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• Typical attendance at a group meeting of Detroit Society of Ci nematographers. Note the many ladies present. — Photo by W.E.Clyma.
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HAT it takes to make a cine club successful has been the subject of countless round-table discussions. My long membership with the Detroit Society of Cinematographers has enabled me to study every phase of club activity at close range and, I believe, qualifies me to offer some suggestions for the benefit of other amateur groups that will aid in building a worthwhile and successful club.
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It was with pride in accomplishment that I, together with other officers watched our club grow from a comparatively small organization of about 40 members to a membership more than ten times as great. Like a child who outgrows its clothes, we were obliged almost constantly to find new quarters to fit our growing organization. During this "growing" stage, we encountered many problems and made some mistakes which BobHanduiker embryo club groups
may easily avoid.
All of us are familiar with the old story of the man who tried to swing the bear by its tail and ultimately found himself, in
• "Gadget Night," during which accessories constructed by members are demonstrated, has proved a highly entertaining and educational feature of movie club programs.
Stead, being swung by the bear. The same moral holds true with many amateur movie clubs in regard to membership. Before striving to build a club to a large membership, consideration should be given to the disadvantages of too many members.
Large meeting places are expensive to rent and oftentimes unavailable; in a large room, all except those in the front rows are handicapped because of distance from the stage or platform; large groups must necessarily have such a diversified range of desired programs that it is almost impossible to satisfy more than a few; the neighborly feeling is lost in large groups and even the officers can know only a limited number of members by name; outdoor activities are hampered because of the large number present and subsequent difficulty in handling so many persons; individuals or firms who are likely to cooperate with smaller groups are reluctant to grant favors to large groups for obvious reasons. There are other disadvantages, too. Of course, there are a few advantages, such as the grouping of persons according to experience and desires, but these are outweighed, I believe, by the disadvantages.
Where a club has an enthusiastic membership, be it ever so small, they are in a position to develop into a throbbing, important factor in their community. Members are banded together because they have a common hobby — amateur movies. So long as they are furnished with talks, demonstrations, films, outdoor projects, contests, and a genuine feeling that this is their club, there need be no fear of • Continued on Page 242
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