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The production of a sound motion film on arts and crafts for slow-learning children.
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The production of a sound motion film on arts and crafts for slow-learning children.
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Content
THE PRODUCTION OF A SOUND MOTION FILM ON ARTS AND CRAFTS j
FOR SLOW-LEARNIN& CHILDREN >
A Project
Presented to
the Faculty of the School of Education
The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education
by
Melvin Schumacher
January, 1955
UMI Number: EP48102
All rights reserved
INFORMATION TO ALL USERS
The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted.
In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript
and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed,
a note will indicate the deletion.
Dissertation Publishing
UMI EP48102
Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author.
Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC.
All rights reserved. This work is protected against
unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code
ProQuest LLC.
789 East Eisenhower Parkway
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346
> s'
Ed '££ S 3
This project report, written under the direction
of the candidate’s adviser and approved by him,
has been presented to and accepted by the faculty
of the School of Education in partial fulfillm ent of
the requirements for the degree of M aster of
Science in Education.
Date.
A dviser
Dean
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PART I PACE
AH EXPLANATION OF THE PROJECT * . . . 1
I. THE PROBLEM ....................... 2
The problem and Its treatment ....... 3
Statement of the problem ............... 3
Method of solving the problem........... 3
Limitations of the method ........... ^
Limitations of the study ....... k
Significance of the study ............. 5
Summary * . . ............................ 6
II. THE ROLE OF AUDIO-VISUAL EDUCATION IN THE
CURRICULUM ............ 7
History 7
Purposes 8
Materials ............ 10
The role of the teacher................. . 11
The role of locally produced films .... 12
Summary 1^
III. THE EDUCATIONAL SETTING OF THE FILM PRODUCTION 15
Community background of Santa Paula .... 15
The Santa Paula city schools ...... 15
Educational philosophy 16
ill
CHAPTER PAGE
Audio-Visual Center of Ventura County 1?
Equipment available ................. 17
Operation policies ................. 18
Summary ............................ 19
IV. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ........... 20
Materials ............................ 20
Camera ............................ 20
Meters ........... ........ 21
Tripod ........................... 21
Film 21
Techniques of school film production . 22
Indoor lighting ................... 22
Shot breakdown ................... 23
Scenes 23
Editing .......................... 23
Titling .......................... 2k
The script.......................... 2k
Arts and crafts for slow learners . . 25
Audio-visual aids and methods .... 26
Summary .......................... 2 7
V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 28
Summary 28
Conclusions .......................... 29
iv
CHAPTER PAGE
Recommendations ............................. 30
Summary 30
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................. 32
CHAPTER PART II
PRODUCING THE FILM . .......... 38
I. STEPS IN THE PRODUCTION OF A SOUND MOTION
FILM ON ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR SLOW-LEARNING
CHILDREN .................................. 39
Preliminary arrangements . ................. 39
Obtaining authorization ........ 39
Permission of the administration . . . 39
Permission of the parents of partici
pating children 4*0
Equipment ................................ 40
Selection of the arts and crafts activities 41
The elementary group ................... 41
The junior high school g r o u p .......... 42
The high school group .............. 42
The production ....... ........... 42
The shooting script . . ............. 42
Shooting the film . ............... 43
Time span ............... 46
V
CHAPTER PAGE
Writing the script ................. 46
Retakes ................................ 48
Editing and splicing .............. . 49
Titling ................................ 50
Premier showing .......................... 51
Adding the sound ................... . 52
Second showing .......................... 53
Professional help ...................... 53
Gifts 55
Time . .............................. 55
Cost 56
Marketing the film ...................... 56
APPEHDIX 58
The script ...... ............................. 59
The questionnaire ................ 74
PART I
AH EXPLANATION OF THE PROJECT
CHAPTER X
* I
THE PROBLEM !
j i
| A methods course at the University of Southern
| California for teachers of the mentally retarded prompted t
i i
i i
; this project. Three students, all teachers, obtained per- j
• !
| mission from the instructor to produce a film instead of j
! 1
I submitting term papers. This film was entitled, "The i
! !
j Teaching of Arts and Crafts to Slow-Learning Children." I
i . |
After much discussion and many after-school meet
ings, it was decided to take pictures of children parti-
: cipating in arts and crafts in the classrooms of the three j
i i
; teachers. These classrooms included the elementary, junior*
; ;
high, and the high school special education classes in
’ Santa Paula, California. |
i
All the original films were taken with an ordinary
8-mm Ampro camera. The entire lighting system consisted
of two household lamps with 1000-watt bulbs.
A script was written by the producers and was nar
rated while the film was being shown. Background music
was provided by a recording of Tschaikowsky1s Symphony
No. in E Minor. The film in its entirety ran sixteen
minutes.
The first showing of the film produced many favor
able reactions and requests to show it were made more and
1 more frequently. With each successive showing, the three
teachers realized there was a definite and immediate need
for Instruction of this type and that their classroom
project could he an aid to other teachers and school sys-
i
j terns.
! Upon inquiry they found that most school systems
i
| have 16-mm projectors, so it was decided to duplicate the
I
! film on 16-mm sound motion film, expand the arts and
; crafts activities, revamp the script, and otherwise per-
. feet the film.
I. THE PROBLEM AND ITS TREATMENT
Statement of the Problem
It was the purpose of this project to produce a
l6~mm sound motion picture of mentally retarded children
performing arts and crafts for the use of teachers of the
mentally retarded, teacher-training institutions, and in-
service groups#
Method of Solving the Problem
A meeting with superintendents of the elementary
and high school districts of Santa Paula, California, the
city where the film was made, was held to explain the
project and get permission to film classes for retarded
i
children*
i 4
| Meetings were then held with the parents. The
i
plan was explained and the parents were asked to sign a
permit for their children to appear in the film.
i
j After meetings with the county supervisor of special
! classes and the district psychologist, the producers were
t
then ready to begin their meetings together. There were
i
meetings on selection of the participating children, on j
i |
| selection of the arts and crafts to be featured, on film i
i
j sequences, and on the writing of the script.
Because of inexperience in film production, the
! producers devoted much time to research on the methodology
J
! of film making, lighting, script-writing, arts and crafts, i
j and psychological effects of arts and crafts on those
| participating in them*
i
j Limitations of the method* Since the film was be-
j ing financed solely by the three teachers, the production
! I
I had to be kept to minimum standards. This meant that each '
I i
■ scene had to be carefully rehearsed to prevent wasting
I film.
( *
! Natural lighting was utilized and supplemented by
i
only a few photo-flood lamps.
i ;
! '
i Limitations of the Study
A study of film catalogues revealed that no such .
film had ever "been produced. Therefore, secondary sources
on the subject were not available. How to limit the num
ber and kind of arts and crafts to be used was one of the
most difficult problems to solve. Determining factors in
selections were length of film, ease of manipulation, ages
of the children, and the length of the task completed.
The children, the primary subjects of the film,
were at first enthusiastic about their roles, but as time
went on they became less interested and more reluctant t©
participate.
The producers were ever-eogmizant of their inex
perience, because they had never made a film for mss dis
tribution. This caused them to move cautiously and slowly
in order to avoid too many mistakes. They were always
aware that inexperience, plus but small capital, would not
allow too many errors.
Most projects could be aided by outside guidance.
Even this was far from plentiful. There were only a dis
trict psychologist and county supervisor for mentally re
tarded children to guide the production.
Significance of the Study
A film on arts and crafts for the slow learner is
significant in itself, for as far as is known, it is the
first film of its type to be made.
The scope of the benefits of such a film encom
passes teacher-training institutions, in-service groups,
parent-teacher associations, and teachers of retarded
children*
II. SUMMARY
This project grew out of a classroom assignment.
From an 8-mm, 16-minute film, it became a 16-mm, 27-minute
instructional project. Most of the preliminary work was
done in meetings, discussions, and research. All shooting
was done in the three classrooms of the teacher-producers.
Inexperience, lack of capital, and lack of established
precedents were limitations of the study. As far as is
known, the film is a Mfirst.B
CHAPTER II
THE ROLE OF AUDIO-VISUAL EDUCATION IN THE CURRICULUM
Audio-visual education plays a well-established
role in today*s curriculum.
The use of teaching aids has become an essential
part of our teaching practice. These aids are of
value according to the degree in which they make ex
periences real to the child. They should be used
in the proper situations and at the exact times when
needed to stimulate interest, to provide needed in
formation, or to clarify ideas.1
I. HISTORY
Visual aids to promote learning date back to the
earliest pictographs. The Egyptian hieroglyphics and the
field trips of Greece and Rome were among man* s early at
tempts at visual education. In Rome, men like Cicero and
Seneca led the schools to use visual aids to assist with
verbal instruction.
