The development of Documentary and John Grierson
What is the contribution of John Grierson in documentary?
Grierson assisted in the formation of the National Film Board of Canada (1939), and during World War II he supervised information films for the Canadian government. Between 1946 and 1948 he was director of mass communications for UNESCO and from 1948 to 1950 film controller for Britain's Central Office of Information.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Grierson
John Grierson CBE (26 April 1898 – 19 February 1972) was a pioneering Scottish documentary maker, often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film. In 1926, Grierson coined the term "documentary" in a review of Robert J. Flaherty's Moana.[1]
Grierson's emerging view of film was as a form of social and political communication—a mechanism for social reform, education, and perhaps spiritual uplift. His view of Hollywood movie-making was considerably less sanguine:
"In an age when the faiths, the loyalties, and the purposes have been more than usually undermined, mental fatigue--or is it spiritual fatigue?--represents a large factor in everyday experience. Our cinema magnate does no more than exploit the occasion. He also, more or less frankly, is a dope pedlar."
Grierson assisted in the formation of the National Film Board of Canada (1939), and during World War II he supervised information films for the Canadian government. Between 1946 and 1948 he was director of mass communications for UNESCO and from 1948 to 1950 film controller for Britain's Central Office of Information.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Grierson
John Grierson CBE (26 April 1898 – 19 February 1972) was a pioneering Scottish documentary maker, often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film. In 1926, Grierson coined the term "documentary" in a review of Robert J. Flaherty's Moana.[1]
Grierson's emerging view of film was as a form of social and political communication—a mechanism for social reform, education, and perhaps spiritual uplift. His view of Hollywood movie-making was considerably less sanguine:
"In an age when the faiths, the loyalties, and the purposes have been more than usually undermined, mental fatigue--or is it spiritual fatigue?--represents a large factor in everyday experience. Our cinema magnate does no more than exploit the occasion. He also, more or less frankly, is a dope pedlar."