International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1934)

THE CmAmmmCHlW/RSYmVLOGY or two suggestions that may be of use in future experiments. When observing children, the educator must disregard his own personality, and study the_children as much as, possible in their own environment, . in their customary reactions. He must mistrust , unconscious, suggestions ; he must remember that< oaly tojo. often the child will, answer as* if i he wishedjto make an impression on the teaehep.1 The child' isnever 'the same in" public oriri' school as he is wHen withhis familyor alone ; he always has a desire to shpw off. Ffecocipus,. children may^ find encouragement for their worpb instincts? And. bad, habits in.,fi|m perfprmances,. but th.,at , is npt a,suf,7. ficieintv reason, for, guying; nR this, educational possibility) A negative; criticism rlesads .no?r, wherec , What isj necessary id lam : exact ;un der * standing1 of' the possibilities of' the screen! The riiost ' solid education is> that ' founded lort experience; and' each teacHer" must indicate the results in his. particular field "of action, so that , ajt rnay benefit by thern, Whereas theatrical performances are rest-! fuLand", give, pleasure by, appealing to our, aestfeetjfi, sense, the s cine-ma^gives,, the ;seRsan, tion of a dream, of abandonment* ofireposei Thefsupesiorityr offitheicinelMavliesiju&tiiri this fact? which isbasfed'oftthelawofleast re*sisftattce-. It 'takes1 us'awayfrom* reality ,and: mafes the conviction of' the things we h'aye id. The rapidity of movement, the diversity of" the scenes, even the mannerisms, of the actors, draw. us., nearer, tp^ the , sensations,! fejtf iijia djeam fc e^ch, ; scene-.,, cpntajn^its , own 3 logical,-, explanation^ Tfois is, quite enough' for maxf,, who does not, feelitbe^ need of* relief in the. figures.. The scenes' succeed oneL another; and impressions' arc independently0 formed' of the details of reproduction. The interest' of the cinema lies in the story and in the subject of the film, not in certain technical detail*. . An educated person who goes to a fine theatrical performance will be bored if he is under the influence of his own troubles, but at the cinema, in spite of the greater power of; resistance and inhibition, he will find a fascinationan the darkened hall that will conquer him little by lHtle and; make him forget his worries, while his:' power of inhibition' will completely ' disappear.' When the light is turned 'on agaip., he will have the impression of waking from a dream. The cinema reposes and suggests,, and the educator, should profit ; by thegei facts, tP teach and. educate without fatigues ' Practical Proposals. Asi pedagogical researches of a psychological order are now carried on extensively in the field of film edu* cation, they must' be completed by experiments made, bef ore the screen, if we are to haye well conceived and well produced films and practical methods for their utilisation (fetixi Lamp?), We! must; th^efprei make ; a continually, closer; study of ,( the>; influence; of. cinemalXK. graph projections; on thevatious i classes. f or i abnormal children : those suffering from' physical and mental abnormalities and those wHo are morally diseased/ It would be of great use to find the type of projection suited , to children at different ages» for teaching them to observe objectively and, interesting .them,, and ajsp to find which films, are best fprj boys and which for girls„i, Observations! on the kindof projection most Hkely to i stimulate the several intellectual I faculties should be continued; lightening programmes, and facilitating the teachers' task; Such conclusions, should as far as possible, be based oh individual experience. v ^ Ice ingl.