The church, during the Middle Ages, continued to
use visual aids in teaching the people religion through
the use of statues, carvings, and marionettes. With the
invention of printing, visual aids continued in the form
Joseph F. White, Visual Aids Report. 1953-195^*
(Mimeographed) Introduction.
8
of woodcuts, etchings, and engravings.
During the next 300 years, prominent educators,
such as John Dewey, concerned themselves with the problem
of how to make the work of the school meaningful. This
was the beginning of the object teaching movement which
eventually developed into the present visual education
program.
At the turn of the Twentieth Century, these men
played a prominent role in visual education research.
They sought to determine if the use of visual aids could
be Justified by scientific research. The findings of
Sumstine, Weber, McClusky, and Freemen established the
value of visual education in the curriculum.
During the past thirty years, great strides have
been made in audio-visual education. The advent of sound,
motion pictures, successful use of audio-visual aids in
and by the armed forces, and equally successful results in
the classrooms in the past ten years have insured the au
dio-visual program a lasting place in the modern school1s
curriculum.
II. PURPOSES
Research has been done by many educators on the
contributions of audio-visual aids in the classroom. It
9
has been found through years of study that audio-visual
materials bring concreteness into the classroom* The
audio-visual program contributes to the pupil*s develop
ment by:
(1) Providing a common experience for discussion.
(2) Stimulating pupils* Interests, growth, and
development.
(3) Making instruction more realistic, less ab
stract, and, therefore, more accurate.
(4) Serving those administrative purposes which
involve communication.
(5) Contributing to the most efficient achieve
ment of the over-all goals of the curriculum when used
properly.
(6) Improving the amount, speed, and retention of
learning.
(7) Promoting thinking and good attitudes.
(8) Serving in sharing and improving Instructional
practices.
(9) Promoting community understanding and cooper
ation.
(10) Furnishing a focus for the attention of the
entire class and helping to unify the group.
Edgar Dale lists as specific values: motion, better
understanding of the time factor, presentation of past
and distance, processes that cannot he seen by the human
eye, easy reproduction of events, and an economical method
p
of mass communication*
III. MATERIALS
Today, unfortunately, the term visual or audio
visual aids connotes to many only the motion picture and
the lantern slide. This is not so, for from A to Z there
is a rich store of educational stimuli. Chandler and Cy
pher enumerate such aids as
* . . anaglyphs, aquaria, blackboard-chalk, bulletin
boards, cartoons, charts, clubs, comics, costumes,
creative achievements, dancing, dioramas, demonstra
tions, discussions, dolls, dramatica, field trips,
film strips or film slides, flat pictures, furniture,
graphs, illustrated talks, kodachrome slides, live
animals and plants, maps, miniature stage-sets, mod
eled figures, murals, nature specimens, objects, photo
graphs, pictures (plain and colored), radio, relics,
sandbox scenes, school "movies,n stamps, stereographs,
story-telling, tableaux, television, terraria, vecto-
graphs, and visits to the z o o .3
^Edgar Bale, Audio-Visual Methods In Teaching
(New York: The Dryden Press, 19^6), pp. 153-191-
3Anna C. Chandler and Irene F. Cypher, Audio-Visual
Techniques for Enrichment of the Curriculum (New York:
Noble and Noble, Publishers, Inc., 19**$), p* vii.
IV. THE BOLE OF THE TEACHER
11
Even the finest and best prepared aids are of no
value if not handled properly. In the final analysis,
this depends upon the teacher. In using audio-visual
I
j materials, the teacher should do more than master the
j
; mechanics of her aids. She should be clear about her pur-
i
i
poses and able to adequately prepare her students for
| whatever material she is going to use. It is admitted
i that these aids are no panacea for teaching problems,
S but they can be a tremendous help if used wisely. They
j can be an excellent method of intercommunication, or they
j
| can become only a one-way communication from teacher to
i
* pupil if not used well. Apropos of the teacher's respon-
S sibility in the visua1-aids program, Robertson points
The greatest difficulty in the use of visual aids
is the personal equation. A teacher spends several
years training for her profession and receives only
the rudiments of her art. She has to adjust, ampli
fy, and delete to suit differences in types and
nationalities of children. She adjusts the pedagogi
cal art as taught in her training school to suit her
own personality and ability. This should be remem
bered in using visual aids. Their use will strengthen
her teaching process and it will immeasurably lighten
the teaching burden, but it stands to reason that she
will have to adapt it to her personal pedagogy. If
the results at first do not come up to expectations,
the use of the aids should not be condemned. She
should remember her early teaching experiences and
the necessity she encountered of fitting her pedagogy
12
to herself and her pupils# The same procedure fol
lowed when adapting visual aids to her teaching
process will eventually enliven and ease her Reach
ing efforts beyond her greatest expectations.^
V. THE HOLE OF LOCALLY PRODUCED FILMS
Commercially produced films cannot possibly cover
the scope of all needs in local school situations. The
i
i
schools1 desire to fill these needs has brought about j
more and more locally produced films.
Edgar Dale states that when some schools analyze
available motion pictures they find them to be inadequate
for instruction.^ Teachers and students, cooperatively or
independently, have been known to undertake production of
teaching films to serve specific needs.
\
The Denver schools in Colorado were forced to reoog-;
nize that available commercial motion pictures in no way ;
helped solve their local needs. Both the Denver Public ■
Schools and the citizens of Denver wanted to acquaint
their children with community problems. They found there ,
&
E. D. Robertson, MSome Principles in the Use of
Visual Aids,1 1 Los Angeles School Journal, XIV (August,
1931) , 20-22.
■^Edgar Dale and others, Motion Pictures in Education
(New York: The H. W. Wilson Company, 1937)9 p. 375*
! was no particular information relative to their problem*
! Field trips, although undertaken, proved inadequate. It
i was decided that these films could be produced locally.
Furthermore, it was decided to let the high school classes,
with technical assistance, make these films as part of
| the curriculum, thereby cutting down on the production
: costs. The report of this project tells of the entire
1 production and points out the value of these films which
are today being used in Denver and surrounding communi
ties.^
The Alhambra School District in California produced
a film on reading, writing, and arithmetic to fill a local
! need. This project proved so successful that the district
i
, is planning to produce a film each year.?
! Another area wherein local districts must either
produce their own films or do without is that of community
relations. Films prepared by industry cannot fill this
^Floyde E. Brooker and Eugene H. Herrington, Stu
dents Make Motion Pictures, American Council on Education
Studies, Series II, Motion Pictures in Education. (Wash
ington, D. C.: United States Government Printing Office),
May, 19^1* p. 100.
^Charles L. Betts, uThe Production of a Sound Film
on the Teaching of Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic for
the Alhambra City Schools” (unpublished Master's project,
' The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Deeem-
; ber, 1953)> P- 2^*
need. These films are produced for mass distribution and
the topic must necessarily be general enough to be used
by many. Schools are becoming more aware that when they
can show their own films, community organizations and par-
ent-teacher associations gain a much better understanding
of the woris, the school is doing.
VI. SUMMARY
Ancient history reveals the use of visual aids by
the Egyptians, Greeks and Homans. In succeeding years
improvement of audio-visual methods has been seen in the
schools* curricula. This method of teaching was used I
widely in the training of war personnel. Contributions
of the audio-visual program have been established by many
research workers. The gamut of audio-visual aids ranges
i
from A to Z. The proper use of audio-visual materials in
!
the final analysis depends upon the teacher. School dis- ,
tricts produce films to fill a discrepancy between commer
cially prepared films and local needs*
CHAPTER III
THE EDUCATIONAL SETTING- OF THE FILM PRODUCTION
The film for this project was made in classrooms
of the Santa Paula city school districts in Ventura County
California.
I. COMMUNITY BACKGROUND OF SANTA PAULA
Santa Paula, in the Santa Clara Valley, is a fruit
orchard community built around a small nucleus of landed
gentry who engage the help of migrant workers who follow
the harvest. Within the past four years some orchards
have given way to tracts of homes, but industry has made
little headway in the community thus far.
II. THE SANTA PAULA CITY SCHOOLS
The elementary and high schools in Santa Paula
are separated into two districts, each having its own
board of education. The two districts combined serve a
community of about 12,000 people in a compact area com
pletely surrounded by other school districts. The four
elementary schools in the Santa Paula Elementary District,
the Glen City School, the Isbell School, the Barbara Web
ster, and McKevett, have a combined average daily atten
dance of about 1,900 from kindergarten through eighth
16
| grade. The one high school in the Santa Paula High School
: District has an average daily attendance of about 700.
