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us be thankful that there are amateur film-makers with something to say, who are more interested in cinema than in themselves. Unfortunately these film-makers are either lone workers, handicapped by lack of capital, or else small groups of semi-professionals who are soon absorbed by the film industry proper. From these people come unpretentious films, simple accounts of honest ordinary affairs, revealing insight into commonplace occurrences happening every day, but unperceived by the other 90 per cent, intent on imitation.
Intent on imitation they are waiting for the commercial companies to begin producing documentary, and then slavishly they will follow in the wake of mediocrity. Always attempting counterfeits and never conveying any other impression than that of wasted effort and complete futility.
Amateurs — some of you 90 per cent. — leave your lights, your pseudo-studios, your clumsy grease paints and gauche acting — run right out of doors and look around at life. Trees, clouds, smoke, birds, everything that moves. Children playing, women washing clothes, men sawing wood, actuality. This is the stuff for your films. Take this material and with heart, mind and imagination weld it into an expression of your view of life.
It isn't the grand things that matter so much as the smaller, unnoticed incidentals. Only from understanding in small things can come that knowledge that enables creation from a vaster and more comprehensive apprehension of things. Come to grips with life. No escaping into tawdry romantics and pseudo-aesthetics.
Do not imagine that these films can be made from combined spiritual experiences. There can be only one director, one who has written and re-written; raved in passion and frustration over the building of the script. This is the director to whom all amateur film-makers must swear loyalty, unquestionable obeyance. Only then will amateurs produce films that will make the punjabs in Wardour Street sit up and tremble.
It can be done — it will be done — but I am impatient to see it done now.
LESLIE BEISIEGEL
LONDON IFMA GROUP.
Meetings have been taking place every Monday evening in members' flats. Several films have been projected and rushes of Markets, being the result of Heino Held's Billingsgate expeditions, which resulted in some first-class shooting considering the bad conditions under which he had to work. Shooting on Markets has had to be abandoned owing to bad weather and insufficient light. Some experimental shooting done on Armistice Day round Westminster raised mirth.
Discussions have generally centred on scripts. The first to be submitted was a satire on marching, in which use is made of an experimental form of shooting. This, however, was rejected owing to the majority of the members disagreeing
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