Mary Field
- Known for
- Directing
- Born
- January 1, 1896
- Died
- December 23, 1968 (aged 72)
- Birthplace
- Wimbledon, London, England, UK
Biography
British director and screen writer, she is not to be confused with the American actress of the same name. Mary Field is best known for directing short educational and nature films. Field became the series director of Secrets of Nature in 1929. Previously a history teacher, she joined the film industry as an historical consultant in 1925, working for British Instructional Films. Although she had no training in science or filmmaking, Field quickly proved herself to be a first-class film director, developing a unique style that fused education and instruction. Field insisted that nature films were more than just a series of impressive images: they were the result of a painstaking process that involved scriptwriting, editing, filming, cutting and montage and synchronisation, as well as the collaboration of expert consultants. She continued to direct nature films under the new title Secrets of Life from 1934 when her production team, led by H. Bruce Woolfe, moved from British Instructional Films to Gaumont-British instructional. During the Second World War, she put her skills to work in producing public information films for the British government and was later commissioned to produce a series of educational films for the British Council. Field was a pioneer in understanding how children related to the cinema, and spearheaded attempts to adapt films to their taste. Her 1954 Carnegie report, Children and Films: A Study of Boys and Girls in the Cinema, investigated the reactions of children to a series of films by means of infra-red photography. Previous reports into children’s reactions to cinema had been based on questionnaires. Field had been interested in audience’s reactions long before this – as early as the late 1920s, she was adapting many of the Secrets of Nature films based on audience feedback.
Known For
Filmography
Father of the Family
Movie · Director
The Rock Pool
Movie · Director
Ebb-tide
Movie · Director
Memories
Movie · Director
Tongues and Tails
Movie · Director
Polly All Alone
Movie · Director
Development of the Rabbit
Movie · Director
Kew and Me
Movie · Director
Development of the English Town
Movie · Director
The Life Cycle of the Pin Mould
Movie · Director
History of the English Language
Movie · Director
The Life History of the Onion
Movie · Director
Double Thread
Movie · Director
Once We Were Four
Movie · Director
Overlooked
Movie · Director
Singing While They Work
Movie · Director
Market Town
Movie · Director
The Life Cycle of the Maize
Movie · Director
The Life Cycle of the Newt
Movie · Director
Down Somerset Way
Movie · Director
U-Boat in the Pond
Movie · Director
Climbers
Movie · Director
On The Heath
Movie · Director
On The Moor
Movie · Director
Over The Downs
Movie · Director
Mrs. T. and Her Cabbage Patch
Movie · Director
Atlantic
Movie · Director
Civilian Front
Movie · Director
Wisdom of the Wild
Movie · Director
4 and 20 Fit Girls
Movie · Director
48, Paddington Street
Movie · Director
Why A Sponge
Movie · Director
Shadow in the Stream
Movie · Director
Ducks and Drakes
Movie · Director
Two Little Orphans
Movie · Director
Old Blue
Movie · Director
Water Baby
Movie · Director
They Made the Land
Movie · Director
The Catch of the Season
Movie · Director
The Tough 'un
Movie · Director
Kings in Exile
Movie · Director
Perky Cockney
Movie · Director
Living in London
Movie · Director
See How They Run
Movie · Director
Home in the Heather
Movie · Director
Swan Song
Movie · Director
Over and Under
Movie · Director
Three Wicked Sisters
Movie · Director
Far and Wide
Movie · Director
Queering The Pitch
Movie · Director
Hereford Pedigree Cattle
Movie · Director
Somersetshire Dairy-Farming
Movie · Director
Devon Dairy Farming
Movie · Director
Nursery Island
Movie · Director
London Visitors
Movie · Director
Safety First
Movie · Director
Bird Sanctuary
Movie · Director
Lupins
Movie · Director
He Would a-Wooing Go
Movie · Director
Home in the Valley
Movie · Director
Community Life
Movie · Director
New Generation
Movie · Director
Life in the Balance
Movie · Director
Tawny Owl
Movie · Director
Sawfly
Movie · Director
Fish Face
Movie · Director
Home from the South
Movie · Director
Living Lies
Movie · Director
Farming in Spring
Movie · Director
Farming in Winter
Movie · Director
Farming in Autumn
Movie · Director
Farming in Summer
Movie · Director
This Was England
Movie · Director
Thistledown
Movie · Director
Baby on the Rocks
Movie · Director
We Are Seven
Movie · Director
Mixed Bathing
Movie · Director
A Queer Diet
Movie · Director
Ravenous Roger
Movie · Director
White Flies and Tomatoes
Movie · Director
Hedgerows
Movie · Director
Cabbage
Movie · Director
Roots
Movie · Director
Fruitlands of Kent
Movie · Director
Gathering Moss
Movie · Director
The Changing Year
Movie · Director
Romance in a Pond
Movie · Director
Water Folk
Movie · Director
Nature's Double Lifters
Movie · Director
The Mystery of Marriage
Movie · Director
The World in a Wine-Glass
Movie · Director
Magic Myxies
Movie · Director
Friendly Flies
Movie · Director
Strictly Business
Movie · Director
Any Evening After Work
Movie · Director
The Aphis
Movie · Director
Peas and Cues
Movie · Director
Playtime at The Zoo
Movie · Director
Plants of the Underworld
Movie · Director
Deferred Payment
Movie · Director
The Irresponsibles
Movie · Director
Plant Magic
Movie · Director
The Story of a Glass of Water
Movie · Director
Paws and Claws
Movie · Director
Winter
Movie · Director