In 1950 a sudden sharp increase in population made
half-day sessions necessary and a bond issue was voted for
the construction of Glen City School. This school serves
; children who formerly walked or rode bicyeles from the
i west side of town to Isbell School which Is located In
! the center of the city. Isbell School was rebuilt by the .
| Works Project Administration after the flood of 1939*
; A Cerebral Palsy wing is a feature of the Barbara
Webster School. Here a staff of trained teachers and
i physlo-therapists guide the learning of children afflicted
with cerebral palsy. This specialized service is supported
i
i by state and private monies.
I The median salary schedule, the transient nature
i
I of the school population, and the hard-to-break-into
i community do not combine to make good teaching conditions, ■
1 ;
j and the district tends to be one of initial training ex- •
! i
t !
| perience.
I
; Educational Philosophy
The chief purpose of education in Santa Paula is to !
I
I provide for each child of school age the best educational
program possible. The boards of education believe the
function of the school systems is not only to educate
children hut to improve community living. Thus, the
schools in Santa Paula make their facilities and resources
available for those activities that lead to community
betterment. Specifically, the governing boards subscribe
to the statement of purposes of education adopted by the
State Department of Education.
III. AUDIO-VISUAL CENTER OF VENTURA COUNTY
The Santa Paula school districts benefit from the
extremely well-equipped Audio-Visual Center of Ventura
County, loeated at Ventura. This center serves seventy-
five schools in thirty elementary districts, seven high
school districts, and one junior college district.
Equipment Available
Eight hundred and four charts, posters, and flat
maps have been produced at the Center and circulated among
the schools served. Eighty-three sets of 2t , x21 1 color
slides have been produced. Many thousands of commercial
pictures have been mounted. Other audio-visual equipment
^State Department of Education, HA Framework for
Public Education in California,* Bulletin of the Califor
nia Department of Education, Vol. XX, No. <3*7 1950, pp.
jr.
available through the Center for the Ventura County
schools includes Keystone projectors, opaque projectors,
records, dioramas, and k i l n s .^ These and other teaching
aids, of both general and specific nature, may be bor
rowed by established community organizations when such
loans do not interfere with availability of the equipment
to the schools*
Operation Policies
The Center receives all orders of all teachers and
administrators in the Ventura County schools and makes
deliveries on a three-day schedule. In the school year
1953-195^> It delivered approximately 1,100 films.
It has lately become the policy to duplicate titles
rather than buy new films. It is believed that it is more
important to supply titles which are in constant demand
when they are wanted than to add extra titles to the li
brary.
The same basic rate of fifty cents per pupil is
paid by all schools serviced by the Center. This year
the secondary schools voluntarily gave an additional
twenty-five cents per pupil to be used in purchasing films
to be used exclusively by them*
^Joseph F. White, Visual Aids Report, 1953-1954.
(Mimeographed), p. 1.
IT. SUMMAHT
19
The Santa Paula city school districts have an aver
age daily attendance of 2,600. There are two separate
boards for the two districts, one for the elementary
schools and one for the lone high school. Both boards
subscribe to the statement of purposes adopted by the
State Department of Education.
The community is is one of mobility which, combined
with a median salary scale, does not encourage teachers to
remain long periods.
The Ventura County Audio-Visual Center is large and
well-equipped and handles all orders for materials and
teaching aids from teachers and administrators in all
the schools of the county, as well as requests for loans
of equipment from community organizations*
CHAPTER IV
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Production of satisfactory films is not simple# It
involves many factors with which one should become familiar
before attempting it. It is important to know the mechan
ics of motion pictures, equipment, types of lighting, edit
ing, how to select titles, planning, directing, arranging
proper sequences, building the scenario, and cutting.
In a study of this sort, there is much related
literature that is helpful to the amateur. This author ;
reviewed The Educational Index, the card catalogues of the |
University of Southern Califorhla, and the public library
and read most of the literature written in the past twenty
years that pertains to all phases of film production.
This chapter will attempt to point out some of the
works pertinent to this project.
I. MATERIALS
Camera
The choice of a camera to use for school produc
tions is important. A variable speed camera should be
used in making teaching films to make possible the taking
of 1 1 slow movies'1 which are very valuable in making trick
21
titles and producing dissolves and fades. lothing is
more exasperating than to find that after using a certain
camera for awhile, it has definite limitations that pro
hibit maximum efficiency.^
Meters
Exposure meters should be used to get the correct
exposure of the film. Either the photo-electric type or
the type that permits the operator to looh through and
estimate the exposure by visual means will give good re
sults if properly handled.
Tripod support for the camera is very necessary
for good filming. A good tripod should have a tilting and
panoramic head with an efficient loching device.
Film
For exterior photography by sunlight, the cheaper
orthochromatic type of film is perfectly satisfactory.
When sunlight is used, one may use a comparatively slow
film and still have plenty of leeway in speed. When an
*4?. W. Davis, "Film Production in the Educational
Field,n Educational Screen (March, 1936), p. 30.
22
interior set is photographed, only the high-speed pan
chromatic film should be used. A safe rule to follow is
to have more speed than is necessary in a film to avoid
working on a margin*
The length of the film will depend on the subject
to be treated. Enough footage should be taken to allow
for cutting and editing. In the average f ilm, one takes
almost 30 per cent more footage than is used.
II. TECHNIQUES OP SCHOOL FILM PRODUCTION
Indoor lightlng
For the amateur, balancing light becomes a big fac
tor in shooting indoors with artificial lights. It is es
sential that there is not too much light in one place and
not enough in another* A simple rule is to try to balance
lighting so that the highlight side gets slightly less
than twice as much light as the shadow s i d e . 2 Simon sug
gests that the amateur use No. 1 and No* 2 photoflood
bulbs.^ it is possible to use all No. 1 or all No. 2
^S. Sylvan Simon, Let1s Make Movies (London? Sam
uel French, Ltd., 1940), p. 48.
3Ibid., p. 42.
lights, but it is much easier to get the proper "balance
by using variants of both sizes.
Shot Breakdown
Each scene in a motion picture is usually taken
as a long shot first to orient the audience. Then the
camera is moved in for a medium shot showing less back
ground and more of the action. This medium shot is usu
ally followed by a close-up which shows expressions and
the fine detail of the action. These are the standard
basic techniques and the safest for any beginner to use
when shooting a sequence of scenes. There is no set order
for using shots after the technique is mastered.
Scenes
In most eases good results can be obtained by re
hearsing each scene four or five times, then filming it
two or three times. Filming each scene twice is less ex
pensive than going back for retakes, as might be necessary
had the scene been taken only once.
Editing
Proper editing is important. Some prefer to pro
ject the positive on the screen rather than use a viewer.
The negative is cut as viewed. The parts to be used are
1 spliced together in the desired order* The film is then
projected and again revised. Perhaps some scenes are re
taken. The film is then run through without interruption*
Notes are taken and any further changes are made that
! seem necessary.
Titling
Titling may he done by the amateur or may he com-
i
I mereially made. Commercially made titles are not very ex-
!
pensive and are time-saving. The language of the t itles
should be checked against word lists for difficulty.
Titles should be relatively short, pointed, suggestive,
and challenging. A title should not carry meaningless
words but should denote a picture of things, processes,
• and activities.
i
Twenty-five per cent of the film given to titles
should prove adequate.^
I
I
i
! The Script
! To avoid expensive film waste, Improper transitions
illogical sequences, and a hodgepodge in general, a eare-
^Charles A. G-ramet, "Making an Educational Movie,"
Educational Screen, XIII (January, 193^)> ^0-4l.
25
fully prepared script is necessary. Brooker and Herring
ton feel that apart from the actual filming and editing,
the script is the most important single step in motion
picture making*^
A script should be simple, especially for the ama
teur, but must contain all the necessary information to
reach a successful climax. On paper the script is the
condensed story which is expanded and told on film* Some
scripts are written in paragraph form, others are just
lists of scenes arranged in sequences, and still others
are a combination of these. The commentary may be written
with the accompanying shots or after the film is com
pleted. To this is added the shooting script, which in
cludes minute directions to the camera crew and performers*
III* ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR SLOW LEARNERS
Since this project concerned itself primarily with
arts and crafts for the slow-learning child, much refer
ence work was done in this area* Triggs has made a col
lection of all the arts and crafts media and methods used
^Floyde E. Brooker and Eugene H. Herrington, Stu
dents Make Motion Pictures (American Council on Education
Studies, Series II, Motion Pictures in Education, No. ?.
Washington, D. C.: U. S. Government Printing Office,
19^1), p. 73.
