Business screen magazine (1944)

CAMERA EYE "First Steps in First Aid," a motion pirture produced for the Upjohn Company with the cooperation of the Bureau of Mines . . . "... led in popularity in 1943 ... in such wide demand that as many as 100 copies are booked for distribution six months in advance," says the Bureau of Mines. Such a record is proof that a film has impact — the quality to impart knowledge quickly and dynamically. Impact in a training film program is achieved through an intelligent application of teaching fundamentals, professionally interpreted in the motion picture or slidefilm medium. Select your film producer on his demonstrated ability to give your training program impacl. BURTON HOLMES FILMS Incorporated 7510 North Ashland Ave. Chicago 26 ROGeri Park 50S6 •^ To MEET MILITARY AND ESSENTIAL CIVILIAN REQUIREMENTS for photographic film, the film producing industry has increased its output by about 45 per cent as compared with 1941 production, the War Production Board reports. Film production by the eight companies in the industry reached an all-time high in the second quarter. 1944. when output totaled almost 160.000.000 square feet. In the third quarter, production dropped to an estimated 136.000,000 feet, because of a seasonal decline in manpower and because some film production equipment, used at capacity for a long lime, needed cleaning and repairs and was temporarily out of use. Military requirements for film have increased constantly since the beginning of the war. Six times as much gun camera film, used for training and combat purposes, was needed by the armed services in the third quarter as compared with the first quarter of 1944. 16mm Needs Exceed Hollywood In terms of screen time, more 16-millimeter film is used by the Army and Navy to make training pictures than is used by all the motion picture producers in Hollywood. To meet the increased need, manufacturers are making this type of film at seven times the 1941 rale. Third-quarter requirements for aero film, used chiefly for military reconnaissance and mapping, tripled as compared with first and second quarter requirements. Direct and indirect military demand for X-rav film has more than tripled since Pearl Harbor. Besides its use for medical purposes. X-ray is used in war plants to detect defects in war equipment. War Demands at High Level Of the 555.000,000 linear feet of 35.millimeter motion picture film expected to be available in the fourth quarter, 1944, at least 231,000,000 feet are needed for war purposes. With the aid of motion pictures, men in the armed forces learn to shoot — and hit — all types of targets under simulated battle conditions. Through the use of motion pictures, service men and women are taught to use and repair military equipment, to meet emergencies in battle, and to recognize enemy equipment. By means of motion picture film. too. battles are recorded and enemy positions and techniques are analyzed. As new combat theaters are opened, military supply lines are lengthened, and increasing quantities of film are needed at new supply points. As the Allied armies advance, more film is needed by the Army. Navv and other Government agencies for rehabilitation, propaganda, educational and entertainment purposes in the liberated areas. Between 65 and 70 per cent of all the film produced is being allotted for "civilian" purposes. However, over half of this amount consists of film that is ultimately used by the armed forces. Maintain Civilian Allotments Actually, therefore, about 15 per cent of total film production is being made available directly for professional and amateur photographers for other than war purposes. Overall, this represents more than 50 per cent of the amount of film available for professional and amateur photographers before the war. though U PB attempts to maintain the supply of certain types of film, such as those needed by the printing and publishing industry, at levels above this average. Since military requirements are expected to continue at a high level, a larger percentage of total production cannot be made available to civilians in the near future. Film production has been maintained at the capacity of the industry despite manpower and material problems. While students working during their vacations have helped the industry meet its requirements for unskilled labor, the need for skilled labor remains critical. Additional skilled labor is required, particularly for perforating motion picture film and for working on special-size industrial film. Because of this shortage, employees in some of the plants are working 10 or 12 hours a day. No Material Shortage Problem Shortages of materials have not yet hindered production to any great extent. Though many of the chemicals needed to make photographic film are required also for combat items, WPB has made every effort to maintain a steady flow of materials to film producers, because of the importance of film to the conduct of the war, Britain Discovers the Industrial Film ^ British Industry is rushing to a realization of the value and significance of commercial films, according to the Economist, a leading British business publication. Extensive use of films by the Services and supply departments as a means of instruction and propaganda has led industry' to the conclusion that a well-made film can give the public a 15 or 20 minute tour of a plant and leave an impression of considerable worth. More, such films may be shown anywhere, and Britain's salesmen, tomorrow, will go abroad with a few reels of film — in the language of the country to be reached — and do a belter selling job. One producing concern is said to have such a backlog of postwar orders that some sort of priority system will be necessary; inquiries have come from a wide range of industries, including textiles, steel cars, pottery, and flower nurseries. Declares the periodical, 'The sudden realization of the possibilities of the film is a welcome reflection of the willingness of industry to adopt new methods, of the more progressive outlook that is essential if Britain is to remain in the vanguard of industrial nation Issue One BUSINESS SCREEN MAGAZINE Volume Six Issue One, Volume Six of Business Screen, the National Manazine of Visual Aids to Industry and Education. Issued by Business Screen Maprazines. Inc.. 157 East Erie Street, Chicago 11. Illinois on October 28. 1944. O. H. Coelln. Jr.. Editor; E. T. Lundgren. Production Director: Felice Mendenhall, Eve Erickson. Rosemary Kemp, Editorial Assistants. Staff Members in Service: Lt, Robert Seymour. Jr., Pvt. H. L. Mitchell. Subscription: $2.00 for eiftht consecutive numbers (one complete volume) ; Foreign and Canada J3.r>0. including duty. Entire Contents Copyright 1944 by Business Screen Magazmes. Inc., Reprint permission granted on special request. Trademark Reg. U. S. Patent Office. « Biisini'itii Srre^'n 3iaqa:in«