First Woman On Panel

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31656, 17 April 1968, Page 2

First Woman On Panel

When Mrs Jean Wadlow takes her place as a juror at this year’s International Advertising Film Festival in Venice in June, she will be the first woman ever to do so.

This 30-yearold English woman has spent her working life making films for one of London's oldest advertising agencies, where she now heads the film and television department. She has already won much recognition and acelaim in her field, Including the coveted “Grand Prix du Cinema” for a film, “Money Walks.”

Advertising la a relatively young industry, in which there is not much prejudice against the young, the unorthodox, or the female. They are, after all, all typical members of the public at whom the advertising message is to be directed, and may have more to contribute towards the working out of a practical marketing policy than some distinguished elderly director who has no personal interest in ever buying a labour-saving floor-covering, or a new lipstick. “Hard Way”

This factual, down-to-earth approach to matters of everyday living suited Mrs Wadlow from the start. She says she learnt about films “the hard way,” first as assistant to the television director at the agency, then by actually working in cutting-rooms and in film production. Promotion did not eome by chance, or a lucky break, for her interest in her work pervades her whole life.

Often, she may be filming until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. at night, and then spends her spare time looking at television when she finally gets home. She admires directors like Clive Bonner and Roy Boulting, and chose a designer (Robert Brownjohn) to work on a film because she bad been impressed by -his work on the titles of the James Bond films. A television set in her office keeps her in touch with what other people are doing.

She is fortunate in having a husband in the travel business. He is too often away from home himself to feel neglected. Apart from a strict personal time-table, film-work requires a great deal of organi-

sation. This, Mrs Wadlow thinks, may be a specifically female talent. She may have several projects all going at the same time, though not at the same stage in planning, commissioning, casting, filming, cutting, dubbing, or finalising. Life Hectic

Life is frequently hectic—a recent 14-minute film for a glass-making firm was made in six busy weeks. On another occasion, a cartoon film for kitchenware had to be made in five different languages to tie up with the firm’s export programme to various European countries. The visual world of films and television is more truly international than word-bound speakers and writers sometimes realise. But the regular festivals at Cannes and Venice help, too, since they enable film-makers to see one another's work. Mrs Wadlow feels that Britain is very well represented at these gatherings. Not only do British-made films win prizes, but they are also truly representative of what home television and cinema audiences actually see on their small and large screens, and are not just showpieces. With three television and two cinema films entered for this year’s festival, she may earn herself and Britain another medal.