On Film Explained

On Film, Inc was an American industrial film production company in the 1950-60s known for its innovative and award-winning creative productions and advertisements and its roster of talented filmmakers and documentarians.

Robert Bell led the firm, along with his wife Virginia Bell (who also went by Tracy Ward) in operations and creative leadership roles. The film was headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey.

Noted filmmakers associated with the company include Bert Spielvogel, Stan Barkhage, Marcel Rebiere, Richard Miller, Hugh and Suzanne Johnston and Weegee.

Its commercials, "Qualities of Aluminum," for the Aluminum Company Of America were notable for its experimental style and striking visuals.^{[1] [2]} Other clients and campaigns included Ivory soap, Johnson & Johnson, American Airlines ("Alice in Wonderland," 1962), and Newsweek Magazine ("Communicative People," 1957).

Filmography

• Sutures since Lister (1942), for Ethicon Suture Division of Johnson and Johnson^[3]
• The Rh Factor (1954), for the ORTHO RESEARCH FOUND.ATION, and supervised by Dr. Philip Levine, Lasker Award winner and discoverer of the Rh factor^[4]
• Your home as you like it (1956), sponsored bu Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co.
• In the Suburbs
• Radio Free Europe (1956), through the cooperation of the United Stales Department of Defense and sponsored by the Crusade for Freedom^[5]
• The Relaxed Wife (1957), sponored by Pfizer & Co.
• Conversation Crossroads (1958), sponsored by Bell System^[6]
• Tie Tie Go-Round (1959), sponsored by the Chicago Printed String Co, Chris certificate in 7lh Annual Columbus (Ohio) Film Festival^[7]
• Aluminum Is Not Only Aluminum (1959)^[8]
• The New Girl (1960), distributed by the President's Committee on Government Contracts, top award Citizenship and Government films, American Film Festival^[9]
• Pittsburgh^[10] 1959, commissioned by the Pittsburgh Bicentennial Association
• Colors and Textures in Aluminum Finishes
• The Kitchen Keyboard (1961), sponsored by R.T. French^[11]
• Someone's in the Kitchen (1961), sponsored by General Foods, Award to a Motion Picture Reflecting the Corporate Image^[12]
• What is a Painting? (1963), sponsored by Book of the Month Club, Silver Award, San Francisco International Film Festival^[13]
• Did You Hear What I Said? (1966)
  

External links

The New Girl

Did You Hear What I Said?

In the Suburbs

Notes and References

1. "Tv commercials festival award winners: Top award to FSR for ALCOA's 'Qualities of Aluminim' series," Broadcasting, May 7, 1962, p.32.
2. "Inspiration in Visual Design: Alcoa's Fine Film on Color and Texture in Finishes Pays Silent Tribute to Audiences of Architects and Designers," Business Screen Magazine, 3(18), 1957, p.37
3. The National Union Catalog: A Cumulative Author List Representing

   Library of Congress Printed Cards and Titles Reported by Other American Libraries, 1953-1957 VOLUME 28 MOTION PICTURES AND FILMSTRIPS Rowman and Littlefield, Inc.: Paterson, New Jersey 1961, p.807.

4. Educational Screen March 1954, p.120.
5. "Crusade for Freedom Film Exposes Red Film Propaganda," Business Screen Magazine 1(17), 1956, p.40.
6. The National Union Catalog: A Cumulative Author List Representing Library of Congress Printed Cards and Titles Reported by Other American Libraries, 1958-1962 VOLUME 53 MOTION PICTURES AND FILMSTRIPS PART ONE: TITLES ROWMAN AND LITTLEFIELD, INC: NEW YORK, NY. 1963, p. 146.
7. "Chris Awards Honors Business Films," Business Screen Magazine 2(20), 1959, p.27.
8. "'Something Extra' from ALCOA," Business Screen Magazine 4(20), 1959, p. 34.
9. "Blue Ribbon Awards to Sponsored Films," Business Screen Magazine 2(21),1960, p. 27.
10. Kilcoyne . Sean P. . 2012 . PITTSBURGH (1959): “Equilibriums of Paradox” and the Bicentennial City of Tomorrow . The Moving Image: The Journal of the Association of Moving Image Archivists . 12 . 2 . 70–94 . 10.5749/movingimage.12.2.0070 . 1532-3978.
11. "An Appetizing View of Seasoning's Role in Cookery: Housewives, Home ECGroups Learn Aboul Spices and Herbs from R. T. French," Business Screen Magazine 2(22), 1961, p. 32.
12. "The Eight Annual National Visual Presentation Awards," Business Screen Magazine 3(22), 1961, p.66.
13. "The Award-Winning Pictures of the Year," Business Screen Magazine 8(23), 1963, p.34.