. This work will be continued with the introduction, later this Parliamentary session, of the Minister's own long-awaited amending bill to the Cinematograph Act.
The Federation continues to work to establish film courses in New Zealand universities and schools, and provides films for these purposes. In 1975 it is supporting a number of new film courses at Auckland University. It also directly helps local film makers by buying copies of their films and ensuring exhibition through the film society movement. The Federation's working committee includes representatives from the NZ University Students' Arts Council and Alternative Cinema, based in Auckland, groups which share its aims. The University film circuit is considering becoming affiliated to the Federation.

Implications Now and for the Future:

Because of its central role in the promotion of film as an art form in this country, the work of the Federation will increase markedly in the immediate years ahead. Its working committee (all members of which are unpaid and work on a voluntary basis) is already having difficulty coping with growth in membership, demands for the growth of the Federation's film collections, and handling the increasing number of films requested for hire by individual societies. Through its pioneering work in film education and the promotion of N.Z. film making, it will be called upon to assist in the fulfilment of these aims, in line with recommendations made in the Arts Council's film report, earlier referred to.
Just one of the results of this report could be the establishment of a Film Theatre in Wellington, and, later, another in Auckland - projects to which the Federation would certainly be a major contributor. Already the Federation's Chairman, David Gascoigne, is examining possible changes to the Federation's constitution, which may mean reconstituting the body as a N.Z. Film Institute, another logical extension of the Federation's activities.
This would ensure development of seminars for film makers and students of film, provide assistance for film-making projects in schools, represent independent film-makers and producers, help organise a National Film Archive, co-ordinate the annual film festivals, and in every way extend the art of film as widely as possible. In the area of Government legislation, the Federation will have a responsibility for making submissions on the Minister's amending legislation to the Cinematograph Films Act, which will have a fundamental effect upon current censorship laws and film distribution and exhibition procedures.

Administrative Problems: 

It is obvious to the Federation's working committee that the amount of work now associated with the organisation demands full-time, paid secretairal assistance. Apart from everything else, the number of programmes being distributed needs to be supervised by a full-time officer, supervision which cannot be carried out efficiently and effectively by volunteer workers. The committee has already found that worthwhile ideas necessary for developing its many activities cannot be carried through because of the absence of any full-time staff.

In his annual report last year, the Chairman mentioned the problem at some length, and said it was time the Federation got organised on a proper basis. Quite apart from film selection and programming for individual societies, there was a growing amount of administrative work to handle, all time consuming, he said. The Chairman added: "The recent growth of interest in films and in film societies is not imagined, it is one of the objects of this Federation to promote such interest. The experience of film society movements overseas shows us what is possible and we are well on the pathway to the possible."
The Federation's immediate problem is that if it cannot engage full-time staff before the end of 1975, it will be unable to continue its present scale of operations, or, indeed, any lesser scale that would be worthwhile. Already, measures have had to be taken to inhibit growth of membership in some societies.

Finance: 

The Federation's budget for the year ended 30 November 1975, shows projected income of $12,000 - $10,000 from subscriptions and $2,000 as a grant from the Arts Council. Expenditure involves film hire and purchase etc., of $10,400 and administration $1,600. The capitation fee paid to the Federation is roughly $2.00 a head from each member society. The Federation believes that capitation fees should be increased, on a two-tier basis, in 1976, in the firm belief that members are already getting more than value for money at current subscription rates. But this will not provide the funds needed in 1975, nor the required long-term resources to enable the Federation both to buy and hire films or to engage staff.
The Federation proposes to increase the capitation rate for larger societies by 150% and for smaller societies by 50%. A larger society is defined as one with a membership of 75 or more. A smaller society is defined as one with a membership of less than 75 and one which has no more than nine feature films a year. If such a society opts for more screenings it would be required to pay the higher rate of capitation. In essence, the Federation has immediate and longer term financial needs. It must obtain more funds urgently to enable it to survive at its present level of activity, and it must obtain a greatly increased continuing income, if it is to sustain its current activities, cater for potential rapid growth in its membership and develop its work along a path which it has already taken.
Preliminary discussions with the Arts Council Chairman indicate that the Council is not prepared to raise the level of its assistance to that enjoyed by comparable cultural organisations (Music Federation, Theatre Federation, Federation of Art Societies). It has in fact suggested that in future it will confine its grants to special projects, carried out by such organisations, only. It may however give an interest free loan of perhaps $8,000 over six months to prime the pump. The Federation feels that the long-term needs of the Federation must be met in part by raising members' subscription rates (on a basis that will still encourage and protect the smaller societies) and by attracting more members.

Avenues of Additional Finance:

The Federation believes that talks should  continue with the Arts Council for some kind of continuance in funding for adminstrative and special projects purposes to the Federation. Also, that an approach be made to the Ministry of Sport and Recreation, which does give grants to national associations on the basis of improvement to administration. Commercial sponsorship should also be explored, as the Federation's programme can be expected to appeal to firms looking for a worthy community cultural cause with considerable growth potential.

Plan of Action:    

The Federation believes that the employment of minimal full-time administrative-secretarial assistance be proceeded with immediately. With regard to office accommodation, discussions should be held with officers of the National Film Library in the hope that space can be located there, at low cost. The aim should be the engagement of a full-time secretary, working under the direction of the programme organiser, Lindsay Shelton.
Depending upon success in obtaining further financial support, the next move should be examination of the possibility of appointing a full-time Director, some time in 1976. Such an appointment should be made only when job security, for at least two years ahead, can be guaranteed. The Federation also believes that the Chairman, once he has returned from overseas, should, as a matter of urgency, undertake a re-drafting of the Federation's constitution to ensure that the organisation has the ability to cope with the development and new challenges it now faces.

Recommendations:

(1) That the appointment of a full-time, paid, secretary be made from lst October 1975. Suitable candidates to be considered in consultation with the programme organiser.
(2) That office premises be sought at the National Film Library.
(3) That a further meeting be held with the Arts Council to clarify the long-term implications to the Federation of any change in the Council's policy of funding bodies like the Federation.
(4) That an application for financial assistance be made to the Ministry of Sport and Recreation, noting that closing date for applications is 30th June 1975.
(5) That approaches be made  to commercial sponsors for financial assistance towards the work of the Federation.

(6) That the Chairman initiate constitutional changes necessary for the Federation to meet present and future needs. These changes should include an increase in capitation fees paid by individual societies, and should be discussed with representatives of individual film societies before the next annual conference in February 1976.

Working Party
Harold White (Convenor)
Mike Nicolaidi, Stephen Tustin, Ron Ritchie, Vaughan Rosier

6 June 1975