Documentary News Letter (1944-1945)

14 DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER FILM SOCIETIES Dundee Film Society showed Cambridge and Le Dernier Tournant in its second programme on Sunday, October 28th. The third programme on Sunday, November 11th, consisted of Malta Convoy, followed by the British Council film of the sleep-walking scenes from "Macbeth". The programme ended with Lone White Sail. The fourth programme, on November 25th, consisted of The Battle of Russia, the fifth and last in a series of films made by the U.S. War Department and V Homme qui Cherche La Verite. The last programme in 1945 was on Sunday, December. 9th. The films were World of Plenty and a Russian fairy tale called Adventures in Bokhara. The Northern Counties' Children's Cinema Council opened its second series of "Films for the Classroom" with a science programme of silent and "mute" films. The eighth programme in the series ' 'Films for Educationists" was given on Saturday, November 17th. The films were A Mamprusi Village, Your Children's Teeth, Patterns of American Art, In Rural Maharathra, The Story of D.D.T., all from the Central Film Library. The ninth programme was on Saturday, December, J 5th, and consisted of A Better Tomorrow, a U.S. documentary film on education from nursery to senior school, Gaspe Codfishermen, on life in a Quebec fishing village, Your Children'1 s Ears, Colour in Clay, a British Council film, and High Over the Border. "Films for Young People" is the title of yet another series of film shows arranged by the Northern Counties' Children's Cinema Council, and a programme of silent and "mute" films under this heading was presented at the Little Theatre, Saltwell View, Gateshead, on Saturday, November 24th. The Manchester and Salford Film Society has given a series of film shows at the Rivoli Cinema, Denmark Road, Rusholme, Manchester. The first performance on September 30th included The Ten Year Plan, a G.B.I, film on prefabricated houses, Out of Chaos, Jill Craigie's film intended to promote an interest in art and Adventures in Bokhara. On Sunday, October 28th, the films were Children's Charter, on the New Education Act, Happy Childhood, on children's welfare, Labour Front and Winterset. The Manchester and Salford Film Forum announces that there are still vacancies for membership at six shillings per annum. Application should be made to the Secretary, Miss D. Buxton, 183 Dane Road, Sale. The first performance of The London Scientific Film Society was given at the Scala Theatre, Charlotte Street, London, W.l, on Sunday, December 9th; the programme consisted of Put Yourself in His Shoes, Your Children's Eyes, Handling Ships, The Story of D.D.T., and Tennessee Valley Authority. The second show was held on January 20th at the Scala at 2.45 p.m., and included a memorial programme of the work of the late Percy Smith. The Kingston and District Film Society (Secretary, H. Wells, 155 Hamilton Avenue, Tol worth, Surrey) was started in September, 1945, due to the efforts of two scientific workers and two film technicians. It has been impossible to get permission to use a cinema or a good hall, but audiences limited to 120 have shown great enthusiasm for 1 6 mm. showings of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The Italian Straw Hat, Potemkin and The White Hell of Pitt Palu. The last two were Audience Research (continued from page 7) "I have once or twice read the first few paragraphs of books on, I think they are called, Aerodynamics, but I've never fathomed anything out. After seeing this film I believe I know the fundamentals of the subject". A few, as might be expected, were negative: "The film would be of more interest in natural colour." With all these considerations in mind, how far did we achieve the objects which prompted the test? As a "try-out" of a new film, it was interesting and valuable, because any direct contact with an audience is valuable to a filmmaker ; but it did not do more than confirm the need of certain adjustments in timing (the majority found the film on the slow side) which would, anyway, have been the natural outcome of a finalising stage in production. On the other hand, it did suggest that, if an enquiry were carried out on a wider basis over a longer period, instead of being rushed in at the tail-end of a production period, much worth-while information might emerge. There is no doubt that some such direct contact with audiences is of increasing importance as educational films tend more and more to be made for showing to selected groups of people. It is apparent, however, as a consequence of this test, that the only approach likely to yield really useful results is to enlist the help of a number of audience groups in their own environment (schools, colleges, training establishments, etc.), soallowinganelaboralionofthcquestionnaireand