John Grierson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Grierson CBE
John Grierson (right) with Bolivian filmmaker Jorge Ruiz in 1955
Born	John Grierson (1898-04-26)26 April 1898 Deanston, Stirling, Scotland
Died	19 February 1972(1972-02-19) (aged 73) Bath, Somerset, England
Occupation	Documentary maker

John Grierson (born April 26, 1898 – died February 19, 1972) was a Scottish filmmaker. He is often called the "father" of documentary films in Britain and Canada. In 1926, Grierson came up with the word "documentary" when he reviewed a film called Moana by Robert J. Flaherty.

Early Life and Education

John Grierson was born in a small Scottish village called Deanston. His father, Robert, was a schoolmaster, and his mother, Jane, was a teacher. His mother was also a suffragette, meaning she fought for women's right to vote. She was also active in the Labour Party.

In 1900, John's family moved to Cambusbarron, Stirling. He had three older sisters, Agnes, Janet, and Margaret, and a younger brother, Anthony. Later, he gained three more younger sisters: Dorothy, Ruby, and Marion.

John's parents taught him important values. They believed in liberal ideas, which meant they supported freedom and equality. They also believed in humanistic ideals, focusing on human values and dignity. From their Calvinist beliefs, they taught him that education was key to freedom. They also believed that hard, meaningful work was important. John went to Stirling High School in 1908. He enjoyed playing football and rugby there.

Serving in World War I

In July 1915, John left school. He had done very well in his studies. His parents wanted him to go to the University of Glasgow, like his older sisters. He took a scholarship test for the university. While waiting for the results, he worked at a munitions factory in Alexandria. This factory made weapons for World War I.

John won a scholarship that would last for four years. He started at the University of Glasgow in 1916. But he felt he needed to do more for the war. He wanted to join the navy because his family had a history of working as lighthouse keepers. He went to Crystal Palace in London to train with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. He even added a year to his age so he could join.

He became a telegraphist, sending messages by wireless. He served on a minesweeper called H.M.S. Surf. Later, he was promoted on H.M.S. Rightwhale. He stayed on this ship until the war ended. He received two medals for his service: the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

University Studies and Research

After the war, John returned to the University of Glasgow in 1919. He was very active there. He started a new Labour Club and a Critic's Club. He also had his poetry published in the university magazine. He won several awards for his studies in English and moral philosophy. He graduated in 1923 with a Master of Arts degree.

In 1923, Grierson received a special grant called a Rockefeller Research Fellowship. This allowed him to study in the United States at the University of Chicago, and later at Columbia and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research focused on the psychology of propaganda. This means he studied how newspapers, films, and other media could influence what people thought. He was especially interested in how popular newspapers, sometimes called "yellow press" (tabloids), influenced new American citizens.

Ideas About Film

In 1926, John Grierson wrote a review of Robert Flaherty's film Moana. In this review, he used the word "documentary" to describe films that showed real life.

In 1932, Grierson wrote an essay called "First Principles of Documentary." He believed that films could show real life in a new artistic way. He thought that using real people and real places was better than using actors and made-up scenes. He famously defined documentary as "creative treatment of actuality." This means taking real events and showing them in an interesting and artistic way.

Grierson was worried about threats to democracy. He felt that society was becoming too complex for people to understand important issues. He believed that films could help. He thought movies could make public affairs exciting and easier to understand, just like popular newspapers did. He saw film as a way to share information, educate people, and even inspire them. He didn't think much of Hollywood movies, seeing them as just entertainment that didn't help people think.

Film Critic and Filmmaker

Grierson's strong ideas about film caught the attention of film critics in New York. He was asked to write film reviews for the New York Sun. While writing for the Sun, he made many connections in the film world. It was during this time that he used the term "documentary" for the first time, describing Moana as having "documentary value."

He also helped bring Sergei Eisenstein's famous film The Battleship Potemkin (1925) to American audiences. Eisenstein's way of editing films, called "montage" (putting many short shots together to create a feeling), greatly influenced Grierson.

Starting the British Documentary Movement

In 1927, Grierson returned to Great Britain. He believed that film could help the country deal with the problems of the Great Depression. He wanted films to boost national spirit and bring people together. For Grierson, filmmaking was a very important job. He saw it as a way to serve his country. He once said, "I look on cinema as a pulpit, and use it as a propagandist."

He had met Robert Flaherty, another pioneering documentary filmmaker, in the US. Grierson admired Flaherty's work. But Grierson felt that films should focus on the everyday lives of ordinary people, not just exotic places. He believed the real drama was "on your doorstep," in places where people faced hardship.

