The lens of a motion picture projector is a brilliant penetrating high
and eye which can cut through many barriers on the screen the barrier of size can
be surmounted as students see microscopic subjects
and large to the point of easy visibility the barrier of time is circumvented as an
extended process appears to be speeded up through the use of time lapse photography
or as the past is recreated
and brought vividly to life for your students barriers to understanding are
removed as complex subjects unfold in simplified detail through the use of
animation which can diagram happenings
that often cannot be seen in any other way the eye of the motion picture projector
cuts through the barrier of distance to let students observe people
and places half a world away to witness the drama while they consider the
problems of our time
and finally students can see through the use of classroom films
but they need to understand as they develop their skills for the future
the lens of a motion picture projector is an eye
that can help you stimulate motivate.
Educate your students.
But like any eye it must be pointed in the right direction.
It's wise use demand selectively the eye in the eye. There must be a brain.
Your brain making the selection. Choosing the perspective that serves.
Your goals
that implements whatever behavior changes you may want to effect in your students'.
Films made for the classroom have several purposes.
It helps when you're choosing a film to know
that there is a connection between the purpose of that film
and the techniques used to achieve that purpose.
Now we'll consider the first the various purposes for which classroom films are
designed to communicate information.
Now what techniques are most often employed in information films.
One technique obviously is a factual presentation with the camera documenting
actual events so that they become visual experiences.
Let's look at excerpts from two films which illustrate distinctive techniques for
imparting vividness and immediacy to factual material.
The first film documents life in a woodlot.
You know on change supremacy it was a hawk
that got the snake the twist which brought it to the snake got a reprieve to the
gross to the gross
and the cradle Fox the predator the action will pluck out the simplest the unfit to
the front.
In this story of life in a woodlot the filmmaker took his camera to the scene of
the action he documented facts carefully and accurately at the moment
when they occur. In this film students see the real thing.
But let's take a look at another excerpt from a film in which the subject matter
required the substitution of an actual event.
For one as nearly like it as possible.
This example is from a film called Children of the wagon train.
Everybody's interested in learning I guess sometimes after a day of travelling it's
hard to keep your mind on it.
We all like the park or Mrs Crawford reads to us from the book
and I know everybody would like to be able to read the book to some day
and night we have a real treat hot shot of the prairie chicken
and we have fresh meat for supper. It's your tastes good compared to Dr Beach.
Sometimes there's dancing and singing after supper. But today has been wrong.
And tonight most of us are ready for bed at sundown.
In children of the wagon train.
Historical material was reenacted in its original setting what the students see is
not the real thing. It is factual information documented as carefully
and accurately as a filmmaker can recreate.
As you work to develop your skill in assessing films.
Remember that the characteristic of.
The film to communicate information is quite often the result of using the
documentary technique showing action as it occurs
or an event which has been reenacted so the student can look back into the paths
the documentary technique
and its two variations is the technique most often used in films designed primarily
to communicate information.
But keep in mind
that there is also a hardly a classroom film in existence which does not in some
way impart information.
Some of the other techniques you will see later in this film.
May also be used in informational films.
Now let's consider a second purpose for which films are designed to change
attitudes such films provide common experiences to what your students can more
easily gain a new appreciation of themselves
and the factors which shape their lives. To take a look at some screen examples.
The first is from understanding others.
It deals with the social situation.
Let's go back back to the moment when Ben entered the room.
Let's look at this incident again from his viewpoints on a laugh at me.
Her sure they make jokes behind my back.
They think aren't they cars micros are old and worn
and because I have to spend all my spare time working instead of forcing around
like they do. My whole life is different from theirs.
I couldn't even begin to fit into their groups. I wish they did like me.
Maybe I could just rock over there and let them know that I want to be friendly.
You know I'd better not try ask for trouble that Ernie Davis.
Charlie make fun of me better stay away from them stuck up bunches. Nah.
Before we comment on this type of attitude film.
Let's examine a segment from another one a citizen participation.
We waited quite a while and we still don't have a doctor.
We need one pretty bad where willing to do almost anything to get one.
It's a problem all right.
We've got over forty our creation from towns in the state
that don't have doctors we're doing everything we can to find my own
but it's a tough job for her about these young fellows coming out of the medical
school. Would be satisfied with all of them.
Yes Most community would like to get one of those young Dr
but there's even a problem connected with that.
The film understanding others present a look at a social situation in such a way
that students can easily put themselves in the place of the film participants they
can observe the facts.
Yes but over
and above this they tend to have some feelings about those facts being able to a
dent if I with several different reactions helps awaken more mature student
attitudes towards problems in human relationships as our screen examples
illustrated a common technique used in films to change attitudes is drawn which is
ancient.
It may be a dramatization in which an ideal reaction is stretched as in a citizen
participates in a film which helps shape attitudes by suggesting a suitable course
of action.
