Fred Zinneman: Newly acquired interview

The BECTU History Project has just received, from Barri Hitchin, a donation of an interview with the great film maker Fred Zinnemann. Fred had a lot to say and his comment at the end of the interview about quality standards is very prophetic. 

“ We’ve seen the digital impact on Cinema, with the loss of Projectionist jobs and the subsequent impact on our screens with poorly projected pictures in the wrong Aspect ratio. This is supported by disinterested CEA and FDA who chose to ignore my concerns about the getting-rid of Projectionists etc. Apart from Quentin Tarantino in America, I seem to be a lone voice in the UK... On attempting to assemble a Team for TMC a 2:39 Feature recently, a Producer tried to tell me, that there was no reason that it couldn’t be shot digital – needless to say, he was immediately dropped. Quality standards will still prevail, when I am involved in a project.”   (Barri Hitchin - ACT/BECTU Member No: 53003, July 2014)