The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

84 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN July-August, 1952 Cine's Museum For the Record THE NEED FOR A GOVERNMENT FILM DEPARTMENT by ADRIAN BRUNEL from the Westminster Gazette, February 12th, 1919 THOUGH the British Government has a reputation for conservatism, some of its departments contain men of vision. Many of these have grasped the potentialities of the screen; and there is evidence that they intend soon to set up their own organisations for film publicity and education. These miniature departments will be springing up in greater numbers when it is realised that the Cinematograph Department of the Ministry of Information has been abolished for ever. This Department was started nearly two years ago, when Colonel John Buchan was Director of Information ; and from its inception care was taken to appoint only recognised experts in the cinematograph business, who were at the same time men of more education than the average in this trade. There resulted a record of film propaganda in some fifty countries which, if it is ever published, will be a revelation of the power and possibilities of the screen, as well as of efficient organisation under a trying handicap of red tape, ostracism, and hand-to-mouth financial methods — a record of which this country can be proud. It should be recognised, therefore, that a central Government organisation for the making and distribution of films did exist; that it was recognised as remarkably efficient by other departments and by officials abroad; and that the money, time, and experience which were expended upon this machinery are to be lost for after-war purposes. Government departments which desire film propaganda are to be left to build up their own small, costly, and probably ineffective organisations. The experts in the late Cinematograph Department of the Ministry of Information have now been released to go back to their own lucrative trade, because this Business Government was too busy electioneering last December to give any consideration to the suggestion to save even a portion of this organisation for after-war purposes. For what work should this Cinematograph Department have been continued? First of all, there is official Reconstruction. The Forestry Sub-Committee of the Ministry of Reconstruction proposes to enlarge our afforestation, and to place several thousands of demobilised soldiers on this work. What better means can they have of showing the attractions of forestry work than by moving pictures? Such films can only be made successfully by experts; and when so made, they should be sufficiently attractive to pay for their cost by hiring-fees to the cinema theatres. This Ministry is reported to be engaged also upon schemes for extending the garden cities of the country. Let the people see in the cinemas what garden cities are, and they will be encouraged to go to live in them. The Board of Agriculture made great use of the screen during the war, with many excellent films issued by the Ministry of Information; and they no doubt have a post-war programme at least as extensive. The Ministry of Labour has much to tell the demobilised soldier, and contemplates using the film for the purpose. But they will now, of course, have little or no guidance; and a large proportion of what funds they may be granted will be swallowed up by the running of a small department of their own. The Air Ministry and the Admiralty has each its film department; these should be amalgamated with a central organisation. The Ministry of Pensions has used the film for training and propaganda purposes. They will need its assistance for a long time in the carrying on of their essential work. The Board of Education is now waking up to the fact that in order to keep pace with America and Germany, it will need a film department, though this does not mean that they have actually taken steps yet to create an educational film department. In the province of education the possibilities of the cinematograph are almost unlimited. Use has already been made of films in schools in Germany, America, France, Italy, and other countries. To give even the roughest sketch of what has already been done in schools, as well as in hospitals and learned societies, would occupy far more space than is available here. The projected Ministry of Health can make the greatest use of the film, particularly in child