See and hear : the journal on audio-visual learning (1945)

AUDIO-VISUAL EDUCATION IN THE LANDS OF THE PACIFIC Australia: a National Film Plan A Staff Report on Documentary and Educational Film Progress 11 USTRALIA has come a long f-\ way in a comparatively short -*- -^ period in the making and distributing of Documentary and Visual Educational Films. The Australian National Film Board has been in existence for about 22 months producing general documentary and educational films for distribution for both Australian and overseas consumption. The present day National Film Board is an outgrowth of the old National Film Unit which began functioning during the early part of the century. The Australian Na- tional Film Board was formed im- mediately after the close of World War II, when Australia needed films to acknowledge to the world her resources; to advise prospective mi- grants about the Australian Way of Life; and to acquaint her own peo- ple about themselves and their na- tive heritage. Research gave evidence that people wanted to know about Australia. The film is one of the best mediums in exposing this desired knowledge, and it was felt that docu- mentary films are today what the radio was at the end of the last war. The Board functions to promote, expand, assist and co-ordinate the production, distribution and impor- tation of films for all national and social purposes. The objectives in- clude international understanding, and trade and tourist expansion. It maintains a National Film library with branches throughout the world where Australia maintains represen- tation. The Commonwealth National Li- brary acts as the central distributing agency for non-theatrical films, and maintains a film library for the pur- pose of storage of master copies, cataloguing and classification and to pursue bibliographic research. Until recently, Australia had to depend a great deal on outside aid in the making of documentary and visual education films. Now that the Film Board has achieved sub- stantial production, it is unlikely that there would be call for other than utilizing its own facilities. The National Film Board will aid financially film producers when as- sured of the soundness of their con- cern in the making of documentary films, and will add films made by them to the National Film Library at Canberra. During the year 1946, approxi- mately forty-eight 16 mms, newsreels, shorts, and several 35 mm films have either been completed or are in the process of completion for education- al, labor, school, club, rehabilitation, UNESCO and newsreel showings. Five documentary films have been made in the U.S. with the aid of professional concerns from film foot- age supplied by the Department of Information at Canberra. There are three Australian Dis- tributors' Associations located in Sydney, and thirteen Film Distribu- tion companies representing British and American Film companies lo- cated in Melbourne and Sydney. The Australian News & Information Bu- reau in New York and the Press Attaches in San Francisco and Can- ada are constantly in touch with distributing agents in the U.S., her territories and Canada. These rep- resenting offices carry films and prints, and operate as film rental offices. The distribution of 16 mm films is handled mainly from the New York office, where the library is lo- cated. Catalogues are posted at vari- ous intervals to well over 5,000 schools, colleges and other educa- tional institutions. In addition, the facts of film service are included in the News if Information Monthly Bulletin which enjoys a mailing list of 7,700 publicity and social organi- zations. Rental fees are charged according to the length and produc- tion cost of each film, these rentals being, in most cases, lower than those charged by the commercial agencies. Also copies of these films are sold at a figure which roughly represents print cost plus freight plus a few dollars overhead. Present plans to have the films distributed by commercial organizations will necessitate raising rentals to normal levels. A catalogue of Australian films is sent to possible buyers or borrowers and additional publicity is given through various other cata- logues and mediums such as lectures, radio broadcasts, and a U.N. cata- logue which reaches many thousands of people. Reports show that in 1947 there were 2,855 presentations of Bureau films in the U.S. with an attendance totalling 389,132. These figures cover only one representing office of the Australian National Film Board. The Film Board, in conjunction with all Government departments, makes films on the sociology and technology of industry and agricul- ture, health and welfare, juvenile and adult education. Mines and na- tional resources are covered as well as newsreels. Distribution is both theatrical and non-theatrical. A film depicting Australia's meth- ods of teaching "outback" children by correspondence and radio was shown at the Paris Conference of U.N. Educational, Scientific & Cul- tural Organization last November. It showed how children in the re- mote parts of the continent are taught by letter under the super- vision of their parents, and make the same progress as pupils in ordi- nary schools. The film included shorts of Australian children study- ing on farms, ranches and remote mines in all parts of the Common- wealth. Film strips and sound film centers are organized in Australia in coun- try towns for schools. Every subject in the school curriculum is covered by sound film and companion film (continued on thk next page) M AY •19 4 7 25