Camera Corner was a five minute television show screened on the Australian National Nine Network (Channel 9 and affiliated regional stations) in the evenings, circa 1965 - 1966. The episodes were recorded by The Film House and Cinesound in Melbourne for Berry Currie Advertising, who handled Kodak's marketing and advertising in Australia.
There are 22 episodes in the Kodak Heritage Collection from which we can learn about past technologies - how to splice film, and exactly how much chemical developer to use, and for how long, when processing a certain film type. These were the activities practiced by amateur photographers and encouraged by Kodak as part of their marketing strategy at that time.
While not infomercials as such, in that they didn't overtly try to sell Kodak products, Camera Corner episodes marketed the company indirectly by promoting the hobby of photography. They used Kodak products and publications in demonstrations, which had the effect of encouraging people to trust and buy the brand. Additionally, Eric Merton, the presenter, is credited on each episode as being the 'Kodak Technical Sales Supervisor'.
Occasionally Merton spoke directly to camera, instructing the audience. However, most episodes were staged as lessons, with Merton as teacher, and 'Jenny', a young female actor, as enthusiastic student, posing questions and making assumptions for Merton to counter. Merton instructed Jenny in picture-taking, film editing, techniques and equipment.
The films provide a glimpse of early Australian television - the experimental 'home-grown' style of community television programming complete with awkward direction and framing (Merton was a tall, imposing figure and often had to stoop to stay in shot, clearly reading from a script in some segments). These films also bring to life specific amateur photography practices, technologies and aesthetics from the 1960s.
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Photography, Advertising, Promotional Materials, Television Production, photography classes
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