Year book of motion pictures (1948)

The school-made film continues to interest educators, especially in fields considered too specialized for profitable professional production. Record photography in such areas as psychological experimentation, surgery, etc., is exchanged between college film makers, and when such films seem to have broader interest they may be taken up for distribution by the Educational Film Library Association. The chief source of new educational films is more than ever the professional producer. More new titles of high quality have been added this year than ever before by Encyclopedia Britannica, Coronet, Knowledge Builders, Simmel-Meservy, Hawley-Lord, Vocational Guidance, United World and others. The last named organization, relatively a newcomer, is successor to the pioneer Bell & Howell Filmosound Library and exclusive 16 mm. representative of J. Arthur Rank and Universal-International. Its chief large-scale projects included an internationally produced Science Series, another on track and field events (made in collaboration with the Amateur Athletic Union and the U. S. Olympics Committee), and a most comprehensive series on world geography that is being produced by Louis de Rochemont. Part of the phenomenal jump in non-theatrical film "producers" (55 to 200) consists of modest ventures embarked on by graduates of the film training programs of the armed forces. This repeats the picture that ensued after World War I; some of our most successful non-theatrical producers served their apprenticeship as Signal Corp cameramen. But, just as in the past, not all succeed who try. A number of the brave new production ventures have already folded. It takes a lot of capital as well as "know-how" to make good educational films, and even more of same to sell them. Educational film production still remains a business of great potential promise, but nothing like a surefire quick-profit bonanza. Armed Forces Still Buying AT least another fourth of today's market for projectors, films and accessories is represented by the armed forces. Thev are estimated to have spent $120 millions during the war for projectors and films. Of the 59,000 motion picture projectors between 30 and 35 thousand are estimated to be still in armed service use. The anticipation of thousands of "surplus" projectors from Army stocks simply did not materialize. Instead, the armed forces are making additional purchases, both of machines and films. During 1947 the War Department bought more than 5,000 new 16 mm. sound projectors. Church Circles Stir THE marked increase in church use of 16 mm. film is reflected in the action of several denominational buying centers setting themselves up as regular "religious dealers" for the resale of 16 mm. projectors to their affiliated churches. Denomination-sponsored pictures, generally professionally produced, are on the increase. The Protestant Film Commission released its first film production, "Beyond Our Own," and has quite a number of further films in work. The American Bible Society released three new Biblical films, the narrative confined to the Scriptures. The Religious Film Association is expanding its distribution network by establishing film centers with affiliated denominational bodies. The leading British church film source. Religious Films, Ltd., a Rank affiliate transferred its representation to United World Films, which established a Religious Films Division, with separate Catholic and Protestant branches, and published a new church film catalog. The International Council of Religious Education's fourth annual visual-education seminar was attended by over 300 selected church leaders on state and regional levels. Numerous regional seminars were conducted by "graduates" of this national church film workshop. The 16 mm. trade and professional press devotes increased attention to church film affairs. Verhalen Publications announced a new quarterly, Church Films. William S. Hockman, religious editor for Educational Screen published a book on church use of motion pictures. Enter the Public Library WITH full encouragement from the American Library Association, numerous public libraries are offering limited 16 mm. film service, among them Beaumont, Kalamazoo, Dallas, Charlotte, Detroit, Akron, Milwaukee and Cleveland, to name just a few. A foundation grant has put Mrs. Patricia Blair, formerly head of the Cleveland Public Library's Film Bureau, into the ALA headquarters in Chicago, as Library Film Advisor. An excellent manual, Films in Public Libraries was published by Library Journal. This "invasion" was given a not altogether unmixed welcome by some commercial 16 mm. libraries and distributors and was the subject of warm though friendly debate at ANFA's 1947 convention. An officially invited representative of the American Library Association, Mary Louise Alexander, told of her two years' of film distribution experience at the Stamford, Conn, public library. From 100 to 150 film titles are offered each month, she reported, and as a direct result of this new community service the number of 16 mm. sound projectors in social use in her community of 65,000 had grown from 12 in 1946 to 105 in 1947. So enthusiastic has been the response of her community that the local school system requested the library to serve as its visual aids center until such time as an adequate visual education department could be provided out of the regular school budget.