International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1931)

io83 standard films of fitting sound equipment. These difficulties depend on the fact of the difference in the speeds at which standard and sub-standard films are run. And lastly the question of language complicates the production of the film and reduces its international possibilities. In any case, sound and talking films are the object of interesting research, enquiries and experiences in the field of teaching which, even if they have not yet come within the scope of practical realisation, deserve to be followed with the greatest attention. Fixed projections (i). Fixed luminous projections are an indispensable adjunct to teaching, especially in some subjects such as architecture, history of art, certain elements According to the Kinema of Milan (September 193 1) the University of Los Angeles (California), was the first institution to make use of the Cinema for Educational purposes. The summer courses organised for the instruction of teachers included two months of lessons given by means of talking films made by prominent American intellectuals. We learn from the Film Daily of New York (July 12th, 1931) that an enquiry held at Washington under the auspices of the Federal Government in order to determine the educational value of the talking film ended in the statement that talking films showed an advantage of 38 % over all other methods. Consequently the The National Visual and Sound Educational Group was founded in order to encourage the production of educational sound films. England. — In several Middlesex schools, educational sound films have been used in preference to silent films. Following their example, many schools have tried this method of teaching and the Educational Committee of Hendon has also decided to make trial of it {The Cinema, London, Jan. 21, '31). The Daily Film Renter (London, February 193 1) states that Western Electric Limited have constructed a portable sound projector and that it has been used with success in several schools to project films of historical, technical and industrial character. The excellent results obtained in England in trials of educational sound films have been the subject of articles in many newspapers and reviews, notably The Times, (London, April 1st, 1931), Todays Cinema (London, April 24th, 1931), The Kinematograph weekly (London, June nth, 1931), Manchester Guardian (Manchester, July 25th, 193 1), etc... The matter was considered to be of such importance that it formed the subject of a debate in the House of Commons, in the course of which it was insisted that in talking films the English Language should be purely spoken with a correct accent; if this precaution were not taken it was obvious that the talking film would defeat its own ends. U. S. S. R. — According to a communication received by the I. I. E. C. from " Vox," the activity of the educational section of the " Sovkino " in Leningrad has considerably increased during 1931, especially as regards projections in schools accompanied by lectures. This use of the talking film has shown excellent results. (1) The question of the superioty of fixed projections over the Cinema and viceversa has been widely discussed and there are very different opinions available. Some maintain that fixed projections have lost their interest and that the Cinema is decidely supsrior, others, like Mr. Rudolph Neubert of Dresden writing in Bildwart,