Interview with Basil Charles Wright

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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
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Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Sound: © IWM (6231)

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Sound: © IWM (6231)

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Sound: © IWM (6231)

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Description

Object description

British civilian filmmaker, director and screen writer with Empire Marketing Board Film Unit, GPO Film Unit, Realist Film Unit, Film Centre and Crown Film Unit in GB and Canada, 1929-1946

Content description

REEL 1 Recollections of period as film producer, director and writer with Empire Marketing Board Film Unit, GPO Film Unit, Realist Film Unit, Film Centre and Crown Film Unit in GB and Canada, 1929-1946: background to formation of Realist Film Unit, 1937; reason for name of unit; role as producer with Realist Film Unit; story of formation of Film Centre by John Grierson; attitude to accepting commissions from Conservative Government; discussion of films 'Housing Problems' (1935), 'The Smoke Menace' (1937) and 'The League at Work' (1935); commissioned to write report for International Labour Organisation (ILO). REEL 2 Continues: attitude to making films about war; reason for transfer from Realist Film Unit to Film Centre; discussion of films 'Men of Africa' (1940) and 'Rape of Czechoslovakia' (1939); closure of cinemas on outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939; registering as ambulance driver; reopening of Film Centre; attitude of British Government to Film Centre; story of American Rockefeller commission. REEL 3 Continues: question of John Grierson returning to GB; influence of John Grierson on Film Centre; relations with British Government during Second World War; various memories of working with Jack Beddington and Sidney Bernstein. REEL 4 Continues: role of Film Centre; story of producing films with Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI); origination of ideas and sponsorship of various films. REEL 5 Continues: discussion of film 'This Was Japan' (1945); story of four week visit to see John Grierson in Canada, 1942; opinion of films made by National Film Board of Canada; effect of visit on attitude to film making; organisation of film units; discussion of film 'Goodbye Yesterday' (1941); REEL 6 Continues: reaction to 'Goodbye Yesterday' (1941); discussion of film 'Lift Up Your Head, Comrade' (1942), including contribution of Arthur Koestler, 1942; memories of Dylan Thomas; story of being appointed head of Crown Film Unit at Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, 1/1945. REEL 7 Continues: attitude to role in charge of studio and nature of work; problem with film trade union Association of Cinematograph Technicians (ACT); story of visits to Germany and Netherlands after VE Day, 8/5/1945; discussion of Humphrey Jennings film 'Diary for Timothy' (1945); discussion of film 'Children on Trial' (1946); reason for leaving Crown Film Unit, 1/1946. REEL 8 Continues: memories of John Mortimer; return of John Grierson from Canada; appointed adviser for films division of Ministry of Information; audience surveys; distribution of films; opinion of Ministry of Information instructional wartime films.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), Interwar (content), Second World War (content), Interwar (association), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Gladstone, Kay (Recorder)
Wright, Basil Charles (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1982-06-09
Dimensions: whole: Duration 240, Number Of Items 8
Catalogue number: 6231

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Interview with Basil Charles Wright

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