Reel and Slide (Mar-Dec 1918)

M A G A Z: I N E VOL. I DECEMBER 1918 NO. 10 Methods of Official Film RevieAvers How Committees of the National Board Function, Described by Committee Members "Freedom of Screen" Fostered, Also Constructive Censorship, to Set Standards (Many persons have expressed an interest in the activities carried on by the National Board of Reviciv of Motion Pictures. In nine years, by natural growth, it has developed from a simple social undertaking for New York City into a diversified national agency, recognized by all those interested in any ivay in motion pictures. Its work is both social and ethical and lies in the region of correction and prevention as well as in that of stimulation of all kinds of higher types of pictures. Of necessity, it has been divided into various departments and committees, directed and controlled by volunteers. The accounts printed herewith of the work given by various members present a picture of the Review or Censoring Committee, the General Committee, the National Advisory Committee, and ex{)lain the relations to the National Board of a licensing official charged with the local regulation of all types of commercial amusement.— Editor.) Review Committee Described by a Woman Member IN 1911 a letter came from the National Board to the settlement in which I was working asking our head worker for a mature person to use her judgment in helping to pass pictures for the motion picture theaters of the country. Our head worker requested me to give half a day a week, and I agreed, as a public duty. Since then I have attended and have become increasingly interested. Perhaps I can tell best about our work by describing the committee meeting of last week. We went to the compan}''s projection room in the morning at ten. There were four others there whom I have come to know : one, a mother from New Jersey with grown children, a club woman ; another, a lawyer's wife, who came from uptown. The two men were an artist with some leisure, and his friend, who is, I believe, a publisher. The secretary was there, also, with ballots. He made the arrangements to have the pictures shown to us. The name and the number of reels of each picture were given us in succession, and after each had been shown we talked together, agreeing quickly that the film was satisfactory or explaining our opinions about changes. One grows in appreciation of things which are harmful to the adult public, but is helped constantly by interchange of ideas. We have developed standards during the years and most of them are put in pamphlet form for our guidance. Usually the manufacturer's representative catches our point of view and agrees to make the changes and eliminations, changes of sequence or change of subtitle. It is astonishing how decidedly pictures may be changed by such slight touches. When the picture is brought to us at the next meeting often the effects are entirely different and we usually pass it without further change. Three weeks ago we saw a five-reel story and all agreed that in its present form it could not be passed. The man from the company listened attentively to our long conversation and made notes. He asked to be permitted to take it to his expert film editor and bring it back revised. We agreed to take no action until he had worked upon the story and thoroughly changed it. When he brought it to us again the story was so changed that it appeared entirely new. We still took some exception to the idea as well as to single scenes, and it was sent back to the company with well defined suggestions. To our surprise, when it was projected in its completely revised form, we felt that it was like a mutilated man, entirely made over in a modern hospital, and passed it without discussion. Last week, besides this picture, we saw twelve reels, two of them a serial, and passed them without change. We will not return to the company's office until the same day this week. Of course, we know that other committees are working just as we are on other m-ornings and afternoons. Occasionallv I have been able to go to these other sessions and find the problems there about the same as those of our committee. The longer pictures, naturally, are more difficult to handle, since the correct way to judge them is by a combination of the total effects of the stories and the impressions made by outstanding scenes. Ten or twelve times in the last five years our committee has disagreed about cuts or we simply did not know what was the fair and right thing to do. These pictures we have appealed to the General Committee to get the final decision. Then some of us have been asked to attend the General Committee meeting and tell of our difficulties and listen to the discussions and decisions. It all seemed very democratic to me, and the results sound, even though some of us disagreed with the conclusions. I think moral questions are very hard to settle in an impersonal fashion, and have learned slowly that tolerance is necessary. Board Aids in U. S. War Work Perhaps the most inspiring part of the work of the volunteer review committees now is in connection with the war. The government has recognized the skilled work of the National Board and has called upon the members to make daily selections of the pictures for the soldiers and sailors in training in America. It also has requested reports on all pictures which deal with governmental activities. The committees have indicated, also, pictures which are valuable for Americanization, patriotic meetings, the entertainment of the wounded and shell-shocked in hospitals and for the local councils of national defense. The_ board has given its skilled assistance to the Commission on Training Camp Activities, the War Camp Community Service, the Y. M. C. A., the Red Cross, Knights of Columbus, the Committees on Public Information and the Military Intelligence Bureau. Every member has had a decided part in this telling form of patriotic service. The General Committee — By a Member I have been asked to discuss the work of the General Committee of the National Board. My work as director of a social organization has made large demands on my time, as have important war agencies. Still I have regarded the attendance upon the meetings of the General Committee as important in the regulation of an amusement which serves a good fourth of the American public. When I was invited by members of the General Committee to serve as a member, I debated the point _ seriously with my own directors and they approved of such a public service. We have accomplished results which are permanent, _ even though they appear partial to casual observers. It is inevitable that thirty well trained men and women, with different angles of social and religious outlook, shall mold for good such an amusement agency, especially when there is continual interchange of ideas and adherence to the rule of majorities in discussing picture effects and in rendering decisions. The procedure is as follows : Pictures are appealed to us by review committees or by film manufacturers. We sit as a court of last resort. We are summoned to meetings and observe quietly while, the story is unfolded on the screen. Each man and woman brings to bear on the problem of the day his knowledge of the wishes of the American people. We aim to represent impartially the judgments of the public as we know them. An orderly discussion follows on the main theme or on incidents which unite to form certain effects. After all the members present have expressed their views, including the person representing the manufacturer, a vote is taken on incidents or on the main theme. A quorum of seven is necessary for a vote. Often the film company requests the privilege of taking their film back and revising it to remove objections. We always allow this in the interest of fair play. The decisions finally rendered become binding, not only upon