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Title: DUNDEE COURIER: Production of a Great Daily Newspaper

Reference number: 1604

Date: 1911

Sponsor: D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd.

Production company: Gaumont

Sound: silent

Original format: 35mm

Colour: bw

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 18.50 mins

Description: Commissioned to celebrate the Dundee Courier's 50 years as a daily newspaper, the film illustrates the various newspaper activities from reporting, editing, setting the linotype to the final printing.

Premiered at the New Electric Theatre, Nethergate, 6th March, 1911.

See additional information file and press cuttings:

Shotlist: Title. The production of a great daily newspaper (.07) A tour through the offices of the "Dundee Courier", "Weekly News", and kindred publications (.12) Through Dundee to the "Courier" offices (.16) general street scenes of Dundee city centre including High Street, shots of horse-drawn carts and trams, etc. the Clydesdale Bank under construction, Murraygate, Wellgate, Panmure Street (1.22) ext. shot of the "Courier" building (1.28) Editorial entrance general views of the entrance and shots as Mr D.C. Thomson himself arrives at the wheel of his motor car (1.45) ext. shot of the "Courier" building and close-up of an electric street lamp on wall, the first of its kind installed in the city (2.08) Reporters at the football ground (2.11) general views in the press box and of the football match between Dundee and Raith Rovers at Dens Park, Dundee (2.58) The sub-editors receiving news. (3.01) gvs in the sub-editors' office (3.31) Mr. Mitchell the editor of the "Courier" (President of the Institute of Journalists) discusses a point with the advertising manager (3.37) Shot of same (3.56) How your want ad is handled. Note the adverts being sent by pneumatic tube from the counter to the typesetting room, five floors above (4.05) gvs in the sales office of the advertising department (4.35) Section of the business office (4.39) gvs in a large office (4.44) Comps at supper, 10.30pm (4.46) gvs of men at large table and shot of two men making tea (5.16) Half an hour later (5.18) shots of men at the table (5.27) The case room overser receiving and distributing copy to be set up in type (5.31) shots of same (5.43) The linotype installed (5.45) gvs of typesetters at work (6.01) The linotype. This machine revolutionised typesetting, and is capable of setting up to 250 letters per minute, ie. 300 lines per hour. As the operator touches the keys, the letters fall from their places in the magazine and are carried along bars to the mould (6.08) c/u of a type-setter at work (6.15) There is a pot of molten metal behind the mould and as the letters are held in position, a plunger forces a narrow stream of metal to take the impression of the letters and the linotype is then delivered complete (6.22) Shot of same (6.29) Locking up the last page and dispatching to the stereotyping room (6.33) Shot of same and close-up of typeset of the front page, 21st May, 1911 (7.15) In the stereotyping room, a sheet of soft wet cardboard called the flong is placed on a page of type and an impression is taken by means of beating and mangling the flong. Then dried in the steam press. Shots of same (8.12) The flong is now placed in a circular moulding box and molten lead is pumped in. The metal whilst setting takes the impression from the flong. Shots same. (8.50) Cutting and trimming the plates. gvs men putting plates into a cutting machine and close-up of machine working (9.20)The plates being despatched by lift, all ready for the printing room, shots of same (9.32) Receiving the plate in the press room. Shot same (9.41) Putting the last plate on the press and starting up, one of the presses producing the "Courier" cut, folded and counted at the rate of 800 per minute i.e. 48,000 per hour. Shot of same and close-up of the press (10.29) The Dundee battery of presses, produces "The Courier", "The Evening Telegraph" and "Post" and several editions of the "Weekly News". gvs of presses (10.49) In our Glasgow works another battery of presses is fully employed printing the other editions of "The Weekly News", "The Red Letter", "The Weekly Welcome" and "The Red Rose Magazine". general shots of men working at presses (11.26) The "Courier" being delivered at 48,000 copies per hour. Close-up of man sorting papers from press (12.03) Paper arriving, each roll 3 miles long. Shots of horse-drawn carts arriving with rolls of paper (12.44) close-up of men unloading paper (12.49) More paper wanted. Close-up of men unloading paper (12.49) More paper wanted. Close-up of men loading paper into the presses (13.29) A corner of the despatching room. gvs of men wrapping bundles of newspapers (14.17) Country parcels off to the station. gvs of men and boys loading papers into enclosed horse-drawn carts (14.35) The horses and carts pass through Dundee streets (1.451) Street-sellers waiting for supplies. gvs of boys and girls (15.19) "Xtra speshul" Shots of the boys and girls running past the camera with their bundles of newspapers (16.14) "Courier" train on the Tay Bridge. Shot of same and c/u of the train (16.53) Enjoyed by everyone. gvs of people reading the "Courier", including shot of a small boy smoking (17.20)