International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1932)

— 224 — And now I come to the most difficult question of all and one to which there is no simple answer " What is the content of a geographical film ". Producers cannot make a eographical film without this knowledge and some producers badly wish to know. My own belief is that we shall learn what a geographical film is by trial and error. There arc some films tol which are useful in the teaching of geography although they are not definitely geographical. They may tell us something of the connotation of the things which we cannot keep out of geography lessons, our old friends, " spinning and weaving ', " coal and iron , farming of all sorts and industrial processes. To judge by the Eastman films which were specially made for the experiment, and still more to judge by the questions on the test lessons authorities in the United States seem to consider such topics as the chief content of school geography. We do wish a few films of this kind but geography with us is mainly regional. We do not wish films to teach regional geography (at least I don't ; 25 years ago I did but now I don't) but we do wish films which will supply material for teaching regional geography, the regional geography that is taught in recognised syallabuses. And such films should have certain characteristics. Points to be emphasised. (1) Whatever length the film is, 5 minutes or 15, it should be coherently planned ; it must tell a story ; it muxt march ; it must not consist of scraps just thrown together because that may be useful later but it must form one coherent whole ; there must be some kind of unity. If there is this unity the separate bits will fit into their places. Travel films almost always lack cohesion and unity. ' Thirst " has unity ; " Corn " to some extent. In the original " Corn " was not wholly coherent and even in the extract I used the end was bad. It should come together with a snap. (2) The film should be short, whatever short may mean. This at least may be said that if youcan get all you want and all you can stand into 5 minutes it is a waste to take 15. We must cut and cut and cut but we must not cut to the bone to leave a skeleton. The film, long or short must be vital. (3) Captions should be simple, sincere, written in plain type, written in good English, suitable to the age of the children for whom the film is intended. A film for Standard III should have a different kind of caption from that intended for Standard VII. It is to be remembered that suitable captions may aid the reading of young children. They wish to read the captions as I have found in teaching these people they wish to read them for the information they give, another reason for using films with children under 9 years of age. The captions should be mainly used to direct attention to what is going to be seen. Far too many captions are merely allusive. In the opinion of those who have seen them the Kodak films have too few captions. Of course a teacher can point, put by word of mouth what to look at but unless the teacher knows the films intimately this is impossible. If the point of the picture is evident without the caption then of course th? caption should not be used but it is better not to take risks. Even in the Middlesex experiment with sound films many teachers expressed a wish for more captions. (4) Maps should be inserted where they are ne cessary to follow the argument. When the places spoken of are well known they may not be necessary. They may not be necessary where the film is short and is to be used " interrupted " as a lesson film. The wall maps and atlasses can be used simultaneously ; but in longer films and in those which deal with unfamiliar places maps are absolutely necessary. Nor is it any use to introduce one map at the beginning of the film showing a number of names that occur as the film progresses. A map should be shown for each place. (5) Though it scarcely applies to geographical films it may be said also that there is no use showing things on a film which are better shown otherwise. It is for example of little use exhibiting the making of a thermometer on a film, as was done in one of the test Esatman films, if the class can see an actual barometer made or better still make one. Mr. Fairgrieve concludes his address with some brief considerations on the possibilities of the educational Cinema in India and the colonies. HOV PRACTICABLE ARE MOTION PICTURES IN SCHOOLS (An Investigation by Albert H. Covell of Oneida, New York, U. S. A.) Mr. Covell's inquiry differs from the recent Middlesex Experiment and similar investigations in that it is not actually concerned with the relative effectiveness of educational films nor does it take into consideration the sound film. From a purely practical point of view the investigation has interest but this interest is limited by the fact that it deals only with the problems of finance and arrangement involved in the use of silent films in schools and not with the more recent and vital problem of sound films. Recent experiments have shown that the efficiency of sound films as teaching aids is such that there exists a strong case in favour of the extra expense involved in their use. However Mr. Covellls investigation has the supreme merit of being based upon facts and although these may not be consi