Editorial Board : All Editorial Com munications to:

V. A. BELL
J. W. BROWN
A. C. CAMERON, M.C., M.A.
A. CLOW FORD, M.B.E. , B.A.
R. S. LAMBERT, M.A.
SIGHT & 39, Bedford Square,
London, W .C.1.
Telephone : Museum 9116.
A ll Busi ness Communications to :

SOUND
Fulwood House,
H. R. PAYNE
High Holborn,
Editorial Secretary: London , W .C.1.
Y. M. REEVES Telephone: Chancery 7850,7080.

A QUARTERLY REVIEW OF MODERN AIDS TO LEARNING

PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE BRITISH
INSTITUTE OF ADULT EDUCATION
VOLUME I, No. 2 CONTENTS SUMMER, 1932
page page
WHILE THE IRON IS HoT 32 MODERN EDUCATION ON THE SCREEN 50
NoTES OF THE QuARTER .. 34 THE GRAMOPHONE IN EDUCATION
ART FORMS IN SPEECH-Professor T. H. Pear 36 The Gramophone as a l\1usical Aid-
ExPERIMENTs OF To-DAY T . L. MacDonald 51
With the Cinema in Devon-F. G. Thomas 38 Record Progress in 1932 52
NEW METHODS IN TEACHING The Gramophone in Schools-T. Wall 52
• The Lantern Slide in Teaching-
FILM TECHNIQUE AND EDUCATION-E. P. L . Pelly 53
A. Glow Ford 41
Broadcasting and the Film Lantern- THE ScREEN AS A MECHANICAL BLACKBOARD-
Norman M. Johnson 42 H. D . Waley 56
PERSONALITY IN EDUCATIONAL FILMS 43 FILMS TO SEE-C. A . Lejeune . . 58
AMATEUR FILM PRODUCTION BooKs WoRTH READING-C. A. Lejeune 59
Power- W. McKenna 44 TECHNICAL AND TRADE REVIEWS
THE ARTIST AND THE TEACHER-John Grierson 45 Technical Aspects of Modern Aids to
MAKING THE DocuMENTARY FILM-
Education 60
Andrew Buchanan .. 47 Choosing a Projector (2)-L. J. Hibbert 60
PUBLICITY BY FILM CLASSIFIED INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS
The Film in Politics 49 inside front Cover

WHILE THE IRON IS HOT

T HE proposal for the establishment of
a National Film Institute, which is the
main recommendation put forward by the
of constructive rather than restrictive action
in order to raise the level of film pro-
grammes ; the other for the introduction
Commission on Educational and Cultural of some co-ordinating agency into the
Films in its Report on " The Film in chaos of commercialism which at present
National Life,"* comes at a most oppor- hampers the exploitation of the many
tune moment. The film in this country cultural possibilities of the cinema. We
has made sufficient progress to rouse have heard laments without end over the
great expectations and even individual difficulties which, from the box-office point
enthusiasm. At the same time, the very of view, prevent it being worth while to
improvement which has taken place in the show good films except in a few favoured
quality of British films and the experiments localities, or to produce educational films
which our more enterprising producers which would encourage our schools to give
have undertaken make more glaring the the new medium of visual instruction a
contrast between good and bad films, and fair trial. Stress has been laid upon the
stimulate the kind of criticism which paltry number of projectors installed in
demands stricter censorship . schools, colleges and public institutions
Two pleas are put forward in The in this country and this absence of pro-
Film in National Life ; one for the taking jectors has been ·put forward as a good
• Allen & Unwin, xs. reason for not producing films for the
 33 SIGHT and SOUND

educational market. On the other hand, laid down as inspirational, propagandist

the absence of suitable educational films and co-operative. The Institute would
prevents the schoolmaster and the uni- naturally work in close liaison with what-
versity lecturer, the scientist and the social ever organisation the film industry builds
worker, from incurring the expense of up for itself to co-ordinate the production
buyiri.g apparatus . and distribution of films throughout ·the
Empire. As an instance of the part which
How is this vicious circle to be broken ?
it could play, let us take the need for
Has anyone yet put forward a practicable information. At present, all over the
proposition which offers a way of resolving country- and still more in the Dominions
the dilemma, apart from the setting up of and Colonies-there are administrators,
the proposed National Film Institute ? teachers, social workers, students and mem-
Such an Institute, backed by the approval bers of the film-going public who are
of Government and placed on a · clear anxious to see films on particular subjects
official basis, is the only kind of body
or to know what films of special interest to
which could undertake the propaganda
them are being produced. No authorita-
that is necessary for welding the vague tive organisation at present exists for
aspirations of the public towards better
supplying this need, much less for helping
films in the ordinary cinema-hall into a
to follow it up by arranging for the loan or
concrete demand which producers and
exchange of _films upon reasonable terms.
exhibitors could take notice of as an
If a Film Institute were opened tomorrow,
economic proposition. The pages of The it would be overwhelmed with applications
Film in National Life, indeed, not only from one end of Britain to the other for
provide the first authoritative survey of
advice and help of this sort.
what the film might do in this country for Yet service as a clearing-house for
science, art, religion, politics, industry,
information is one only of the functions of
education and the Empire. They n1ust
the proposed Institute, involving the pre-
also make every thoughtful person realise
paration of catalogues and the establish-
the enormous amount of spade-work which
ment of a national loan collection of films.
has to be put in before fruits can be
If this kind of action is earnestly desired
gathered in each of these fields. Many
by educators- taking the word in its
experiments will have to be undertaken and
widest connotation-then now is the
the results noted and analysed. Machinery
moment for them to raise their voice in
for co-operation between the film trade
favour of the new proposal, and insist that
and the intellectual and artistic interests
whilst all the circumstances are propitious,
of the country must be established.
and before any particular sectional or
No kind of interference with com- vested interest has had time to ' crab ' the
mercial enterprise, no sort of imposition of idea, a National Film Institute should be
control or restriction from above, is even brought into being and given a fair chance
hinted at in this Report. The functions to realise the ideals set forth in The Film
of the proposed Film Institute are definitely in National Life.

A MESSAGE FROM SIR JOHN REITH

Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation
I should like to wish every success to SIGHT AND SOUND. It is of supreme
importance that in the exploitation of applied science the single aim of the ad-
vancement of culture and intellectual standards should be recognised as an
ideal by all of us. It is of no less importance that public discussion of the means
thereto which such a paper provides should be developed in such a way as to
~reate a sense of publ'ic responsibility in cultural fields as far-reaching and
important as those of broadcasting, the cinema and the gramophone.
SIGHT and SOUND 34

NOTES OF THE QUARTER

of the orthodox parties, but
independents of all kinds are
encouraged to broadcast.
But even in England, says
Mr. Hard, only "veteran
jockeys from the established
stables" have been allowed
to speak at election time.
"Other elements pined for
air. They were refused it."
European governmental
broadcasting (under which
term is included Britain) "is
almost always ardently hos-
pitable to neutral collegiate
political science. It is fre-
quently hospitable to official
political personages in power.
It is sometimes hospitable
to official political personages
on the possible immediate
way to power. It is almost
-never hospitable at all to
THE ARITHMETIC LESSON: from a film taken at those unofficial and irregular · political personages,
Chesterfield by Stuart Legg (New Era) like Borah and many other familiar American radio
orators, who try to storm the political fortifications of
the present on behalf of their dreams of the future."
N acute and penetrating comparison of Euro-
A
- pean and American broadcasting was drawn
by Mr. William Hard in his address during May to
In international affairs .a similar situation prevails.
America, under private broadcasting, actually received
from Geneva during the Disarmament Conference
the National Advisory Council on Radio in Educa- period as many broadcast talks as the whole of the
tion, at Buffalo, New York. The difference between rest of Europe (including Switzerland) put together.
governmental and private control of broadcasting, No wonder Mr. Hard confesses that "I sometimes
he argued, comes out not so much in the ' entertain- deeply resent the European charge that Amet.tican
ment ' part of the broadcast progni.mme as in the radio is dedicated solely to programmes of so-called
treatment of public affairs. As regards entertainment, commercialisation." He comments that " European
" it is true that in private broadcasting there is governmental broadcasting, which in theory might
inherently a stronger streak of originality. It is be concentrated upon governmental problems, is in
true that in governmental broadcasting there is fact dedicated peculiarly to the promoting of private
negatively a slenderer streak of vulgarity. Domin- individual culture. American private broadcasting ~
antly, nevertheless, each country gets in radio which in theory might be mindful only of the affairs
' entertainment ' a fairly faithful reflection of its of private life, is in fact specially superior in advanc-
own civilisation." But in public affairs, and es- ing the copious and comprehensive discussion of
pecially education for practical citizenship, a broad immediate Government policies and solutions.
line of distinction in principle can l;>e drawn.
'' European broadcasting to-day," he said, " still Children's Matinees
displays on the whole a certain superiority in volume - Proof that the public responds eagerly to good
of programmes dealing with the academic background films if exhibitors have the courage to offer them is
of citizenship. American broadcasting on the other afforded by the success which has attended the
hand continues to display to-day on the whole a clear season of children's matinees provided this -spring
superiority in volume and in vigour of programmes by British Instructional Films Ltd. in conjunction
dealing with the instant practice of citizenship." with Associated British Cinemas Ltd. We are glad
For examples of this Mr. Hard goes to the treatment to hear that an average of ten thousand children
of politics at times of general election. " In Germany, each week attended the Saturday morning shows
France, and even in England," he points out, " the which were given in London, while similar success
governmental air is the private kennel of the political attended the performances given at several pro-
top-dog." Even in Austria, where no political vincial cinemas, particularly in Norwich and in
broadcasting at all is permitted " silence advantages Newport. This reception has naturally encouraged
the status quo." During the United States Presi- the promoters of the enterprise to announce its
dential campaign, not only the officialrepresentatives continuance and extension next autumn . Requests
 35 SIGHT and SOUND

have come in from local authorities in all parts of and is now carrying out experimental production on
the co~untry, asking that similar shows shall . be _ local subjects. Its studio is situated at 129, Bath
given in their districts. Accordingly the list of Street, Glasgow, and it is seeking increased member-
theatres is to be considerably extended, both in ship and financial support . Sir Charles Cleland ,
London and in the provinces. There is no doubt K.B .E., is Honorary President of the Society.
that the idea has come to stay ; its adoption will Lectures with Film Illustrations
do much to prove that the cinema is capable of Arrangements have been made for a course of
providing good healthy entertainment for children . lectures to be given by Mr. Clow Ford at the City
An Educational Film Programme Litera~y Institute next winter with cinematographic
The question " What is an educational film ? " illustrations. The course is the second of a four-
has received answer at several recent practical winter series entitled "The Bases of Human Culture ' ' ;
demonstrations. For example, the Commi.ssion on last winter the course dealt with the inanimate
Educational and Cultural Films recently showed a . universe ; the coming sess~on will be concerned with ·
programme of films drawn from existing sources, the system of animate nature .
designed to illustrate the idea put forward in its In its use of regular cinema illustration this course ,
Report The Film in National Life. In response to it is believed, will be the first of its kind and con-
requests from individuals and organisations who stitutes an educational experiment that promises
might be interested in seeing these films themselves, to be of great value. In the present state of film
we give a list of the items shown, classified according production there is bound to be some difficulty with
to their utility for educational purposes : - the selection of the films ; but, as the subject lends
The Film in relation to Industry-PoRT SuNLIGHT* itself admirably to film illustration, the effort appears
(Lever Bros.)
The Film in relation to Science-WAR IN THE TREEs* worth making . Cost also raises difficulty : a special
(The Woodwasp Film made for the Imperial Forestry additional fee will be charged to students, the amount .
Institute at Oxford). of which will depend on the enrolment ; but it will ,
The Film in relation to Civics-TowN PLANNING (German not be more than a _shilling for each evening, and may
film produced by Schwenk Co.)
The Film as Propaganda-ToMATOES and EMPIRE TIMBER possibly be reduced to sixpence -or less . A portable
(Empire Marketing Board Film Department) . projector will be used and the films drawn from
The Film as Instruction- 48 PADDINGTON STREET* whatever sources are available.
(The first attempt to use the talking film as an aid to
language teaching). The New Cinematograph Fund
The Film in relation to Music-BRASS CHOIR (analysis By a modest but sufficient majority of 18 the
of the Orchestra, a Western Electric Film). House of Commons, on a free vote, accepted on
The Film in Current Affairs-SuBMARINE* (adaptation June 29th the important new clause proposed by
of_ ,a,, news reel).
The · .Film in Adult Education-ENGLAND AwAKE* (his- Mr. Oliver Stanley on the report stage of the Sunday
torical and propagandist film, comparing period after Performances (Regulation) Bill, whereby 5 per cent.
., Napoleonic Wars with present day economic depression) . of the profits of Sunday cinemas are to go towards
The asterisked films are obtainable from . British forming a fund to be used, under the direction of
Instructional Films Ltd. the Lord President of the Council, for the develop-
Experiments in Scotland ment of the film as a means of entertainment and
The Scottish Educational Cinema Society, which instruction . In spite of considerable misrepre-
is supported chiefly by school teachers, is to be sentation in certain organs of the Press, the influential
congratulated upon the efforts which it is making to support given to the proposal by Colonel Buchan,
bring the film to the notice of Scottish educators as a Lord Eustace Percy, Sir Gervais Rentoul, Mr.
serious " aid to teaching." Demonstrations extend- R. K. Law, Mr. Vyvyan Adams and other M.P. 's
ing over two days and covering eight hours of film has proved sufficient to turn the scale in its favour .
programme were given on June 10 and 11 in the The purpose of the new clause is to provide a secure
McLellan Galleries at Glasgow, the object being to and independent source of income for the National
show examples - of educational films resulting from Film Institute which is to be set up as a result of
co-operation between school teachers and film the recommendations made in THE FILM IN NATIONAL
producers. Among the films shown were the LIFE. The success which has so far attended the
following : a film on hurdling (an experimental efforts of the Commission on Educational and
production of the Society) illustrating the application Cultural Films is indeed remarkable . It is doubtful
of the film to physical training and sport ; a film on if history can record another example of an un-
geography entitled AUSTRALIAN AREAS (E .M.B.) ; official commission presenting a report of such
a film entitled CANALS (E.M .B.) exemplifying the weight and general acceptability, leading to legis-
use of diagrams ; and a film describing a week in a lative action within three weeks of its publication !
boys' brigade camp . These films were shown on The adoption of the new clause is a clear indication
9 .5 mm. projectors, Pathescope Lux models being of the general public desire to see the standard of
used with patent screens by A. Martin & Sons films improved in this country. The film trade
(Glasgow) . The Scottish Educational Cinema cannot afford to disregard this desire , and we hope
Society aims at collecting 9 .5mm. copies of as many that, now that the new clause is accepted, all sections
suitable films as there are available , and forming the of the trade will co-operate with the Commission
nucleus of a library of educational films. It has in helping to launch the new Institute under the
experimented in the production of classroom films most favourable auspices .
SIGHT and SOUND 36

