World Film and Television Progress (1937-1938)

FILM SOCIETIES AND AMATEUR CLUBS AYR FILM UNIT: Hon. Secretary, A. Cunningham, Esq., 8 Alexandra Avenue, Prestwick, Ayrshire. Since the last report, members of the Unit have been engaged on the production of an advertising film of Ayr, being made for Ayr Attractions Committee. This film, which was commenced in the last week of June, is now almost complete — over seventy of its hundred odd scenes having been shot. The remaining ones are mainly routine, continuity scenes, titles, etc. A large number of copies will be made for the Attractions Committee, who have made arrangements to have them circulated both in this country and abroad. Apart from the making of this film, which has occupied a large number of members, there has been little Club activity. The Committee is now considering the winter programme, and the Scenario section is hunting for a suitable story for the next production. They hope to have this ready to put before the Annual General Meeting this month. BLACKHEATH FILM CLUB: Hon. Secretary, John Gibson, 6 St. German's Place, London, S.E.3. Announces a Gala Week to be held in the Studio, 2 Banchory Road, Blackheath, at 8.30 p.m. each evening from October 11th to 16th. The programme will include the Club's latest film (a comedy of the Naughty Nineties) supported by a newsreel and films by members. Hopes that solo workers and Clubs who can pay a visit during that week will do so ; Blackheath amateurs will be glad to see them. Admission by ticket, obtainable from the Hon. Secretary, or from any member. Apply early — 120 a night is the limit. Members, in addition to the Gala Week preparations, are busy overhauling the Club's lighting outfit, and planning for the next film to be started in November. BOGNOR REGIS FILM SOCIETY : Hon. Secretary, Miss L. Cornish, "Southernhay," New Barn Lane, Felpham, Sussex. Production No. 7 (at the moment untitled) is nearing completion. The story has filmed very successfully, and should be one of the best comedies the Society has produced. The air chase sequence, taken at the Ford Aero Club, made a fine climax to the film. No. 1 cameraman Mr. Barry Hart filmed from the air, and No. 2, Mr. Brooker, had the ground camera. Both shots matched well. The Film Editor estimates that the picture can be cut down to 800 ft. as originally planned. Members recently had the pleasure of a visit from Dr. Barker of the Palmers Green Society, who explained the new continuous printer which they had made. He also showed one or two of their films, of a very high standard, and taken on Neg. Pos. stock. As the Bognor Regis Society works on Rev. stock, a very interesting discussion took place. Miss Patricia Hutchins also visited the Society, and members spent an interesting evening delving into film topics. 44 THE DON BOSCO GUILD FILM SOCIETY: Hon. Secretary, Terence Grant, B.Sc, Catholic Institute, Newton Place, Charing Cross, Glasgow. The Society, headed by the Guild of Catholic Teachers, was formed in October of last year. Since its inception fortnightly meetings have been held and many activities successfully carried out. The following lectures have been given : "The Film in Education," by Mr. J. P. Kennedy, M.A.; "Teaching Technique and the Film," by Mr. William Bailey, M.A., Ed.B. ; "The British Film Institute," by Miss E. Duff, M.A. ; and "The Secrets of Nature Films," by Mr. T. Grant, B.Sc. Numerous educational and religious films have been viewed by members, and their value for school use noted. The Group is primarily concerned with films suitable for religious instruction in schools, and is seeking information in this respect both at home and abroad. Last year a repertory show was given in the Catholic Institute for Catholic teachers, the programme including the Mill Hill missionary film of Uganda. It is intended to give several of these shows next winter. This year the Society has produced a colour film of the "Corpus Christi" procession at Carfin Grotto (450 ft.), and is now preparing to film the "Madonna Procession" on the feast of the Assumption. MANCHESTER AND SALFORD FILM SOCIETY: Hon. Secretary, R. Cordwell, Esq., 13 Milwain Drive, Heaton Chapel, Stockport. The following arrangements have been made : Film Selection Committee: Chairman (Mr. T. Cavanagh), Mr. Cyril Ray (Manager, Tatler Cinema) and the Hon. Secretary. Subscription: 105. per annum, which may be paid if desired in not more than five consecutive monthly instalments. Films Booked (awaiting confirmation) : September 26th : Madrid To-day, We Live in Two Worlds, Opta Empfangt, La Joumee d' Andre, and Fredlos. October 24th: The World To-day, Heme Grosse Dampferfahrt , Stoff Marchen, Development of the Franchise and The Robber Symphony (alternatively, original version of The Unfinished Symphony'). November 21st: Millions of Us, To-day We Live, The Hunt, and Merlusse. Further shows will be arranged monthly from December to April. Applications for membership welcomed. WEST ESSEX FILM SOCIETY: Hon. Secretary, F. J. Philpott, Esq., 7 Wellington Road, East Ham. E.6. Further progress has been made in the shooting of Hiking, of which most of the outdoor shots have now been taken. Shooting is proceeding apace in connection with Pot of Basil, under Mr. S. Reed's direction. Mr. Reed is also responsible for the scenario, based on Keat's story "Boccaccio." WEST MIDDLESEX AMATEUR CINE CLUB: E. H. Whittleton, Esq., 39 Derwentwater Road, Acton, W.3. Shooting on It Can't Happen Here has now been completed, and the film is in the cutting room. A new production is planned for September, and several stories are in the hands of the selection committee. The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Club Studios, 43 Bond Street, Ealing, W.5, on Tuesday, September 14th, at 8.30 p.m. Activities during the past year will be surveyed, and the programme for 1937-38 placed before members. Members of other Clubs are welcome to this and other meetings of the West Middlesex A.C.C. FILM SOCIETIES IN CANADA by Margaret J. Miller Canada's nine film societies, strung out at intervals across a wide continent, have had peculiar problems to deal with. Their remoteness from Europe, their dependence on the United States for many of their films, the question of co-operation where distances are so great, have all contributed in making it difficult to obtain good and promptly delivered programmes. In the Montreal Film Society we became well accustomed, during our first season of 1935-36, to being suddenly disappointed of films which we had hoped and expected to see. We also had to put up with a good deal of inferior material. Other Canadian film societies had the same experiences, and for the same reasons. It was discovered, for one thing, that the American distributors who sent us our films from New York knew very little about the programmes they were providing. A film recommended as "a good Russian short" turned out to be four reels of tedious and repetitive semi-medical material which pleased no one in the audience. Dreyer's La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc, advertised as a silent film and ordered as such, was sent along with an excruciatingly sentimental Hollywood commentary added to it. So undependable was the taste of the suppliers that the Montreal society made a practice of ordering several shorts, previewing them in the theatre of a Montreal film producing organisation, and showing the better films, or the less bad, from the selection provided. Unexpected difficulties with the customs cropped up now and then. On the day on which the Swedish film En Natt was to be shown a telegram was received from the American customs officials saying that since the print was a Swedish one with no American manufacture in it, full duty — amounting to some