CHILDREN PHOTOGRAPHED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 58, 4 December 1946, Page 6

CHILDREN PHOTOGRAPHED

STUDY OF REACTION YOUNG NEW ZEALANDERS’ CLUB Probably the first of their kind to be taken in New Zealand, photographs revealing children’s reactions to films while watching an actual screening aroused a great deal of interest among Auckland psychologists and child welfare officers recently. A feature of the photographs was the complete absence of “fear” or “horror” expressions on children’s faces. The majority appeared to be intensely interested in the film, and at frequent intervals allowed their emotions to give way to spontaneous laughter and other expressions of delight. These factors caused one prominent lady psychologist to comment on the possibilities of providing good films for children’s entertainment. She considered there was no point in keeping a child away from films just because of some parental prejudice against pictures. However, it was most essential that such picture entertainment should be specially chosen by responsible people. The photographs, which were taken under the direction of the Young New Zealanders’ Film Club, sponsored by Kerrdige-Odeon Theatres, involved about 3000 children attending various Auckland suburban cinemas. The films were carefully selected so as to be examples of what the club intends showing throughout the country in the future. To obtain satisfactory impressions of reactions, photographers caught sections of the audience in the flash light at regular intervals during the picture. This procedure was adopted in all the theatres, and later the photographs were compared by men and women especially interested in child welfare. Comments on their observations were summed up by the Auckland District Child Welfare Officer who said: “If the Young New Zealanders’ Club intends to give children as much delight as the photographs have shown, “I can only say it will be offering a great service to the country. By public demand films are accepted as a great medium of entertainment, but the formation of the children’s cinema club must earn the gratitude of all parents.”