ART-FORMS IN SPEECH
By T. H. Pear
Professor of Psycholog-y at the University of Manchester
T is the interval at a symphony concert. Smith, of a speech form falls below or rises above the
IBrown,
a trained musician, is listening to the opinions of
a man who knows what he likes. Brown
respectable average ? Would their criticism stimulate
experiment as judicious encouragement from · the
prefers L' Apres-midi d'un Faune to the Bach fugue. world's best musical critics might inspirit a rising
Smith, unusually tolerant for a musician, answers Berg, Bax or Bliss ?
"Why not? " Brown, encouraged, proceeds to I doubt it, but pe~P,aps at present this is asking
add that he prefers th~ Debussy " because it ·has too much. I will try to illustrate my perplexity.
more form, more structure." There are limits ... Some time ago a discussion was broadcast. The
Smith, deciding that Brown has overstepped one, speakers had previously decided not to take that
deals with him. easy path, a debate. They agreed to avoid those
But what if the subject of discussion were not points upon which they held opinions so different
music but speech ? All around us we hear that no real discussion would be possible. So far
" criticisms " of public speech. Some critics con- as I know, not a single debating parry or thrust was
fine themselves to the quality of the sounds emitted attempted. Yet in a long and kindly article the
by the speaker. This is useful, but only as a be- radio critic of a leading daily newspaper described
ginning. At the Queen's Hall, one assumes that the discussion as a debate, criticised it as if it were
Casals will bring a satisfactory 'cello, at Wimbledon one, and ended by suggesting that in future a studio-
that Borotra's grip, footwork and body balance, to audience should listen and record their votes.
say nothing of his racquet, will be good. Criticism Presumably the presence of this ' gallery ' would
would improve the voice-production of our public stimulate the performers to play to it, and become
speakers. Yet what they say and how they put it bruisers.
are more challenging and difficult problems. It is doubtful if either speaker would have con-
The ' forms ' of music ; the Mass, the symphony, sented to solicit the , votes of a debate-audience,
with its constituent movements, the sonata, the except for fun and privately. Therefore, the speakers
concerto, · these have " settled out " from their may have failed to convey the idea of a discussion,
earlier, possibly less structurated types. The critic the critic may have been debauched by debates-a
is expected to recognise them. Moreover, he is not probability if his undergraduate days were still
encouraged to dilute his judgment too much with fairly recent-or both may have been at fault.
personal preferences. Nobody invites him to Nevertheless, the postulate that a first-class debate
quarrel with a Liindler because it is not a Sullivan and a first class discussion would be recognisably
hymn. different remains a reasonable one.
Do not art-forms exist in speech, perhaps less It is a mournful possibility that several older
generally recognised ; some old-established, some art-forms of speech are fraying at the edges and
transitory, some uncontritely new ? Can we hope some even deliquescing in the middle. This seems
for useful criticism of the effectiveness and beauty to be true of many forms of political oratory. From
of speech if there is no recognition of and respect the average political meeting the younger generation
for these different forms ? Here is an unarranged stays away with great resolution. Together with
list of a few ; the talk, either ' straight ' or trans- the ' younger middle-aged ' generation it holds
mitted by radio, the story, religious speech, oratory strong views concerning the ways in which the
(religious, patriotic and political) the recitation, the microphone exposed certain politicians' speech-
school lesson, the lecture (didactic, instructional, techniques last autumn. From the armchair in a
inspirational) the commanding type of speech- quiet room, listen to broadcast after-dinner speeches.
(characteristic of the staff · officer, the N.C.O., the You may be led to the belief that recent bio-chemical
teacher, the prefect, the foreman, the ruling classes), changes in the diners have much to do with their
forensic speech, the discussion, the debate, the enthusiasm. Some charitable soul has recently
committee. Last of all, three relatively new forms, published a book of 500 stories for after-dinner
the unruffled, efficient, courtly telephone-conversa- speeches. This should improve matters temporarily.
tion, speech in the radio-play, where even 'unearthly' The forensic speech-form is the product of a
sentences are possible, as in Miss Clemence Dane's restricted, if elaborate skill. It is interesting to
Will Shakespeare, and the speech-choir, best known observe it in a committee chiefly composed of
perhaps in Germany. critical people who are not lawyers. The effect is
It seems likely that many of these forms and as if three men prepared to play lawn-tennis on an
others yet unknown will become more important ordinary court were joined by a fourth who persisted
now that the microphone and the telephone have in playing some other ball game at the same time.
established themselves. Yet are our present-day In favour of the legal speech-form are its articulate-
critics of speech well equipped for their job ? Can ness and its characteristic courtesy, though the
they tell us when and how any particular specimen latt-er occasionally stirs up feelings of inferiority or
 37 SIGHT and SOUND

suspicion in sturdy souls, unused to this special ·the present and future , functions of the universities,
treatment. There is often audible in legal speech it crumbles in part i~ one denies his postulates.
an apparent finality convincing to anyone who But only in part. Few university lecturers could
forgets that he may soon hear the speaker's dicta r_e gard their duties with complacency after absorbing
opposed with equal finality by another lawyer, using Mr. Wells's observations.
a similar speech-melody. · Nobody, I think, has recently shown enough
There is, of course, the authoritative speech-form. energy, courage or pride in his craft to put the case
Its bitten-off sentences with their astringent timbre for the university lecture. Nobody tries very hard
.can be heard in the tones of th~ staff officer, and a ~owadays ·; to defend ~nglish sugar-beet or certain
more highly-coloured variety in those of the sergeant- ~ypes of English-made film. Perhaps:_all three need
major. Both these speech-forms suit their special no justification but their own existence.
function and are often successful when used for The opinion that the art-forms of th~ ' talk ' and
other purposes. Yet it is sad to hear the tones of . the lecture ought to be developed separately, and not
the orderly-room bouncing off the stony hearts of a c:tllowed to lose their respective advantages in a
University Senate. characterless fusion is held by a number of thinking
Let us now consider the lecture. It is in a bad people . Mr. Vernon Bartlett, who . won his spurs
way. Even the word is unpopular. · " I don't ~t the microphone years ago, doubts if the average
. want to be lectured," people say. Several times each professor can ever be made int<? a good broadcaster.
evening the B.B.C. provides the country with Though I still hunt vainly for the average professor,
iectures, almost invariably excellent in matter and I share this doubt. Mr. St . . John Ervine
frequently . in manner. Yet it calls them talks. roundly, or flatly, declares that the B.B.C. ought to
rhe broadcast ' talk ' is not always a lecture ; have a ' talks dramatist ' to foster the development
sometimes it is an essay or a newspaper article. of this new speech-form until more people have
· ~arely, in the last winter, has it been a talk. Talks learned and extended the art of radio-talking.
nowadays are usually read while university students, Will academic persons who have something new
at least, hope that lectures will be talked. The to say consent to try to say it in a form more difficult
lecture is grumbled at by university students, oftener for them and easier for the hearer ? Can the
pt:rhaps t~an the non-academic person would B.B.C. persuade them to adopt a style hitherto
believe. Many lecturers, growing up to this tradition, reserved for the common-room? Is it like coaxing
J:lave no desire to justify themselves or even, for the a Forsyte to entertain his friends in a public park ?
fun of it, to hit back. A few, assuming protective Will the talks-dramatist encounter in his pupils
colou.r ation, ' run down ' lectures themselves, though unplumbed depths of mental narcissism ? And
the title of their post specifically implies their how will he deal with them ? Will he publish his
<?bligation to lecture. In some universities, lectures experiences in a book entitled " Lectures, Lecturing
are compulsory for undergraduates, in others, a and Lecturers '' ?
discriminating tutor can tell them which lecturers An interesting, challenging problem in human
they can avoid with impunity or profit. relationships. I wish him luck. Essential to his
The case against lectures has been put by Mr. success will be the provision of critics whose judg-
H; G. Wells in The World of ·william Clissold and ments will be respected . Effective speech should be
The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind. given as much serious attention as music, drama or
Based, however, upon Mr. Wells's view concerning cricket.

A MESSAGE FR.OM PROFESSOR ERNEST BARKER

Professor of Political Science, Cambridge

I have been learning so .much myself of late by ' sight and sound '-partly from seeing Russian ·and
French films, and partly from hearing broadcast music regularly-that I welcome sincerely an
attempt to complete my education by telling me ' What's What ' in these large realms. I am sure
that all of us who are still learning, and all of us who are still helping others to learn, will profit
greatly by a quarterly account and review of all the new ways of doing both. There is only one danger
about these ' modern aids to learning ' ; but it is so obvious to us all that I am sure we shall all avoid
it . It is so easy to sit, and just see and hear ; but real learning and teaching are never too easy, because
they both involve a painful effort of the mind and a genuine 'discipline.' The new 'aids ' cannot spare
us that effort and discipline, but they can do two other things-they can reward us for making it , by
giving us sights and sounds which we can really understand and enjoy after we have gone through
the sweat and toil ; and they can illustrate and corroborate what we have made an effort-to learn-·
and so fix it firmer and deeper in our minds.
SIGHT and SOUND 38

AN EXPERIMENT
IN ADULT
EDUCATION ,_, tt•

WITH . ., .fii ';

~TH E-t- -~

·' ciNEMA
IN DEVON
By

F. G. THOMAS

Mr. F. G. Thomas, of the

Workers' Education a I
Association, describes the
results of an experiment
in visual education among
the villages of South
Devon. Some of his
audience in two typical
villages can be seen in this
composite photograph

O travel with a cinema for six weeks, every entrance fee for each adult and running a special
T evening erecting apparatus and showing films,
conducting lecture and discussion, exhibiting each
penny matinee for the children.
Voluntary skilled labour was also necessary, and
night in a different Devon village on a different a carpenter, electrician and typist we were fortunate
by-larie-all this means hard _work.; at the ~a~e in finding among our own members. Our carpenter
time our attempt proved an exhilaratmg and excitmg made ·a barrier to watd off over-inquisitive youths
adventure. Our purpose was to explore the value from our machine ; around this three police repre-
of the cinema in adult education with such an sentatives appeared on our opening night after we
audience as might be found in any small Devon had shown the films . The inspector leaned on the
village. Ten of the selected cent.r~s had a popu- the barrier : it collapsed. Feverishly we erected it :
lation of under 500-and we VISited two small the inspector made no comment, and the village
towns of some 1,100 people. · policeman, we noted, held the barrier in his hand
Money was necessary for this experiment ; the behind his back until the officials disappeared.
cost was about £90. Fifty pounds we:e ~iven. as
donations to the Newton Abbot and· Distnct Film The first step was to select the best silent and
Society a branch of the ~orkers' Edu~ational sound films that were available. We were fortunate
Association, and the rest was raised by chargmg 6d . in securing the goodwill, and experience, and the
 39 SIGHT and SOUND

CHILDREN AND ADULTS AT A MATINEE OF

EDUCATIONAL FILMS. In each village teachers On the third evening we discussed co-operation in
co-operated voluntarily in setting essays and human activity. A film was shown of the opening
questions on the films, but the only "control"
exercised on the children was the interest of up of America following the development of trans-
the film . (Photograph by Stuart Black) port ; another of a transcontinental flight and all
the highly skilled co-operation necessary to achieve
fil~s of the B;itish Instructional Films Ltd., through
it, while a third film, A VISIT TO THE COAL FACE
rai~e~ interesting social problems underlying human
their EducatiOnal 1\'lanager, l\1iss Locket. Their
excell~nt "Nature" and "Travel" films provided the
activity.
matenal for all our exhibitions, with the exception Each exhibition of films was preceded by a short
of three films loaned by the Western Electric Com- talk upon the theme of the evening. The first film
pany(1 ). yYe decided therefore to focus our meetings · was shown and linked by the tutor to the second
around this type of film, which had manifest ad- film with a brief commentary. This was repeated
vantages for rural audiences . The "Nature" films between the second and third films. These talks
e~tablished ~ontact with the experience of the
were designed to suggest a point of approach to the
villages ; while we knew from the returns of the film : the films were not used merely to illustrate
County Library that travel books constituted the a lecture. We were anxious to explore the teaching
largest category of non-fiction books issued. value ?f the film as a medium for conveying in-
We ~r"ranged a short course of three meetings in formatiOn, and as a means of stimulating thought.
each v1llage on " Man and his Environment." On After the third film the groups were allowed to
the first evening the central theme was that of select a film for a second exhibition, and while this
individualism as depicted first by a film showing film was being re-wound the questionnaires upon
THE BATTLE OF THE PLANTS, then by a second film the film were issued . This was a shock at first but
sho¥:'ing various PAws AND CLAws, adapted for eventually. 650 qu_estionnaires were returned by
specific purposes, and finally by a 15 minute film adults dunng the six weeks.
of life . in a Nige;i_an . city. The second evening . vVe knew th~t if we were to get the replies from
d~alt With the. fertilisatiOn of plants, life on an ant village people It would be futile to expect written
hi~l, ~nd the hfe of a colonist in Kenya(.:). " Was answers. We had therefore to use the multiple
this ~~terder,endence a form of co-operation or answer method in various forms or simple diagrams (3 ).
parasitism ? was the main point of the discussion. In some cases our observers sat by people and

