Business screen magazine (1946)

Changing the Army's Image by Robert G. Ervin Wer Bob Ervin discusses editing of Army "Green Scene" segments with Editor By Pierce. v^lHF. A MOD LOOKING COFFEE I M . a black soldier waits for a diittor's cue and then very candidly ^uses the Arm> of being a white i^'s establishment, run by and for Hites! 'On the campus of Ohio State Unii(-sity. a camera zooms into a closeup ^)t of a loni; haired college student »o expresses his anti-ROTC attitude J. that it has no place within an acaWTiic environment. JThe pros and cons of how an All ilunteer Arniy would relate to our cizcn-soldier heritage fall into place ^ring a probing self examination. [Solarized images flash on and off (.• screen as Army activities are seen I a split screen effect and an up (•npo arrangement of The Army Goes .'llini; Aloni; reaches a crescendo to Ipport the film's main title, THE [Rif.W SCENE! 'These cinematic touches all have ■nicthing in common. They reflect a ,w thrust and image in Army films. I'/Zinv it like it is has replaced lellinn j like the man thinks it is! The rench, British and Italians had their lew wave" film trends in the Sixties. ,ne United States Army has embarked !i its own in the Seventies. Despite the shock waves which followed the CBS telecasts of The Scllini; of the Penlai>on, Army film production is very much alive and sporting a new look to mirror its changing image. "The Army Wants To Join You" is more than just an advertising agency's new recruiting approach. It expresses the essence of an Army-wide campaign to regain eroding public confidence and re-establish internal communication. Ironically it's the Vietnam war which has made the Army itself a major casualty. The Army's institutional image . . . command authority . . . and credibility have been seriously tarnished. To undo that damage a lot of traditional, business-as-usual pro cedures have disappeared during the last few years. . . . and the prevailing caution is "Don't put the troops to sleep." Among th; Mctims of change was the Ariin Pictorial Center, the Army's centralized motion picture production facilit> situated in long Island City, New York. In June 1970, APC expired after 28 years of Army ownership and operation spanning World War Two . . . Korea . . . and Vietnam. APC represjnted too much of the past and not enough today and tomorrow. It had become a white elephant, stcjped in administrative red tape and often at war with itself. Change had collided with tradition, and when the battle lines were finally drawn the voices urging change prevailed. Presently, Army film making is a greatly decentralized operation. Under the jurisdictional guidance of The Army Material Command in Washington. D.C.. the mechanics of production involve three geographical areas: the Army Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama . . . Aberdeen Proving Ciround in Maryland . . . and White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. It is the Missile Command which has become a mini-APC and handles Robert G. Ervin has been associutect with Army film production for sixteen years as a producer, director and writer. For five years. 1957 to 1962. he was one of the civilian producers at the Army Pictorial Center who produced The Big Picture .leries for the Army's Chief of Information. He has also written, directed and produced films for the Army Material Command. He is now a free lance writer and production co-ordinator for clients which include: the Army . . . IBM Corporation . . . Eastman Kodak . . ■ American Can Company . . . Price Waterhoiise . . . General Electric . . and several New York City film prodiiclion houses. He is a communication arts graduate of Micliii;an Stale University. jinuary/ February, 1972 35