Grierson got a temporary job as an Assistant Films Officer at the Empire Marketing Board (EMB). This government agency promoted British trade and unity across the empire. The EMB used films to share information. This is where the "documentary" film, as we know it, truly began.

In 1929, Grierson finished his first film, Drifters. He wrote, produced, and directed it. The film showed the hard work of North Sea herring fishermen. It was very different from other films of the time. It was innovative because it took the camera into rough places, like a small boat in a storm. The film was shown alongside Eisenstein's The Battleship Potemkin and received great praise.

After Drifters, Grierson focused more on producing and managing films. He became a tireless organizer for the EMB. He brought together many talented young filmmakers between 1930 and 1933. This group included Basil Wright, Edgar Anstey, Stuart Legg, Paul Rotha, Arthur Elton, Humphrey Jennings, Harry Watt, and Alberto Cavalcanti. They formed the core of what became known as the British Documentary Film Movement. Even Robert Flaherty worked with them for a short time. In 1933, the EMB Film Unit closed due to money problems during the Depression.

Work at the GPO Film Unit

Grierson's boss from the EMB moved to the General Post Office (GPO). He brought Grierson's film unit with him. The GPO Film Unit was tasked with showing how the Post Office helped connect the nation. This was for both the public and the GPO workers. Under Grierson's leadership, the GPO Film Unit made many important films. These included Night Mail (1936) and Coal Face (1935). In 1934, they also produced the award-winning The Song of Ceylon.

In 1934, Grierson filmed Granton Trawler on a fishing boat. He used footage of the camera falling on deck to create a storm scene. This film was one of Grierson's favorites. It was a tribute to the Isabella Greig, the boat he filmed on, which later sank in 1941. Another film, The Private Life of Gannets, was also filmed on the Isabella Greig. This film won an Academy Award in 1937.

Grierson eventually felt restricted by government rules and budgets. He left the GPO in 1937. This gave him more freedom to work on his ideas. He then looked for private companies to sponsor films. He succeeded in getting the British gas industry to fund an annual film program. One important film from this time was Housing Problems (1935), which his sister Ruby helped direct.

John Grierson (left), Chairman of the Wartime Information Board, meeting with Ralph Foster, Head of Graphics, National Film Board of Canada, to examine posters for the National Film Board of Canada.

Leading Canadian Film Production

In 1938, the Canadian government invited Grierson to study their film production. He met with Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King and other important people. Everyone agreed that film was important for uniting Canada and showing its place in the world. Grierson wrote a report suggesting Canada create a national film body.

National Film Board of Canada

In 1939, Canada created the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). Grierson helped write the bill for its creation. He was appointed the first Commissioner of the NFB in October 1939. When Canada entered World War II in 1939, the NFB focused on making propaganda films. Many of these films, which Grierson directed, used captured German war footage. These were shown in the then-neutral United States.

Grierson's sister Ruby died in 1940. She was on a ship, the SS City of Benares, that was evacuating children to Canada. The ship was torpedoed and sank. Ruby was in a lifeboat that capsized, and she did not survive. This was a very sad time for Grierson. He resigned from his position in January 1941, but was persuaded to stay for another six months. During his first year, the NFB made 40 films, compared to only one and a half the year before.

During WWII, Grierson also advised Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King as a minister of the Wartime Information Board. He kept both roles for a time. In 1942, Grierson accepted an Academy Award for the NFB film Churchill's Island. He also presented the first-ever Academy Award for Best Documentary.

After the Dieppe Raid, there were reports that German prisoners of war were being treated badly. Grierson suggested the Film Board make a film showing how German prisoners were treated well in Canada. This film was sent to the Swiss Red Cross, who let it fall into German hands. Grierson later learned that Adolf Hitler watched the film and ordered Canadian prisoners to be treated better.

After the war, the NFB focused on films about Canadian life. It became known worldwide for its quality films, winning many Academy Awards. The NFB became one of the largest film studios globally. Grierson also pushed for films to be made in French as well as English. He wanted a French unit within the NFB.

Grierson left his post at the NFB in 1945. In 1946, he was questioned as part of the Gouzenko Affair, which investigated communist spies. Rumors spread that he was involved in a spy ring, which he denied. Because of these rumors, some of his projects were cancelled, and he was prevented from taking an important job at the United Nations.

Other Important Roles

In 1943, Grierson became an adviser to the Commission on Freedom of the Press. This group studied how the press could be free and responsible. Their findings were published in 1947.