the carrying out of subsequent tests with the same audiences after suitable intervals. This would avoid the artificial atmosphere of the pre-view theatre or public cinema, which tends to produce, either an unusual (and therefore quite unreal) degree of concentration, or an attitude of frivolity. This suggestion, of course, implies the use of completed films; for unfinished films, having sound and picture on separate lengths of film, cannot be run together on an ordinary projector — as they can on most pre-view theatre apparatus. This has not the disadvantages that appear at first sight. It is becoming the practice today to produce educational films in related series, from which it would be possible to select various typical series for testing in the place of single films. Although, in this case, the results of the test would lag, as it were, one film behind, the information could be available to the producers in time to influence the final shaping of each succeeding film in that series; and, also, be generally available as guidance in the undertaking of films of a similar nature. The work of preparing the questionnaires and summarising the results would be immense, but, on such a scale, it could be sponsored by a group of units, or interested bodies, and carried out by audience reaction specialists. Useful surveys have, no doubt, been launched at various times in this country, but it is rarely that any hint of the findings have reached those making the films. A scheme sponsored by the makers themselves would ensure the results being available for all. accompanied by special synchronised musical scores on discs devised by Mr. Stuart Keen. A show of scientific films and a large children\ show have also been successfully organised by the Society. The second half of the season wil include The Edge of the World, The Blue Angel. The Covered Wagon, Film and Reality, Mor Vran. Children of the City and West Riding. The Harrow Technical School is organising a course of twelve lectures on film production, starting on January 14th. Speakers will include Paul Rotha, Cavalcanti, Jack Cardiff, the ace technicolor cameraman, William Alwyn and William Fair. The course costs £1. Applications to attend should be made to J. G. Piatt, Harrow Technical School, Station Road, Harrow-on-theHill. Beginning in the New Year, The Scientific Film Association will book films for member Scientific Film Societies. The Canadian National Film Board has presented copies of two 16 mm. nature films in colour to the S.F.A. for the exclusive use of its member societies. The Central Film Library has found the original negative of Drifters. Copies will presently be available. The New London Film Society screened Intolerance on December 17th. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was screened on January 6th. The Slough Scientific Film Society held a gala show at Aspro Hall on December 14th, to raise funds. About £60 was collected. The Cheltenham Film Society. The Society came into being at a public meeting held at the School of Art, Cheltenham, in April, 1945. The committee set up on that occasion worked for six months before overcoming the various obstacles which confronted it. In December the committee booked the Coliseum Cinema for Sunday evening shows (one a month) and sub-standard screenings at the School of Art (two a month). During its short history it has presented five standard shows and over twenty sub-standard screenings. The programme for the next four months consists of: A Night at the Opera, Un Carnet de Bal. Grapes of Wrath, Le Dernier Milliardaire (35 mm.); Battleship Potemkin, The Lady Vanishes, Film and Reality, Tlie Stars Look Down, Man of Aran, The Blue Angel, Spanish Earth, and The 49th Parallel (16 mm.). The Society is affiliated to the British Film Institute and the Cheltenham Cultural Council. The membership now stands at 640. Enquiries are welcome, and should be addressed to the Hon. Secretary. C.F.S., School of Art, St. Margaret's Road, Cheltenham (Tel. 4639). The Everyman Film Society. The Everyman Film Society was formed in October, 1945, to give people the chance to learn how films are made, to make them themselves, and. in this way, to adopt a more appreciative and critical attitude towards films in general. At its very successful first meeting the Hon. Anthony Asquith ga\e the audience an analytical survey of the development of film technique. Animation in film was the subject of another very interesting talk, which was given by Mr. Francis Rodker, of Shell Film Unit, and further talks have been arranged for the rest of the season. Film shows too form part of the programme. The Blue Angel and N. or N.W. were received with great enthusiasm, and afterwards discussed over glasses of beer. The members of (continued on next page)