Oral Histories

How did you pinch a story? Was there political bias in the newsreels? How did censorship work during the Second World War?  These are just some of the many questions answered in these oral histories conducted with newsreel cameramen and sound recordists. These testimonies help us piece together some of the intangibles of the past such as the working culture within newsreel production, how it changed over time and the role of that the union played in this.

Whether it’s talking about faked footage or the four Fs, ‘fashion, football and furry friends’, these five interviews from the BECTU History Project (British Entertainment History Project) provide a unique insight into all aspects of newsreel production and beyond.

No use may be made of any interview material without the permission of the BECTU History Project. Copyright in all interviews is vested in the BECTU History Project and the right to publish some excerpts may not be allowed.