Business screen magazine (1959)

WW W;" Mr. Pennyjealher sets an example . . . The Small World of John J. Pennyfeather All liii4>iiKiv4' l*r<t;fr:iiii 4»f l*4>r<<«>(9iB('8 .>l:tiiia;£4'iia<'iil. \^'illi Film As Its XiK-14'iis. Aims (<» E99>Bg> S><>v«>l<»gB B*4'rs«»ii:iiil v AiiKti];:^ 'l'lo«ts4' ^^'iB«t Bt«>|ir«'<««'iil l<:i8i|>lo,v4'rs >lsilu:ils «»!' \^':iiis:ici Below: "film within a film" as the uudieiue discusses a sitiiution with film makers. "E Do Nor want a film to teach a trainee the techniques of insurance selling — however subtle these may be — instead, we want a film to do something that quite probably has never been done before."" With these words and others of like tone. C. E. Smith, sales manager for Employers Mutuals of Wausau (Wis.) challenged Mehring Productions to make what was to become The Small World of John J. Pennyfeather, a 1 6mm lilm that is certain to be regarded as among the most unusual business motion pictures of recent years. Film Has Good Technical Qualities In every technical way. Pennyfeather is a work of quality. It runs 44 minutes in full color and sound. The color is Ektachrome and is "soft" yet remarkably faithful throughout. The great majority of its sound is lip sync and is exceptionally clean. Casting, direction, editing and special efi'ects work belie its modest budget. However, it is not in the film's high technical quality or low production budget that it meets the extraordinary challenge of Smith's words, but in what the film iloe-K. wliy and how. Employers Mutuals of Wausau, a leading writer of workmen's compensation coverage and other forms of insurance, wanted something strikingly dilTerent from the usual. If successful, the film would pioneer a concept of communications that would have application far beyond the company's own uses. Changes in Viewpoint the Objective The film was to be a key part — but notably only a part — of an overall program of what Smith terms ""personal development." Significantly, he refuses to call it a sales training program. He wanted a film that would have nothing less for an objective than to bring about actual changes of perception and viewpoint — personality changes, if you will — in its intended audience. As Smith described the lilm he proposed, he eliminated most standard approaches to business film making. It would show, teach or demonstrate nothint; of the sellint; art as such. Above: .v((/f.v manai;er C. E. Smith di.Hnsses the development of "Pennyfeather" with Mrs. Mehriiii; of the film's production team. There was to be no pretty color footage of the Home Office, no lip sync "Message From Our President" (or, in this case. Sales Manager), no animation of an ideal salesman fighting Resistance or defeating Competition. Nor, indeed, was the film to attempt to motivate a sales force by dramatizing the genuine service aspects of the insurance business. Those experienced in making films for business are probably nodding knowingly at this point. It is a homily of the industry that "all you need to do to find twelve philosophers is to get a dozen businessmen together to discuss a film," in the words of one old timer. Instead, time was spent in working out ways of translating an idealistic policy of personnel management into a program of communication^ of real subtlety. Most of the discussions be | iween Smith and the Mehrings took place in Smith's comfortable and informal living room. The chill and stuffiness of conference rooms and offices was notably absent from the Wausau meetings. The discussions ranged the fields of both insurance and film making. Both sides — if there were "sides" to the dicussion — found quick understanding within the framework of their common idealism. Salesman Relates to Buyer's Needs Smith told the Mehrings: "I would rather think of the function of a salesman as being ellectively to assist a buyer in making an intelligent purchase. I know that this is true of the better salesman. They know — and it is not a pretense or a pose — that their personal welfare is tied to the welfare of others and that our society is not held together by a 'dog eat dog' or a 'devil take the hindmost' philosophy." The Mehrings told Smith: '"To be really effective, a motion picture should never preach. People do not do things because you say 'do I this' or 'do that.' Feelings and understandings ' are the keys to motivation." In May of this year, after three months of actual production. The Small World of John J. Pennyfeather was in the cans.. If anything, it has surpassed C. E. Smith's original hopes for it. It has won enthusiastic praise from such communications experts as Dr. S. I. Hayakawa, who termed it ""terrific." Film Not Intended to Be Used Alone The film was never intended to be used alone and probably will never be so used. Nevertheless, it unfolds as smoothly as a half-hour television drama. John J. Pennyfeather (as portrayed by actor Tom Palmer) has come to Los Angeles to open an office for his hosiery concern. He is not a bad man, not even a bad salesman, but his view of the world and more particularly of its people is narrowly restricted. He stereotypes all whom he meets, failing to unilerstand when their reactions are at variance with his expectations. Pennyfeather is seen through the eyes of Mike and Margo Miller (Lee Goodman and Gail Kobe), two lilm makers who are working on a project of their unnamed client. Mike and Margo are the film's viewpi'int characters, serving to interpret for the autlience Pennyfcather's actions. They are helped in this by a story-telling de BUSINESS SCREEN MAGAZINE