3rd Day
Industry programmes at the Filmweek
February 03. 2008. 09:58; report
Derdák deems it absurd that there is a functional industry producing valuable films every year and there is also a network of cultural institutes and these systems hardly ever connect. Head of the institute in Paris, Derdák shared his experience on propagating Hungarian movies. "Our film club is frequented by some 50 patrons", revealed Derdák, who thinks the mission of the institute fails on this level.

General assembly of the Filmklub Association

The general assembly of the Association of Hungarian Film Clubs and Film Lovers attracted a sizable crowd. Several classes of students joined the association on this occasion. Owing to this, an unusually large number of people voted about the new leadership. Veteran producer György Durst's term as president was renewed, but there were several changes in the board of directors. Neither Tamás Almási nor Dr István Pintér managed to collect enough votes.

When asked about his plans, the newly re-elected president said among their goals is the creation of a back catalogue of classical films representing traditional values. This would be accessible for all film clubs across the nation. The plans were put into a written recommendation put forward together with Gábor Böszörményi. Among these are assisting training and education, organizing different events (new film clubs, film lovers' gatherings etc.), maintaining international relations and assuring discounts for members. Their mission primarily is to create a more film-literate society.

András Derdák on the marketability of Hungarian flicks abroad

The Balassi Bálint Institute organizes the meeting of the directors of Hungarian cultural institutes abroad with the country's filmmakers and producers for the first time at the Filmweek.

Derdák deems it absurd that there is a functional industry producing valuable films every year and there is also a network of cultural institutes and these systems hardly ever connect. Head of the institute in Paris, Derdák shared his experience on propagating Hungarian movies. "Our film club is frequented by some 50 patrons", revealed Derdák, who thinks the mission of the institute fails on this level.

The opening of the Hungarian Film Poster Exhibition 2008

A side programme of the Filmweek, the film poster exhibition is held for the fifth time this year. There are 36 posters in competition, one will be selected "Film Poster of the Year" awarded by a jury of professionals and popular vote.

According to András Wahorn, the role of film posters have grown tremendously, expectations of them are higher than earlier. Their aim is not solely to attract audiences but they also play an important part in marketing DVD releases as well. "Film poster is not the art of the moment any more, as it will be in view for a long time", says Wahorn. In his eyes, designing poster art is not a sovereign adventure but a complex intellectual work representing different interests.

On the producers' meeting popular movie scribe Réka Divinyi told the audience about screenplay development workshop Dr Script. She founded the company with László Czető Bernát and András Szekér. Anyone wishing to get professional coverage of a script may send it to them. Upon request they participate in the development of the screenplay and provide creative assistance.

Vice-CEO of Allianz Bank, Gábor Hegyi presented his company's financing and insurance schemes for film productions. Besides the film insurance popular among producers he also introduced the production finish guarantee, within the framework of which there are plans to start a different system for low budget films. He also called attention to the fact that owing to business reasons the number of film productions in Hungary should actually decrease as there is simply not enough funding for so many films.

György Sándor presented Prodjus, the copyright association for producers officially registered recently, that seceded from Filmjus upon mutual agreement. Sándor pointed out that producers get an inordinately low 13% off the royalties collected by Artisjus. The new association would like to change this fact among others.

In his presentation Andrá Chabou talked about international organization Agicoa (www.agicoa.org) founded to protect copyrights of producers with special regard to those originated from cable TV broadcast.

Chief secretary of Digitalfilm Association Csaba Sár asserts there are serious contradictions in the current system of copyrights. Private copying is not regulated in any form today in Hungary, which fact badly affects copyright owners who do not get a share out of the taxes on blank DVD's, thus not having any compensation whatsoever.

Representing the Hungarian Producers' Association (www.mpsz.org.hu) Endre Nagy presented the plans for a producers' credit system, development of which is expected to finish by the end of February. According to the association, the introduction of the credit system is necessary because the playing field is becoming saturated and apparently anyone can get state funding "upon simply printing a business card with the label ‘producer' on it".

Press conference by the Hungarian Society of Cameramen

In the Stáb School, maintained by the HsC there is training on eight different subjects (assistant director, assistant cameraman, cameraman, digital post-production, lighting technician, set builder and prop assistant, set painter-set assistant and video technician).

Main objective of the school is to create a professional crew that can deal with international productions and may find job abroad in their profession. This is assisted by the specialized English courses initiated this year introducing the students into the professional jargon of filmmaking. Courses start according to market demand, so not all subjects may be taught each year.

Docushock - a debate on documentary filmmaking

Suggestions include two competitions for state funding each year instead of the current one due to the special circumstances of producing docus. Current production funding scheme should be extended to development and distribution funds as well. There is a need for a special, flexible fund for emergency cases, and there may be a demand for a separate festival for documentary films. The setting up of a small company for assisting international distribution is among the documentary filmmakers' plans too.