Montreal: L’Union des Artistes president Pierre Curzi is calling for long-term "stability" in the $20-million Quebec dubbing industry. The performers guild has asked the Quebec government to put the issue on the table in current negotiations aimed at renewing the Valenti-Bacon agreement between Quebec and the Hollywood majors represented by the Motion Picture Association of America.

If the majors balk at raising the level of studio releases dubbed in Quebec above the current 60% to 65% level, UDA has asked government to enact compulsory legislation. In 2000, 90 of 139 movies (65%) distributed by the majors were dubbed in Quebec, up from 70 of 123 films in ’99 (57%). The cost of dubbing a full-length motion picture is between $50,000 and $70,000.

"What we are saying to the minister is if you don’t want to adopt a law then make a strong deal (with the MPAA) and present it to us and then we’ll make a judgement. If it’s satisfactory and stabilizes the industry for many years, then maybe the people working in the industry will say, ‘Okay, let’s take the deal.’ If not, then what we’re saying is go ahead and create a law, there is no other solution."

Curzi says successful lobbying efforts were undertaken last year with Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures, both of which are actively dubbing movies in Quebec. "But this year Columbia Pictures has stopped dubbing here. The last 11 films distributed by Columbia were dubbed in France. And what about DreamWorks?" (All DreamWorks films released in Quebec are dubbed in France, which has compulsory legislation requiring dubbing in France.)

UDA is worried the goodwill and voluntary compliance of studios such as WB, Universal and Buena Vista and others will erode if other studios don’t follow suit. "If Columbia goes, why will Warner stay? Why would Fox stay?" asks Curzi. "Buena Vista’s [performance] has been excellent – 11 out of 11 last year, 13 out of 13 this year."

Stability in the industry, explains Curzi, "means the majority of films distributed in Quebec have to be dubbed in Quebec. We want more, much more [than the current 60%]."

Curzi says UDA’s action is not aimed at smaller releases, but at the 140 films distributed annually by the studios. "They are making many millions [of dollars] not only in cinema but mainly now in videocassettes and CDs. They [the majors] have a good deal, their products are on our shelves and they have about 85% of Quebec screens. That’s good. But we want the dubbing in our language with our actors and our industry." *

-www.uniondesartistes.com