Documentary News Letter (1947-1949)

cV DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER 15-> I am a very great believer in films for educational and propaanda purposes and though we cannot spend the more or less unmited sums upon them that we did during the war I am certain lat under the right conditions and given the right films they are ie most powerful means of spreading essential knowledge that •e possess. The visual demonstration of facts in an attractive form , I believe, the easiest and most certain way of getting them across ) the public. The film suffers, however, from one serious disability i this rapidly changing world and that is the time that must be :cupied between the determination of the need to explain a parcular aspect of our lives to the people and the completion and lowing of a film for that purpose. Anything that we can do and you can do to shorten that period ould vastly increase the utility of films for mass education jrposes. Though we have gone a long way in developing short films for lis purpose you will not, I am sure, rest upon your oars. There is a great deal yet that we can do to meet new sih . new methods. This is an ever-developing art which mil >ngly influenced by the ever-changing needs of our situation ami just as many of you have done a great work in the past to widen and develop the appeal of your work to the public, sure you will all of you continue in that good work. You have always shown yourselves great servants of the public and of the nation more interested in the benefits you can bring to souctv and in the honesty of your art than in your profits or personal gain. It is that spirit which has shown itself in your films and has been widely recognized as placing them high in the realm of film production. May you continue in that same purpose and may the evergrowing recognition of your contribution to the art and life of our nation bring you the security and stability which you rightly seek for your production units. PRODUCTION HISTORY OF A COI FILM reprinted from the August issue of Monthly Review the official organ of the Films' Division of the Central Office of Information imaginary history of a typical COI film may f interest. It shows the many stages through ch every film has to go before the show copy wars on the screen. This history is untypical ne thing only: everything goes smoothly, treatment, shooting script and roughcut approved without any drastic alterations the financial arrangements go through out a hitch. Often, alas, the history of a luction is not so straightforward as this. (1) The Ministry of Help writes to Films Divi>n saying that they urgently require a short film i Industrial Exteriosis, for non-theatrical showg to factory workers and study groups. (2) The Chief Production Officer talks to the oduction Controlling Officer handling that inistry and they agree the film will help the iblic's morale considerably, if only it can be ade quickly enough. They decide that it sounds e a two-reeler, costing about £4,000, and that seems the sort of film Nadir Films might well ike, if only Hector Bathos is free to direct it. (3) The Director approves the project. (4) The PCO starts a production file called Klustrial Exteriosis', rings up Hector Bathos id finds that he is free, and arranges a briefing seting with the Ministry of Help. (5) The briefing meeting is attended by the 70, Bathos, the Public Relations Officer at the frtry of Help, and the experts on Exteriosis. decide that the film must be aimed primat foremen and charge hands, that it should vo reels, with a straight commentary, and at it should present the positive aspects of teriosis in a thoroughly popular style. After the seting. Bathos and the PCO have a drink gether and exchange ideas. (6) The PCO writes a minute to the Production JOtracts Section, asking for Nadir Films to be mmissioned for a two-reel treatment on idustnal Exteriosis", at a fee of £65. Production >ntracts recommend this proposal to I i nance ivision, who approve it. Production Contracts en send a formal commissioning letter to Nadir Ims. (7) At the instigation of the PCO, the Ministry of Help write a formal request letter to Films Division, asking them to produce a two-reel film on 'Industrial Exteriosis' at a cost not exceeding £4,000. The PCO minutes this to Production Contracts, who minute it to Finance Division, who ask the Treasury for authority to make the film. The Treasury, after some thought, give their authority. (8) Hector Bathos sends in his treatment. The PCO discusses it with him, and he rewrites the first sequence. The PCO then discusses the treatment with the Chief Production Officer and the director. As a result, Bathos rewrites the first sequence again, so that it's almost exactly as it was in the first place. (9) The PCO sends copies of the treatment to the Ministry of Help. After a fortnight, a meeting is held at the Ministry to discuss the treatment. After much argument about the true nature of exteriosis, the Ministry approves the treatment, except that the character on page 3 should be a woman and not a man. (10) The PCO gets Nadir Films commissioned for a shooting-script, in the same way as they were commissioned for a treatment. At the same time he has a quiet word with Bathos about that first sequence, which he's still not happy about. (11) Nadir Films send in the shooting-scnpi This again is discussed by the PCO the Chief Production Officer and the Director, and approved with some small alterations. (12) Nadir Films send in a budget for the production, totalling £3,950. The PCO discusses it with the Production Contracts. Production Contracts have a word with the Business Manage! ol Nadir, crosses Off tWO weeks' salaries lor editing and recommends the contract to I inance Division at £3,895. Finance Division authorize the budget, and Production Contracts send out an official contract letter to Nadir I ilms (13) Nadir go ahead and shoot the film Vs hen they've got it to rough-cut Stage, they bring it up to the COI and show it to the PCO, with Bathos reading the commentary. The l'( I -r two shots to be interchanged, and insists on cutting out the phrase 'breaking bottlenecks' in the commentary. Then the rough-cut is shown to the Director, the Chief Production Otficer and the Technical Production Officer. As a result of their comments, the whole of the first sequence is cut out and replaced by a single close-up of exteriosis in action. Finally, the rough-cut is shown to the Ministry of Help, who like it very much indeed. At this last meeting it is decided that the final title for the film shall be 'A Stitch in Time'. (14) Nadir record the commentary, complete the film and deliver the show copy to Films Division. The Technical Production Officer sees the show copy, to check the quality of recording and printing, and gives it his OK (15) As the film is for non-theatrical showing in factories. Home Non-Theatrical Distribution estimate how many 35 mm. and 16 mm. prints will be needed and order them from the laboratory. At the same time, they forewarn the Regional Film Olivers that they will be getting the film very soon now. (16) The prints arrive. Some are placed in the Central Film Library, some are sent straight out to the Regional Film Officers (17) The Regional \ ilm Officer for the NorthNorth-Fast includes the film in his next factor) show. The projectionist reports that the film went down extremely well, especially the tunny bit at the end There the storj ends for the moment But the film will go on K-ing shown non-theatrically. to different audiences, for a vear or more Scientific I ilm Societies with their own projectors will borrow copies from the Central l ilm I ibrarv (unfortunately the film is not suitable I And the Technical Production Officer will have it dubbed into ■ dozen ind the Overseas Distribution Sc 1 help to the tilm to be shown in e% which, like cm run ir mm mi, t ilri