World Film and Television Progress (1937-1938)

FILM SOCIETIES AND CLUBS THE LONDON FILM SOCIETY: Hon. Secretary. Miss B. Frey, 56 Manchester Street, W.I. The offices of the above society will be closed from July 12th to August 9th. CAITHNESS FILM SOCIETY: Secretary, J. W. P. Faint, Esq., Sumburgh, Hill Avenue, Wick. Caithness. On May 21st. Miss Hazel Terry, grand niece of Ellen Terry, made a special journey to Wick to appear at a variety entertainment in aid of local chanties. Miss Terry, star of The Marriage of Corbal and Our Fighting Navy, was given a tremendous ovation when she arrived at her hotel, and later she attended a dance and mixed most happily with everybody. The visit was arranged by Mr. Faint, Secretary of the Society. CATHOLIC FILM SOCIETY: Hon. Secretary, Rev. Ferdinand Valentine, O.P., 36 Great Smith Street, London, S.W.I. Discussing the Annual Report at the June display at Millicent Fawcett Hall, at which the President, Bishop McNulty of Nottingham, was present, the Organising Secretary, Rev. Ferdinand Valentine, O.P., said that during the past year progress had been maintained. Besides the monthly displays at Millicent Fawcett Hall, there had been 120 displays. Several films, including an industrial film entitled Great Awakening and a film on the Holy Eucharist, were now in production. The Projection Group has increased its stock. The Mime Group is the Society's most important development, because the Catholic film depends on its mimetic quality. The Group is under the able direction of Miss Julia Murray, a pupil of Miss Gertrude Pickersgill of the L.A.D.A., and a weekly class is held at the Interval Club, Dean Street, Soho. Full particulars may be had from the Assistant Secretary, 36 Gt. Smith Street, S.W.I. In collaboration with Miss Pickersgill, the Mime Group presented The Mirror, an Easter.1 fable, after which Dominican Mass was screened. and the programme ended with the film made by J.O.C. (Christian Working Youth) showing recent demonstrations in Belgium. The next display is at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7th, at Millicent fawcett Hall, Westminster. Tickets Is. and I. v. 6d. from The Assistant Secietary. MANCHESTER AND SALFORD FILM SOCIETY : Hon. Secretary, R. Cordwell, Esq., 13 Milwain Drive, Heaton Chapel, Stockport. The following officers have been elected: Mr. T. Cavanagh (late Secretary, Manchester and Salford Workers' Film Society), Chairman; Ian R. Robinson, Hon. Membership Secretary; F. J. Stevenson, Hon. Treasurer. Subscription remains at lO.v., which can be paid in instalments of 2v. (m/. within the first six months after joining. Seven performances are to be arranged at the Rivoli Cinema, Rusholme, with an additional show if finances permit. Mr. J. A. Brewin has been nominated for the Executive of the federation of British Film Societies, which has been applied to for membership. Discussions are taking place as to possible co-ordination with other film societies giving lectures, etc. 44 OXFORD FILM SOCIETY: Hon. Secretary, E. F. Bowtell, Esq., 105 Victoria Road, Oxford. The thirteenth and last meeting of the season, was held at the Scala Cinema on June 6th, when Der Schimmelreiter, starring Matthias Wieman and Marianne Hope, headed the programme. Taken from the old Friesian legend, Der Schimmelreiter is notable chiefly for its exterior photography and for its simplicity in depicting the struggle of a fenland people against the constant danger of flooding. Scenario and direction is by Curt Oetel and Hans Deppe, production by R. Fritsch Tonfilm. Supporting films included How to Vote (Robert Benchley's sequel to How to Sleep and How to Behave), Hungarian Dance (a Fischinger musical abstract), Massingham's comedy And So To Work, and Disney's Band Concert. WEST ESSEX FILM SOCIETY: Hon. Secretary, F. J. Philpott, 7 Wellington Road, East Ham, London, E.6. The Society is making preparations for the production of another film. The script is nearing completion, and it is hoped to commence shooting in the near future. Further information regarding the production will appear later. A film unit has been formed which will include among its operations the filming of carnivals, fetes, etc. MERSEYSIDE FILM UNIT: Hon Secretary, Cyril Ray, Esq., 377 Oxford Road, Manchester 13. In view of the film industry's alleged reluctance to make films to the requirements of teachers and of the rather unorganised activities of most