Business Screen Magazine (1965-1966)

an Industry and the Film iirlcil l)> Our <!<>rre!<|>4tii<l<-iil. Dr. iluii> Srliallt-r I Film conferences anil provide a kind of '"baljfor this very important 'iistry public relations. I educational priigranis. lustry looks to the 1 965 ;.'t. as it will be drawn II this month and where 'country's "best" films «n. With applications an 50 pictures filed at have to use "qmitcs" I "best" since only 15 e 50 fine jilms could ct the closing; dates. news from Rouen be sappointint;' We note .■rman contribution to tional gathering is not or i^eneral criterion to measure total Geririxluction output, nor larly selection required itries bkKked the path )r many nc\\ films. But >sition of German in II production as we lien is not unfavorable. .\pprovul l.s Noted e of approval for the Im medium has been lan industry. The steplier years has now belarge extent, a favorite ;aniple. it has become n a large and growing German companies, lem worldwide enterihow company shareannual meetings the (xluction. capacity for the level of research ments via the film mc i; not necessarily long nxluctions, most often inly representative of functional applications ;rnian iiHiusir\. of Industrial Film id" of the German in1 might well be based three important "pilnuKlern mass medium: •epresentation" film, technical information lies promotion film. ! call the "representaould include those proconsiderable budgets, self-limiting and most would not undertake efforts at less than two r intervals, include some notable VOLUME 26 • 1965 examjiles of recent date: //;<■ Hoi I'l'iuc (sponsored by Badische .Anilin-und Soda Fabriken); riinisl Into the Unknown ( Esso .AG); The Third Factor (a film dealing with scientific research and made by order of the Ministry of Science and Research in Bonn ) : Kliyihm of Otir Tiine anti Riiistin\; (two films of the German Federal Post Office); Only Foa Is Grey (Thyssen AG ); The Road to Million (AFG); Foiiiuhtiions (Fried. Krupp); It Started With Colors ( Farbwerke Hoechst ) and others. Human Kquution Now Foremost It is interesting that in all these the documentation in a specific form relates to man. The reason: today, nearly all industrial installations have technically matured and are more or less equal in their function. Differences can only be found in the human equation and in man"s relation to his work. The second large "pillar" of the German industrial film: technical informatiim pictures. These have prt)lifcrated during the past year. These films are of a subjective, cool, sober design. They arc nearly always technically clear and strictly informative without excessive artistic ambition. This does not preclude modern film creativity! Rut their purpose decides the form. Citing just a few of these which come to mind: Hii^h Voliaiie Hii;h Performance (AEG); Bitumen in Coastal Production (BP); See More. Realize More ( Siemens ) ; To the End of the World ( Esso AG); Tested and Approved (Henkel & Cie ) ; Daui^erous 'Thieves ( Siemens ) ; The Tliinl^int; F.levator Control (AEG); Silopren and Macrolen (Bayer. Leverkusen) and Sxiuhronous Machines (AFG). When Is It a Icehnical Film? The third pillar: the sales promotion film — has a tendency to "overlap" the technical film in character and objective. They often have similar goals. But this phase of the film medium is advancing ssviftly. with a brigtit future ahead. German enterprises are aware that they can woo client favor, improve market positions through good use of the sales primiotion film. The difference between the internal or completely technical inl\irmation film may be spotted in narration: The phrase "assure a depcnd Thc :!.)-iiiiiiiit(.' iii(luslri:il rcsciirili t produced for liASI' Inj llu Cfscllschaf able increase in p r o d u c t i o n"' wouldn't be needed in a technical film for worker training, etc. But the border is as indistinct as that recently headlined area in the Himalayas . . . Noteworthy films of recent date would include Measurement Technique and Plant Control Equipment or Measurements of Widths in Hot Rolling Mills (AEG); With Five Steps (Siemens); Mannesmumi in Steel Water Construction or Galvanized Straps (Mannesmann AG); Buildini^ and Heating (BP); 253.000 Hours ( Roehm & Haas); Safety Is At Sialic (Daimler Benz AG ) and others. Distribution a Key Problem Distribution of sponsored films remains a special problem in Germany. Producers too often consider the job completed when they deliver the film to the client. And perhaps it is the sponsor's task to show his film to the right people! This phase of our work requires a great deal of attention. It begins with a well-organized premiere of the film, extends through such promotional phases as well-designed announcements, folders, brochures, etc. The best film in the world will not find an audience if nobody knows about it! But the highly technical film, as its description implies, is subject to different rules. These pictures require special promotion. "Grabkeriiknaflwcrk Gimdremminj»en series of useful trchriiciil infonimtion iir film, "l)< I ll(is\c I'riidiit." uas t fur hitdcndc I'lliui . of Muni( li . . . aimed at specialized, smaller but highly important audiences. This should be one of the primary objectives of any distribution organization: to pull the right lever here is very important. Sales Films Are for Prospects The sales promotion film is also limited to a select audience. Most often, this goal can be achieved by the sponsor and his sales agents at home and abroad. Fortunately, the outlets are well-defined here and encouraging wider use of such films for sales-minded field organizations. In this phase of the film medium, foreign-language versions of films for use abroad (and particularly in the developing countries) provide a safe and efficient means to inspire confidence in the sponsor's products and objecti\es. They deliver wanted information in reaching their desired objectives. A Multitude of I seful Films But it's impossible to define the whole range of industrial film application through only three areas of their use. These categories will serve as "orientation." There is a multitude of other types of films which can't be stamped out from a stencil. The plant film is important to visitors; films instruct apprentices and trainees, safety films call attention to hazards at work and at home ... to name just a few. We look ahead to a bright future for the film in Germany. • ' i.v the suhjict of another in the lonfi films .spon.wred by Germany'.^ AEG.