26
throughout all the grades In the schools of Ventura
County. It contains approximately one hundred arts and
crafts activities and gives lists of materials used, step-
by-step directions, and illustrations such as simple book-
making, clay modeling, finger-painting, the making of
trucks and trains, and bulletin-board arrangements.
For the Los Angeles schools, Kersey has compiled
a similar list of arts and ©rafts which can be used to
strengthen a unit of study.?
IV. AUDIO-YISUAL AIDS AMD METHODS
To understand the role of audio-visual education
in the curriculum, the author felt some self-orientation
was needed. To accomplish this he found the place of
audio-visual aids in the overall school program were best
described in the works of Dale,® Hartley,^ Wittich and
6
Dean E. Triggs and others, Classroom Arts and
Grafts of Ventura County (Ventura County, California:
Ventura County Board of Education, 1951)»
?V. Kersey and others, Instructional Guide for
Teachers of Special Training Schools and Classes (Los An
geles: Los Angeles City Board of Education, 19^8)•
®Edgar Dale, Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching (Mew
York: The Dryden Press, 19^6).
^William H. Hartley, A Guide to Audio-Visual Mater
ials for Elementary School Social Studies (Mew York:
Rambler Press, 19^0)«
27
; Schuller,10 McKown and Roberts,11 and Hoban.1^
V. SUMMARY
Literature pertaining to film-making techniques to
aid the amateur was found to be more plentiful than that
\
; on school film productions. Adequate literature on audio-
! visual aids and their place in the curriculum was found.
' Specific hints to the amateur film producer that
|
I were found in the literature and related in this chapter
pertained to the choice of a camera, the choice of film,
the use of a tripod, rehearsals, editing, titling and
the script.
^Walter A. Wittich and Charles P. Schuller, Audio-
Visual Materials, Their Mature and Use (Mew York: Harper
| and Brothers, 19537*
i 11Harry C. McKown and Alvin B. Roberts, Audlo-
! Visual Aids to Instruction (New York: McGraw-Hill Book
| Company, Inc., 19^0).
! 12Charles F. Hoban, Jr., Focus on Learning (Ameri-
i can Council on Education Studies, Motion Pictures in the
I School, Washington, D. C.: U. S. Government Printing Of
fice, 19^2).
I CHAPTER V
I
r
SUMMAHX, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
I. SUMMARY
f
This study has reported on background material
■ necessary to the actual production of the film. The edu-
i national setting in which the film was produced was t old,
!
| including the philosophy of the Santa Paula school system.
The Ventura County Audio-Visual Center was discussed, de-
■ scribing the aids available to the schools, distribution
of these aids, and the general importance of the Center
to the Ventura County schools*
i It was pointed out that visual aids have been used
through the centuries in one form or another. There were
many experiments and research done on these aids by prom
inent educators and philosophers through the years. The
i
; advent of sound, the use of these aids by the armed forces,
i
and their successful use in the classroom have helped to
i
j give the entire program a definite role in the present and
future needs of the school1s curriculum.
i
It was particularly noted that the teacher plays
i an all-important role in the administration of the audio-
j visual program and the success or failure of these aids
depend almost entirely on her.
Adequate literature on film techniques and produc-
i
1 tion that would help an amateur produce a satisfactory
; educational film was found.
II. GONOLUSIOHS
!
i
I The author arrived at the following conclusions
! through his review of available literature and his own
!
| experience in producing the film:
1. Today*s school curriculum has been enhanced
by the supplementation of audio-visual aids in every
field.
2. School districts are becoming aware of the void
left by commercial films and are now producing films to
i
: fit into their curricula.
3* There are many types of audio-visual aids In
; addition to motion pictures which adapt themselves to dif-
! ferent situations.
A, The teacher should not only be able to manipu
late audio-visual aids, but be well versed in the teeh-
!
niques for utilizing the materials.
*
! 5* Audio-visual materials are not a panacea to
educational problems* but if used wisely they will richly
‘ supplement the students' outlook.
6, For anyone thinking of making an educational
1 film, there is an abundance of literature on all phases
: of film production.
7. It is felt that with a little research anyone
can make a satisfactory educational film.
III. RECOMMENDATIONS
l
I
For amateur school cinematographers, it is recom-
■ mended that:
1
(1) affiliation be made with the Amateur Cinema
League and the Four Star Clubs of the National Board of
Review of Motion Pictures;
■ (2) a versatile camera be used to insure maximum
: efficiency;
(3) the film be properly edited, which could make
the difference between success and failure of the pro
duction;
; (ty) commercially made titles be used, as they are
t
• inexpensive and time-saving;
(5) time and effort can be saved by preparing a
workable script.
IY. SUMMARY
Audio-visual aids have now become firmly entrenched
i in present-day teaching techniques. These aids are only
las effective as the teacher using them makes them. Many
jpeople do not realize that the motion picture is but one
! type of audio-visual aids, and in many cases not the best
one to use. The locally produced film is being utilized
by school districts to enrich their own curricula and as
a public relations medium. With all existing published
material on all phases of school film production, and
with the commercial aid available, anyone can produce a
; film.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
A. BOOKS
; Brodbeek, Emil E., Motion Picture Techniques. Hew York:
McGraw-Hill Book Company,1950. 311 pp.
This book provided the producers an excellent
source of information on both the techniques and mech
anics of film making. It is recommended to the ama
teur cinematographer for his initial study.
Chandler, Anna C. and Irene F. Cypher, Audio-Visual Tech-
! niques for Enrichment of the Curriculum. Hew York:
; Noble and Noble, Publishers, Inc., 194S. 252 pp.
1 This valuable source of information was used by
this writer to gain insight into the proper use of
audio-visual aids to improve teaching techniques.
Bale, Edgar, Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching. Hew York:
The Dryden Press, 19^61 5^6 pp.
Part I on "Theory of Audio-Visual Materials," and
the chapters on "Producing Audio-Visual Materials,
Chiefly Films," and "The Future of Audio-Visual Mat
erials," were extremely important to this study.
i _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , and others, Motion Pictures in Education. Hew
1 York: The H. W. Wilson Company, 1937* 337 PP*
The chapter on school movie making was most helpful
| to this project.
s Eisenstein, Sergei, Film Form. Hew York: Hareourt, Brace
; and Company, 19^9- 279 PP»
; This is a highly technical and philosophical treat-,
j ise on film possibilities and is not recommended to
! the beginner.
i
■ • e Sense. Hew York: Hareourt, Brace and
Company, 1942. 288 pp.
1 This is another philosophical treatise on the rela
tionships of works, movement, sound and color obtained
from the motion picture.
1 Exton, William, Jr., Captain USNR, Inactive, Audio-Visual
Aids to Instruction. Hew York: McGraw-Hill Book Com
pany, Inc., 1947* 3 ^ PP«
This is a report by the Navy on the instructional
value of audio-visual aids in training service per
sonnel.
Hartley, William H., A Guide to Audio-Visual Materials for
Elementary School Social Studies. Mew York: Rambler
Press, 1 9 5 0 1 1 S T pp.
This is an excellent book for teachers and prospec
tive teachers. It describes all phases and methods of
presenting a well-organ!zed audio-visual program.
Kersey, Vierling, and others, Instructional Guide for
Teachers of Special Training Schools and Glasses.
Los Angeles: Los Angeles Board of Education, 19^8.
351 pp.
This is the basic guide for teaching mentally re
tarded pupils in Los Angeles Elementary School Dis
trict. This was another useful source for the selec
tion of the arts and crafts activities used in this
project.
McKown, Harry 0. and Alvin B. Roberts, Audio-Visual Aids
to Instruction. Mew York: McGraw-Hill Book Company,
Inc., 19^9. 508 pp.
This book was enlightening in the areas of the
scope, functions, instruction, and future of audio
visual aids.
Simon, S. Sylvan, Let1s Make Movies. London: Samuel
French, Ltd., 1940. 112 pp.
It is suggested that this delightful book full of
hints and dues on the techniques of film production
be one of the first the beginner reads.
Trlggs, Dean E. and others, Classroom Arts and Crafts of
Ventura County. Ventura, California: Board of Educa
tion, 1951- 126 pp.
This is a collection and compilation of all the
arts and crafts media and methods used throughout the
grades in the schools of Ventura County. It was the
primary guide used in the selection of the arts and
crafts activities for this project.
Trillingham, C. C. and others, Course of Study for the
Elementary Schools of Los Angeles County. Los Angeles:
Board of Education, 19^8. 252 pp.
This is an outline of the content and organization
of all the subjects taught from kindergarten through
the eighth grade. Only the sections on arts and crafts
were used.
35
Wilson, William H. and Kenneth B. Haas, The Film Book*
New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1950. 259 pp*
The references to film script preparation and film
techniques were useful to this study.