( 1) _One of our memi;>ers provided a De V ry Portable Pro- (3) The following are typical questions :
Jector for the stlent films. The Western Electric
Company loaned their sound equipment free for the \7 If this triangle represents Africa, mark with a X
three weeks, th~ branch being responsible for transport y the country covered in R AIL AND TR AILS · show
cha~·ges and mamtenance costs of the operator. with a circle the country of Abvssinia wh~re Ras
(2) Th1s film evoked a certain amount of criticism and Tafari was crowned . -
· good natured _lau.ghter from the villagers, who could The Green Fly has 4, 6 , 8, legs : its eggs are green,
see no hardship m the colonist's difficulties as repre- blue, black. Strike out the correct answer.
sented in the picture. The fly is found on. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . plants.
SIGHT and SOUND 40

recorded their replies. " Which

of the following things did
you see in the film ? " read
out our observer to an old
Devon "handyman," and pro-
ceeded to detail a number of
things, some of which were, and
some of which were not in the
film. The man listened and
then, a little offended r~plied
"If t h ey were in the film
' I saw'
'em. " He refused to be' more
definite.
After the questionnaires had
been returned to the observers
the chosen film was shown for
a second time. A general dis-
cussion followed upon the theme
of the evening, of which ver-
batim reports were kept.
B'-;lt, pointed out one rural
member of our research committee, all these FROM KRISS (FILMOPHONE)
methods will never reveal what the man in. the Dutch East Indies: all native cast:
a silent film post synchronised
vill~ge is really thinking. He will taJk more freely
dunng the subsequent days. Friends in each village
wer~ therefore approached and they helped in re-
7.30 p.m. To our consternation the film ran in
portmg all informal criticism to us about our slow m_otion. In .our ignorance we thought the
programmes and discussions. mechamsm had failed, but decided to plouah on
. The r~nge of our experiment was limited to as long as the machine would turn. Camels ~oved
~cross the desert in slow motion ; horses galloped
villages :VIth electric light-in one instance supplied
bY: a pnvate company. Only good luck, and the m. such a manner as to evoke unfair comparison
ski11 of the operator of the Western Electric Co. with our local races. " Eleven o'clock " said the
got ~he show through in more than one case. In operator, " and two more reels ·to run." ' We
one mstance we were showing a silent feature film appealed to the audience to go ; they were firm,
on Good Friday-the Indian film SHIRAZ. We they wanted all the picture. We cut out a reel
were working our own De V ry apparatus and the a?-d closed t~e machine at 11.30 p.m. The only
electrician was " off " that night. We began at sign of weanness appeared in the children who,
scarcely able to keep their eyes open, read the titles
aloud, backed the horses in their canter and made very
FROM KRISS (FILMOPHONE) realistic " noises off " whenever c~ttle appeared.
Magnificent settings and native rituals We discovered later, when we took the Western
with the beauty of real pantomime Electric apparatus to the same
place, that though the voltage
was nominally 230 volts, actually
there were only 180 volts along
this private line, which slowly
rose to 200 volts in the evening.
Our apparatus . needed 230 volts
as a minimum.
We have not yet collated our
material, and it would be unwise
to evaluate the experiment at this
stage. (A full report will be issued
in the autumn). This we say, that
British Instructional Films, the
Western Electric Company, the
owner of the De V ry projector,
the observers, the police, and the
various craftsmen and specialists
on the committee, have given of
· their services without stint. It
has certainly proved a magnificent
example of co-operation .
 41 SIGHT and -~OUND

NEW METHODS IN TEACHING

THE LANTERN SLIDE TEACHING

By A. Clow Ford
~ .~ ~ ~~ •••• • '':'.;._~. • ,l

U ~- ~ N BE R 'd 'S mecha~f:?~f co~triva~~e of ~::..,_-' But there are some principles of general application
Gminded.
movable type made the c1v1hsed w<3Jrtd oak-
The invention was inveighed~ against ;
that may be stated now. For effective use, in a
fairly small institution-say a school of 200-500
its soullessness, as compared with the script of a pupils-the collection should be centralised, grouped
living hand, was held (especially by those who did on broad lines, and most carefully numbered in
not do the writing) to be an enslavement of the series : for the reason that most illustrations can be
human spirit. To-day it is realised that the relief used for many purposes, i.e., the teachers of art,
from physical fatigue afforded by movable type has history, and geography may all find apt illustration
liberated the human spirit as perhaps no other for their respective subjects from the same slide :
invention has done. And mechanical aids to learning in selecting any slides for addition to the collection
and teaching are multiplying and the same cry goes that principle should be kept in mind. Each
up daily against them. There is, however, a large specialist teacher would therefore scrutinise all
proportion of educators who realise that the printed slides in the collection and make a card-index for
word, with its very indirect appeal to the mind, has his own use, with a grouping principle to suit his
its limitations as an instrument for teaching, and that subject and range of classes. He would then know
there are other ways of conveying information, the gaps in his. own index, and recours~ could be
arousing interest and stimulating the imagination ; made to the commercial firms or professional
and that among these there are many ingenious societies to hire or borrow.
mechanical devices that save mechanic labour, and If the gaps are serious it is cheaper to purchase,
increasingly set free the teacher to direct his energy unless one is sufficiently skilful to make one's own
towards the more spiritual aspects of his work. slides, and this is often not more difficult than
Among these devices are the optical lantern and developing an ordinary photographic plate. There
the slide, used as a matter · of course in most well- are many firms that will make slides to order, mono-
equipped teaching institutions ; yet in some re- chrome or coloured, at a day's notice. And finally
garded as a needless luxury, in sorrie even as a dis- a stock of plates should always be kept-they cost
traction from the " real work " of school or college. but a few pence-on which diagrams or .writing
And many teachers do not know the extent of the can be put at a moment's notice. Thus equipped
facilities that are at their disposal. Lanterns with teachers will find added efficiency in their work,
varying :rp.eans of illumination have long been on the and make their pupils not only book-minded but
market at low cost ; and the epidiascope has now in addit~on, picture minded.
been made a thoroughly practicable instrument
and come down most substantially in price. To those who are unfamiliar with prices and
But perhaps the part of lantern work that gives dealers the following particulars may be . useful.
most trouble is the slide, or plate, as some prefer to The cost of a plain slide made from a negative
call it to distinguish it from the microscope slide. For supplied by the -purchaser is usually 1s. 6d. to 2s. ;
occasional work there are available many sources of from a print or picture 2s. 6d. or 3s. ; for colouring
material; commercial firms of slide-makers have col- an extra two or three shillings is charged. More or
lections running into hundreds of thousands to choose less the same prices obtain for slides purchased from
from ; many professional associations and societies stock, and good selections can be. obtained from
have very large specialised collections available on such old established firms as Newton & Co., Ltd.,
loan to members. But the teacher or lecturer who 43, Museum Street, W.C.l., from Kodak's, or from
means to make habitual use of the lantern needs to Ludgate Circus House, E.C.4. (A. J. G. Seaton):
make his own collection to suit his individual con- The subjects available include travel-maps and
ception of the right presentation of his subject. · photographs; botany, geology, physiology, industry
For different subjects there are different conditions and architecture.
to be considered in the building up of a collection : Slides may be hired at prices varying from Is. 6d.
the humanities such as art, architecture, history, to 3s. a dozen for one night, these prices being
and geography, travel, anthropology as well as the reduced for consecutive nights or for subscriptions ;
sciences - even to photomicrographs and X-ray and the Church Army Lantern and Cinema Depart-
:work, not to speak of the more obvious applications ment provide apparatus for hire from Ss. a night.
to botany, zoology, and geology all need somewhat Second-hand slides from 6d. plain to 2s. 6d.,
specialised experience, over and above a knowledge coloured, can be obtained from W. C. Hughes & Co. ,
of the subject itself, to build up a satisfactory collec- of Brewster House, 82, Mortimer Road, Kingsland,
tion ; and the present article is to be followed by N .1. Plates of the stand~rd size (3! ins. square)
a number of specialised articles. for making one's own slides, cost about 2s. a dozen:
SIGHT and SOUND 42

BROADCASTING AND THE FILM

LANTERN
By Norman M. Johnson
Headmaster of the Mclean School, Dunfermline

T HE writer of this short note is a complete

convert to the use of broadcast talks in school
as an aid to learning. Excellent and stimulating as
side indicates the cost where a roll was specially
made. The hiring charge of the remainder did
not exceed one shilling per week.
these talks have become, it was felt from the start
that some type of visual illustration was necessary, BROADCAST TALKS IN TITLE OF ROLL CosT (rF
especially in regard to geography ; not only to SERIES OF SPECIALLY
"EURCPE AND ITS PEOPLES" FILM-SLIDES MADE)
provide a much-needed background for the talks, - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - -- - - - -- -
but also as an aid in the revision of their matter. I. The Baltic Lands The Baltic }
That the B.B.C. took this . point of view is indicated Lands Ss. 3d.
by the provision of illustrated pamphlets and 2. Forestry In Noi'thern Do.(incl. map)
Europe
(occasionally) by the suggestion of suitable films. 3. Russia south of the
Lantern slides, an epidiascope, or films would Forest Belt . . Russia (incl .
have been tried out to secure the aims mentioned, maps) Ss. 3d.
but the lack of electric power in school was felt to 4. Across Norway from Norway 9s. 3d.
Oslo to the Atlantic ..
be a great difficulty, not to speak of the cost of really 5. Across South Sweden . . Scenes in
efficient types of epidiascopes and film projectors. Sweden
Quite by accident the writer learnt of the existence 6. Fishing in the Northern With the East
of a lantern described as the Unit Portable Film Atlantic Coast Fish-
ing Fleet
Lantern, and the possibilities of this were at once 7. Farm-i ng in Denmark .. In Dairyland
explored . This lantern is reasonably priced (£9 Ss.) (Denmark)
is absurdly simple to use, is ill1:1.minated by a special R. The Baltic Coast (Material not
kind of silvered electric lamp worked by an accu111u- yet assembled)
lator which fits into the lantern, and uses, not the
ordinary glass lantern-slides, but film-slides made As an example of the combination of the two ideas,
into a continuous roll. The size of the picture Talk No. 5 describes the journey from Gothen.-
·varies with the distance of the -lantern ·from the burg to Stockholm ; the Gota Canal .; the great
screen, but the maximum size for successful pro- lakes, W ener, Wetter and Malar ; a typical farm ;
jection is 8ft. by 8ft. The roll is turned by a knob, crops of hay and rye; and Stockholm-a modern
and a given picture may stay on the screen for as city. The hired roll film showed a journey across
long as it is needed : a second knob re-rolls the Southern Sweden by way of the Gota Canal ;
film at the end of the series. harbour and shipping at Gothenburg ; Trollhatten
Both lantern and film-slides are made by Visual Falls and Locks ; canal, lake and country scenes ;
Information Service, 168a, Battersea Bridge Road, old castle and churches en route, and a glimpse of
London, S.W.ll., and it should be added that the Stockholm.
lantern is as easily carried as a suitcase. In regard to classroom technique it was found in
Once it was shown that the lantern could be practice that the most satisfactory plan was to show
successfully employed in a classroom fitted with the film-slides to the class or classes concerned a
moderately dark blinds, the problem in the fir~t day or two before the wireless talk, and to re-exhibit
instance was to arrange for film-slides which wouH:i the pictures at a suitable time later on.
adequately illustrate the geography broadcast talks Obviously where there is an association, but not
taking place in the current term. Although there a complete unity, of sound and sight it would be
is in existence an extensive library of film-slides inadvisable to attempt to use the film-roll at the
which may be hired at a cheap rate, it was found same time as the talk. But as to further possi-
that only certain ones could be used for illustration, bilities it is surely not unreasonable to suggest that
and therefore rolls were specially prepared by the a broadcast speaker having a portable lantern in
makers from pictorial material supplied by members the studio might describe certain pictures in the
of the school staff, and also obtained elsewhere, course of his talk at the same moment as the listening
e.g., magazines. The cost worked out at threepence . classes, using lantern and duplicate film-slides, saw
per picture, including titles, and the results were the actual projection of the same pictures .
admirable. This would approximate towards the desire ex-
The following summary gives the titles of broad- pressed recently by the Rt. Hon. H . A. L. Fisher
cast talks in geography during the current term when he said, "I look forward to a time when broad-
(i.e., term III, 1931-1932) and the rolls of film- casting will be combined with the film . ... in every
slides that were .used in illustration. A price at the school in the country." ·
 43 SIGHT and SOUND

NORTHERN LIGHTS
From the Film of the Courtald Expedition the simplest facts about it. The field is large and
to the Arctic (Albion). See Film Review's its limits are endless."
The main purpose of Captain Higginson's film of
the Manchester School of Art was to enlighten the
public (primarily the parents of students) as to the
work carried out at an art school. Captain Higginson
PERSONALITY IN EDUCATIONAL FILMS wrote the scenario and " shot " the film, the
Captain G. H. T. Higginson, who has recently whole production taking from three to four months.
completed a 16mm. film of the Manchester School The running time of the film is 50 minutes, and
of Art, considers that while sub-standard films and about 48 different subjects are illustrated.
apparatus are of great value to schools, " the average
library film, and I am speaking of the 16mm. size,
is not much use as it is hopelessly antiquated in the
majority of cases. Also it is somehow devoid of
that personal touch which to my mind is essential.
Most professional films are.
" I would far rather see an educational film where
the personal touch is a little more in evidence than
one that is highly finished technically. There is
something cold about some of these professional
interest films. I think somehow that schools
themselves will have to turn out the necessary
educational films that they require. They would
be in the best position to judge what material is
wanted. Naturally the man behind the camera
should have a good knowledge of his subject so as
to be able .to photograph it to the best advantage.
It is useless asking someone to take an educational
film of, say, a cotton mill when he does not know Students at the Manchester School of Art (G . H T. Higginson)
SIGHT and SOUND 44

