CORONATION FILM

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27035, 9 May 1953, Page 2

CORONATION FILM

Choir Of Christchurch Cathedral Included SCENES TAKEN LAST EVENING About 10 days after the Coronation a film of the celebrations and church services held to mark the occasion in the British empire will be telecast throughout Great Britain and the United States to millions of pwple. Some New Zealand scenes which will be included in the film are at present being taken by the National Film Unit. Last evening in the Christchurch Cathedral, the Cathedral choir was filmed singing the last two verses of the Coronation hymn “All People that on. Earth Do Dwell,” which will be sung by the congregation in Westminster Abbey at the Coronation ceremony. Employees and the family of the Grigg Estate at Longbeach, where the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will stay while on tour in the South Island, will shortly be filmed singing the first verse of the hymn in the Longbeach Chapel. The congregation of St. James’s Church. Fi-anz Josef, will be taken singing the second verse. The scenes are being taken In the churches to show the observance of the day in the manner in which the Queen had asked—emphasising the spiritual significance of the Coronation.

The full film, when completed, will take about an hour and a half to telecast and the New Zealand scenes will run for about. 10 to 15 minutes. Although some scenes are being shot now, others will be taken on Coronation Day and flown to England for inclusion in the full production. , Some idea of the work being put into the film by the camera team which is covering the South Island could be gained last evening in the Cathedral. The team had been in Christchurch for several days, conferring with the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) and the organist and Choirmaster (Mr C. Foster Browne), taking recordings of the choir and making other arrangements. Last evening the time taken in actual filming was only three or four minutes in contrast to the four hours of preparations. Four shots of the choir from different angles were taken. Before the filming commenced, the choi. - rehearsed the two verses of the hymn they would sing. Their voices were not recorded, however, during the filming. A previous recording taken on a tape recording machine, was played back and on a given signal the choir began to mouth the words in time to the recording. Mr John Crawford, the sound recordist, praised the timing of the boys in the singing. He said he wished many other similar organisations were as good. After the film has been televised, it is hoped that it will be released to theatres in New Zealand, but as yet there is no definite information as to the final plans.

The other members of the camera team which is touring the South Island, are Messrs R. Beattie (cameraman), D. Wright (assistant cameraman), arid D. Chaplain (electrician). Today the party will leave for Franz Josef.