The Cine Technician (1943 - 1945)

44 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN March— April, 1943 TRAINING FILMS THE subject of training films can', for the present at any rate, only be discussed and written about in a very general way. Much of this work is, of course, very secret, and can only be seen by those engaged on the actual production-and the audience for whom it was designed. Some of those engaged in the production of training films have had to sign documents declaring that they will on no account discuss their work with anyone other than their immediate collaborators. A very few of us have been permitted to see a little of one another's achievements, and have, of course, welcomed these opportunities for discussion and mutual criticism. So it will be seen that even those engaged upon this type of work have very little idea of the scope and volume of the work being turned out by the industry as a whole and by the Services themselves. No complete statistical record of these films has been compiled as yet. Private records exist, of course, in the hands of each branch of the Services, but these obviously are not available to the film industry for the information of individuals. The following observations can, hjowever, safely be made. In some cases complete courses have been specially designed to incorporate the use of film. The number of reels involved is anything from one to twenty. In no case that I know of are these films planned to eliminate the instructor. Some subjects have recently been designed so that the projector can be stopped at intervals for discussion to take place, after technical points have been made. Methods have also been worked out, by means of questionnaires and the like, by which the instructor can discover how much has been absorbed by the trainee. Some consideration has also been given to the amount that can be absorbed at one sitting. When intelligently planned these films clearly make available to every man and woman, even in remote areas, the very best methods of instruction. Many of the technicians working on these films have had experience of work in the major film studios on feature entertainment films. Whilst this experience is very useful in the imparting of a professional polish to their work, they here find themselves faced with an entirely new set of problems. Many a successful feature has relied on a good fast tempo which did not give the audience time to think. Training films, on the other hand, can only succeed for quite the opposite reason. It must be remembered that many of the trainees have not had to exert themselves mentally outside certain well-defined grooves for a long time, and that at the same time the interest of the more nimble-witted must not be lost. The directors and technicians working on these films often have to begin by becoming trainees themselves before they can start to translate their subject into film form. Certain difficult subjects demand considerable skill in interpreting the technicalities involved. Often every technical device has to be brought into play, and a few reels may involve more trick-work, models, diagrams, etc., than are needed in several feature productions. In using all these resources, the governing factor, of course, should always be that the same results could not be obtained by any other simpler means. In view of the technicalities involved, it would obviously be unwise to have several disconnected units working on different stages of a complex course. It is clear that if the same unit covered the whole course, its understanding of the subject would progress with its work. Liaison officei'S are usually appointed by the Services to work with the film unit, and whilst their guidance and criticism is of inestimable value, their knowledge of film technique is usually very limited. In the assembly of the material accumulated, another new set of technical problems arises. For instance, it may be necessary to hold a diagram for quite a time after the commentary has finished so that the trainee can turn over in his mind, and memorise, the points made. When a point is complex and difficult to explain a scene may have to be repeated twice or even more often, perhaps twice with commentary and once without, as the subjects demands. It must be remembered, too, that in many cases trainees are given several opportunities of seeing the same reel. It can be imagined how boring the forced gag or wisecrack can become under such circumstances. It is obvious that no rules can be laid down for the making of these films — that each subject should dictate its own requirements in technique of picture and sound track. Large numbers of these films, good bad and indifferent, are now in circulation, black-and-white. technicolor, 35mm, 16mm., being screened by fixed and portable projectors. A number are also in process of production. We who are engaged on this work can only hope that we shall improve with each subject, and never become smug and imagine that we have found a formula. Some of us are pressing through A.C.T. for opportunities which will give us a more comprehensive view of the work being done. Some technical units have already wasted a good deal of time and thought wrestling with similar problems, ignorant of one another's efforts. It just does not happen to be anyone's job to correlate what is being done and to draw conclusion therefrom. C. Tomrley