AMATEUR FILM PRODUCTION

POWER
By W. B. McKenna,
Cambridge University Cinema Society
y the middle of July the first educational picture
B of the Cambridge University Cinema Society
should be completed. . Only six months ago the
Society, originally founded in 1928, came to life
after lying almost dormant for two years, and secured
club-rooms and a studio ; even before it had
become established in its new premises it had
determined to undertake the production of a film
that should be at once of both educational and
general interest. The University, with its wealth
of facilities for such a picture, was at hand ; among
. the members of the club were many young men
interested in the art and industry of the cinema-
young men of ideas and energy. Before long PowER
(as the film is tentatively titled) was under production.
The title of the picture indicates its general nature.
When the script came to be written it was felt that
to treat such a vast subject in any arbitrary manner,
to submit it, for example, to the restrictions of Shooting a scene for POWER
chronological order, would preclude any possibility
of its being a cinematographic success, and would
not make it any the more instructive. Hence it high standard of photography and to put to good use
was decided to divide the picture into three general the usual technique of the cinema. · His task has
sections, the first to deal with power in its un- not been an easy one. At present the Society
harnessed state, the second with man's attempts, possesses the bare minimum of equipment-a few
both in ancient and modern times, to harness power, lights and a camera-and its studio is very small.
and the third with power as it is used to-day. In addition, the funds at Taylor's disposal have been
The four elemental kinds of power, wind, water, decidedly limited : he has spent approximately
gravitation and beast, are depicted in the first part £100, some of which went for the services of a
of this film, which is comparatively short. The professional camera man. Most of the actors were
shots which make up the second section survey recruited from members of the Society, though in
concisely man's attempts to subjugate · these ele- taking shots of certain machines and apparatus, the
mental forces and to apply his own energy. No persons normally in charge of their operation were
use of chronological order has been made here. included in the picture; in other cases farm-hands
Rather, the picture shows that, while man began to were photographed driving carts or chopping logs.
tame nature centuries ago, and while he has since From an educational point of view the value of
made elaborate developments on his early efforts, this film lies in that it is a very general survey of a
nevertheless hammers and axes, his first tools and vast subject ; no special emphasis is laid on any
weapons, are still in use to-day. The third section particular development, but all developments are
of PowER is made up of shots indicating the many suggested. It is the intention of the director that
ways in which natural energy is now applied, in the picture shall stimulate in the spectator interest
common household appliances, in locomotives, in in one or more of the uses of power shown, not that
aero engines, in racing cars. In making this part it will give him detailed information about any
of the picture, the cooperation of the staff of the one of them. Two different running commentaries
Cambridge engineering laboratories was invaluable. will be prepared for accompanying the finished
The direction of the picture was put in the hands picture, one to be moderately technical in tone for
of Gordon Taylor, an undergraduate of Trinity use in schools, and the other more popular and less
College who had been connected with the production scientific, for general distribution. These running
last year of the one-reel interest film CAMBRIDGE. commentaries will supplement the film itself, as
From a number of suggestions submitted by members the director has deliberately made the film so
of the Society Taylor selected one and upon it based that it can be projected silently, and the ordinary
his treatment and script. He has not been content close-up shot has been used throughout in order
with making the picture noteworthy in an edu- that the picture may be shown on small screens
cational way, but has also attempted to achieve a without appreciable loss of effect.
 SIGHT and SOUND

T~E ARTIST AND THE TEACHER

THEIR FUNCTION IN THE MAKING OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL FILM
J~y john Grierson
In the following reply to Mr. Ronald Gow's article which appeared in the last issue of
SIGHT AND SOUND Mr. John Grierson, of the Empire Marketing Board F£lm Unit,
draws a distinction between foreground and background educational films

R ONALD GOW has done a real service ' to

educational film criticism in his article on
Teaching Films. You will remember that in the
teaching can expect to do. One imagines that at
such .p oints in the lesson the teacher will leave off
from his teaching / press the projector · button, and
last issue of SIGHT AND SouND he asked that run a film strip descriptive of the matter in hand :
educational films should be really educational : proceeding thereafter to the usual pedagogic demon-
something more than the " superannuated scenic or stration of the points involved.
interest films " which are now so often passed off My personal opinion is that the film in the class-
as educational by the opportunists of the lay world. room should be -no more pretentious in its claim
He called for teaching films which will not only than this. It cannot do the teacher's job for him,
teach but make specific contributions to specific because it can neither command the different mental
lessons. An essential point in his argument was speeds of the children nor compete with the teacher
that the production of these teaching films was a in his intimate point-to-point emphasis. It is a
job for teachers. Teachers, clearly, are the o~ly describer, and a good one, with special command
people who can determine the exact part a film over moving diagram and over the speeding-up and
strip is to play in the lesson. i, slowing-down of movements and processes ; I?ut it
To fill out ·his case, however, Gow took tH.e is nothing more.
example of CoNQUEST, and thereby hauled me into The choice of the descriptive strips to - be used
the argument. This film of mine, he maintained, in the different ·lessons of geography, history and
was just the sort of thing which was not a teaching other appropriate subjects is, of course, for the
film. " Grierson has made the mistake of supposing educationalists in the different areas and the different
that the teaching of geography to children needs curricular to decide. I have myself recently started
the same technique as teaching a five year plan to production on teaching films, all of which have
Russian peasants . . To hear an audience of school- been made under such practical guidance. I may
boys moved to frenzy by the ' power ' motif of say that I am content with none of them so far.
CoNQUEST is to know the real power of cinema, They all try too much :. either they include teaching
but the balance of education is likely to be upset ... points the teacher could make for himself, or they
It may be magnificent but it is too definitely War- include diagrams the blackboard could do equally
dour Street." well or, in their description, give more detail than
I want to assure Gow that I have made no mistake, is necessary to help the teacher to his conclusions .
or at least have not made the mistake he attributes So doing, they break into the teacher's function
to me. I feel just as strongly as he does about and distract the course of the lesson.
teaching films and the very definite limits within My future intention is to base the teaching film
which they should be used in the classroom. My on the descriptive capacity of the film, and on that
sufficient answer to him is that CoNQUEST was only. Recently a London teacher saw some of
not made for the classroom, and does not pretend to my ' rushes,' made for a theatrical film on crafts-
be a lesson in geography. I made it as· a background manship. The rushes were a straight series of
educational film, which is another thing altogether. exteriors taken in the Black Country : of _s moking
We should, I think, be clear on this distinction. chimneys, dirty streets, blast furnaces, pottery kilns
Where actual teaching is involved you are primarily and so forth. The shots came straight out of the
exercising the child mind in the processes of analys_is; camera and succeeded each other without any
and cinema must be regarded as simply one visual attempt at dramatic or expositional sequen<;e. Yet
aid among others to the teacher in his work. One the London teacher maintained ·that this rough
or two things it can do better than the blackboard strip was the only completely satisfactory teaching
and the wall map and the lantern slide : in several res- film he had seen. " l can do the teaching myself,"
pects it is inferior to these instruments. Indeed, al- he told me : " teach the economics of the Black
most its only virtue in the classroom is its power to Country, tell pupils the why and wherefore of the
describe certain things better than the teacher can hope potteries and blast furnaces. That is my job.
to do. If, for example, a teacher is trying to describe What I cannot convey to them is what the Black
' prairie ' to children who have seen nothing larger Country is like, and this sort of thing will do it
than a three acre field, the film can, at that particular for me." I am going to take his word for it and
point of the lesson, help him. It can bring a prairie confine myself to straight sequences telling children
into perceptive experie~ce, as no effort _in imaginative what something or other is like. I shall expect
SIGHT and SOUND 46

THE BLACK
COUNTRY
FROM A FILM ON
CRAFTSMANSHIP
BY
JOHN GRIERSON

This picture is taken from a rough strip of straight just as important, just as excttmg, and just as
shots of the Black Country. A London teacher historically significant, as the invasion of the white
said of these shots : "I can do the teaching men in the covered wagons into Red Indian terri-
myself ... That is my job. What I cannot do is tory.
convey to them what the Black Country is like, I wanted children to feel that the world to-day,
and this sort of thing will do it for me " with its wheat fields and tractors, was also part of
history and also, possibly, a field for their romantic
attention.
This film I meant not for the classroom but for
teachers to send me long lists of the things they want the school hall or the local theatre. I can only now
descriptions for : that is to say in as much as they conceive of it being shown to large groups of children
touch the economic geography of the Empire. as a most general preparation for, or supplement to,
But apart altogether from this cold-blooded the geography and history lessons. Films of this
business of sheer instruction, there is another place sort, if sufficiel).tly good, sufficiently pointed in
for the film in education. Every educational course their romanticising or dramatising of a subject, are
does at one point or another, or in OJ?.e way or another, bound to increase the child's attention to his class-
try to give some im~ginational trainiri.g. ; You may room v\7ork. :_..,;;: ,". · u:
conceive of this in terms of a training in general So Lido.' n0t take Gow too seriousJy when he tells
knowledge or, in larger fashion still, in terms of a me I am no classroom teacher. What is really impor-
training in outlook or a training in character. This tant is that any producer, by appreciating the
ideological question is, I know, a dangerous one to distinction between the pure pedagogic job and the
raise among educationalists ; but the deeper edu- other imaginational job, can hope to be an educator
cational attempt is certainly always present. CoN- too.
QUEST was intended for this field of activity. I Gow was kind enough to call me an artist.
did not try , to teach the facts or dates of American With so much of the world to bring into the imagina-
economic history. I tried to interpret the story of tion of each new generation; with so many of its
the prairie as a series of invasions and as a continuing virtues in work and research and organisation and
demonstration of the fact that man's power in the achievement to tell the generation which will fall
world depends on the power of his weapons . What heir to its problems, I cannot believe t hat the
I was after was to demonstrate that the railway interpretative functions of the artist and the educator
train and modern machinery represented invasions are mutually exclusive .
 47 SIGHT and SOUND

MAKING THE DOCUMENTARY FILM

By Andrew Buchanan
Author of" The Way of the Cinema": Producer and Editor of the Ideal Sound Cinemagazine
Mr. Buchanan, who has perfected a new form of film journalism, describes in the following
article some of the work and organisation which goes to the making of a film . magazine

F one eliminates the story of life is there not men feed a production schedule which has to be
Ias bound· · to. be_what is· known in the film industry
a " shortage of" plots " ?
kept fully booked to supply the large footage which
a weekly reel consumes. Cameramen work entirely
by the schedule, and know their work for several
Even a wholesale adaptation of plays and novels
weeks ahead. I might add here that a documentary
has not met the demand, and yet no real advantage
film has little in common with a news reel, save that
has been taken of the stories and backgrounds
both are one-reelers. A news-reel consists of
offered by the world. Instead, studios are packed
topical matter which must be taken, irrespective of
to suffocation by units busily engaged on creating
weather conditions, whereas the documentary is not
an artificial world, building up anything from a
concerned with current events, and includes only
Chinese bazaar to a Devonshire lane. It would
those subjects which reach a high standard of
seem that as time passes, fewer and fewer actual
photography and production value. . The research
e~teriors are included, thereby establishing a'tradition
department .would ignore the Derby, but would make
that unless scenes are built in studios they are of no
a subject out of the training of racehorses, including
~alue . Climatic .c onditions may have a great deal
with it a leisurely survey of the stables and surround-
t:O do with this, but not every~hing, and the result
ing country. The documentary cameraman is
is that the real strength and beauty of the film is
always accompanied by a producer, for the best
in danger of being forgotten. It has become a poor
results are only obtainable when the former is free
imprisoned thi,n g, blinded by the artificial sun. of the
to concentrate on his apparatus, while another mind
studio, lying manacled by coils of sound track, and
is building up the story, undisturbed by technical
entirely at the mercy of the governor of the prison,
matters .
the microphone.
But for the documentary and interest film , life Armed with a brief scenario which is supplied by
would .be excluded from the screen-that is, real the research department this unit visits the scene
life, showing the peoples of the world in their of action. If it is an industrial subject, portable
natural surroundings. It has been left to the incandescent lights will have preceded the unit, and
documentary to. show these, and it appears to be have been connected, either to the main, or to a
thought that only in non-dramatic and industrial generator parked outside. Unless entire factories
films should such glimpses be seen. This is good are to be illuminated, three or four lamps are adequate
for the documentary but bad for the feature film , for showing separate shots of each process. The
which, it is hoped, will ultimately escape from the film is shot according to conditions of the location,
studio and capture dramas and comedies enacted in which invariably means that the scenes are not taken
natural settings. By this means every film would in their correct order. This is not, however, a
contain an element of the documentary picture by disadvantage, as the cutter would, in any case ,
reason of the backgrounds included, which, though separate every scene before finally assembling.
secondary to the dramatic motive, would show how Each scene is numbered and comparatively easy to
life is lived and work is done. put in its place. In a similar way exteriors are
taken, without, of course, lights, and both these and
Those engaged on the production of a commercial the industrial jobs are taken " silent," for a reason
documentary film- that is, a series released weekly, have which I will discuss finally. Actual talking se-
the task of producing more than 52,000 feet annually. quences, showing, for instance, notabilities in their
Each reel is approximately 1,000 feet in length, and homes, or artists describing · 'their processes, are
is usually composed of five separate sequences. taken either in the studio, or genuinely in the places
Therefore, nearly 300 " stories" have to be secured where these people live ; in the latter case with the
for a year's output. This is the work of a research aid of a sound truck, which contains a portable
department consisting of several specialists, who sound recording apparatus.
divide the activities of the world into various groups.
One may concentrate on industrial subjects, while In this manner a constant supply of material
another will spend his time in a most agreeable way reaches the editor, who keeps a library of films ,
by touring over the country, or perhap ~ the world, from which he makes his selection for the weekly
rioting its most beautiful, quaint and historic corners. release. It is then that the " cutting " begins , a
Yet ·another will · concern himself with all branches process which involves far more than the word
of sport, fashion and curious pastimes. These implies . When an industrial subject arrives, it is
SIGHT and SOUND 48

probably about 600 feet in length, and has to be the addition of a musical accompaniment, infinitely ·
condensed into 200. In addition, each shot has to more appealing than a long and too exact pictorial '
be " dramatised," and infused with rhythm. To account of any particular manufacturing process .
create this tempo, each shot is studied separately, There is no reason why a documentary film should
joined to the next one and so on until the film is not be highly entertaining, and if a canning factory
complete in its original length. This is viewed, can be made to possess an emotional appeal so much
and the result is a slow moving version of the the better. One last important point. Most docu-
industry. Now a mechanical process is repetition, mentary material is shot silent, and post-synchronised
and all mechanical processes in a factory are with effects, commentary and music ; the reason
simultaneous. That is, therefore, the effect to being that it is not possible to record the terrific
be created. Accordingly the shots are measured din in most factories, and if it were, the commen-
and, perhaps,_ halved. The halves are joined, tator's voice would be drowned. Similarly, historical-
leaving a valuable balance over ..: To obtain the "and beautiful parts of the world have no sound tor-
simultaneous effect they are reinserted again and record, save, perhaps, tumbling waters or wind 1
again between subsequent processes, until the rushing through trees, which can be more con-
spectator clearly feels the entire process going on veniently added in the process of post synchronising.
around him. Faster and faster each shot follows However, the value of taking documentary material
the other, then back again to the first process, each without sound is that it enables the cameras to shoot
sequence carrying the industry a stage nearer the freely, and the cutters to be unhampered by the
final one. That is, briefly, the basis of cutting a restrictions imposed by sound tracks. It is for this
film, an art which is becoming increasingly important reason that the fundamental basis of film construction,
in this country. which is movement, is fully applied in the making
I spoke of dramatising industry. This does not of the documentary picture, which gives it an
mean falsifying it. On the contrary, it results in enormous advantage over the conventional talking
processes becoming simpler. to understand, and, with film which is governed by human speech.

