Educational film magazine; (19-)

PUTTING THE "PROP" INTO PROPAGANDA PICTURES The Right Kind of Films to Produce for a Definite Purpose and the Right Way to Use Them AND now," asked a jocosely-inclined visiting school super- visor of a class of eager young hopefuls, "what is the greatest American indoor sport?" To his utter amaze- ment, thirty shrill and lusty voices shouted the correct answer. "The movies!" they cried. Whereupon the visitor de- cided that if he was to have his little joke with the youngsters in the future he must look around for a riddle with a less obvious solution. If someone had asked this question at a staid and solemn chamber of commerce meeting, the reply would probably have been the same, and if it had been put to a group of factory workers during a union meeting there would doubtless have been a similar response. Probably, had someone shouted it from the platform of the Coliseum during the late Republican convention, the answer would still have been "The movies." Unquestionably, the movies are not only our favorite recrea- tion but the national panacea for boredom, the blues, domestic and financial worries and all the other ailments with which our modern civilization is afflicted. Small wonder, then, that in realizing the fascination that the shadow world has for the plain man and his wife, educators, reformers and business men long ago resolved to present their arguments and sell their wares via the silver sheet route. Public welfare organizations, too, were qizick to see the value of the new mediuin, and to-day funda- mental facts regarding tuberculosis, industrial safety, child care, and public health nursing are taught by means of motion pic- tures. Health weeks, Christmas seal sales, safety-first campaigns atid other devices created to bring the public to a realization of the importance of individual and community well-being and how to attain them all have included propaganda films. 'So deep-rooted has become the faith in the teaching value of the motion picture that at times it almost appears to verge on superstition, for there is a belief among many people that th: quickest and surest way to teach a difiScult subject is to exhibit a film dealing with it. This attitude, unfortunately, often results in a careless and haphazard selection of pictures, an error which may retard rather than aid the cause for which they are intended. A commercial theater manager so arranges his program that it will appeal to his own particular clientele. He knows that people living in ri high-class residential section are less interested in the death- defying serial exploits of Elaine than a well-staged, well-acted drama having an intelligent plot. On the other hand, if he is furnishing entertainment to a dime pptience, he selects the thrillers that appeal to the uncultivated mind. The discerning exhibitor of propaganda films can use the same discretion in his selection of subjects, although he may not have as large a Variety of material to choose from as the commercial manager. The Picture with the Punch Let us take, for instance, the elemr-nt of quality in a motion picture. Some of the available film material dealing with health, community welfare, and allied subjects is excellent. Its mes sage is delivered forcefully and entertainingly, and it has suffi- cient "punch" to remain in the memory of the spectator for a long time after he has seen it. A good many films, however, have been produced from poorly-prepared scenarios by people By E. G, Routzahn and Helena V. Williams who lacked experience in the handling of the subjects. If we wish to teach a vital lesson to a group of uninformed, lethargic and, perhaps, antagonistic men and women, we must do more than show them a number of reels of mediocer film. To be sure, it is generally possible to secure an optience. There is still a pecu- liar fascination in watching the photograph of a human being walk, talk, and express emotion. Added to this is the desire "to wait and see what will happen next," and "to get something for nothing." These human weaknesses furnish a sufficient amount of interest to hold the attention of the average spectator of a free movie for a while at least, even if the picture is a bad one. But more than this is needed. If we would advance a good cause through the use of motion pictures we must con- sider other and far more important elements. Let us take, for example, the mental capacity and education of an average optience. One of the writers of this article re- cently reviewed three motion pictures on the care of the teeth and prevention of mouth disease, and studied advertising litera- ture dealing with several others. All of the pictures, naturally enough, were highly recommended by their producers, and :» few had been enthusiastically endorsed by health associations and school authorities. Yet none of them was exactly suited to popular optiences. One film was decidedly revolting in part, an element always of questionable value in propaganda work unless : skillfully handled. The language of the titles of another was stilted in tone and beyond the grasp of the average grammar- school graduate. Still another was a purely technical picturn, suitable and interesting only for dentists and students. Yet all three had been shown to industrial workers, farmers, and even to children in the grade schools. Simple Themes More Effective Propaganda pictures which are to be shown to popular opti- ences should be very simple in theme. Producers of commer- cial films direct their pictures to an optience having the intelli- gence of an average child of thirteen. This does not mean that an adult is incapable of grasping anything more profound, but it indicates the mental attitude of the average person when OUR PRESENT ATTITUDE ON THE SAFETY QUESTION (Continued from page 3) ^ 5 operated by unskilled persons nothing more serious than; a small frame burned out or a machine case burned, withi some attendant smoke, although these cases are infrequent!! and have happily been overcome by refinements in con«5 struction that make their recurrence virtually impossible,] with the result that several states have amended and are' amending their regulations to permit the use of portable' projectors with inflammable film without booths under stipulated conditions. But what we hope to see, and whafc; we believe we shall see before long, is the entire matters of projection machines and films made absolutely safe itti the hands of the most unskilled and careless user for all time to come. |