YOUR CHANCE TO LIVE NUCLEAR DISASTER

Year Published: 1972

Format: 16mm

Description: This 1972 color educational propaganda film about emergency preparedness for a nuclear attack was presented by the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency in Washington, D.C., with the cooperation of the California Office of Emergency Services. It was produced by Screenscope, Inc. and narrated by actor Peter Thomas. The film provides its message by showing the process for making the film. The scene opens at the Washing Memorial reflection pool. Two girls in winter coats play. A man on a bicycle arrives. A parent stands with children. A woman walks a dog. A nuclear explosion is shown from the air. The film crew gives the actors instructions on how to react to the explosion. They edit the footage in a studio and discuss it. They play the emergency warning siren (:09-5:36). The narrator, Peter Thomas, sits in a studio and reads the script into a microphone while the producer evaluates how the emergency preparedness words are spoken (5:38-10:18). The film crew moves to a location with the White House in the background as snow falls on them. The narrator is fitted with his microphone and the clapperboard used. He talks about the best way to survive a nuclear emergency is to be prepared. The sirens go off. The film crew isn’t making the noise; they react as though it is real (10:20-14:11).

Complete Record:

Transcription

after more than six months peace talks between the major Powers have just broken off after an hour and a half of a planned three-hour session this morning members of both delegation stalked out of the conference room grimaced none of the delegates would speak to reporters so at this point it is only conjecture as to what caused the rupture but the disagreement obviously was serious confidential sources close to the talks report [Music] cut cut cut save the lights people come over here come over here okay look fine that was very good we heard the radio report and everybody was very nalon about that we've heard that same report a thousand times nobody's going to bomb us there's no nothing going to go on and everybody was very natural but look when the bomb goes off it's the real thing you'll feel the heat you'll hear the noise eventually it'll be absolutely incredible Larry don't eat your donut you've never seen anything in your life like it but I'm hungry but you're hungry I know okay the the important thing is the reaction there's a horrible horrible disaster and somehow Or Another We're going to have to portray it in your faces folks out the first day on the set the moment of truth so to speak when the director and writer and producer finally gets a chance to see their ideas translated into the film medium okay okay very good get get the St get somebody else to get it for you often however the start of a new production provides these unexpected moments of sheer frustration cut try it again and change your aim congratulations you finally made it okay okay very good now Allison not too soon okay now grab it for us the challenge to create a film about nuclear disaster is probably the most difficult in the your chance to live series uh we feel as if the audience is quite apathetic about the potential and reality of a real nuclear attack okay let's get reaction shots now react more keep reacting come on now good good come on look serious okay who's next hey Larry okay Larry oh Larry come on look serious looks SC okay let's get some more reaction shots Larry can we get Alison can we get Alis George okay let's get Alis okay it's 14 okay Alice we want you to look scared as if the bomb just went off can you do that sweetheart yeah okay I can't do it but I'm not really scared you're not really scared oh do you know what a bomb is yes of course I do what is a bomb thing that goes up in there and comes down and kills people okay I'll tell you what Marilyn I don't I don't want to use her she's too precious okay you ready Neil ready okay lights PA you're okay yeah okay look okay starting positions [Music] at last after 3 days of location photography we were finally ready to analyze the footage in preparation for writing the narration script here comes the new animation looks good good what direction will the script take here well first we ought to talk about radiation and then Fallout shelters yeah good that should fall about here and here we'll talk about um how to Stock A um a fallout shelter I assume yeah we'll pick that point up right about here yeah I think we should pick it up right about here it' be much better looks nice what follows will be the uh sequence dealing with supplying the uh the shelter with basic necessities I assume right we'll pick that up here good speed it up Elsa will you please let's hear the audio track with the Sirens please [Music] it's devastating isn't it well let's see what happens when Peter Thomas gets his hands on the narration he'll make it sing okay Peter let's let's take that section again let's take it from the top uh same same emotion it's pretty good you want to put the change in this time wait for the next tap uh let's do it this time uh I'd like to ask you about the interpretation there two or three ways we could do this like a profit of Doom we could do it like a reporter and sort of factual or maybe underplay it very casual but the words are so so frightening I I'm not sure which way to go on this what do you think I think we better do it softly I'm afraid I don't want to