KAMERADSCHAFT (PABST)
A scene from the famous
Franco-German mining film
 49 SIGHT and SOUND

PUBLICITY BY FILM
AN OPEN AIR
PICTURE SHOW

" No amount of custom can

stale the fascination of the
moving screen."
An int.erested crowd gather
round one of the Conservative
Party's open air cinema vans

POLITICS AND THE · FlLM

T HE chief task of political propaganda under a
party system is not so much to state a case to
an impartial public or even to win over a hostile
their audience-one can just look and listen and
come away when the show is over. No amount of
custom can stale the fascination of the moving
one, but the much more arduous and thankless screen . At the first flicker a curious group of
business of making up the minds of the indifferent. people wi11 gather ; the loud speaker attracts new-
Under a dictatorship the machinery of political comers from further afield, and soon a crowd has
propaganda can be _used exclusively to educate the collected and the hardest part of the propagandist's
public on the lines of rational policy, but although a task is done.
certain amount of political education is being carried Of the convincing power of the film there can
out by modern methods in this country its main be no doubt. An address about tariffs might
purpose is of necessity the collection of votes. conceivably interest one in a hundred of an audience
The majority of people in this country are not of voters : not one in a thousand would read an
interested in politics ; a smaller majority, but still article on the subject in their newspaper ; but show
a majority, is not interested in general ideas or even that same group of people a film illustrating, for
in facts if they interest the community rather than instance, the development of the home market garden
the individual. To " get over " an idea to the industry and vast numbers of men unemployed as the
public it is at first necessary to give it a personal and result of foreign dumping, and there will be scarcely
particular significance ; in bringing voters to the one who will not carry away some vivid picture that
polling station it is the personality of the candidate they will associate with the idea of tariffs and the
and not his policy that will be found the most advisability of voting for Mr. X, who stands for
effective stimulus. protection. With their own eyes they have seen the
The parliamentary agent ori the eve of an election tomatoes growing. Most English people have a
is chiefly concerned in presenting his candidate to healthy scepticism of political speeches, printed or
as wide a section of his constituency as he can spoken, but the old saying about the truthfulness of
t over in the time available, and in presenting him as the camera still carries weight.
frequently and as effectively as possible. Here the The Conservative Party's film department have
film has proved a valuable ·aid ; at a recent by- produced, under professional direction, a number of
election the €onservative Films Association made a propaganda pictures of this kind. They are usually
short picture (silent, for the sake of economy) of the on a silent basis with a spoken commentary added
National candidate at home with his family, and to the film, real talking film being used for the
used it successfully to introduce .him to a large reproduction of sp ~ches by party leaders. Stanley
constituency where he was unknown. . ~ •:." Baldwin, Ramsay MacDonald and Neville Chamber-
As an at!raction for a~ indifferent public t~~ film lain have made " talkies," and among the films used
representatiOn has certam advantages bver tlie real in the last general election campaign was a fifteen
thing, because of its association with· a favourite minute sequence showing George Arliss as Disraeli
entertainment. The sight of a;~-demonstration van delivering two of his famous speeches for the
with its screen and loud-~p€aker implies .'~a free ,,Conservative Party. ·•...
show and is much more likely to culle ct int erested ·· These pictures are on standard . size film an "~ can
spectators than a man on ··a. platform. If one stops be shown either by means of indoor portable ~,pro­
to listen .'t"t o him he may ask questions and expect jectors at village halls or out of doors from a daylight
answers , but " the pictures " make no demands on screen on the back of a demonstration van. During
SIGHT and SOUND 50

NEW TEACHING
METHODS
ON THE SCREEN

From Mr. Stuart Legg's one

reel picture of the Chester-
field education scheme. The
film will be available for public
exhibition, and will probably
be synchronised

the recent election the Conservative Party owned MODERN EDUCATION ON THE SCREEN
ten daylight cinema vans, and borrowed others
employing a staff of sixteen operators. Mr. Stuart Legg, who directed ENGLAND AwAKE
The equipment of this small but extremely keen has just finished " shooting " a film record of the
and efficient unit could scarcely be more compact. new educaticn system now in force at the Chester-
The vans are 23 h.p. Thornycro.ft cars with a specially field Borough Echools . Under this system which is
designed body, and are operated by one man, who based on the Hadow Report of 1926, each child
combines the functions of driver and showman. receives a primary education from the ages of three
The engine is used to drive the D.C. dynamo to eleven. At eleven there is an examination,
which supplies the light and power for projection, according to the results of which each child receives
while the car is stationary. The back of the van an advanced education suited to its aptitudes and
opens to form a large platform with side wings to capabilities. Those who are suited for bookwork
shade the screen, so that a clear picture, visible to go on to the selective academic school ; those suited
a large audience, can be shown even in bright for more practical work go on to the modern schools,
sunlight. The screen itself slides into a special where a practical bias holds. At the age of fourteen
compartment in the roof when not in use. Kalee or fifteen every child is interviewed by a Ministry
projectors are used, with Kalee Mirror Arcs, and of Labour official and asked what kind of work he
the sound system consists of a B.T.P. soundhead or she wants to do. The main industries of the town,
followed by a two stage head amplifier and three into which most of the children find their way, are
stage main amplifier with a dissipation of 60 watts. engineering, mining, pottery ; from the selective
The amplifier and exciter lamp are fed from a academic school, the children go into almost any
220 A.C. supply generated by a convertor. A folded black-coated occupation, clerks, civil servants,
exponential horn is fitted to the roof with a moving business, etc. The girls become secretaries, typists,
coil unit energised from the D.C. supply available, teachers, domestic servants and factory hands .
and for the benefit of the people crowding round
the platform there are mains energised R.K. moving " The purpose for which the film was made,"
coil speakers mounted on . a baffie underneath the says Mr. Legg, " was to put on record by means of
screen . These also act as guides to the operator. a documentary film, one of the most complete modern
When silent films are being shown a musical systems of education at present existing in England.
accompaniment is provided by a twin turn-table The idea of the film came from Mr. W. H. George,
unit fitted with two A.C. synchronous motors and an assistant master at the William Rhodes Modern
a " fader." Besides this equipment there are School, Chesterfield, and he has superintended the
exhaust and intake fans for interior ventilation ; the production. The Chief Education Officer, Dr. H .
exhaust fumes from the engine are carried up to the G. Stread, gave his whole-hearted support to the
roof in front of the car, out of the way of the audience, scheme. The film was shot in Chesterfield between
and there is ample space inside the van not only :May 12th and June 11th. Some activity of nearly
for the operator, but for spares locker, a re-winder every school in the Borough was included, as well
and a supply of films . as the industrial and town life of the district. The
The whole of this equipment has now been taken weather was extremely bad most of the time, and in
over by British Films Limited, who have been the end, in spite of extremely well-lit and airy
using this fleet of talking picture vans for a series class-rooms we had to have lights down from London
of useful publicity tours, among others for the to shoot the interiors. The cameraman was Mr.
National l\1ilk Publicity Council, the Corporation G. F. Gibbs, of Stolls, Cricklewood. An outdoor
of Yarmouth, and for the Ministry of Agriculture, set was used for a few scenes, but the great majority
which has recently organised an advertisement were taken in and about the schools and the town,
campaign for ,the National Mark. Y.lVI.R. and a good many with concealed cameras.
 51 SIGHT and SOUND

THE GRAMOPHONE AS A MUSICAL AID

By T. L. MacDONALD

We should frankly recognise the limitations of the gramophone in music study, says
Mr. MacDonald, and recognise the special technique which is required to handle it
with the best results

IsoTtodefinitely
is the gravest danger of educational enthusiasms
recognise no boundaries. In the case of an aid
valuable as the gramophone, the risk of
The second point to which I want to draw attention
is the need for training and practice in playing the
gramophone. I can quite believe that this may
doing this disservice is the greater, the damage that sound to some like a bad joke ; you turn a handle,
may be done also greater. or you plug into the mains, you change the needle,
Warnings about the gramophone are usually with and the record does the rest . . . with results which
reference to the supposititious decline of genuine we have all heard ! There is an increasing amount
individual music-making. There is a more funda- of genuine technique about the correct operation of
mental one which does not usually appear to be the gramophone, which teachers should have acquired
stated correctly. That is, that listening to the before using the instrument as an aid in class.
gramophone must be learnt just as much as any There is the question of the correct placing of the
other kind of listening. Repeated experiments with gramophone, usually a matter of securing the
speech records, in some cases with language records least distortion in all parts of a room not originally
of an elementary type in much more advanced adult constructed for acoustic qualities. There is the
classes, have suggested to me that there is a process correct levelling of the machine, so that the needle
of hapituation needed even to the very best of repro- shall enter the grooves correctly (which affects wear
duction. It is well known that there is a slight as well as reproduction). There is the adjustment
amount of instrumental noise which is definitely of the speed ; and the occasional necessity of alter-
inevitable in the sense that it can only be cut out at ing the speed slightly for certain types of record
the expense of also affecting the reproduction to a (occasionally without printed warning on the label) .
very slight extent. When the gramophone is There are precautions to be taken against record
properly used this undercurrent is not now such as " swing " (central hole not concentric with the
to obscure the reproduction of delicate effects. sound spiral), against warping, and other such
With most people it simply ceases to be noticed after matters. There is the proper selection of needles
a very short time, though I have come across -and it is foolish to have only one type of needle
occasional persons with whom the residual sound available. There are precautions to be taken to
accompanying reproduction acted as persistent have the records kept reasonably clean, and to
distraction. But quite apart from this sound, there attend to wear whenever possible-for example to
is a psychological habituation necessary to effective prevent clogging when non-metallic needles are
gramophone listening. This again is partly due to used. This is not the place in which to discuss such
the fact that the volume actually produced is very matters. Competent preliminary guidance can
seldom identical with the volume produced by the readily be obtained from such books as Gramophones,
original instruments. The habitue listens in a Acoustic and Radio (which is as I write on the
small room to a stage performance or platform singer point of publication by the Gramophone Magazine).
without the slightest consciousness that the actual If only it is treated like any other musical instru-
volume of sound is a fraction of that produced in ment, the teaching capacity of the gramophone is
the original performance. The orchestral record pretty well unlimited, and to a considerable extent
usually gives the effect of moderate and well-balanced unexplored. The most obvious uses are in teaching
distance from each instrument along with the all the aspects of what we now call musical apprecia-
volume at a very much greater distance. The effect tion, in providing technical examples to students of
produced by such a record may actually be nearer any particular instrument, in supplying accompani-
to the effect intended by the original score that ments, and in rendering possible an intelligent study
anyone has ever heard in the concert hall ; a point of musical history and of regional schools of music.
which, I think, has not usually been brought in But in all these fields its superiority over radio lies
favour of recorded music ! In brief, the repro- in repetition, while it has the virtue of leaving the
duction in a particular space, such as a class room, teacher free to teach. There will always be a great
of sounds . which (in many cases) never could be deal which the teacher will illustrate by voice or on
produced in the same space, and, it should be an instrument ; but for the repeated performan~e
remembered, bearing on the shellac the colouring of the greater part of the illustrative music required,
of the acoustic chamber in which they were originally some such mechanism as the gramophone will be
produced-this reproduction business itself requires indispensable. Someone remarked that even though
some sort of training. many of us can play the piano in some sort of way,
SIGHT and SOUND 52

