Documentary News Letter (1947-1949)

82 DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER NOTES OF THE MONTH The cover picture on this issue is a production still from 'Instruments of the Orchestra' made by Crown Film Unit for the Ministry of Education. (Reviewed on page 88) Carl Mayer we draw the attention of all our readers to the Carl Mayer Fund which is mentioned on the inside front cover of this issue. Mayer was, and still is, one of the great figures of world cinema. To us in this country, more particularly, it was not only his contribution to such films as Caligari, New Year's Eve, The Last Laugh and Sunrise which we remember with gratitude. Nearly all documentary workers owe him much, for he lived his last years in this country, and spent himself generously, indeed over-generously, in practical work and general advice on the making and shaping of the factual film. The proceeds of the Fund will be devoted to settling Mayer's estate and to erecting a suitable stone to him over his grave in Highgate Cemetery. An industry which pays scant tribute to its real pioneers has here an opportunity to express a lasting tribute to one, the most distinguished of them. The British Film Institute elsewhere in this issue is an article which calls attention to defects in the reviewing and appraisal methods of the monthly Film Bulletin issued by the British Film Institute. This article is by no means the first we have published in criticism of the Institute's methods and policy during the past ten years. But we have every hope that it will be the last. We do not propose here to recapitulate what has appeared wrong, but rather to welcome (with any appropriate hatchetburying which may be necessary) the recent announcements regarding the Institute's future. It would appear that under the new and able chairmanship of Patrick Gordon Walker the Institute is now to be given the scope and opportunity to become that alert, active and constructive body which we all hoped for on its inception and which all will agree is sorely needed today. It is understood that more adequate (though not yet perhaps sufficient) finance is being made available— the new grant is nearly double the old — and that an inquiry is to be held to determine the range of the Institute's activities in the future. Some of its present activities may be found to be redundant; for instance, much of its educational work which was begun at a time when the then Board of Education sniffed at films, may now well be transferred to the Ministry. Other of its work may now be expanded and enlarged. It is to be hoped that the reconstitution of the Institute will make it the focal point for all special activities in the world of film, that it will have a good-sized projection theatre, and that it will be housed in a building large enough and suitable enough for a policy of measured and confident expansion. Ooh — mind my corns! A chap we know was complaining the other day about how documentary was being oversold. He said every periodical and book he picked up was plugging it and the radio prattled of nothing else. Okay, but another chap we know went down to a west country debating society and found nearly a hundred people believing that a documentary was something which solicitors used to furnish their offices. It appears that a loud noise in Soho Square is heard only faintly at Land's End. A Sad Loss the death of Leon Schauder in a Dakota crash at Croydon is a matter of distress to all concerned in the progress of documentary. Schauder first became known here before World War II when Gaumont British circulated his notable film Nonquassi. From then on his work in developing his personal techniques (he was a cameraman as well as a director), in presenting African problems in human terms was of great value, not least during the war period. It is a tragedy that he should have been killed just at the moment when he was embarking on new and ambitious projects which, had he lived, would we are sure, have established new channels of understanding between Africa and the rest of the world. Coinings and Goings alex shaw has resigned from the Crown Film Unit, and his place has been taken by John Taylor. All who know him will feel him to be a worthy successor to Shaw, who did a most admirable job at the Unit. Taylor is one of the veterans of documentary. He joined the EMB Unit at the age of sixteen, and worked on most of the major productions of documentary during the 'thirties, including a year with Flaherty on Man ofArran. For the past nine years he has been in sole charge of Realist Film Unit, and the high reputation of this Unit is largely due to his efforts and guidance. Taylor's place at Realist has been taken by Brian Smith. who has been responsible for a number of its most successful directorial jobs during the past few years. The Films Act — Round Two having submitted their proposals for the new Films Act in January, the various trade bodies have now been called in by the Board of Trade for individual discussions. The producers, backed by the unions, favour legislation that will assist the rising standard and quality of British production and eliminate the cheap and nasty. On this very issue the old battle with the renting and exhibiting side of the industry is, however, rejoined. To give the cinema public a better balanced and more entertaining programme of films means today improving what is commonly called the 'supporting programme". This in turn means giving the producers of documentary, cartoon and other specialized films greater access to screen space and better renting conditions. The key question this raises is whether the exhibitor and the renter are wise. let alone justified, if they put the short-term considerations of the increased expense this will involve them in. before the long-term prospects of a live and developing British industry and better cinema' entertainment. The way in which discussions at the Board of Trade appear to have developed so far is not encouraging on this point. Readers will notice that this issue of 'Documentary News Letter'' has been called April-May instead of March-April. The cause was the intervention of the Fuel Crisis. The power cut disrupted the activities of the printer and 'D.N.L.' had to take its place in the going-to-press queue. Next issue will be JuneJuly and, fuel crisis willing, will appear early in June.