Non-Theatrical Film Collection (1920-1973)
The educational possibilities of motion pictures were recognized early in the development of motion pictures and by the 1920s the “Visual Education” movement was established and extremely active. Spurred by the introduction of the cheaper to use, nonflammable 16mm format in 1923, the reuse of existing films for education and creation of new films for the classroom were part of a parallel motion picture industry. The non-theatrical industry hoped that students or employees would learn faster with greater retention of information that was presented in an interesting manner using motion pictures. In addition, companies commissioned films as selling tools – for the salesman to the wholesaler, or directly to the consumer to create demand. The industry peaked in World War II, as films were commissioned for training of factory works and soldiers alike, by companies to create goodwill and the government for overt and subtle propaganda.
The development and growth of the educational film movement is well documented in the pages of Educational Film Magazine, and its successor, The Educational Screen. Throughout every issue the sincere belief of the participants in their noble cause is present. The impact of audio visual learning upon the K-12 curriculum is shown and measured by See & Hear: International Journal of Audio-Visual Education.
The complementary industry of films for industry, sponsored films and later television commercials is captured in Business Screen (which later absorbed See & Hear). Many of these films were produced to full Hollywood standards, and the support industry of equipment vendors and film labs shown in the editorial and advertising coverage is a reminder that although there were concentrations in Detroit, Chicago and New York, this was a geographically diverse industry to support local, regional and national businesses.
Also in the non-theatrical genre were the films made by individuals, camera clubs and amateur film societies in the U.S. and Great Britain. Home Movies and Home Talkies followed the progress of these groups, while also providing technical advice, advertisements for new and used equipment, and promoting examples of successful amateur films. Occasional articles by industry insiders with an interest in amateur film promoted the idea that the only difference between the two genres were the budgets! An important part of the amateur filmmaking movement was the availability of Hollywood films on small gauge formats for home use. The first and largest collection was offered by the Eastman Kodak Kodascope Libraries, and their catalogs are collectors items, as many of the films released by Kodascope survive in no other version.
The non-theatrical industries have moved entirely to digital formats, making the enormous effort and huge equipment of the past seem quaint, but the principles of the impact of moving images to communicate information and influence opinions and consumer purchases are still relevant today.