Wittich, Walter A. and Charles F. Schuller, Audio-Visual
Materials, Their Nature and Use. New York: Harper
and Brothers, Publishers, 1953* 564 PP*
This is an excellent reference on all phases of
audio-visual materials and their uses in the Twenti
eth Century school curriculum. The chapter on the mo
tion picture was especially helpful.
_______, and John G-. Foulkes, Audio-Visual Paths to Learn
ing:. New York: Harper and Brothers, Publishers,
lft6. 135 pp.
The preface of this report on an experiment using
educational sound films was utilized to gain knowledge
of the development of the motion picture.
B. PERI GDI CAL LI TEBATUBE
Albach, Emma S. and others, "The School Makes a Motion
Picture,1 1 See and Hear, 6:24-5, February, 1951*
This article dealt chiefly with the uses of simple
equipment and was not especially helpful to this study.
Davis, F. W., "Film Production in the Education Field,"
Educational Screen, 15,16, January, 1936, through
January, 1937*
Techniques and mechanics of moving making were dis
cussed in this series of twelve articles.
G-ramet, Charles A., "Making an Educational Movie," Educa
tional Screen, 13:5* to-1, January, February, 1934.
This article discussed film production simply for
the beginner. This author was extremely enthusiastic
about loGaily made films.
_______, "The Non-Commercial Teaching Film," Progressive
Education, 13:454-5, October, 1936.
It suggested the study of theatrical films as a
background for making an educational film.
Horn, Aaron, MA Neglected Aspect of the Educational Film,1 1
Educational Screen, 6:411-12, November, 192?.
Though written many years ago, this article has
some timely ideas on the value of educational films.
Johnson, Laurence B., "What Makes a Good Picture?" Educa
tional Screen, 13:152-3, June, 193*K
Although this article concerns itself mainly with
still pictures, there are some points that could be
followed for composition of scenes in a film.
Lewis, Alexander B. and John A. Deady, "Produce Your Own
Movies: Plan for a High School Photoplay Club,"
Scholastic, 29:15* November, 1936.
Although mainly concerned with suggestions for a
high sehool club planning to produce a film, this arti
cle has a few good hints for anyone planning to under
take a film.
Robertson, E. 0., "Some Principles in the Use of Visual
Aids," Los Angeles School Journal, 14:20-2, June, 1931*
The place of audio-visual aids in the curriculum
is discussed here*
Space, Kenneth F., "Amateur-Group Film Producing with
Economy," Journal of Educational Sociology, 10:172-6,
November, 1936.
The importance of planning and organization is
pointed out here to the beginner in film production.
A few simple constructive suggestions can be found.
G. PARTS OF SERIES
Brooker, Floyde E. and Eugene H. Herrington, Students Make
Motion Pictures. American Council on Education Studies
Series II, Motion Pictures in Education — No. ?.
Washington, D. C.: United States Government Printing
Office, May, 1941. 142 pp.
This is a valuable source of information bearing
on this project.
37
Hoban, Charles F., Jr., Focus on Learning. American Coun- j
oil on Education, Motion Pictures in Education, Wash- j
ington, D. C. : United States Government Printing Of
fice, June, 19^2. 172 pp*
Phis is another valuable source of information re
lating to the role of the film in the school curricu- 1
lum.
i
Superintendent of Schools, San Diego, County, Teacher I
Education and Visual Education for the Modern School.
A research study San Diego County Schools. Education i
Monograph, Number 16. San Diego County, California,
September, 19^8. 166 pp. ,
This research study was dedicated to the evaluation !
of teacher education, particularly the visual educa- j
tion phase. Suggestions were made for the improvement ;
of the audio-visual program. j
D. UNPUBLISHED MATERIAL !
5
Betts, Charles L., "The Production of a Sound Film on the |
Teaching of Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic for the |
Alhambra City Schools.1 1 Unpublished Master* s project, :
The University of Southern California, December, 1953-
95 PP-
This is a report on a locally produced film made
by its producer and was found to be a valuable aid
in the writing of this project.
White, Joseph F., 1 1 Visual Aids Report.1 1 Ventura County,
California: 1953-195^* (Mimeographed)
The director of the Ventura County Audio-Visual Cen
ter makes this annual compilation of monthly reports
on the status of the Center1s audio-visual program.
E. PUBLICATION OF A LEARNED SOCIETY
State Department of Education, A Framework for Public Edu- :
cation in California. Bulletin of the California De
partment of Education, Vol. XX, Number 6. Sacramento:
State Printing Office, 1950. pp. 5-7*
This is a statement of purposes of public education
in California, adopted by the State Department of Edu
cation.
PART II
PRODUCING THE FILM
CHAPTER I
STEPS IN THE PRODUCTION OF A SOUND MOTION FILM ON
ARTS AND GRAFTS FOR SLOW-LEARNING CHILDREN
This chapter is a step-by-step account of the ex
pansion of an 8-mm film into a 16-mm sound motion picture
in which the most inexpensive materials were used to keep
the cost of the production at a minimum*
I. PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS
Obtaining Authorization
Such a project cannot be undertaken without author
ization from those chiefly concerned* In this case, it
was the superintendents of the school districts of Santa
Paula and the parents of the children who were to be photo
graphed.
Permission of the administration* The superinten
dents of both districts of the Santa Paula schools had
previously given permission to photograph the classes of
slow-learning children for the 8-mm film, but permission
was sought and granted again to photograph them for the
16-mm production. It was felt by the superintendents that
such a project would promote good public relations, and
for that reason the school*s physical plant was offered
for use at any time it was not in use for instruction*
Permission of the parents of participating: children*
As with the superintendents, permission had previously
been obtained from the parents of the children who would
be photographed, but it was decided to seek their permis
sion again for the new film and include their approval for
1 1 showing the film anywhere at any time.1 1 These parents
were asked to attend a meeting at which the proposed film
was discussed in detail and parents* questions were an
swered. Permission slips were then signed by all parents
present.
Equipment
A Bell and Howell 16-mm Automaster camera, equipped
with a f1.4 one-inch normal lens, was used. This high
speed lens was invaluable throughout the picture because
it was easily adaptable to indoor shooting and lighting
problems. It was a magazine-load type camera with no re
winding attachment. This neglected feature of the camera
necessitated having three dissolves made commercially.
Other equipment used consisted of a Weston exposure
meter, a Quickset Jr. tripod, a Hollywood splicer, and
five Yictor reflectors with Number 2 photofloode. Wooden
stands for the reflectors were built in the high school
41
woodshop by the producers*
Selection of the Arts and Crafts Activities
At the first formal meeting of the producers, de-
decislons were made as to the type and number of arts and i
crafts to be used In the film, as well as the selection j
of children who would participate. j
It was decided to include certain activities in j
the new film that were used in the 8-mm film for the rea-
i
son that the children were well rehearsed for them and s
I
needed only a little more instruction to duplicate their
scenes the second time. |
When the six activities for eaeh age group were j
selected, consideration was given to the cost of materials.;
In all cases, materials were chosen that were free, inex-
t
pensive, or could be borrowed from the storerooms of the
schools.
The elementary group. For these 8- and 10-year-old
children, simplicity of action and quick results were de
ciding factors in choosing arts and crafts to be used, be
cause these young children have a short span of attention.
Activities that would strengthen eye-hand coordination
were favored. Of the six activities chosen for use with
this group, three were papier mache, finger-painting, and
glass painting.
The junior high school group. Care had to be shown
in ehoosing activities that were not deemed Juvenile by
the 11 to 13-year-olds, and yet were not too difficult for
them to execute. The mentally retarded children of this
age are inclined to disdain activities of the lower class
rooms. For this age group, then, plaster of Paris mold-
making, woodburning, and woodshop activities were chosen
for their relative intricacy and time consumption. Devel
opment of muscular coordination was the aim of these
choices.
The high school group* In choosing arts and
crafts for the mentally retarded boys and girls in high
school, emphasis was placed on more involved procedures,
a longer span of time consumption for completion, and the
salability of the finished product. For these features,
the six activities chosen included tooling, copper tool
ing, and pottery-making.
II. THE PRODUCTION
The Shooting Seript
As stated in Part I, it was thought best for the
amateur to have prepared a shooting script before shoot-
43
Ing the film. Such a script simply tells where to place
the camera and gives directions to the camera crew and
performers.
In the shooting of this film, no such script was
ever written. The producers had worked with these men
tally retarded children over a period of one year in their
classrooms and had instructed them in the use of all the
activities that would be used in the film. Therefore,
each step in each of the eighteen activities was thor
oughly familiar to the children and the producers, and
it was not deemed necessary to write a shooting script.
