Wheat Problem, 1948

New Zealand Listener, Volume 18, Issue 452, 20 February 1948, Page 32

Wheat Problem, 1948

Putting the Case to the Farmers

A DOCUMENTARY film made by the National Film Unit for release throughout New Zealand on February 20

MONTH or more ago the | National Film Unit was | asked to produce a film to tell the public about the wheat problem facing New Zealand this year and to aid the "Grow More Wheat" campaign directed at our 8,500 wheat farmers. The latest statistics showed that this year’s wheat acreage was the lowest since 1876. Local production . had dropped from 8,000,000 bushels in 1940 to 4,000,000 bushels in 1948. The situation was alarming. In the midst of an acute world shortage of cereals a disastrous winter followed by summer drought had severely reduced the European harvest. New Zealand had increased imports by millions of bushels. More than a film was needed, but still a film could play its part. There were about three weeks in which to investigate the subject and complete the filming of the picture, and another week for editing and sound recording. Two men from the National Film Unit, Ivo Tisch (cameraman), and Alun Falconer (director), made their headquarters in Christchurch and set to work. One day was spent at Lincoln College and the Wheat Research Institute; another at Christchurch flour mills and bakeries; another at the farm of Colin McIntosh, of West Eyreton, near Christchurch. The next move was to A. M. Stephens, Rakaia, where there was a

big crop of the new Hilgendorf wheat, and from there to Timaru. For a final burst Mr, McIntosh (as a representative wheat grower), Dr. O. H. Frankel, the director of the Wheat Research Institute, and J. W. Calder, of Lincoln College, were brought to Wellington for a special sound interview on the stage at the National Film Studios at Miramar. Their discussion of the wheat problem is one of the important sequences in the film. The ferry passages for the three men were booked back to Christchurch for the same night, Recording sound is a long business. With the chief technician, Geoffrey Scott, directing operations, cameramen, sound technicians, and electricians at their posts, all was set for rehearsals and. "takes." The job was finished on

schedule at 7.0 p.m., just in time for the visitors to catch the ferry for the south. The film was in the cans. In the cans, yes, but there was hard work ahead yet. There was the job of editing, preparation of isotype diagrams, writing the cemmentary, and the creation of a dramatic sound track. But team work at the studios brought the finished film out on time.

the continued absence from Welliington of our film critic, we again go to Press without his usual notes. In their place this week we draw attention to an important documentary film about to be released from the National Film Unit at Miramar.