John Grierson (Tom)

John Grierson

John Grierson coined the term documentary in 1926 and was seen as one of the most influential film makers, commonly known as the father of British and Canadian documentary.

Grierson served as a mine sweeper during WW1, after the war ended he went on to graduate from Glasgow University, he then went on to Hollywood where he developed an interest in mass communications

Grierson started his career as a film critic in New York, with a far more abstract view of films he focused on aesthetics and audience responses to films, through this career he developed strong links with directors, and began to scrutinising the film industry of other countries.
Grierson with his expert knowledge of films took his first step into film making, Grierson planned to make a documentary about the great depression to build national morale and national consensus.
Grierson returned to England and was employed on a temporary basis by the Empire Marketing Board to help promote British documentary and it was this promotion that kick started the documentary.
In 1929 Grierson and his camera man Basil Emmott completed his first film Drifters, which he wrote, produced and directed, it follows the north sea fisherman which was radically different to anything being made by the British or American film industry, the reason it was so bold was due to the camera work, by taking and leaving the camera in rugged places, this was a required so that none of the footage would be staged.

After the success of his documentary Grierson decided to move away from film production and worked for the EMB, where he recruited young film makers, in which they formed what we would call modern day British documentary.

Shortly after his career at the EMB, Grierson began to grow tired of the budget confines of the government sponsorship he received, in response he sought getting a private industry that would sponsor his film production, British Gas chose to sponsor his film program more generously, he focused on housing issues in his documentary with the money he received.

In 1938 Grierson was invited to study Canada's film program, he suggested that they make a national coordinating body for the production of films, this would later become the national film board of Canada, Grierson was the first commissioner on the board. When Canada entered WW2 the NFB was tasked with creating propaganda, many of which Grierson directed himself, the NFB today is recognised as making quality film, having received many awards.

In 1957-67 Grierson hosted a Scottish show called Its a Wonderful World that show cased high quality documentary's, the show received a Canadian film award.

Grierson received the following awards.

• Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue
• Best Documentary on the Arts
• Best Historical Documentary
• Best Documentary on Science or the Natural World
• The Frontier Post Award for Most Entertaining Documentary
• Best Drama Documentary
• Best International Cinema Documentary
• Best Newcomer
• Trustees' Award