Shooting the Film
The shooting of the film was done in the class
rooms of the mentally retarded children In the Isbell
Elementary School and the Santa Paula High School. These
rooms had two banks of windows along their entire lengths,
enabling the photographers to utilize natural sunlight.
One of the trio making this film was especially
adept at camera manipulation. In the beginning it fell
to him to handle the problems of camera direction, light
placement, and meter exposure; but as the film progressed,
the other two producers mastered these techniques and were
able to film an entire sequence.
£f/f
I
As in commercial films, sequences were not always
I
shot in the order they appeared in the final picture.
Outdoor transition scenes were shot whenever the weather
! permitted# Upon many occasions, when certain children
I could not stay after school for the filming of their
I scenes, changes had to be made in the shooting schedule
!
| of that day to use the children present. This led to *
writing on a slate the activity being filmed, the number
i
! of the sequence, and the number of the retake, if needed.
The elementary school children, ages eight to ten,
!
were photographed first. Many absences due to illness and
the migratory habits of whole families complicated or
; slowed up the filming in this group# But enthusiasm was
i high in these children and the cooperation among those
' present was good.
| An entirely different situation presented itself
in the filming of the junior high school group, ages
eleven through thirteen. Although initial enthusiasm
seemed to be present, the children made unexplained re-
| quests not to be photographed. It was a week or more be-
i
fore the reason for these requests came to light. The
! children were afraid that other children in the district
i
! would see the finished film and associate them with the
I "dummy class.1 1 This fear was allayed when the producers
^5
assured the children that under no circumstances would any
children be permitted to see the film, and that it was
specifically intended for adults. After this, the film
ing of this class proceeded with relative ease. As with
the elementary class, all shooting was done after school
for a two-hour period, with the exception of the boys in
the woodshop who were photographed during their regular
shop period.
The high school class of retarded children, ages
fourteen to seventeen, gave the producers many anxious
moments. As in the other two age groups, all filming was
done after school or on Saturday mornings. But these
children were undependable and unpredictable, failing as
often as not to appear for pre-arranged filming, making
it necessary to search for them. Very rarely could they
be found; and if they were, they gave a variety of excuses
for their non-appearance.
Another problem encountered with this group was
that they seldom wore the same clothing that had been
photographed in previous sequences. Colors did not make
a difference, because this film was in black-and-white,
but styles and patterns of dresses and sport shirts did.
When this happened, the child was taken home to change.
Meanwhile, children participating in other activities were
46
on hand and could be photographed, thus speeding up the
completion of the film.
It was possible to use a little over one-third of
the film shot. Professionals in the cinema field have
stated that this is a better-than-average percentage for
amateur film makers.
lime span. The filming of the eighteen arts and
crafts activities was done over a four-month period from
December, 1950$ to March, 1951? Each of the eighteen ac
tivities had approximately five or six sequences in it,
making a total of over one hundred scenes. Every retake
was approximately ten feet in length.
Writing the Script
The first attempt at writing the Initial script was
done when the work print of the film had been completely
edited. Each scene was timed carefully. While the film
was run through the projector, one of the trio timed
each scene with a stop-watch, and another wrote in short
form what the second man reported was taking place on the
screen. The work print was run several times and more
notes were taken on the step-by-step progression of each
craft presented. This was necessary because the shorter
activities were flashed on the screen too quickly to get
^7
: all the methodology in one viewing. This method was to
i give the writers an indication of how long the narration
, was to be for each particular activity. This was a
lengthy procedure to include eighteen activities, but
this method was deemed best for a beginning. No transi-
i
tional sentences were written between scenes, only method-
1 ology.
j The transference of a few words about each scene
| into sentences proved difficult. Much time was spent in
I
; rewording phrases to avoid repetition. As each scene was
i
\
! put on the screen, it was necessary for the narration to
cover (1) the name of the activity, (2) materials used,
j (3) step-by-step manipulation, (*0 psychological reasons
for using each craft, (5) specific benefits to the child
; performing the craft, and (6) over-all values accrued by
! the participating child. When the script writers were
satisfied that no better product could be perfected, trans
' ltional sentences were inserted to guide the observer from
; one activity to another*
The writer of this project served as the "guinea
pig" narrator in order to orally synchronize the written
material with the film. When each scene appeared during
the showing, the script was read by the light of a flash
light. In the margins were notes to the narrator telling
him when to start talking. The cues were taken directly
from each sequence. As suspected, with all the effort
expended in trying to keep within the time boundaries,
some of the narration proved to be too long for its scene,
and some not long enough. These parts of the script had
to be rewritten, of course* A verbatim copy of the script
used for this production can be found in the Appendix of
this study.
It is true that, according to research done, this
method of writing the script after shooting the film might
be thought a bit unorthodox. It has even been recommended
in this project that a script should be written first.
This is still a valid recommendation. But this particu
lar film was produced by teachers who were already fami
liar with the store because of having recently completed
a similar 8-mm film. This enabled them to shoot the film
with the story already in mind. Furthermore, the script
of the 8-mm film served as a nucleus for the new script.
Retakes
Much difficulty was encountered with the magazine
load type camera, necessitating approximately forty-two
retakes. Jamming of the film in the camera, due to wind
ing the film too tightly when hand loading, was the most
49
frequent reason for retakes. Fifty feet of film were in
each magazine load. Although perhaps only ten or twenty
feet of film had heen exposed when the spring Jammed,
the remaining film was rendered useless. This jamming
accounted for many of the retakes and loss of many feet
of film.
Another reason for some of the retakes was that
too often the children looked directly into the camera
instead of concentrating on their assigned activities.
Just to he sure such scenes would appear correctly on the
sdreen, they were reshot after the children were again
properly instructed. It was found, however, that this
type of retake was unnecessary in many cases, because
enough frames had been taken before the child looked up.
Editing and Splicing
Except for developing the film, adding the sound
to the final product, and loading the camera magazine,
all processes connected with this film were done by the
teachers making the film. Editing and splicing were no
exception.
It was requested that a positive print be made on
all the film sent to the processing laboratory; then, all
the preliminary work of re-running the film, editing, and
50
j splicing was done on this work print* This was done in
i
'order to save the negative film for the final editing
1 and splicing. When the work print came hack from the lab-
i
j oratory, it was run many times through an R. 0. A. Victor
t
projector. Notes were then taken as to what scenes with-
! in an activity were to he reshot, deleted, or accepted.
j The accepted scenes were then spliced into their logical
\
| order. The negative prints all this time were stored at
I
!
! a Bekins warehouse, where conditions were Conducive to
r
: maintaining the good condition of the film.
The equipment used for viewing the negative print
so as to match it with the positive work print was simple.
! No rewinds were available; therefore, a hollow box was
i
! made and a piece of ground glass was inserted at the hot-
t
s tom. Under this glass was placed a small household lamp
|
| with a twenty-five-watt bulb. Little by little, the nega-
| tive film was viewed and cut, matching the work print pre-
| cisely. In this process, white cotton gloves were worn
! to protect the delicate surface-
t
I
j The editing reduced the twenty-seven hundred feet
| of film shot to nine hundred sixty-seven feet in the fin-
| ished film.
| Titling
■ The print shop teacher at the high school made the
51
titles on 2bnx36n white cardboard. The lettering was done
in li" block type for short titles. For longer titles,
a mixture of 1" and 1%H block letters were used. Four
f titles were in the film, three appearing at the beginning
{ to give credits, the fourth appearing at the end.
Premier Showing
j When in March of 1951 it was learned that a con-
i
, vention was to be held by the International Council for
^ Exceptional Children in Oakland on May 17, 18, and 19*
it was decided this would be an excellent opportunity to
show the film, if permission could be obtained.
After such permission was obtained through corres-
! pondence with the program chairman of the convention, the
! following two months were spent in putting finishing
j touches on the work print. Most of this time went into
I
' solving the problem of narration, for as yet there was no
i
sound track and it was felt the story should be told as
' well as shown. This was finally solved when an announcer
i
■ of the KSPA radio station in Santa Paula offered to record
i
the narration on tape,
j The film had its premier showing to the convention
; delegates on Saturday, May 18, 1951* at Lane Junior Col
lege in Oakland. On this one day, the film was shown
52
twelve times to a total of approximately five hundred
people*
After each viewing, the audience was asked to com- i
plete a questionnaire, a copy of which can be found in |
the Appendix of this study. Space was provided for any
additional comments that might not be covered on the form.