very few of us can " play the orchestra " ! The THE GRAMOPHONE IN SCHOOLS
selection of records will be guided mainly by the
syllabus to be taught. The principal companies By T. Wall, M.C.
issue special educational catalogues from which a Chief Inspector, West Ham Education Committee
great deal of really useful information is to be N an up to date school a gramophone is a necessity,
obtained. A set of pamphlets put out by His
Master's Voice under the general title of " The
I for school music is now not merely singing.
Frequently education committees cannot supply the
Gramophone in School " contains much material instruments, but supply folk dance records to those
of general application. schools which have helped themselves, for this
saves provision of piano music. Sometimes musical
RECORD PROGRESS IN 1932 appreciation records are also supplied, and there is
Recent developments of the gramophone industry an increasing number of authorities in which exist
are especially notable for the number of valuable loan collections of records.
records which are not issued to dealers as a whole . Suitable portable machines, with the discount for
The output of the larger companies has . for a long educational purposes, can be bought for £4 9s. 3d. ,.
time been much too large to be stocked by all shops ; so that no school need really be without a good
and one supposes that current depression has machine. It is strongly urged that a cheap, or
something to do with the extension of special issues. " coupon" machine will not do.
Subscription Records A gramophone has many advantages over wireless.
A very interesting innovation is the establishment in schools . For one thing, the same piece can be
through the H.M.V. organisation of societies for repeated and with each repetition more is under-
recording the works of individual composers in stood. Admiration grows as knowledge grows and
limited editions. The first of these is recording the keener the perception and the more sympathetic
the songs of Hugo Wolf ; the lists are closed and the judgment, the fuller and more enduring will be
the records issued for the present year. The second, the pleasure.
the Beethoven Sonata Society, closes its lists at the The following kinds of records are available for
end of June, and a third, the Haydn Quartet Society, use in schools :-records of speech and languages,.
at the end of August. As the records are not to be marches, dances of all types, records showing
issued to the public at all, schools and institutions examples of correct solo and choir singing, " learning
which are able to keep a proper record library should to listen " or musical appreciation records, and
consider the advisability of participating. The records for use in preparing for concerts. In this
subscription is usually two guineas. connection it should be noted that Columbia and
H.M. V. have a joint Educational Department which
H.M.V. Connoisseur Catalogue
produces helpful pamphlets and is always ready to
" His Master's Voice" Connoisseur Catalogue, of
give advice a~d lectures to schools.
which a second, enlarged, edition has appeared,
consists entirely of records of serious music which Speech records are of recent development. There
have not been issued in the ordinary way. It is a are many good examples of poetry and prose spoken
mine of records of educational interest, and includes by Drinkwater, Henry Ainley, Forbes-Robertson
many important works which have had to be im- and others. French and other languages are now
well catered for ; some records, like the Findlay
ported until now.
Gregg records use children's voices and introduce
Decca-Polydor music. Modern commercial schools, too, use records
The other really important development is the for teaching rhythm for typewriting, and the Gregg
general issue of Polydor records by the Decca records and the more recent Pitman records are most
Company. A couple of years ago, the German useful. Records by children have been also made:
Polydor company were ahead of the world in some to show good examples of singing (tone, breathing:
fields, especially piano recording. Their records and phrasing), and a few children's choirs have
are even now in the very first rank. Three con- been recorded. The companies are alive and enter-
siderable lists have been issued as I write ; a prising to the needs of infants' schools and have·
descriptive booklet on each issue may be had from produced a fine set of nursery rhymes and music
the company for threepence . The Polydor abridged for singing games, dancing and most recently for
operas include spoken sections, which represent the percussion games.
most natural German talking I know of on records For musical appreciation records and pictures of
and should be of interest to advanced, especially the individual instruments can be used, and a graded.
adult, classes. The Brailowsky piano records scheme of records developed on that foundation .
should be heard. In West Ham, twelve gramophone concerts have·
H.M.V. Language Records been given to 20,000 children during the pa~t
H .M.V. has just issued a Language Study cata- season in school hours by the finest orchestras
logue. I cannot deal with this in detail until later; possible. Before the concerts each child attended a
meantime hear the " Tales and Dialogues" (same preparatory gramophone lecture on the music by the
text available in French, German, Italian, Spanish; chief inspector, and after the conc~rts records of the
remarkably clear and forward recording). New music were supplied to schools in order that the:
Spanish and German courses also appear. T.L.M. music might be studied in detail.
 53 SIGHT and SOUND

F.ILM TECHNIQUE· AND EDUCATION

By Eric P. L. Pelly
Director in charge of the Industrial and Educational Department of
Western Electric Company, Ltd.
HE addition of sound to the silent motion It soon became evident that although adaptations
T picture has enlarged the scope of the film as an
educational medium even more than it has done as
of silent film technique would satisfy the public's
appetite while the sound film was a novelty, the
a means of entertainment ; for the purpose of this real field for the sound film lay in creating as perfect
article, therefore, it is proposed to review only those an illusion of reality as possible. Technically this
developments which date from the advent of the task provided the equipment makers and studio
sound film. technicians with the problem of extending the
The immediate popularity which was accorded to range of frequencies (pitch) of sound which could
the talking picture when it first made a general be faithfully recorded and reproduced, to a point
public appearance in 1929 necessitated that most of where the reproduced sound would be indistinguish-
the initial films should merely be adapted versions able from the original. The human ear can hear
of films originally designed for showing without sounds having a frequency range from fifty cycles
sound. The addition of sound to these films per second to ten thousand cycles per second. The
usually meant little more than the substitution of a old-fashioned gramophone produced only the middle
spoken commentary for titles. Music was super- band of these frequencies and eliminated the high
imposed principally to hide deficiencies in the notes and the low notes. All voices sounded more
quality of the sound, resulting mainly from poor or less alike, and all had that quality of" tinniness "
technique in early recording. The quality of which has unfortunately become assocjated with
reproduction then commercially obtainable from mechanical sound. Perhaps only those who have
reproducing apparatus installed in cinemas was been connected with the development of the tele-
little inferior to that which is generally obtained phone, the gramophone and the talking picture can
to-day and the need for progress was, and has been realise the strides which have been made towards
until very recently, mainly in the direction of im- the objective of perfect realism, and the immense
proving recording technique. amount of thought, energy and money which have
been expended in research and experiment.

Sound on Disc
At first all recording was done on wax discs. By
this method short sequences of sound, recorded on
discs synchronously with the taking of scenes, are
electrically transferred to other discs of sufficiently
long playing time to accompany a standard reel of
film. The technique of recording was then based
on that used by the gramophone companies, and
needed improvement to meet the needs of a situation
where the microphone must pick up sounds from
varying distances and where the sound, in repro-
duction, was to stand amplification to a volume
sufficient to fill large theatres.

Sound on Film
Concurrently with research directed towards
perfecting the recording of sound on discs, a system
was developed whereby the sound was recorded
photographically on the side of the film itself.
The sound record then needed subsequently to be
reproduced by means of delicate and expensive
optical devices using photo-electric cells. It had
already been found that in order to secure the
NOISELESS RECORDING finest possible quality the reproducing apparatus
The film strip on the left shows sound recorded on film by installed in cinemas needed maintenance by highly
the old method, ·and the right hand strip by the use of
noiseless recording. In each case a period of silence ends skilled personnel, and the advent of the "sound-on-
at the point indicated by the arrow. The sound track is film " method with its minute electric currents and
almost opaque for silent periods in noiseless recording delicate and short-lived apparatus reinforced this
SIGHT and SOUND 54

need . However, m~ney was pouring into thousands

of cinema box offices and expense was no object
where quality of sound was concerned. There was
created all over the world a vast army of highly
trained technicians engaged in periodical inspection
and adjustment of the apparatus installed now in
over thirty thousand cinemas.
Even with all this skilled organisation, it is only
latterly that the average quality actually obtained
under working conditions in the cinemas from sound
records on the film has approached that obtained
from disc records . The art of recording sound on
discs was comparatively well known at the start,
from its use for gramophone purposes, and the
engineers responsible for the development of the
two methods have been neck-and-neck all the time
in the race for better quality. ·

The Two Methods Compared

It would be rash indeed to say which method
will eventually supersede the other for theatrical
purposes. In the cinemas, the " sound-on-film "
method is now nearly universal and is reasonably
satisfactory owing to the comparative unimportance A WESTERN ELECTRIC PORTABLE SOUND-ON-FILM
of the expense involved in skilled maintenance. REPRODUCER FOR 35mm. TALKING PICTURES. The path
of the film can be followed down from the top spool, first
Even for theatrical purposes, however, there are through the projector mechanism and secondly through a
now signs of its being superseded in the United compartment where a beam of light is projected through the
States, where great advances have recently taken "sound track" on to a photo electric cell (not shown) and
place in improving the quality of disc-recording thence onwards to the bottom spool. This type of machine is
suitable wherever a large picture is to be projected, e.g. in
and in the reproducing of sound from new smaller, halls seating up to 800 persons
unbreakable, long-wearing discs. In the educational
use of films the disc method is destined to return,
because of its advantages in low maintenance cost,
..
substitution of a machine for the human voice.
less variable quality, increased life of films and Before the introduction of noiseless recording, the
ease of operation by unskilled persons ; for everyone film producer was under the grievous disadvantage
is familiar with the operation of a gramophone. in that dramatic action could not satisfactorily be
To those who have watched the development of punctuated by silence and was driven to expedients
the recording and reproduction of sound, this race such as the inclusion of unnecessary dialogue or the
between the groups of engineers responsible for addition of music where it was not needed-merely
improving the two methods of recording has been to cover up the unwanted noise of the machine.
full of interest. The situation is, however, par- The use of noiseless recording of sound on the
ticularly interesting at present, because of two very film itself raised the perfection of recording to a
recent developments which have at last so improved point where still more elaborate and costly
the quality of recorded sound as to tax the capabilities precautions had to be taken in the cinemas to maintain
of available reproducing apparatus. The first of the reproducing apparatus in a condition in which
these, now in fairly general use, is the " noiseless " it could do justice to the improved quality of the
method of recording on film and the second is the record. Complicated and expensive instruments
" vertical " or " hill and dale " method of recording had to be developed in order to test the response of
on discs, which is only now coming into use in the the reducing apparatus to frequencies of sound which
more progressive studios. had previously not been audible above the level of
extraneous noise included in records of the older
"Noiseless" Recording type.
The " noiseless " method of recording on film,
viewed technically, has been simply a means of Discs for Educational Use
eliminating from the sound record all extraneous The improvement in quality of recorded sound
noise, the equivalent of the " scratch " with which by the noiseless method of recording was so great
the older gramophone records made us painfully as to call for some major improvement in the method
familiar. Artistically, however, this development has of reproducing sound from records on the film .
represented a very great advance in that it has made No such improvement has been forthcoming, but
possible the use of silence as a contrast to sound instead the engineers who have been patiently
without the audience being reminded by mechanical working to improve the disc method of recording
noises of the deception practised upon them by the and reproduction have found a solution not only of
 55 SIGHT and SOUND

Fro~ this. it wil~ be seen that. the development of

t~e talkmg picture I~ at last turning from elaborations
aimed wholly . at ~mpr?vement of sound quality
towards the simplificatiOn and reduction of cost
which are of the greatest importance in connection
with the coming widespread educational use of
films. Technical simplification of a process is apt
to follow. rather than precede the development of a
commercial. ~e~and and the growing appreciation
of the p~ssibihties of the s.ound film in teaching is
now causmg th~ great electncal companies to concen-
trate on meetmg the financial exigencies of the
LATERAL AND VERTICAL CUT RECORDING. These photo-
micrographs show clearly one of the advantages of the new market represented by the schools.
"hill and dale" method over the old late ral method of cutting
records. On the left it will be seen that considerable space is
n~cessary between the grooves, while by the new method Simplifying and Perfecting ·
(nght) .the grooves almost touch each other, allowing more · Reproducing apparatus has recently become com-
record mg to be cut on the same area
mer~ially avail~ble which, by the improved methods
of disc recordmg and reproduction makes possible
this diffi.culty but _of an?ther one particularly im- the use of ta~king pictures in schools at very moderate
portant m connectiOn With the educational use of cost and Without need for any technical training
films. By reverting to the " hill and dale " method on the part of the person operating the projector .
of recording, originally used by Edison in his early At the. same time a marked improvement has been
phonograp~ , but :Vit.h many refinements, they have
made m the. optical qualities of small projectors,
succeeded I?- ach1e_vmg not only a very great im- such that a picture can be projected without necessity
provement m q_ual~ty, but also have made possible for a completely darkened room and the small
m.arked econo.mies. m the cost of film production and sixteen-millimeter film can be enlarged satisfactorily
still further simplified the sound-on-disc method of to fill a screen even ten feet wide, sufficient for
reproduction, already preferred for educational large school halls and other auditoriums. Moreover,
purposes largely on account of its simplicity. The the perfection of the disc method of recording
use of the perfected " hill and dale " method has not through eliminating the use of a separate film fo;
yet become general, but its advent is now certain the original recording of the sound, has reduced the
and provides a further argument for the use of the cost of making the original sound record and opened
sound-on-disc method for educational purposes. the way for the production at moderate cost of a
The new method will permit of the use of small library of sound films designed specially for use in
unbreakable records, of the compression of the schools.
record so that one disc can accompany a reel of ~h~ en~ineer has _opened the way for the edu-
dou~le st~ndard length, i.e. twenty-two minutes
catwmst, ~n cooperatiOn with the film producer, to
playm.g Without a br~ak, avoid the necessity of make available the amazing possibilities of the
changmg needles, and mcrease the life of the sound sound film as a means of teaching. The stage is
record to that of the picture-to approximately set and the orchestra is tuning up.
1 ,200 showings as compared with the 100 to 200
showings which represents the longest life obtainable
from a " lateral " disc record or from a " sound
track " recorded on the film itself.

