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Screen Test
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- For the method of evaluating an actor/actress's on-film performance, see Screen test.
Screen Test was a UK children's quiz show about films, and was broadcast from 1969 to 1984 on BBC1. It was presented by Michael Rodd until 1978, then by Brian Trueman from 1979 until 1983, with Mark Curry presenting the final series in 1984.
it was launched in 1969, Screen Test was one of the earliest children's TV quizzes in the UK, and it was originally intended to be transmitted during Blue Peters annual break.
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Encyclopedia
- For the method of evaluating an actor/actress's on-film performance, see Screen test.
Screen Test was a UK children's quiz show about films, and was broadcast from 1969 to 1984 on BBC1. It was presented by Michael Rodd until 1978, then by Brian Trueman from 1979 until 1983, with Mark Curry presenting the final series in 1984.
Background
When it was launched in 1969, Screen Test was one of the earliest children's TV quizzes in the UK, and it was originally intended to be transmitted during Blue Peters annual break. As Michael Rodd commented in 2001 on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows, "We made five programmes originally in black and white, which were going to go into the summer slot that Blue Peter left when they all went on holiday. Then, we made the next five in colour (at the time BBC2 was the only colour channel available in the UK) — so we knew we'd really arrived then!"
After a successful run of 15 years, viewing figures began to fall by the early 1980s. At this point, the BBC decided that the series had run its course, and in 1984 Screen Test was dropped to herald in a new era of kids' TV shows including the BBC's popular Beat the Teacher and ITV's successful Blockbusters.
Programme content
Contestants were shown a series of film clips, with each one being followed by a series of questions either specifically about the content of the clip or more generally about the film from which it came. Most episodes also included a clip from a film made by the Children's Film Foundation.
Aside from the quiz, the programme also featured a young film-makers' competition. Viewers were invited to send in films they had made themselves to be judged by anonymous experts. The prize at stake was a selection of camera gear and other equipment. This competition was first introduced in the 1973 series. In 2001, Michael Rodd commented on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows that it was included because "with Screen Test only being shown once a week, and with only four contestants each week, there were thousands of young people who could not possibly ever take part in the programme, so the BBC decided to launch a competition to encourage viewers to take an interest in making their own films." The Oscar-winning Jan Pinkava was the winner of the 1980 series with his film The Rainbow. Runners up were awarded with a sophisticated looking certificate of merit that would be sent in the mail. One of the young film makers, Will Bilton, reported that, after his 8 mm animated film Gus & Guzzles was broadcast on 4 November 1984 in the final series before Screen Test was cancelled, he received an unexpected cheque of £15. This motivated him to continue with his career in animation.
The clips of Disney films in Screen Test (also in The Wonderful World of Disney and Disney Time) provided the UK audience with much of its exposure to them, as they were not shown on British television during the programme's run.
The programme's military-style introductory theme tune was called "Marching There and Back", composed by Syd Dale.
In popular culture
The 2007 film Son of Rambow features a pair of young film-makers; they attempt to create their own movie after being inspired by the Screen Test competition.
Transmission guide
- Series 1: 10 editions, 18 November 1970 – 27 January 1971
- Series 2: 10 editions, 22 September 1971 – 24 November 1971
- Special: 24 December 1971
- Series 3: 11 editions, 7 April 1972 – 16 June 1972
- Series 4: 7 editions, 3 January 1973 – 14 February 1973
- Series 5: 12 editions, 25 September 1973 – 1 January 1974
- Series 6: 8 editions, 29 May 1974 – 17 July 1974
- Series 7: 11 editions, 12 September 1974 – 18 November 1974
- Christmas Special: 23 December 1974
- Series 8: 8 editions, 7 July 1975 – 25 August 1975
- Champion of Champions: 1 September 1975
- Series 9: 11 editions, 31 December 1975 – 10 March 1976
- Series 10: 11 editions, 28 May 1976 – 6 August 1976
- Series 11: 11 editions, 30 December 1976 – 10 March 1977
- Series 12: 11 editions, 20 May 1977 – 29 July 1977
- Series 13: 13 editions, 4 January 1978 – 29 March 1978
- Series 14: 11 editions, 7 November 1978 – 23 January 1979
- Series 15: 11 editions, 5 April 1979 – 14 June 1979
- Series 16: 11 editions, 15 November 1979 – 31 January 1980
- Series 17: 11 editions, 7 October 1980 – 16 December 1980
- Series 18: 11 editions, 22 September 1981 – 1 December 1981
- Series 19: 13 editions, 5 October 1982 – 29 December 1982
- Series 20: 10 editions, 5 October 1983 – 14 December 1983
- Champion of Champions: 21 December 1983
- Series 21: 11 editions, 3 October 1984 – 13 December 1984
- Christmas special: 21 December 1984
Screen Test: Calling Young Film Makers! :Series 1: 5 editions, 18 June 1977 – 17 June 1977Screen Test: Calling Young Film Makers! :Series 2: 3 editions, 20 May 1978 – 25 June 1978
External links
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