amateur film societies, a recent Lancashire development is not without interest. The Merseyside Film Institute Society formed twelve months ago the first amateur film unit to be organised by a branch of the British Film Institute. The unit was composed of two production groups, one working with 16 mm. film stock, the other with 9.5 mm. Two films were completed last summer, one, Morning Boat, 300 feet long on 16 mm., the other. The Rise of Liverpool, 300 feet on 9.5 mm. The former was a straightforward documentary film of ferryboats, the latter a more ambitious historico-geographical account in which moving diagrams were employed together with "straight" photography. As a result of the experience gained in the making of these two films, the unit has now decided to work solely on 16 mm. stock and to make films of specific educational character. Work has begun on two films about tides, and scenarios written after consulting prominent Liverpool educationalists. One film is in general terms, planned to be a "background" ov icvisional teaching film, the other a shorter film, is designed purely as a classroom teaching film to be used with detailed teaching notes. Unusual facilities have already been given by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, the Tidal Institute and Liverpool University. Unlike most amateur film-making societies, the Merseyside unit is employing the more expensive negative-positive film stock, which permits of an unlimited number of copies being cheaply made, rather than reversal stock, as it is expected that there will be some demand for these teaching films. ACE MOVIES: Hon. Secretary, Channon Wood, Esq., 15 Openview, S.W.I 8. Studio, 90 High Street Mews, Wimbledon, S.W.I 9. The assortment of building materials, referred to last month, which were cluttering up all approaches to the studios, have now been absorbed into the completed set, and the cameras have started to turn. Clifford West, directing, comes into his own after an irritating period of waiting. The only serious snag to date is a "floater," designed to be easily mobile but which, owing to the enthusiasm of the construction department and the large quantity of wood at their disposal, defies the efforts of seven strong men and necessitates the muscular resources of the whole unit every time it has to be moved. The lighting equipment has been completely overhauled and several new units added. Kandem lamps, together with those constructed according to Ace Movies' specifications, make up the illumination available to 15 kilowatts. Visitors are welcome to come on Thursdays and Saturdays, 8.30 to 1 1 p.m. THE EXPERIMENTAL FILM EXCHANGE: Hon. Secretary, Vivian Braun, 27 Ridgeway, S.W.19. The object of this Society is to learn the rudiments of cutting, camera angles and lighting and to evolve a grammar of the film. The first step is the filming of emotional episodes — re-union, excitement, misery, fear — in fact, to shoot short film essays in order to learn the best approach to each subject. As yet, experiments on both standard and substandard have been few, but it is hoped that this summer new fields will be explored and a new approach to the cinema developed. It is hoped to enrol more members — but the point is emphasised that the Society's work is not simply amateur film-making, but practical experiments in cinema as an art. AYR FILM UNIT: Hon. Secretary, A.Cunningham. Esq., 8 Alexandra Avenue. Prestwick. Ayrshire. The unit, founded some six months ago with twelve members, has now completed camerawork on its first production, and its membership has increased to thirty. The film, provisionally titled Checkmate, is from an original story by G. R. Cooper, the director, and should be off the cutting benches in a fortnight or so. Scenes were shot mainly indoors by artificial light, and on location in the entrance hall of a cinema, in a hotel ballroom and a local billiard hall. During the summer, interest will be centred on an advertising film which the unit is making at the request of Ayr Attractions Committee. Although setting out to advertise Ayr, the film will have a story running through it. written by a small committee of club members with the cooperation of Mr. Cooper. Shooting is expected to cover about six weeks. Membership of the club is open to all who are interested in cinematography whether they own apparatus or not. Jobs can always be found in the various departments.