Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (1950-1954)

4. Films have been found to facilitate thinking and to aid in problem solving. Evaluation of the evidence of film research clearly indicates that the contribution of films as a communication medium is to give greater comprehensipn and understanding rather than to develop specific detailed recollection. Research studies have demonstrated that people taught by film were better able to apply their learning than people who had other forms of instruction. 5. In short, films can be specifically produced to influence viewer behavior in the long-term sense. Thus through carefully produced films human beings can effectively acquire factual knowledge, the development of new skills, the formation of new attitudes, motivations and opinions. Films may be expected to effect other educational objectives such as appreciation, orientation, etc. Evaluation and Summary of Experimental Research Have Suggested Principles Which Govern the Dynamics of Film Influence on Behavior For convenience, each principle is stated and discussed and some practical implications for film production or utilization are suggested. The overriding concept in the knowledge of the dynamics of film influence is that the meaning of a motion picture always differs among the people who see the film. What is perceived in a given film will differ with each viewer and will condition the meaning of the film to him. In order to conform to the dynamics of learning, a film must contain familiar elements or backgrounds, and not too much that is completely new or unfamiliar such as interpretations that are not easily recognized. Yet there must be new information or there will be little learning. At the same time, understanding will be blocked should the information be too new or too difficult. To complicate matters, adult audiences demand or expect material which has the appearance of novelty. Otherwise they feel that their learning ability has been underestimated. Therefore a good training film must appear to challenge the viewer's learning ability. Thus it is essential to understand that while a motion picture does not vary objectively from one showing to another or from one group to another, there will be a variation in its meaning for different individuals. This will depend on the interaction between the psychological characteristics of the viewer, the social cir cumstances surrounding the audience and the content and treatment of the film. Any effective informational film will owe its validity to the matching of these variables. First Principle — Films possess their greatest influence when their content has been designed to reinforce and extend the previous knowledge, attitudes or motivations of the viewer. Discussion. A film will not substantially influence the behavior of a person unless that person can respond to the film in terms of what he already knows — or what he can do — or how he feels — or what he wants. The film can be designed to help change his attitudes and opinions, his knowledge and his skills, provided that it extends or reinforces those elements which he already possesses. The effects of any motion picture depend on the reinforcing of the viewer's experiences which preceded, follow or are coincident with the actual film showing. Tests have shown that the influence of any one film is limited while the influence of several films is cumulative in the dynamics of learning. Application. The sponsor's money will be wasted if the film is not carefully adapted to the viewer's knowledge-level, or if the film content is allowed to run counter to existing attitudes or motivations of the viewer. Ken Kendall: Production Principles Research 437