A look at some of the numerous meetings that we undertook in order to issue 8mm films to our customers.
Contracts & Rights Chapter 30
The VHS and Betmax cassette market was booming and the 8mm market was at its lowest since I had joind the company. In order to keep Derann alive we had entered the video market and had issued a number of titles on both VHS and Betamax, and just as we had attended numerous conventions to sell and stimulate the sales of our super 8 titles, it was the same for video, and this venue was either Earl’s Court or Olympia. We were promoting and selling our video releases and the building was packed, there were hundreds of dealer stands, some highly decorative with dozens of TV monitors and dolly birds handing out fancy leaflets, and others, like ourselves somewhat simpler. Derek had needed to visit the gents toilets and when he returned he was almost a different man. It seems that as he was washing his hands, Sir Lew Grade had used the sink next to his and they had spoken for just a few minutes…and Derek had not wasted any time as Grade had given him his word that if he visited his offices he would have a contract ready for his signature for four films, ‘Raise the Titanic’, ‘Capricorn One’ and two further titles, (which turned out to be ‘Q, The Winged Serpent’ and ‘Hawk the Slayer’) and had concluded their short conversation with ‘Perhaps you’ll have better luck with the Titanic than I did!’.
True to his word the contract was ready and was signed. Upon release the quality of ‘Titanic’, ‘Capricorn One’ and ‘Hawk’, set new standards changed the way people looked at Super 8 for good. However not unlike the Columbia deal things went awry. A point of contact was Terry Avery affable enough, but an odd man and when he read a review of ‘Hawk the Slayer’ in one of the 8mm magazines that said the film was cheap & laughable he’d said that if that’s what people thought of his product, then there would be no more titles from ITC. Whatever your own thoughts are as to these titles, I’m just thankful that we were able to release them as it was the beginning of the Super 8 renaissance.
…. to be continued.
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