This machine is specially designed for

use in the classroom but is also quite
suitable for smaller school halls. The
controls are designed on straightforward
lines and the lay-out presents no diffi-
culty to the amateur operator

THE WESTERN ELECTRIC I 6 mm. REPRODUCER

SIGHT and SOUND 56

THE SCREEN . AS A MECHANICAL

BLACKBOARD
By H. D. Waley

S INCE the publication of the report on the

Middlesex experiment with sound films it has
become evident that there are among the edu-
jection lamp and dark patches where the beams
have been blocked on their way to the screen by
dark portions of the slide, film or other original
cationalists in this country some who cannot be picture. The reason for excluding daylight from
accused of timidity in their attitude towards teaching- the room is that if daylight reaches those parts of
machines. Indeed they have swung so far over the screen which should be black they become grey
to the opposite extreme that they are now more and the contrast aimed at is diminished.
liable to be accused of a too uncritical enthusiasm. But it is obviously possible to go a long way
To many observers it must appear doubtful whether towards meeting this difficulty by shading the screen
education can swallow the sound film whole until it itself, without actually darkening the whole room.
has first digested fixed projection and the silent Moreover, one can attack the difficulty from another
film-to say nothing of the gramophone and broad- angle and increase the contrast obtained on the
casting. screen by employing the smallest adequate picture ,
At first glance one might be inclined to assume remembering that the brilliance of a projected
that education had already assimilated the lantern picture increases as its size diminishes. There is
slide, as distinct from the epidiascope and the film. also a third expedient for increasing light which can
But on closer consideration it will be seen that this be combined with the two former- the use of a
is not the case. Slide projection- in common with transparent screen. Apparatus already long in use
all other forms of projection-still remains in the for propaganda purposes, which combines those
background of education- to borrow a useful expedients in various ways, makes it quite clear
distinction adopted by Mr. John Grierson in his that there are no insuperable technical difficulties
recent broadcast talks. That is to say it is still involved in projection in a fully lit room. Apparatus
confined to occasional demonstrations intended to specifically designed for this purpose has never been
encourage a generated interest in certain spheres of widely marketed because the manufacturers are not
knowledge, but it is not employed as part of the assured of the existence of a demand .
daily routine adopted to enable pupils to acquire The problem involved is partially that of organising
that examination-knowledge which is indispensable the teaching profession into a body capable of
to most careers. We have got so accustomed to deciding and indicating its own corporate wants in
this state of affairs that I think we are a little inclined the matter of apparatus.
to accept it fatalistically~ without analysing its The same position exists with regard to the
causes. What, in effect, are the factors at present second obstacle to bringing projection into the
militating against the use of the screen as a mechanical foreground of education-the considerable distance
blackboard ? They are, I believe, only three in now necessary between the projection apparatus and
number. Firstly, projection is assumed to require a the screen. Again the difficulty is not one which
darkened room. Secondly the screen is situated the designer of projection apparatus would be
so far from the projection apparatus that the teacher unable to meet. By the use of ' short-focus '
has either to employ an assistant or stand at the lenses he could halve the ' throw ' required at
back of his classroom himself during projection. present by most projection apparatus.
Thirdly there is an insufficient selection of appropriate The teacher on his side could content himself
slides and films available. with a smaller screen than is now usual-say two
I believe a close examination will indicate to three feet wide only. Such a width would be
that none of these difficulties are insuperable. quite adequate for purposes of foreground .·edu-
Let us take first the darkening of the classroom. cation, since the audience would then consist of
There is a tendency to regard the darkness accom- one class only at a time .
panying projection as part of a mystical formula . This diminution of picture size combined with
And indeed it is likely enough that some reasons of the use of machines designed to employ short-focus.
this kind do hold good in places of entertainment, lenses would reduce the necessary distances between
and that, where the appeal is to the heart rather screen and apparatus to about one third of those
than to the head, the dim auditorium may assist now prevailing. This would enable the teacher,
the imagination in functioning. But an atmosphere his projection apparatus, and his screen, all to
of dreamy romance is not indispensable in the occupy the same end of the room, facing the class .
classroom, and we can therefore regard the question Such apparatus would then approximate closely to
here as confined to purely technical considerations. the ideal ' mechanical blackboard.' But the
The success of projection depends, of course, mechanical blackboard is clearly useless for fore-
upon the contrast between the light patches on the ground education without an adequate supply of
screen where it is struck by beams from the pro- projection-material. This problem is not so acute
- 57 SIGHT and SOUND

when projection is to be used for background edu- sub-standard film are being proposed by firms of
cation, because in that case the necessity for fitting high standing.
with precision into a pre-ordained curriculum does In these circumstances it is hard to see how the
not arise. In the case of foreground education it is educational authorities can go much further than
all-important. giving experimental use to a few machines of each
Accordingly we may reasonably expect the epidia- type for ' background ' education purposes.
scope to be the first instrument to appear in the Meanwhile every school which possesses a pro-
field of foreground education, since the projection jector can carry forward the work of bringing pro-
library for the epidiascope exists ready-made in the jection into the foreground by experimenting with
form of book-illustrations, picture-postcards , original daylight projection, projection at short range , and
photographs and drawings, and other similar material. all varieties of spoken commentary. They may
In fact for purposes of foreground education the even, as Mr. Gow suggested in the last number of
-e pidiascope seems likely to become the standard SIGHT AND SouND launch forth - into film pro-
instrument of fixed projection, to the exclusion of duction. For while it is true that teachers will
the transparent slide lantern. have to co-operate with producers in forming the
And now we come to the question on which the national film library of the future , it is also true
attention of educationalists is chiefly focussed at the that the value of their co-operation will be far
·m oment-what are the first steps towards rectifying greater when they have themselves experimented
the scarcity of films suitable for use in schools ? somewhat with existing material. No one, I suppose,
The report on the Middlesex experiment and the would be optimistic enough to envisage the next
article by Mr. Hoare in the last issue of SIGHT AND ten years of educational cinematography as anything
SoUND emphasise two conclusions on this subject- but experimental, and this in itself is an argument
firstly that close co-operation between educationalists for silent projection, since it is a rule, recognised as
and film-producers will be necessary, and secondly valid amongst those who have had the misfortune
t hat the production of sound-films as opposed to to be much associated with experimental work, that
silent films must be envisaged. it should be carried out with the cheapest material
The first of the findings will, I imagine, meet with from which relevant results can be obtained .
universal agreement, but the latter seems, as I In any future experiments performed to furnish
have already indicated, exceedingly controversial. material for comparison between the value of sound
Mr. Hoare's own estimate of the average price of and silent films it is to be hoped that not only will
production of a sound-film is £1 per foot. The the merits of various kinds of spoken commentary
average price of production of silent films is perhaps be carefully compared with those of the mechanical
five shillings a foot, possibly less. The retention commentary, but that also clear distinction will be
o f the silent film would therefore multiply the made between the type of sound film which results
r epertoire of the film library obtainable with a given from simultaneous recording, and film · to which a
sum of money by at least four. When we are spoken commentary has . been subsequently added.
considering the possibility of fitting the film into The former type of production is capable of
foreground education this becomes an immensely possessing qualities which the teacher 's spoken
i mportant point. commentary cannot contain-the exact timbre of
I look at this question from the simple point of an animal's cry or a famous individual's voice , for
v iew of how many films will a given sum purchase example, not to mention the whole range of musical
because, in spite of the pronouncement in the sound. It is on such ground as this that the sound
Middlesex Report that the educational authorities film contrasts most favourably with the silent film.
must content themselves with nothing but the best, It is, however, to be noted that this ground lies
I suspect that in the end they may follow the example almost entirely outside the scope of foreground
of that considerable portion of the human race which education. It must also be borne in mind that
purchases what it can afford to pay for, rather than further experimentation may indicate th_at the film
what it feels that it deserves to possess . is here trespassing somewhat on the legitimate
But, even if one arbitrarily disregards the question territory of the gramophone and wireless.
of library and apparatus costs, the question of In any event it is clear that a further prolonged
technical complications in sound-film projection period of experimentation is indispensable if such
would still remain as a factor in retarding the advance funds as may become available for the increased
of projection from the background to the foreground use of projection in schools are not to be dissipated
o f education. The ideal of projection apparatus should in large-scale attempts to achieve the impracticable.
be such simplicity that handling, not only by the The view here expressed that the most desirable
s cience masters, but by all masters becomes feasible . direction in which to press forward is towards the
Sound projection apparatus is not only extremely establishment of projection as part of the daily
far at present from reaching this ideal, but it is routine of foreground education is, of course , a
.extremely far from offering to educationalists such view from which many might dissent, while its
standardisation of method as would render possible practicability still remains to be tested.
the building up of a central library catering for all My fear is that the practicability of bringing
p rojectors. At the moment at least four mutually projection into the foreground may be seriously
e xclusive methods of sound reproduction from pr~judiced by a too hasty flight from the silent film .
SIGHT and SOUND 58

FILMS
TO SEE
by
C. A. LEJEUNE

MAD CHEN IN U NI-

FORM (Film Society)-
German dialogue
picture, with super-
imposed English titles,
made by a woman
d ir e c t o r, L e o n t i ne
Sagan, with a cast
entirely composed of
women. A study of
the effects of rigidity
and repression in a girls'
boarding-school, sin-
cerely and beautifully
handled, with acting of the first order. This is a NoRTHERN LIGHTS (Albion)-An account of the
picture that every teacher and parent should see, Courtauld expedition to the Arctic, simply and
but it is not for the young and impressionable. quietly told, without any subtleties or wisecracks ;
(Illustration above) . it is not an epic, but it does give a profound idea of
British coolness and spirit, and the photography is
KRISS (Filmophone )-A true story of love and remarkable . For every age.
revenge in the island of Bali, in the Dutch East
Indies ; a silent film, played entirely by natives, IT's TouGH TO BE FAMOUS (F.N.P.).-Douglas
and post-synchronised with musical score and a Fairbanks, Jnr., in a light-hearted story of a national
rather blatant commentary in English. This is not hero malgre lui, which runs from laugh to laugh
another TABU but it breaks new territory, and the on the smoothest of wheels. Unreservedly recom-
native dances and rituals have the beauty of real mended for the whole family.
pantomime. A film for the occasional picturegoer
only ; children will find it dull and imcomprehensible WAR IS HELL (W. &. F .)-A polyglot talkie of the
and the adult " fan " will find it slow. battlefields, made chiefly under German and Russian
influences, with dialogue cleverly compound of
ENGLAND AwAKE (Wardour)-You can take the French, German and English. The theme is inter-
whole family to this account of British achievement national brotherhood ; the treatment is raw and
in colonisation and industry since the days of Welling- curiously simple ; it puts facts plainly and naively
ton, but add your own urgency to its moral-by for simple minds, with the broad outlines of a
looking back instead of forwards, by evading difficult cartoon. Adult entertainment only.
issues, it just fails to drive the lesson home. Made
at W elwyn by John Buchan and Bruce W oolfe, and THE BATTLE OF LIFE (International Prod.)-A
directed by Stuart Legg, a young newcomer who silent document of natural survival, directed by a
has since worked on a school film at Chesterfield andRussian, V. Korolevitch, superbly photographed by
promises well. Material mainly library cut-outs ; a German cameraman, and synchronised, rather
commentary clear but flamboyant ; figure of Welling- tediously, in America. The fight of the animal
ton gives a false note to an otherwise genuine whole.kingdom against hunger, drought, flood, fire and
disease has been dramatised to the highest degree
IL EsT CHARMANT (Paramount)-Henri Garat in of intensity ; the censor has modified the present
a French extravaganza with all the American Para...; copy, but no amount of cutting could make this
mount polish ; gay, easy, foolish, with charming . film anything but ruthless. A magnificent technical
tunes and pleasant personalities. It has more achievement, which children, in spite of its " U "
sophistication and less wit than the Clair films, certificate, should on no account be encouraged
and needs a good knowledge of French to follow to see.
the dialogue explicitly, but the main story is clear
enough. Try this on the late teens and the early HELL DIVERS (M.G.M.)-A spectacular romance
twenties- they'll love it. of American naval aviation, with false sentimental
 59 SIGHT and SOUND

values and ordinary studio playing, that gets over No one can persuade me that Sir Stephen Tallents
every criticism by its superb and breathless per- does not realize the peculiar tilt of his viewofEngland.
formance in the air. There has never been such He is far too shrewd a diplomat to be accused of
photography of flight and speed among the clouds ; haphazard renderings. He has given us a particular
the precision of individual and massed movement, England for a particular purpose-the stimulation
the smoothness and ease of accomplishment, build of interest among the classes above the subsistence
up a propaganda film for the American services that line. He has made in his book, I think, just one
gets a response from every nerve. Let the boys major mistake, and that is the alienation of Scottish
see this-the sentiment won't hurt them, and the readers by his insistence on "England" as the
air stuff will put them on their mettle. key-word for patriotism. With this single exception
every phrase is wisely measured-the material and
the method are wedded with a precision rarely
Other Films Worth Seeing found in the literature of the screen.
FORBIDDEN (A) (United Artists) ; ARROWSMITH There is no fine writing about the other books in
(A) (United Artists); THE BEAST OF THE CITY (A) my list. They are books by practical craftsmen,
(M.G.M.); TARZAN THE APE MAN (U) (M.G.M.); both professional and amateur, and their forte
GENTLEMAN FOR A DAY (A) (First National) ; A is fact.
HousE DIVIDED (A) (Universal), THE FAITHFUL
HEART (A) (Ideal) ; MoR VRAN (U) (Film Society). Bernard Brown's TALKING PICTURES which runs
into a second edition, is still the most comprehensive
and detailed of the technical text-books. Anyone
who owns it has a complete encyclopredia ready to
BOOKS WORTH READING hand of the process and mechanics of talkie pro-
THE PROJECTION OF ENGLAND by Sir Stephen Tallents duction and exhibition ; it is admirably clear in
(Faber & Fab~r IS.) general lay-out, but presupposes a certain technical
TALKING PrcTURES by Bernard Brown. (Pitman I2S. 6d.) understanding in the reader, or at least a technical
FILM PLAY PRODUCTION FOR AMATEURS bv G. H. Sewell. bent.
(Pitman ss.) .
G. H. Sewell's book defines its audience in its
FILMS: THE WAY OF THE ·CINEMA by Andr.:w Buchanan.
(P~tman ss.)
title ; it is an invaluable handbook for amateurs who
are concerned with the intricacies of motion picture-
Sir Stephen Tallents' pamphlet, THE PROJECTION making, either on standard or sub-standard film.
OF ENGLAND, is customarily included in modern It gives clear directions for every stage of the work,
film bibliographies, but to treat this politico-literary from the preparation of the initial script to the final
monograph as a book about the cinema is to interpret exhibition ; defines the position of each member of
its inward rather than its expressed concern. The the working staff, and keeps the price within limits
author, although he writes strictly as an individual that take amateur film-making out of the luxury class
and not in his official capacity as Secretary of the and present it as a reasonable gateway to a profession.
Empire Marketing BQard, makes a case for the
organisation of all the modern propagandist forces- Andrew Buchanan's contribution to the Pitman
the cinema, the radio, the trade exhibition-towards Art and Life Series provides a happy compromise
the fuller expression of British life and ideals. He between the professional and the amateur cinema.
is interested in every medium that can carry Britain It should touch a wide circle of readers, for it is
to the ends of the empire, and raise her prestige one of those rare books that speak with the authority
among foreign nations. If his peculiar interest in of experience, but have never quite lost the infectious
the film as a propagandist medium emerges from the enthusiasm of the layman for his hobby. Mr.
pamphlet, it is merely that Sir Stephen Tallents, Buchanan has a right to theorise, as well as to
like every modern thinker, has realised that the film dogmatise, about the production of films ; the Ideal
in these days gets most swiftly, most surely, and most Cinemagazine, which he edits weekly, has been for
perilously at the popular mind. many years past one of the best regular features in
THE PROJECTION OF ENGLAND offers a plea for the the British trade. The theoretical chapters are
prestige film in an address as gracious and graceful sound, and their value is increased by the illustration
as any published bit of English prose since the days of the practical sections ; these give the whole
of Addison and the pamphleteers. It is, perhaps, procers of film -making as a practical craftsman
a little too graceful for those of us who know and are knows it, but so simply that the least technically-
concerned for England in her rougher moods. It minded reader can appreciate it.
does not quite convey the sense of England, working, I recommend this book unhesitatingly as one of
sweating, starving, struggling, that any northerner the few published documents on the cinema that
carries in his blood. It is a sane England that should be bought, read and marked for future
Tallents draws, an old-established, kindly mother- enjoyment; with Gilbert Seldes' ONE HouR WITH
country, whose fault is her diffidence, and whose THE MOVIES AND TALKIES it is probably the most
need is a school of national thinking which may reliable treatment yet given by a writer to the
parallel in some degree the colleges of navigation much-diseussed but little understood science of the
established in Spain and Portugal in medireval times. motion picture screen. C.A.L.
SIGHT and SOUND xviii.