The favorable comments were many and profuse. Because of ;
!
them the film was shortened and the narration improved to :
make an even better finished film*
Adding the Sound
j
Inquiries as to adding sound to the films led to :
taking the work print to Cinesound Studios in Los Angeles. ;
Here the sound studio was divided into two huge rooms by i
j
a glass partition. In the room in front of the glass I
panel sat the narrator, one of the teachers, and the musi- !
cian, who had been engaged to provide background music. 1
Behind the panel sat the 0 mixer1 1 who coordinated the en- '
tire event at his control board. Above the control board
i
in a sound-proof room, the film was run through the stu
dio 1s projector as the musician played her guitar. At '
appropriate times, the teacher tapped the narrator on the
shoulder, this being the signal to start narrating. The !
mixer, at his control board, was able to manipulate the i
| volume so that the musical score did not drown out the
narrator1s voice. He also controlled the running of the
magnetic tape to which the sound was transferred.
Due to mistakes made by the narrator and the musi
cian, the entire procedure took three and one-half hours.
1 Second Showing
In May of 1953 > the American Association on Mental
! Deficiency held its convention in Los Angeles at the Stat-
ler Hotel. The producers recognized this convention as
! another opportunity to show their film to those for whom
j it was made. Therefore, a letter was sent to the program
| chairman in New York, outlining the contents of the film
and enclosing brochures. As a result, arrangements were
; completed for a showing of the film at the convention.
Printed brochures were distributed among the viewing audi-
; ence after the showing.
Professional Help
After the film was finished, the producers realized
> they needed some professional advice and help in smoothing
out the script, making dissolves, adding the sound track,
narration, and musical background.
An acquaintance of one of the producers, a profes
sional script writer at one of the major movie studios,
54
recognized the value of this educational film and offered
his services free to edit the, script.
Because the camera used did not have the rewinding
feature needed to make dissolves, it was necessary to have
them made commercially. For a nominal fee, Consolidated
Processing Laboratories made the forty-eight frame dis
solves required.
A teacher of speech correction narrated the film
without remuneration.
At the convention of the International Council for >
Exceptional Children where the film had its premier show
ing, one of the questions asked on the questionnaire was,
r , Why is the audience always subjected to a musical back
ground, and why can*t the audience just once see a film
without music?1 * Wishing to establish whether this was a
valid criticism, the producers made inquiries among people
in the film industry and learned that professional opinion
favors background music for setting moods and making trans
itions between scenes. Therefore, an accomplished guitar
ist was asked to play a musical score which would be unfam
iliar to most people so as not to divert attention from
the screen. Responding to the request of the producers,
she chose an old Hebrew lullaby.
55
Gifts* The professionals who so willingly donated
their time and effort worked unceasingly when called upon. '
When asked to contribute their skills toward the film,
they did so without pay. Such artistry could not go un
rewarded and gifts were given to the artists with grate
ful appreciation*
The major contributors to the film, the children I
themselves, were not overlooked. The boys were given base
ball hats, and the girls received wallets or colorful head !
scarves. j
Time
The over-all expenditure of time in completing this ;
I
film in all its phases was extremely high, the total num- :
ber of man hours being approximately 428. I
Trips from Santa Paula, where the film was pro
duced, to Los Angeles, where the film was bought, and then j
to Burbank where it was hand-loaded into the magazines of '
the camera totaled ten times during the shooting phase
of the production and required approximately 100 hours.
The first attempt at writing a very rudimentary (
script proved, also, to be time-consuming. Revision after
revision had to be made before the script was deemed satis-1
factory. It is estimated that 50 hours were spent in j
56
writing the script alone. Editing and splicing required
another 55 hours. Shooting the film took 220 hours and
adding the sound took three and one-half hours.
Cost
Exclusive of the time donated by the personnel,
the cost of producing this 27-minute film included sup
plies as follows:
Eastman Kodak background X film
Sound stripping • • •
6 pair of white cotton gloves
(used for splicing)
Deposit on the magazines
Reflectors and bulbs
Loading the magazines
• • •
#51.00
225.00
1.50
4.00
13.10
13.50
Total #308.10
III. MARKETING- THE FILM
In the spring of 1952* when the producers felt con
fident that their film was perfected, literature describ
ing it was sent to all teacher-training institutions con
cerned with mentally retarded children with the announce
ment that the film was now ready for distribution. Sub
sequent correspondence indicated that, because of limited
57
■budgets, many groups could not afford to buy the film but
desired to view it on a rental basis* This led to the de
cision to rent the film as well as sell it, and two more
prints were made to fulfill requests for rentals* ;
At the present writing, two prints of the film have \
been sold; the first, to the University of Texas in Aus- i
tin, in October, 1953) second, to the Crippled Child- ;
i
ren's Society, also in Texas, in February, 195^. The to- j
tal number of rentals to date has been thirty-one.
During the past two years, the film has been shown '
at: (1) P. T. A. meetings in Los Angeles and Ventura
Counties; (2) the training course, Methods of Teaching the \
Mentally Retarded Children, at the University of Southern '
!
California; (3) Long Beach State College for its course, j
i
Teaching Arts and Crafts for the Mentally Retarded Child; j
and (*0 a meeting of the Los Angeles City Supervisors of
the Special Classes.
The film was sent to Children's Limited Magazine
for review and in the Mareh-April issue it was given a
favorable report.
The producers feel that the number of sales and
rentals justify the malting of this film. Furthermore,
they prove there is a need for this type of instructional
audio-visual aid.
APPENDIX
THE SCRIPT
59
Arts and Crafts for the Slow Learner
California. I have been practice
teaching in the classes for the men
tally retarded. This afternoon in
order to gain further experience in
the area of arts and crafts, I am
going to observe special classes in
this city1s schools. Retarded child
ren benefit greatly from a varied
arts and crafts program. This aspect
of education plays a particularly im
portant role in their training.
gaged in a variety of arts and crafts#
These activities are employed in the
correlation of academic skills in
Action Action:
First scene after I am a student teacher from one of
titles
Closeup of woman The teacher Informs me that when class
teacher reconvenes, the children will be en-
I
I
I Two girls sit down
|
i
I
!
: Action:
| G-irl puts hand into
I
can
Boy rolls up paper
concrete situations. All are ‘ benefi
cial to the child insofar as they
give him a feeling of success and
achievement and a sense of belonging.
This is an elementary group ranging
in ages from 8 to 11*
Voice:
On the table there is a partially
completed figure of an elephant, a
can of water, a jar of paste, and
some newspaper. These materials are
easily employed in the making of a
papier mache model. There are many
such models in the room. This ac
tivity is a logical conclusion to a
unit on animals. Here is plainly evi
dent a feeling of comradeship and
security in their environment.
This boy is finger painting. He im
merses a sheet of paper in a can of
water. He then prepares it for an
Boy shakes on
powdered paint
Action:
The boy takes
rolled sheet of
paper out o f can
Boy starts to
draw tree
61
application of boiled corn starch.
The children were discovering the
concepts of a tablespoon and a cup of
ingredient while they prepared the
starch on a hot plate in the class
room*
Now powdered paints are applied .3.1
!
The free movement of the hands and
j
fingers is conducive to a release of I
tension. It is an activity in which !
I
I
the unartistic child may find success •
. .3. . This method of finger paint- ■
ing is by far the least expensive.
Voice:
This is Edward. He is drawing with
colored chalk on wet paper. This
process gives the paper a paint-like
texture which adds interest to the
subject.
When asked what the picture repre
sents, he gives insight into his
First closeup of
boy cutting potato
Closeup of carving
Start when almost
cuts self
Closeup of boy
painting
family's economic background. He
saysi "It is iay father at work, pick
ing fruit." Wet chalk drawing can
be especially useful, for it can be
directed to gain information in terms
of the child's emotions and atti
tudes.
Henry and Ralph are engaged in pototo
carving.
It is clear to see that when children
work with tools they must have close
supervision. Here is an opportunity
to organize a unit on safety.
Potato carving can be pinpointed for
holiday festivities — in the making
of turkeys for Thanksgiving, rabbits
for Easter, and Santas for Christmas.
Other vegetables and fruits can also
be utilized.
Action:
Girl appears
Boy sits down and
picks up glass
Voice: !
i
Socialization, one of the most im-
t
portant goals of arts and crafts, is j
i
here being achieved. The girl who j
knows how to knit takes the role of |
the teacher in helping the beginner
. .1. . This is a life situation. j
They will generally be employed as j
i
unskilled and semi-skilled labor
which will place them in the lower |
income groups. Knitting then becomes (
I
an economic aid since they may be I
able to make simple items of clothing.!
Another art project is glass painting.