At the end of 1946, Grierson was offered a job as head of information at UNESCO. He helped create the Unesco Courier, a publication printed in many languages. He also helped open the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 1947. He left UNESCO in 1948 to return to Britain.

In 1948, Grierson was appointed to lead film operations at the Central Office of Information in Britain. He oversaw the planning, production, and distribution of government films. He left in 1950 because of money limits on the documentaries he wanted to make.

Later, he became an executive producer for Group 3 in 1950. This company made films with government loans. They produced films until 1955, but they often lost money. During this time, Grierson was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1953. He spent time recovering but continued to work from home. He even attended the Cannes Film Festival in 1954.

In 1955, Grierson joined the Films of Scotland Committee. In 1956, he was the president of the jury at the Venice Film Festival. He also won a special Canadian Film Award in 1957. He wrote the script for Seawards the Great Ships, which won an Academy Award in 1961.

This Wonderful World

Grierson hosted a TV show called This Wonderful World. The first episode aired in Scotland on October 11, 1957. It was about how the Forestry Commission replanted a large forest. The show was very popular and ran for eight years. It was often in the Top Ten TV programs in the UK.

In 1961, Grierson was honored with the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In 1962, he was a jury member for the Vancouver International Film Festival. He also received a medal for his contributions to visual arts in Canada. In 1963, he celebrated the 25th anniversary of the National Film Board in Montreal.

In 1965, he was a patron for the Commonwealth Film Festival. In 1967, after a film festival, Grierson became ill with bronchitis. He was diagnosed with emphysema and decided to stop smoking and drinking to improve his health.

Later Life and Legacy

On October 10, 1967, Grierson opened a new primary school in Cambusbarron, where he had lived as a child. The BBC wanted to make a program about him for his 70th birthday, but he turned them down. Still, he received many tributes from around the world. He was given the Golden Thistle Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

In January 1969, Grierson went to Canada to lecture at McGill University. His classes were very popular, with about 700 students. He also lectured at Carleton University. In July 1969, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. A few days earlier, he had opened the Scottish Fisheries Museum.

Grierson was a jury member for the Canadian Film Awards in 1970. In 1971, he traveled around India, promoting the idea of small film production units. He returned to the UK in December 1971. In January 1972, he was diagnosed with lung and liver cancer. He died on February 19, 1972.

According to his wishes, John Grierson was cremated. His ashes, along with those of his brother Anthony, were placed in the sea off the Old Head in Kinsale. Fishing boats sounded their sirens as a tribute.

The Grierson Archive, which holds his papers and work, was opened at the University of Stirling Archives in 1977.

Films Directed by John Grierson

• Drifters (1929)
• Granton Trawler (1934)

Films Produced by John Grierson

• O'er Hill and Dale (1932)
• Industrial Britain (1933)
• Man of Aran (1934)
• Song of Ceylon (1934)
• A Colour Box (1935)
• Housing Problems (1935)
• Coal Face (1935)
• Night Mail (1936)
• The Face of Scotland (1938)
• The Londoners (1939)
• Churchill's Island (1941)
• The Brave Don't Cry (1952)
• Man of Africa (1953)
• This Wonderful World (1957–67)
• Seawards the Great Ships (1960)

Books and Films About Grierson

Books

• Grierson on Documentary (1946)
• John Grierson: A Documentary Biography (1979)

Documentary Films

• John Grierson at the NFT (1959)
• Hitchcock on Grierson (1965), where Alfred Hitchcock talks about Grierson's influence.
• Grierson (1973), a documentary about him by Roger Blais.

Awards Named After John Grierson

Grierson Documentary Film Awards

The Grierson Documentary Film Awards were started in 1972 to honor John Grierson. They celebrate "outstanding films that show integrity, originality, and technical excellence, along with social or cultural importance."

These awards are given out every year in several categories, such as:

• Best Documentary on a Current Issue
• Best Documentary on the Arts
• Best Historical Documentary
• Most Entertaining Documentary
• Best New Filmmaker

Other Awards

The Canadian Film Awards also had a Grierson Award. It was given for "an outstanding contribution to Canadian cinema in the spirit of John Grierson."

See Also

• Edgar Anstey
• Robert Flaherty
• Humphrey Jennings
• Paul Rotha
• Basil Wright

Images for kids

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  John Grierson (right) with Bolivian filmmaker Jorge Ruiz in 1955

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  John Grierson (left), Chairman of the Wartime Information Board, meeting with Ralph Foster, Head of Graphics, National Film Board of Canada, to examine posters for the National Film Board of Canada.