Educational screen & audio-visual guide (c1956-1971])

^^Ui udioVisuals Serve Specific Church Needs by Donald R. Lantz, Director of Bellgrlons Education, Faiiiily Films, Inc. )ne of the significant developments in the field of religious audio-visuals is the growing emphasis upon specific materials to meet definite church objectives. There is a growing realiza[ tion on the part of both the audio1 visual and the curriculum specialists that motion pictures, filmstrips, and all other audio-visual resources must be integrated more closely than ever before with church school curricula and church emphases. Since such integrated material will be used more widely and (it is hoped) more effectively than would be the unrelated production, producers are more and more concerned with creating materials that can be recommended by denominational leaders and can be written into church school curricula resources for teachers and into church calendars. The most urgent demand seems to be for materials related to the individual church school classroom. An increasing number of Sunday School lesson guides published by independent publishers as well as denominational publishing houses are appearing with suggested audio-visual resources written into the teacher's helps and lesson commentaries. Two examples are the Sunday School Teaclier's Guide (Tarbel) and the International Lesson Annual (Abingdon). Denominational leaders such as Mary Phyllis Young (Presbyterian, U. S. A.) and Floyd Watt (Evangelical United Brethren) make specific suggestions for Church school teachers. The Methodists and the Southern Baptists have been publishing correlation lists for several years. Many other denominations are likewise helpful to their constituency in suggesting audiovisual resources. In the past there has been overconcentration on a single media. Some denominational leaders are constantly suggesting a variety of correlated materials that are in keeping with the best knowledge of the effective utilization of related materials that support one another. Varieties of audiovisual resources are suggested for specific lessons and units. Good correlation and integration does not concentrate on filmstrips, motion pictures, or any other media. The best device or resource to accomplish the intended objective under the condi Old Testament Production Schedule: L to R, Lou Perlof, Prod. Mgr.; Rev. Victor Growcock, Exec. Producer; Clancy Hernem, Ass't Director and Edward Dew, Director. tions in which it is to be used is now being recommended. A high level of such utilization is appearing in the church field. The producer of religious audiovisual materials is helping to develop this higher concept with extensive utilization training workshop and leadership school activities. In our own case, also, Family Films has established a fully equipped department for the production of filmstrips. During the past year there has been a notable step-up in denominational production programs. Production of films and filmstrips by denominations for their own denominational purposes is nothing new, but there has been a growing realization that denominational curriculum limits are best observed by the denomination's own production efforts. In many cases use is made of independent professional producers such as Family Films for major production programs for television series or annual promotional films. The newest and most active trend in this field is in the production of biblical films. Examples are the ten-episode Book of Acts Series by the Southern Baptist Convention and the fourteen-episode Old Testament Series by the Lutheran EdScreen & AV Guide — December, 1957 Church-Missouri Synod, both made at Family Films' studios in Hollywood. These activities in no way displace the creative activities of the independent religious film producer here or abroad, and the same is true for the cooperative denominational efforts of the Broadcasting and Film Commission of the National Council of Churches. Even with a constant flow of better integrated materials assured, the religious audio-visual field is not without its problems. The chief concern is for the development of leadership for the training and encouragement of local church and church school workers to make the proper and effective uses of these resources. This issue occasioned much serious discussion at the International Conference at Green Lake this year. The idea that there was "too much" audio-visual material was balanced with the bringing to light of the fact that there are large numbers of churches and churchrelated organizations who are not now using audio-visuals. Until these make frequent, consistent, effective, and repeated use of these God-given instruments, there never can be "too much." Our big problem now is in better leadership training. 581