Short-Film Trends

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 60, 12 March 1938, Page 7 (Supplement)

Short-Film Trends

8y... Dee Lowrance

IN the field of non-fiction films (the documentary short motion pictures, on the realities of the world) the United States and Great Britain are going in for hands-across-the-sea amenities. Many are the meetings of the English Speaking Union with lecturers from both sides, and many the dinners exchanged between

citizens of each nation who have found in the films a common meeting ground. The men and women who have made the documentary film their field have an international mental attitude that cannot be changed by any amount of Parliamentarian bickerings over quota bills and like matters. For the coincidental development in America and England has hred a feeling of fellowship into its makers. The British and the American documentary films have influenced eacli other, although until recently they had little contact. Russian Influence In England, where the documentary film has grown greater than in the United States, John Grierson is the acknowledged parent. When, in 1928, Grierson, backed by the Empire Marketing Board, started producing films to further "Buy British" sentiment, he started what became a marked film movement in England. Grierson's first film under this, sponsorship was "Drifters," admittedly influenced by the Russian "Potemkin."

This Russian picture had influenced the producer of one of the first American documentaries, "Anchors Aweigh," which "was made by Louis de Rochemont in 1926, two years before "Drifters." "Potemkiu" was recognised as an artistic advance, as it demonstrated the effectiveness of expounding material through reactions of individuals, as parts of a mass, to an idea. New use of the quick close-up for emphasis also was demonstrated in "Poterrikin," as were original camera angles and a new treatment of large groups reacting to an idea. "Anchors Aweigh" seemed even closer to "Potemkin" than did "Drifters," because it concerned, as did the Russian film, a large battleship. "Before "Anchors Aweigh" de Rochemont had gained experience making short films in Xew England of the

scientific variety—taking a plant in one reel, from the sowing of the seed to its final decay, for example. During the Coolidge prosperity de Rochemont was called to Washington to make films for the navy, which wa« devoting a large appropriation to urging the nation's youth to "see the world." The navy had decided to propagandise the joys and beauties of a sailor's career. De Rochemont brought to this assignment a good many experimental ideas, which he was free to try, and the results were considered a departure from the usual commercial short films, although the material was mainly of the travelogue type. "Anchors Aweigh" was favourably received critically, and others of the sort followed. Later, when the navy budget was exhausted, de Rochemont joined

Pathe and then Fox, where he started the "Magic Carpet" series. Thus he stepped into the commercial film field at the same time that Grierson, in England, was arranging for Government sponsorship. The growth of the documentary film was retarded in America because in commercial pictures originality and experiment are limited. But while the movement lay fallow in the United States for seven years, it grew rapidly in England, under the guidance of Grierson and his disciples. Beginning with Government sponsorship, documentaries were later sponsored by British industries, and had soon won their present position, being distributed on a paying basis through commercial channels as well as through non-theatrical distributors for educational purposes.

Gradually tlie makers of British documentaries realised the value of topical subjects. They began anticipating events of national importance. This trend was fully realised with the first '"March of Time."

In 1935 de Rochemont produced hie initial "March of Time" film after having worked with Roy E. Larson, of ''Time" magazine, on its conception —a new treatment of news on the screen, markedly different from the transitory quality of ordinary news reele. Here was presentation of spot-news material, pointed up with authoritative background data —a crystallisation of the

thoughts in the minde of several of the more active documentary film makers in England. "The March of Time" and the British documentary movement were brought even closer when Griereon began making foreign subjects for "The March of Time." Now a Grierson-trained Briton, Edgar Anstey, directs all the films produced outside America for "The March of Time."