Here again the unartistic child can
readily achieve success. The glass
he is using is a discarded windown
pane, the edges of which were ground
down for safety. If the child is dis
satisfied with the painting, he ean ;
wash off the water colors and use the
glass again. This activity, the
teacher says, is especially good for
Action:
Closeup of Mel
Girl puts on
necklace
6 ^
i
I
I
the hoy because his attention span |
i
is very limited. Here is a child J
i
using a medium other than papier :
maehe to correlate the unit on anlm- j
mala. ,
Yoice: j
i
The children in this class range in
age from 12 to 1^, making it compar- !
able to a junior high school group 1
. . .1. . The teacher is giving in- '
structions and hands a bead box to a !
. t
girl. Bead stringing is one of the
oldest crafts known to man. This
type of bead stringing requires llttlei
skill. The beads are made of colored
macaroni. This is another inexpensive
activity. Colored beads help to dev
elop color discrimination. Stringing .
helps to develop motor coordination.
i
i
This is a very satisfying experience,
especially when it receives recogni
tion from her friends.
Tony puts plaster
In can
Tony smooths mold
Action:
Closeup of
plaque
Rose and Tony are making plaster of
Paris casts from rubber molds*
The cast will be left to set. In a
short.time the plaster will harden
producing the shape of the mold* The
final produet will be an ashtray.
Sandpaper or a paring knife can be
used to remove the rough surface
spots. The object can then be
painted and shellacked . . . .3. . .
The children learned that better re
sults can be achieved through team
work.
Voice: Woodburning is both a useful
and an enjoyable activity. Here
again there is little need for artis
tic ability. It helps develop eye-
hand coordination.
Second child
appears
The child merely works over a prepared
picture outline. When completed, it
can be painted or left unpainted,
Long shot of the
children at table
Action:
Boy gets up from
table
depending upon the child's fancy. i
i
fhe child, however, is not restricted |
*
i
to a prepared outline. With the use
of soft scrap lumber, carbon paper, j
i
and a desired picture, another pat-
i
tern can be produced.
j
(
These children are making vases and
are learning to use the ruler as
they measure the bands of color.
They are wrapping colored raffia i
i
around bottles. She Hack or lacquer j
is put on over the raffia for perman
ence. The project will then be com
plete. The children will receive
recognition from their family and
schoolmates. Crepe paper, colored
twine, or wool can also be used in a
project such as this.
Voice:
Hichard is running off maps of Cali
fornia on the liquid duplicator.
This is an important activity, for
67
It correlates the social studies
with arts and crafts. To operate a
mechanical device such as this
always gives these children a sense
of satisfaction and an added self-
assurance. They are studying the
counties and their Industries. They
locate on the maps the citrus, cotton,
and vegetable belts. Many of these
are children of migratory families.
They are Interested in places where
they had lived and where they may
possibly work some day. This is a
good unit on pre-vocational guidance
for the mentally retarded. It is
very often motivated by the children
themselves.
Glass stands up Mow it is time for the boys to go to
woodshop and the girls to go to sew
ing. The rapport established here
between teacher and students is very
good, since he remains in the back
ground giving helpful suggestions at
Action:
; Boy on drill press
!
!
f
I
I
I
i
I
appropriate times* ;
Voice: Mere at the woodshop the proj-
ects the boys engage in give them
ample opportunity for free expression.!
They choose their own projects which )
are generally useful in the home. A j
well-planned curriculum in occupa- \
tional education can be built around j
i
a shop situation. Heading and arith- !
metic,, the basic academie skills, can
be furthered here. The concept of
fractions may be taught by the selec- !
i
tion of drill bits. The meaning of
an inch, a foot, and a yard is made
concrete in woodshop. The teacher
helps the boys to read the names of
the various woods and tools employed. ,
. . .2. . . Responsibility is
stressed in several ways — in the
cleaning up of one's area, and in the
appointment of a shop foreman, a tool
clerk, and a stock clerk.
Table saw appears The safety factor, especially in the
Action:
High school teacher
appears
Boy starts to
pour mold
Cast "breaks
69
use of power tools, must always he
stressed . .4. . This is usually a
popular activity with the children.
Through proper guidance, the teacher
helps them to profit from such an
adult experience. The girls share an
equally profitable experience in home
economics.
Voice:
In the Industrial Arts building is a
high school class for the mentally
retarded. The age range of this
class is 15 through 18.
John is pouring a mold while James
is making a Jewelry box . . .3. . .
The teacher is in the process of em
phasizing the importance of using
clean molds and having an orderly
work area.
The second casting was poured later
and was opened too soon. The breakage
upset the boy*
i Boy points
I
i
i
i Hand in kiln
Boy hands colored
bowl
Boy making jewelry
| box
Boy uses wooden
tool
The student called my attention to
the work in the kiln.
Here is a bowl that has had its first
firing*
And here is a finished product that
has been glazed. Johnnie is especi
ally proud of the bowl since it had
been on display in the main hall.
James, you see, is doing an excellent
Job of making a jewelry box. Watch
him use wet clay to put the sides of
the box together.
The wooden tool is used to smooth
the clay. Arithmetic concepts are
reinforced by measuring the ceramic
pieces. Here is an activity which
develops individuality and stimulates
creativity.
Action:
Anna appears
Camera lifts.
Glay head appears
in background
Girl at next table.
Second scene of
painting
71
Voice:
Anna is doubtful about the procedure
in painting the background on the
copper she is tooling. James helps
her and she continues.
The girl at Anna*s side is sculptur
ing a head. Various aspects of clay
sculpturing have therapeutic value.
The handling of the pliable substance
the wedging or pounding of the clay,
and the coolness of it make for a re
lease of tension. Here, too, is an
excellent activity for free expres
sion.
Painting on cloth is an activity
which can be related to holiday
festivities and special occasions.
The paint oozes from a tube which
operates on a ball-point principle.
The picture remains permanently on
the cloth and is suitable for framing
Gloseup of leather
Second, girl appears
Boy appears
Mary, at the other table, is carving
a design for a leather keycase. The
carving of leather is a difficult and ,
skilled art. Before it is ready for !
this process, the leather must be
i
cut to size and the pattern must be j
traced upon it. This entails center
ing the design which helps further <
develop the student1s knowledge and
understanding of measurement* ;
After carving, the keycase must be
bevelled and backgrounded. Then it i
is ready for tooling* This process
further embellishes the pattern. Fol
lowing the pattern helps to advance
eye-hand coordination.
The lacing of the keycase is the final
step in this process. The boy is
going to sell his keycase to a friend.
Other students often sell wallets,
comb holders, and coin purses they
make in class.
73
Boy*s face Louis is weaving a rug of discarded
nylon hose which have been dyed* He
got the idea from a pattern in a
magazine. When it is finished, he
will place it in his own room. The
bright colors add interest to the
project. Besides being a popu
lar activity, loom weaving is excel
lent for visual perception, motor
development, and as a means of re
leasing tension. Smaller, less com
plicated looms can be used to achieve
the same goals.
Sign appears The projects you have seen are but a
few of the many arts and crafts ac
tivities which can be taught . . .
Arts and crafts, like all of educa
tion, is a continuing process which
has no end; therefore, this film has
no ending.
M E QUESTIOHHAIRE
EVALUATION 01 16-MM FILM
ARTS AMD CRAFTS FOR THE SLOW LEAR1ER
The film you have just witnessed was produced by
three teachers in the field of special education. The
children used in the filming are pupils in classes for the
mentally retarded.
Because retakes and revisions are necessary, a
sound track was not added to the film at this time.
We would appreciate your filling in this question
naire, so that we may further develop the film*
1. Can this film be used as:
a. a training film for prospective teachers?
(yes) (no)
b. an in-service film? _ _ _ ____
(yes) (no)
c. a film to acquaint parents with the
field?
(yes) (no)
2. Bo you feel that the implications spoken
by the student teaeher were applicable to
the activity? _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(yes) (no)
If not, please clairfy ___________________________ _
75
3* Is the film too long? _______________
(yes) (no)
k. What portions of thefilm should have been omitted?
5. What can he added to further improve the film?
Comments: (Kindly use reverse side if additional space
is needed.)
Uwiversirv or
Abstract (if available)
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Schumacher, Melvin
(author)
Core Title
The production of a sound motion film on arts and crafts for slow-learning children.
Degree
Master of Science
Degree Program
Education,Special Education
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
education, special,OAI-PMH Harvest
Format
masters theses
(aat)
Language
English
Contributor
Digitized by ProQuest
(provenance)
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c24-106163
Unique identifier
UC11272412
Identifier
EP48102.pdf (filename),usctheses-c24-106163 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
EP48102.pdf
Dmrecord
106163
Document Type
Thesis
Format
masters theses (aat)
Rights
Schumacher, Melvin
Type
texts
Source
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
Access Conditions
The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...
Repository Name
University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location
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Tags
education, special