Evening star., 1927-05-01
UNCLE SAM'S FILMS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.


During the season for field work
which has just opened and will con-
tinue until September. Uncle Sam, as
movie producer, will make 20 new
films. 7sIn the making of these motion.
pictures, his production company,
known as the OffIce of Motion Pictures
of the Department OF Agriculture, is
sending three crews into the field.
They will cover large part Of the
United States this year, operating as
far West as Utah.
Neither the names nor the subjects
of the 20 new pictures will be an
nounced. This, for the reason that il
they were made public at this time the
department. would be overwhelmed
with requests and demands for the
films. Experience has taught those
who handle Government movies this
lesson. which is regarded as the most
conclusive evidence of the popularity
of this particular line of Uncle Sans
numerous activities.
After the field work is over, in Sep.
tember, the Fall and Winter months
will be devoted to editing, titling, cut
ting and assembling the new films,
and when they are completed and
ready for distribution the public will
be Informed Of their nature and given
a chance to have them shown in all
sections of the United States.
These pictures, along with those
produced in years past, are intended
primarily to aid in the extension work
OF the Department of Agriculture and
are distributed through the division
that handles that and through CO.
operating State agencies In addition,
the films can be borrowed for exhibit
ton purposes by farmers organiza-
tions. schools. colleges, churches com
munity centers, theaters or individuals,
who are responsible and will guarantee
the transportation charges both ways.
Also prints of any Of the pictures
may be purchased by organizations or
individuals under authorization of the
department from a commercial man.
ufacturer at prices that have been es-
tablished by competitive bidding.
These prices range from $21 to $33
per reel of approximately 1000 feet.
Incidentally. 1t may be said, the Gov
ernment has been doing fairly good
business in selling prints of many or
it's pictures, a considerable number
of them even having been titled in
foreign languages ard sold abroad.
Conditions Governing Purchases.
The conditions governing such
purchases are that no changes be
made in the subject matter of the
films without approval from the De-
partment OF Agriculture: that credit
to the department be retained and
that no commercial advertising mat
ter be added to or inserted in the
films.
Each unit or crew that the Office
of Motion Pictures is now sending
into the field consists of a director, a
camera man and a subject matter
man, who is usually a scientist famil-
iar with, the lesson that the film Is
expected to teach. The actors are
secured in the localities where the
scenes are shot. Usually they are
amateurs Of the purest ray serene
Sometimes the services Of semi-pro-
fessionals are enlisted, and occasion
ally professionals are engaged for
the leads in pictures carrying story
that calls for real acting ability in its
delineation.
Six new pictures have been added
this Spring to the already long list
that had been produced and cata
logued by the department. One of
them tells the story of cooperative
marketing in the United States, and is
designed to give a good idea of the eX-
tent of the movement and of the vol
ume OF business that is done byethe
various marketing organizations. Two
or the new filmS were produced as
educational features for the fight
which the department is waging
against the European corn borer.
Another Is entitled Mother Takes a
Vacation" and depicts the activities
or farm Women's vacation camps con-
Quoted by State extension services in
the West. It was photographed In
Montana and Idaho. The fifth is
somewhat similar in character and Is
called 'The Family Goes TO College,"
1t shows the annual farmers encamp-
ment at the Utah Agricultural Col
lege, how farmers from all over the
State so there for the July short
course and what they do after they
get there. The sixth tells the story
of the short course for farm boy and
girl club members at Washington
State College and the University of
Idaho and of the relationship of an
agricultural education to practical
farming and home-making. m
Many Pictures Available.
More than 225 pictures are now listed
in the catalogue of the Office of Mo-
ton Pictures, and their subject matter
ranges from airplane busting" and
airplans firs patrols to yaupon--which