Minutes of evidence taken before the Departmental Committee on Cinematograph Films (1936)

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE 61 19 May, 1936.] .Mr. Paul Rotha. [( '■■it tinned. (a) Documentary Films are capable of wide development. The advent of sound, for example, has greatly added to the entertainment appeal of Documentary Films, making them popular with the public, while the widespread need felt for the interpretation of National and Empire life has made their production of national significance. (h) It is appreciated that the framers of the Act wished to exclude from obtaining full quota the casual discursive descriptions of natural life, such as news reels, descriptive films of industrial process, travelogues, etc. (though judging by recent quota decisions, this aim does not seem to have been fully achieved). Documentary Films, however, are a creative and not a descriptive interpretation of natural life, necessitating dramatic construction and high technical ability. (r) It should be noted that the term " special exhibition value " sometimes means appeal to specialised audiences. The Song of Ceylon for example, a film of great but specialised appeal, secured the Prix de Gouvernement Beige at the International Film Exhibition at Brussels, 1935, thus bringing international prestige to British film production. (d) As will be observed from the attached excerpts from the Press and other sources, Documentary Films are now regarded as an important branch of British film production. (Annex III.) (e) The Cinematograph Films Act, 1927, excludes films from qualifying for quota on the grounds of subject matter. (Viz. : " The films to which this Act applies are all cinematograph films other than — (i) films depicting wholly or mainly news and current events : (ii) films depicting wholly or mainly natural scenery : (iii) films depicting wholly or mainly industrial or manufacturing processes: (iv) scientific films, including natural history films.") This, we submit, provides no test of the entertainment or cultural importance of a documentary film. The differentiating factor, it is emphasised, lies not in the subject matter (i.e. " current events," or " natural scenery ") but in the creative treatment of tltis material. (/) The Board of Trade should not, it is felt, disregard the special entertainment values peculiar to the documentary film. 7. An examination of the material excluded by the Clauses of Section No. 27 of the present Act, with reference to Documentary Films which have already been produced, makes apparent the inadequacies of Section No. 27. Only clauses (a), (&), (e) and (/) are considered here since these affect Documentary Films most directly. Clause (a). — " Films depicting wholly or mainly news and current events." It is possible to make an ambitious, creative and culturally important treatment of news and current events, cf. sequences of B.B.C. The Voice of Britain and Night Mail; potential documentary films of the March of Time type; Shipyard and The Face of Britain; and in another medium, the actuality programmes developed by the B.B.C. current events, if shaped to a theme, may give drama of the utmost importance. It is to be noted that the Documentary Film is more and more using the camera and the microphone for direct observations, e.g., the new films of the Ministry of Labour. There will be more current events, not less, in the Documentary Films of the future. Clause (b). — " Films depicting wholly or mainly natural scenery." Should a film which, in using exclusively natural scenery, makes a poem of a particular landscape, say, the Lake District, or the Highlands, be excluded under this ClauseP Clause ((')• — " Films depicting wholly or mainly industrial or manufacturing processes." The dramatisation of manufacturing processes has, in fact, been a principal force in the development of the Documentary Film. It has been possible for a great number of people to conceive of industry as dramatic and as containing within it themes of Empire and national importance, cf. Shipyard, Industrial Britain, Face of Britain, Contact, CoalFace, Voice of Britain and others. Themes involving commercial organisation, scientific management and marketing research in relation to commerce and agricultural organisation, are capable of similar film approach. Clause (/). — "Scientific films, including natural history films." On the face of it this category may seem to be fairly excluded. On the other hand, The Life of a Plant, one of the original Secrets of Nature films, is held by many to be historically one of the most important cultural films. In this film the treatment of the life cycle of a plant passed from being a purely scientific consideration into something of aesthetic and entertainment value. Note also the possibilities of the dramatic treatment of a scientific contribution to commerce (cf. Shadow on the Mountain) and of a dramatic account of animal life at the Zoo, or a treatment of animal or even plant life which would reveal the drama of existence (cf. The Private Life of the Gannets and Wake up and Feed). Part C. Ways in which the Position of Documentary Films might be legitimately improved under any new Cinematograph Films Act which may be passed upon the Expiring of the Cinematograph Films Act, 1927. 1. In the framing of any new Cinematograph Films Act, it is felt that not only should the considerations set out in Part B above be taken into account, but that the opportunity should be taken to free the Documentary Film from its present legal burdens. In this respect, it is asked that the following points should be borne in mind : — (a) The Documentary Film is a means by which the ideals, culture and traditions of this country can be admirably projected both to British audiences and to foreign. (b) The Documentary Film is already a source of prestige to British Cinema in the international field, and with proper and reasonable encouragement this would increase. (c) Any vital form of civic education, such as is afforded by Documentary Films should not be overlooked by centres of government. (d) Documentary Films are one of the finest means of training film technicians. Any encouragement of Documentary Film production must influence the technical quality of all types of films. (e) The Documentary Film is considered by many persons entering the business as the most interesting branch of film production. Thus the personnel employed in Documentary Films is increasing in number and includes producers, directors, musicians, painters, photographers, sound recordists, assistants, as well as electricians, cutting-girls, theatre projectionists, etc. 2. It is believed that the production and distribution of Documentary Films would be encouraged by changing the existing Act as follows: — (a) Full quota should be granted to all Documentary Films, both short and long, which possess National, Empire and Cultural values. (b) In the Cinematograph Films Act, 1927, the footage of British quota films required to bal the footage of foreign short films (thai is, films