back to

Crafts and industries

01 November 2011

By EAFA

There is a fascination about seeing how something familiar is made, or how a job is done, and short films fulfilling this popular curiosity became a staple of the cinema supporting programme, classroom film lessons, and then short television programmes. Here is a selection of films of small-scale crafts and industries – each creating the impression that you have seen the whole process, but in a fraction of the time.

highlights

  • 1946 Cat no. 50

    Rope-Making By Hand

    1946, Hadleigh (Suffolk)

    Boulton Hawker Films began making classroom films with this silent colour record of Ben Whiting on the rope walk at Brett Works. The film maker’s shadow across the scene adds to the home-made character of this simple film. The company have continued to be major producers of educational films.

    Cat no. 50

    0:03:30

    colour, silent

  • 1947 Cat no. 51

    The Story of Coco Matting

    1947, Hadleigh (Suffolk)

    Local production of this coarse, hard-wearing matting ceased soon after this film was made, and completed mats were subsequently imported from India.

    Cat no. 51

    0:10:25

    colour, silent

  • 1949 Cat no. 196

    The Flintknappers

    1949, Brandon (Suffolk)

    Shell’s ‘Craftsmen’ series drew connections with local heritage and skills passed on over the centuries in short films for small film show audiences – an indirect means of advertising. The flintknappers’ voices were added by actors and are not a reliable record of the local accent!

    Cat no. 196

    0:04:32

    Black and White, sound

  • 1950 Cat no. 225

    Iron Foundry

    1950, Epping (Essex)

    Established in 1858, the foundry of William Cottis and Sons made small parts for agricultural machinery. This and other Essex Education Film Library productions were made during a cinematography course at Wansfell College, then distributed through the library. The film makers’ clapperboard appears for a moment at the start of the film – they were on the course to make mistakes and learn.

    Cat no. 225

    0:17:10

    Black and White, silent

  • 1952 Cat no. 41

    Local Newspaper

    1952, Epping (Essex)

    The reporter covers a story, types it up, then hands it over for typesetting and printing at the West Essex Gazette. Another Essex Education Film Library film made at Wansfell College.

    Cat no. 41

    0:11:07

    Black and White, silent

  • 1954 Cat no. 509

    Flower Pots

    1954, Waltham Abbey (Essex)

    Preparing clay and making flower pots by hand and on the wheel, then firing and distribution at G. and A. Tuck Ltd. Another Essex Education Film Library film but this time made with sound by their film unit.

    Cat no. 509

    0:11:02

    Black and White, sound

  • 1957 Cat no. 424

    Making Cricket Bats

    1957, Little Baddow (Essex)

    Starting with the willow tree, we see every step until the bat is polished and stamped ‘Perfection’. Another Essex Education Film Library film with sound by their film unit.

    Cat no. 424

    0:15:11

    Black and White, sound

  • 1970 Cat no. 700

    The Wheelwright

    1970, March (Cambridgeshire)

    The dramatic process of fitting the iron rim to a wooden cartwheel demonstrated by Tom James of March in a short film for television.

    Cat no. 700

    0:04:58

    Black and White, sound

  • 1970 Cat no. 7747

    The Art of the Marbler

    1970, Grantchester (Cambridgeshire)

    Beautiful patterns for book end-papers and bindings produced at Douglas Cockerell and Son were filmed for Bedfordshire County Council.

    Cat no. 7747

    0:13:17

    colour, sound