scare them in the beginning this this U narration is over the beginning of the film yeah and later on we'll scare the hell out of them but let's let's do it the low key now underplay I got you okay no time problem no a warning that hopefully will never be heard but one which should be familiar is a series of 3 to 5 minute wavering sounds on the sirens or a series of short blasts on whistles horns or other devices this means that an actual enemy attack against the United States has been detected and that protective action should be initiated immediately the amount of time you and your family will have to prepare yourselves could be as little as 5 minutes in some locations or as long as an hour in others regardless of the amount of time you have use it wisely and Peter on use it wisely can you give us a um a change of emphasis yeah you're right use it wisely let me try it again you want it from the top or in the middle okay uh roll into it okay all right the amount of time you and your family will have to prepare yourselves could be as little as 5 minutes or in some locations as long as an hour regardless of the amount of time you have use it wisely in calm preparation take advantage of the warning you get immediately turn on the radio and follow the official instructions you hear yeah that's good okay maybe a little heavy would kill it huh yeah I think let's let's go on to the next section and uh here it gets a little heavier we're talking we're trying to uh emphasize the uh the magnitude of the blast and whatnot yeah and there again you know you could scare people with all the horrible details what do you think still underplay it yeah marily I think so yeah yeah it's hard to really underplay because the words are so strong you know and uh well let's let's give it a whir and see what we can come up with the picture here I know you haven't seen it you're doing it wild the picture will show mushrooms and will show U Devastation and uh as opposed to all of the others films we've been doing the devastation here is quite frightening mhm so sort of counter pointed by yeah if we are heavy and the picture is heavy then it'll be just doomsday right to coin a phrase yeah I think the the signif the the significance here is that I think we want the audience to recognize that they have a personal responsibility to themselves and to their community and it's really it's right near the end of the film and it's really a windup leading towards the uh the very emotional end of the film okay now let's try it again please right it is obvious that the aftermath of a nuclear attack will not be a pretty sight but survival of the blast requires each citizen to act with common sense and responsibility for each individual must become part of an effort to to get the community and the nation back to normal as quickly as possible that's pretty frightening what do you think Al you in there yeah hold it um I I have I have a funny feeling that um the rest of the narration should be out on location I don't think we should do it as voice over I think that we have to go back to a location go back to some that um becomes significant what do you think R what do you suggest um well we we we shot before in front of Lincoln and then we head Washington Memorial and all I was thinking of something like either the capital White House something like that well as long as we're doing it why don't we try for the White House yeah the White House yeah I like it okay can we get the White House sure yeah let me call up in Peter got some changes uh Peter okay you're not going to believe it but uh we're moving location you're what moving location moving location where to have you been to the White House I've passed it I've never been there we is that where we going we may here we are in beautiful downtown Washington are you sure you want to make this on camera yeah come on Peter we made the White House look at the fall out beautiful let's go back to Rodell okay you ready okay I'm ready okay you want to do a sound level let's get yeah checking 1 two 3 here we are in front of the White House it look okay okay focus focus I to SL all right you ready do a SL that's all right part of the atmosphere are we ready no okay nucular disaster same same 33 take one roll one roll four okay we start wi right okay the thought of a nuclear attack and its aftermath is so terrible let me see if I can get this on okay look okay okay you going to pick up rattle in the jacket Dan how is that you got anything it's okay you want to give me a level one two checking here we are in downtown Washington okay want to do a slate on this you got the is okay Jo yeah I've been rolling okay very good nuclear disaster SC 33 take one roll okay ready the thought of a nuclear attack and its aftermath is so terrible that most people have put it out of their minds but not thinking about it and not really thinking seriously about it it will not make a danger disappear it only makes well preparation impossible and this can be fatal for Preparation which of course can save your life can only be done in advance of an emergency situation hoping to really prepare when something unexpected occurs is feudal because they can stop trying to do let's wait let stop wait until it stops okay okay yeah some luck oh we can always shot over [Applause] it yeah how about that's but not thinking what do you think [Music] w [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music]


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