Reel and Slide (Mar-Dec 1918)

14 REEL and SLIDE 1 commercial theater owner indicates that the day of the illustrative and instructional cinema has "arrived." Those subjects, suitable for visualization, which lie nearest to our doors, we shall experience small difficulty in recording on the educational screen of the future. It is the far-off, hard to get and therefore more valuable subject with which we must be concerned. Either a desire for profit or "a zealous, enthusiastic j-earning for knowledge and an abiding faith in the mission of the moving picture as an instructor must lure the photographer through the hazards and sufferings of a journey such as I have just safe!}' made. In my case, I confess it was both. I love the life. I have been particularly interested in this group of islands, and I managed to get the substantial support of the local British Government, twenty-four "police" having been placed at my disposal. Job Entails Great Risk Our visit among the cannibals included such pleasant incidents as a running battle on a stretch of sandy beach, a twenty-four hour period as prisoners of war, a score of threats of horrible death, as well as a 600-mile jourpey in an open 22-foot whale boat, northward. No educational film library of the future can be complete without representations of the fruit of journeys like this. Now the question arises, who is going to make them ? It is unlikely that the man of learning, the book man, possesses the hardihood and endurance to undergo the physical strain and peril of such an undertaking. And it is quite as true that the man of sufficient braun will quite naturally lack the expert knowledge and requisite familiarity with his subject to satisfy the student. Moving picture equipment is not wieldy. It certainly is perishable. It is costly and cannot be easily sacrificed without good cause. The fruits of a six months' journey may be lost in twenty minutes by any one of many experiences we encoimtered among the cannibals of the South Seas. Yet gradually these isolated corners of the world, which are all that remain of primitive man' for purposes of the student of today, must be recorded on the film now or — never. There are many of these races in the South Pacific which clearly show a leaning toward civilization, as the British officials have been called upon to mingle with them, though the man eaters are still to be found in abundance. I filmed what I believed to be the most striking objects, phases of life, individuals and customs. I do not doubt but what my pictures will, in the main, please the student. He will find many of the things he would quite naturally wish to see missing; I realize that. But the "story" cannot be told even in 50,000 feet of films. It is too complex — too vast. There are 70,000,000 of these people, of varying degrees of enlightenment, and there are 400 dialects spoken in the South Pacific group, which will give an idea of the big order given to the cinematographer who sets out to complete a life history of the peoples in question. Films Show Much Detail Our films, quite naturally, deal mainly with the people and their customs. The geographical phases of the islands, flora and fauna are being, somewhat inanimate, pretty well covered in our text-book plates. But the full record of a race can never be so well told in the written word as when it is supplemented by the picture that moves — that is a living, moving document, attesting to authenticity and offers uncontrovertible evidence of the scientific facts pictured. It is one thing for the pupil to read of the weird dances of these cannibals and another to see them with his own eyes actually dancing. It is one thing to study text describing the physical characteristics of the cannibals and another thing to have them grin, scowl and stare into his face, cook their meals or eat their food raw before his eyes, practice with their primitive weapons, scale trees for fruit and birds, paddle their boats, engage in warfare and administrate their cruel and uncanny code of laws. I endeavored to make, not a hurried survey of the native life, a snatch here and there of the unusual, which type of scenic has been quite common in the past. There was method in our picture taking. We used up a great deal of film on detail work. We gathered much material concerning the life and customs of the people to use in the preparation of our titles and script. We were able to live among these people and watch our chances to get the unusual ceremony, the typical domestic scheme of things and the evidences of a set social system, bizarre at times and therefore of interest to everybody. We have plans by which educational institutions will eventually be able to show these pictures in short subjects, edited particularly for the needs of the pedagogue. There will likewise be special showings before selected audiences from time to time of footage that is unsuited to general circulation because of its purely scientific value and the character of its subjects. Civic and Welfare Experts Ask for Co-operation By Orrin G. Cocks {Secretary, National Committee for Better Films) THE people of the United States have said for some time, "We want better pictures, pictures suited to our neighborhood needs and the entertainment demands of our fathers, mothers, young people and children." They have known that motion pictures in most cities and towns are overwhelmingly for families. These differ from spoken plays in that they come close to every home and give absorbing entertainment to informal groups of people for little financial outlay. The entire motion picture industry has also known this and has been exerting continuous pressure to bear against those individuals and companies which have made and circulated the few pictures which have been offensive to family taste. From scorn and skepticism most of these makers of risque pictures have swung around to grudging concessions or whole-hearted support of the new idea. The American people are a right thinking people and usually get for their children and themselves what they want. They have voiced their desire to the exhibitors, and, what is more to the point, have swelled bank accounts for some or have set others wondering how to meet overhead expenses. The motion picture trade papers have spread broadcast the story of the profits to be made in better, cheerful, wholesome programs. Many producers also have demonstrated, by works as well as by words, that it pays to make such pictures. And the National Board of Review has told both the public and the entire motion picture industry each month, in various kinds of language, that fine pictures were being made in volume and that the sensible thing to do was to play up these excellent stories and inspiring actors, leaving the poor old homebreaker, the temptress and the cave man to go unsung to their melancholy end. Now, see what is happening. The boys in the army and navy, both here and over there, are getting better films and enjoy them, with no craving afterward for the red light district. The Y. M. C. A., both here and there, are delighted to find this new agency for absorbing entertainment of civilians and soldiers, with great prospects of the continuous use of this class of pictures in peace time. Individual teachers and school principals are using films for their young people and even the walls of Chinese conservatism of school authorities are showing great cracks and breaches. City churches and ministers in country towns are using pictures both for religious and for civic or entertainment purposes. And the great boards and interchurch agencies have abandoned criticism and are now seeking sensible methods for utilizing films in a big national way. Exhibitors and motion picture managers are rubbing their hands as they draw big patronage by giving the public to understand that they will always find artistic, heartwarming entertainments in their show houses. The producers are searching for and finding a larger number of stories which stimulate in the audiences pride of country, love of home, admiration for brave, clean living, and the soul of cheerfulness. The library people now see the relation of motion pictures to reading habits and are calling attention to the fine plays which help their readers to understand the human elements in literature and history. The farming, ranch and plantation people are being drawn together by social workers with better films and are coming to know each other and the world outside of the farmhouses. And finally, a new form of picture is being made both by the industry and by persons of high social purpose, which tells a real story of the skilled processes of workers or the reasons for reform, which actually pleases while it instructs and changes sentiments. Moving Pictures Show Work of Center Mrs. Edward' Tice, head of the teaching center of the Chicago Red Cross, addressed the Young Woman's War Relief recently at the Woman's Club on the different phases of work done by the center. Motion pictures of the different kinds of work done in the center were shown, illustrating occupational therapy, the teaching of Braille, the proper way to make surgical dressings, and canteen cookery. Official French motion pictures, "In the Wake of the Hun," were shown for the first time recently at the first meeting of the Friends of France at Chicago, an organization intended to promote a knowledge of French art, literature and social customs.