By H.R.H.
Appointment to The Prince of Wales

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 60 SIGHT and SOUND

TECHNICAL AND TRADE REVIEWS

TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF MODERN AIDS TO EDUCATION
HILE, and if, the teacher and the propa-
W gandist making use of mechanical aids is
required to possess any great degree of technical
one of the more expensive models might be fitted
with improved optical units. A good criterion for
the non-expert is to ascertain as to whether a more
skill in the handling and repair of his equipment, expensive lens may be fitted as an option. ' Bright'
the advancement of the new methods will be hindered. signifies luminous and the amount of light obtainable
The reproducing instruments which come within on the sheet is a function of the amount at the
the scope of this journal, if they ·are to be widely source, the size of image used, the relative aperture
used, will be expected to reach the standard of of the projection lens as distinct from its defining
reliability of, say, the modern low-priced motor car power, the depth of printing in the film itself and
in the hands of an ordinary owner-driver. Alter- also, as far as the observer is concerned, the quality
natively, the manufacturers must provide, at reason- of the screen as a reflector of light. All other
able charges, a system of regular inspection and service. things remaining equal, it is therefore a fairly good
The editorial board of SIGHT AND SouND proposes guide to . picture brightness as seen if the input to
to develop a reliable technical section of the journal. the light source (lamp) in watts be noted. Relative
The section, which will cover every practicable lens aperture is a sure indicator of the power to
method of sound and view reproduction will eventu- transmit light possessed by a particular instrument.
ally include the following features : - As for the screen, a silver screen will show a brighter
(1) Discussions of the general technical re- picture from a point close to the projector than is
quirements of reproducing apparatus. obtainable with plain white surfaces, but these latter
(2) Reviews of apparatus. show a much brighter film at an angle to the line of
(3) Discussions between advocates of different projection than do the silvered sheets. For an
systems designed to achieve the same or audience of say, 6 to 8 persons, the silver screen is
similar results. good; for more than these numbers the white is to
Much of the apparatus with which we are con- be preferred. The ' beaded ' screens lie between the
cerned is already used for public or domestic two mentioned above and give a brighter side view
entertainment, and though reproducers suitable for than the silver screen at any oblique angle but not
educational and similar purposes seem to come so bright as the plain white. For small classes the
half way between those two extremes, the existence beaded screens offer a real gain in brilliance. Tremor
of accepted technical standards makes it possible is usually due to vibration ; this may arise in the
to say what is, and what is not, a good reproducing projector, in the stand or bench on which it operates,
machine for the work it is required to do. Since or may be a separate defect due to bad or worn
space is limited, it will be understood that mention perforations in the film.
of any particular instrument implies the approval (b) Overheating on long runs is due to a number of
of a qualified contributor and of the member of the causes any or all of which may operate in a particular
editorial board responsible for the technical section. machine. A serious fault is the incorporation of a
Such recommendations as are made will necessarily resistance in the machine itself. Resistances must
be on the conservative side, but items of a new or generate heat, unless great bulk is not objected to,
experimental character will receive attention. and so any built in resistance is certain to help in
warming up the machine. The motor again is a
CHOOSING A FILM PROJECTOR potential source of heat, and is so owing to the
desire to reduce bulk and weight of projector to a
By L. j. Hibbert minimum. A third supply of unwanted heat is the
THE . requirements outlined at the conclusion of light source ; here most of the power supplied to
the first instalment under this title included : - the lamp is wasted in producing heat and only a
(a) a clear bright picture free from tremor ; small fraction goes to the useful end of light manu-
(b) no tendency to overheat the machine on long runs ; facture. In a well designed projector the lamp
(c) no tendency for the film to overheat or blister on house should be cooled and also insulated from the
stills ; body of the machine so that the heat conducting or
(d) as great a measure of silence as possible when
running;
radiating paths to the actual mechanism are reduced
(e) complete · freedom from anxiety or attention on the as much as possible.
part of the teacher once the machine is set to work ; (c) Since the image on the screen varies in its
(f) ability to reverse the film and to project backwards luminosity, owing to absorption of light in the film
without re-threading or altering take-up hands. itself, and also since the light beam is accompanied
Let us now try to find out how these several by a much more powerful heat beam, the film
points may be secured in designing a projector. becomes heated in its passage through the ' gate '
(a) By ' clear ' is here meant a sharp, well-defined of the projector. When still pictures are shown,
image ; and this is obviously a !lleasure of the by causing the feed and take-up mechanism to
optical quality of the lens used ; some of the cheapest remain stationary, the amount of heat imparted to
machines are not above criticism on this point, and the film becomes very great and in the absence of
SIGHT and SOUND 61

precautions may suffice to blister or char the film .

This risk may be lessened by cutting off some of
the heat before it reaches the film or by removing
after the film is reached. The first method would
be ideal if we could do it without lowering the
a mount of light as well, but the heat resistor glass
and the metal gauze screens that are used do lower
the brightness. The second method is to blow
cool air over .the film and if this is well done it is
effective and does not imply loss of definition.
The best method seems to be the combination of
the air blast with a heat filter that comes into action
when and only when the film is made to be stationary.
(d) Silence in running is usually a measure of the
silence of the motor. High speed small motors are
usually prone to noisiness, owing to the air catching The Newton adaptation of Standard Projector with 16 mm.
nature of the revolving armature. There is room Ensign head, giving a 9ft. image
for the use of a small slow speed induction motor
provided that there is sufficient speed for the air adequate oiling facilities, low centre of gravity
blower. This in itself will probably give rise to should be sought for if the machine is to be free
an audible hum. from shake or tremor and to run over an extended
(e) The advantages of being able to forget the life without serious replacement costs. Light gate
machine, to walk away from it, to concentrate on pressures spell long life to the films and ought not
the picture are enormous, but only robust, well to result in unsteady projection. The reader must
designed and well made machines will offer these consider the several points detailed above and
facilities . Some machines, if not started with the determine the combination best suited to his or
intermittent action properly engaged, gaily proceed her requirements, or alas, to the depth of pocket of
to tear away whole strips of film. Others in like the L.E.A. concerned . L.J .H.
· circumstances only fail to project a recognisable
picture and do no damage to the costly film . If a
Projecting Large Pictures from 16mm. fiJm
machine _wi~l run for an hour without getting so The increasing use that is being made by scientists
hot that 1t 1s uncomfortable to the hand if it will an<;l explorers of the 16mm. film for record and
~how ~ ~tea_dy picture of suitable brightne~s, and if educational work which will eventually be shown to
m add1t1on 1t does not tear film when the perforations large audiences, is making it necessary to find some
do not engage properly, then it may be expected to means of projecting this size of film from a greater
give good service to so exacting and critical a user distance to obtain a larger picture than is possible
as a classroom teacher. with substandard projectors designed for home use.
(f) The ability to reverse not only the motor but The greatest width of picture obtainable with a
also the film so that movement in reverse order 16mm. projector has been 7ft. ; but Messrs, Nevvi:on
may be shown is not an essential but a valuable and Co., of 72, Wigmore Street, London, W.l.;
possibility in a teacher's projector ; this is apart have recently carried out for the Royal Geographical
from the advantage of being able to return to a Society an adaptation of a sub-standard projector
frame or scene previously projected about. which gives a picture of 9ft. from a distance of
Moving parts in as perfect a balanced condition about 65ft. We understand from the Royal
as may be possible, generously sized bearings, Geographical Society that the apparatus is satis-
factory in every way and gives a brilliant picture
clearly visible in a hall seating 800. An ordinary
standard projector was fitted with a 16mm. Ensign
head, complete with its own motor, for use alter-
natively with the 35mm. projector head. Messrs.
Newton are also at work on a 16mm. projector
combining the Ensign projector head with an arc
lamp and cooling device, and this can be used for
distances up to SOft. giving a picture up to 9ft by
12ft. Y.M.R.

Substandard Sound Projectors

R.C.A. 16mm. Sound Projector
HE R.C.A. system of 16 mm. talking film is
T already a demonstrated reality. At the Kine-
matograph Exhibition at Grosvenor House recently
Standard size Projector with standard projector head, for the apparatus ran for long hours under trying
.alternate use with substandard head as above (Newton) conditions and the only point of adverse criticism
 62 SIGHT and SOUND

that I could lay hold of was that the heat generated cussing loud speakers operated at some distance
by the resistances seemed rather too great for comfort from the amplifier itself are preferable both from the
when long shows were given. One of the blessings technical and aesthetic aspects.
of the British electrical grid scheme will be that The argument is strengthened by the near possi-
wasteful resistances with their heat output will no bility of comparatively inexpensive systems of
longer be needed. A small transformer would save sound film reproduction in which existing amplifiers
waste and heat at the cost of a little extra weight. may be employed. The conventional and con-
The picture shown by the R. C.A. was good and the venient location of the loud speaker when used with
sound reproduction excellent. The whole outfit sound films is near the screen and, at this stage, it
is compact yet accessible, and the extra resistance not is clearly desirable that the amplifier and projector
too bulky. In every way the R.C.A. people are to should be controlled by the teacher without extra
be congratulated on a first class production. assistance.
An amplifier of this kind will naturally be designed
Musikon (Will Day, Ltd.) for a generous power output and it will be genuine
The other apparatus seen is the preliminary model economy to build it with an ample margin in the
of the Musikon of Will Day, Ltd. The outstanding matter of mains transformers, chokes, condensers,
feature of the machine (projector) shown to me is resistances, etc. Most authorised agents of the
that in spite of its obvious experimental character well-known manufacturers will be able to advise
the speech and picture reproductions are both good competently on the purchase of a suitable amplifier.
quality and are likely to be excellent and when the Where moving-coil cone loud speakers are used,
final model is ready for demonstration. In this a convenient form of baffie is that described in the
arrangement the sound track is much narrower than current issue of the B.B.C. Year Book. H.R.P.
is usual and the lines of variable density run diagon-
ally across the track width. Mr. Day claims that _
6,500 is about the upper limit of frequency response RECORDING AND REPRODUCTION
and this with a film speed of 20 pictures per second Foreign Records
instead of 24. It is hoped that the complete outfit, The delay that is usually necessary in obtaining foreign
camera, projector, microphone, loud speaker recordings, and the difficulty of sampling them before
amplifier etc., will not cost the public more than purchase deters most people from searching far afield for
additions to their gramophone library. H .M.V . Connoisseurs '
about £90. At this price the possibilities of amateur Catalogue, the Decca-Polydor productions, and (for those
talkie making are brought nearer and the ambitious who like local colour) the Parlophone Music of all Nations
schoolmaster can look forward to the production of series have done much to fill the gaps, but for the widest
his own school films that will show the things he possible selection we recommend a visit to Lev-y's gramo-
phone stores, who hold, at their branch in East London ,
desires to be shown and not show the educationally stocks of every record published, including Albanian, Greek
irrelevant things that appeal so much to the producers and Chinese specimens. A smaller selection is available
who keep one eye on the box office. at their Sound Studios in Regent Street.
I await the further progress of this interesting At these Studios it is possible to make a record under
system with some confidence and more impatience. efficient professional conditions at a reasonable price ; a
L .J.H. ten-inch recording costs four guineas for the first six copies.
and 3s. 6d . for each subsequent copy taken from the matrix .
A.W.H . (Portable) This firm has made , with the permission of the B.B.C. ,
I shall not be able to make a close inspection of the in- special records of broadcast programmes, and their standard
teresting portable A.W.H . projector for 35 mm. films, also of reproduction is extremely high.
exhibited at the Grosvenor House exhibition, before this
issue goes to press . The complete sound on film projector The Dailygraph
with a non-synchronous turntable for incidental music and A new type of dictating and recording machine that
similar uses seems reasonably priced at £300. !tis quite presents important possibilities in educational and research
mobile and plugs into the ordinary lighting supply . A fuller work is the Dailygraph, which we have seen in use in a
notice will appear in the next issue. London office. In this apparatus the voice is recorded on
spools of thin wire passing between a set of electro magnets .
VALVE AMPLIFIERS AND LOUD SPEAKERS The recording machine includes the wire spool (containing
about three miles of wire- running time 50 minutes) and

T HE list of approved wireless receivers to be

issued by the Central Council for School
Broadcasting is due to appear after the publication
two radio valves, is placed next to the transcriber; the con-
trolling station, fitted with a small microphone, is used by
the dictator. The Dailygraph can be connected by me~ns
of a button switch to the telephone, and in this way a.
of this issue of SIGHT AND SoUND, and we hope to permanent record can be made of any telephone conversation ~
be able to discuss it in our autumn number. The The spool can be reproduced an infinite number of times
principle of an approved list will be welcomed both without any deterioration in the quality of sound reproduction.
and for ordinary dictation the wire can be cancelled and de-.
by educationalists and responsible manufacturers. magnetised by running backwards on the same machine
While some of the wireless receiving equipment after transcription, and in this way can be used again and
in schools is admittedly out of date, it is doubtful again. The cost of £150 includes complete installation and.
whether the modern self-contained receiver or three months' service.
radio-gramophone offers the best method of repro- ELECTRICAL TEST APPARATUS
ducing radio and records in schools and small halls. Messrs. Muirhead & Co., Ltd. are developing their-
Receivers subject to boom due to inferior cabinet electrical test equipment for modern research along lines
which will make them applicable to educational purposes .
work will presumably not find a place in the list A preliminary inspection shows that the design and work-
mentioned above but for the purposes we are dis- manship of this firm's products maintain their high standard •.