Cinema Canada (Dec 1976-Jan 1977)

ixilation in the backyard tance of special effects should not be exaggerated in terms of everyday use, it is interesting to show these films in a classroom situation because many of these effects can be duplicated using simple Super 8 equipment. ae Sse ae This has been a brief examination of how NFB films can be used to teach film techniques. If one chooses to approach the area in terms of film genres, the catalogue also has excellent examples not only of all styles of documentary, but also a variety of animation, experimental films and even a few stabs at drama. There are several films about film in the catalogue. Self-Portrait is a very poor historical look at the National Film Board itself using clips of typical productions. It comes in five thirty-minute parts and is primarily interesting for Part One, which gives us a glimse into the fabulous and as yet untold story of the NFB’s wartime propaganda films. The film Grierson (one hour, color) and Susan Schouten’s series on Grierson’s documentary philosophy both contain valuable material for those studying film. Finally, as a general turn-on to film, Norman Jewison, Filmmaker (50 minutes, color) by Doug Jackson provides a fascinating look not only at the filmmaker but at the headaches and glory of shooting a major feature production. The films I have been talking about are obviously just a suggested starting point. The catalogue has over 900 other titles, many of which can be put to similar purposes. Most people are forced to try and learn about film from textbooks simply because the possibility of learning about film using films is much too costly. In the United States, National Film Board films appear in the catalogues of all the major educational distributors; in many cases they are the jewels of the collection and command high rental fees. In Canada we are in a unique position; we are all enrolled in a governmentfinanced film school and the great thing is that the tuition is free. Oo OW TO GET THE FILM Like Alberta’s oil or Quebec’s hydroelectric power, the National Film Board and its library of about 1,000 films can be looked on as a natural resource. In no other country in the world can educational institutions and even private groups get such a wealth of film material free. Oh, I know it’s not really free; we all pay for old Ma NFB with all her blunderings and inefficiencies out of our tax dollars — which is precisely why we should make use of the place. Hidden among the inadequate descriptions in the hard-to-get 180-page catalogue are a few excellent films, but how do you know which ones they are? And how do you get them? NFB films are poorly publicized and tricky to get hold of, for the simple reason that, being free, they cost money each time they go out and each time they come back. In the private sector it is rewarding to go out and sell your films but at the NFB you save the Canadian taxpayer money by letting the films sit on the shelf. The people at the board explain that since there is only so much money for distribution, there is only so much distribution. It isn’t only a question of money, however; it’s a question of commitment — and commitment is something in very short supply in an old and tired bureaucracy. It often seems more than they can handle just to take care of the unsolicited business which happens to fall in the front door. Technically, all NFB titles are available in all the regional offices and, through the regional offices, to all NFB offices across Canada. At these offices, you or your group must apply for a green plastic card which entitles you to take out films. The films are selected from the catalogue and ordered by code number no more than two months ahead of time and no less than one week ahead of time. Therein begins the roulette game. A great number of films listed in the catalogue and the newer releases simply aren’t there. Either there is no print available in your region or, more frequently, not enough prints of films in great demand. Even after a booking has been confirmed, screwups are frequent and you may find yourself with an audience and no film, or no reel three, or a print in such bad condition that it won’t run through the projector. In short, if you are really counting on getting a particular film on a particular date, there is much reason for worry. There are alternatives, however. One is to buy the prints yourself, particularly if you intend to use certain films year after year. They are cheap (about $10 per minute for color films, half that price for black and white), educational discounts are available, and if you choose your films carefully, several departments can make use of them. Another alternative is to approach local libraries and universities, many of which have collections of NFB films and will rent them to you at a nominal fee. The saving in worry and heartache is well worth the money. The remaining problem is what films to get. The 100-word description in the catalogue and the fact that it won the Golden Anchovy Award in 1953 does not help you very much. There are, for example, over 100 films listed on the subject of Canadian history. Some are excellent and some are dogs and the catalogue does not tell you which is which. The NFB representative may possibly be helpful and may also be unapproachable and/or clueless about the films. Previewing is really the only way of judging what a film is worth to you but this can be very time-consuming. One would think that if an organization were to spend $50,000 to $100,000 on a film, they could afford to produce a small booklet containing background to the film, a detailed description of its content and approach and information about the filmmaker and participants in the film. With rare exceptions, such data is not even available to the press and aside from a poorly written, one-page publicity sheet there is simply no information available to the prospective user on what the film is about. At the very least, all NFB films should be rated by independent bodies actually using the film; rated in terms of both style and content. In the United States, organizations such as the Educational Film Library Association (EFLA) regularly evaluate documentaries in this way, and you will find many NFB films popping up on their lists. The fact that the National Film Board doesn’t organize something equivalent to this in Canada for all their new releases, if only for their own edification, is a poignant testimony to everything that is wrong with the place. a December-January / 53