Or it may be the drama zation of a social situation which provides evidence of
several different attitudes of these two dramatic techniques are somewhat different
but there and are identical to create an atmosphere
and emotionalized experience to which students can relate.
A third purpose for which films are designed as to develop skills.
As we observe how skilled films are constructed noticed
that the camera is usually focused on the work at hand. The.
The student watching the film a front row seat up on the actual operator's
viewpoint from which to observe the step by step process without extraneous
or distracting details a clip from the film on the technique of woodworking
joining and viewing verifies this principle of the film designed to develop skills.
Using the tri squared to guide you extend these lines across both edges of the
piece so that the data will be straight
and true to use
a marking gauge to mark the depth of the day do this distance is usually one half
the thickness of the stock using a block guide
and back saw carefully cut the sides of the dado to the proper depth be sure the
saw curve. Lies in the waste stock or the dado will be too large for the piece
that must fit into it.
Use the chairs all with a mallet to remove the waste stock chisel from both sides
leaving the cut high in the center smooth the bottom of the dado with a chisel
or a router.
The piece should fit snugly but not so tightly
that it has to be pounded in in a film to develop skills.
The technique most often used is one of presenting step by step close ups of the
process to be learned.
We come now to the fourth purpose for which films are designed to develop interests.
Are these films may impart information they may even help change attitudes
but they are primarily designed to arouse interest.
So they make huge generally of interesting and unusual techniques.
The film manners in school.
Implies fantasy pressure combination of live action
and animation to arouse interest.
MARY. Mary Carson. It's almost time for recess Mary.
I just wanted to remind you it's your turn to clean the chalkboard on this thread.
We're going to play brawl at least ours do you better get somebody else some girl.
I'm sorry Mary. It's your turn.
Clive to commit.
Hi Larry. My name is Chuck. Oh.
You can talk all your and I can walk and run.
And even go. Gosh I love that nothing was important.
Larry I'm here for a purpose to do something about your manners Waddell me ma
and the use of interest catching devices is not limited to films
designed to develop interest but where
that is the primary purpose of a film you often find
that the use of unusual camera techniques special music
and non-technical sometimes even poetical narration.
Contribute to the film's purpose so the first purpose for which classroom films may
be designed is to raise problems such films are used for the specific purpose of
the negotiating
and stimulating a class discussion in an area which students can explore
and analyze if not resolved.
Very often such films make use of drama zation
but they have a special technique all their own as we shall see in this excerpt
from the snob. Are you satisfied.
I don't know what you're talking you really froze him out. Didn't you.
I don't know what business it is of yours if I don't want today.
Well I think you did want to say you wanted to dance. All right.
But you just couldn't pass up the chance to be a snob.
There are certain back of the matter
and I do anything.
The meaning of faith
that anybody was one of their doing it to all the silly things they do
the snob hurting everyone herself her parents her friends other people
but to make Sarah act the way she does is it a cover up for some lack she feels in
herself.
Can a friend like Ron help her in any way is the group justified in
judging everything Sarah does snobbery. But do you think.
The special technique of the dramatic film designed to raise problems is the open
end technique.
The unresolved situation or the unanswered question
that grows out of a dramatization something to provoke discussion
and exchange of thoughtful opinion on problems which affect your students.
One two three four five purposes for which
classroom films are designed
and you've seen examples of the close relationship between the techniques used in
films and the purposes of those films.
You may also have noticed some overlapping in techniques the film do change
attitudes in the film to raise problems for example both imply drama zation in the
one. It was a primary characteristic in the other it was secondary to the open
and characteristic.
Now let's return to your goals to the behavior changes you want to affect
when you show a film to your students as you probably have already realized your
goals are often almost identical with the purposes for which the films are designed
I hear again overlapping is common your primary goal may be to develop interests.
Although you also may want to communicate information.
The point is there is generally a great deal of flexibility in the ways you can use
films not some of this flexibility is the result of overlapping purposes
and techniques in the films themselves.
But there is even more flexibility possible in your adaptation of those films to
meet your particular teaching needs.
You may choose a film designed primarily to help develop the skills such as the
joining and gluing film
and emphasize some special element in it such as asking students to watch for
examples of safety practices. Now when you do. You're using a.
Skill film. As an attitude so.
Consider your students
and your teaching goes to obtain clues as to how you should use any film.
That you want the film to accomplish will usually determine what you ask your
students to look for as they view the film.
It will also suggest the type of follow up activities which are going to be needed.
You will develop your own skill in evaluating films by learning to recognize some
of the film techniques we have demonstrated here.
The documentary technique the dramatic technique the step by step close up
technique the unusual effects technique and the open and technique.
Now each of these serve an essential purpose.
But remember too
that any one of them may serve a secondary purpose which may be very important in
relation to your teaching goals.
Proper use of film heightens the importance of the teacher
and make his contribution all the more necessary.
When you turn on the projector the quality of the film experience I had for your
students should be predictable and it can be predicted.
If you develop your skill in both choosing
and using the classroom phone.