Young Empire Picture Pioneer

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 147, 17 March 1939, Page 14

Young Empire Picture Pioneer

A N exceedingly enterprising young man left Loudon last month for his native South Africa. He is Leon Schauder, a producer at 19 years of age.

Having made amateur films at school, when he was only 18 he made a sponsored feature film of a branch of the scout movement in South Africa. Written, directed, photographed and cut by himself, this,film, “In Them Our Hopes,” evidently created a genuine sensation in South Africa, which has been extraordinarily backward over films. Then Schauder came to England, in the hope of getting into the British film industry. After gaining experience as an assistant director on “Old Iron” and cutter on “The Citadel,” he realized how long he would have to wait for a chance. He decided it would be a far better thing to be an independent producer in his own country—perhaps the first to make his mark. He managed to convince Bruce Woolf, of Gaumont-British Instructional. So he has gone home to make two documentary shorts, the first two under the two-year contract he is taking with him.

Again as a one-man job, he will make “Forty-Wheeled Transport,” story of the ox-wagons and “The Karoo,” showing shepherd life in South Africa.

Schauder’s ambition should appeal to those of us who are always pointing out the fine film material of the Empire. Vitally keen, but modest, he might even carry out his dream of founding a South African film industry.