F. Percy Smith
Encyclopedia
Frank Percy Smith was a British
naturalist and early nature documentary
pioneer working for Charles Urban
, where he pioneered the use of time lapse and micro cinematography.
. Smith subsequently made To Demonstrate How Spiders Fly
(1909) and The Acrobatic Fly
(1910) before joining the Charles Urban Trading Company
full-time and directing over fifty nature films for the Urban Sciences series, including the pioneering stop-motion film The Birth of a Flower (1910), prior to the outbreak of the First World War.
During the First World War, Smith served as a Naval photographer, shooting aerial views of battlefields for British forces, and made a series of films depicting battles through animated maps, including Fight for the Dardanelles
(1915).
After the war he went to work for British Instructional Films on the Secrets of Nature
series starting in 1922 and made the comedy film The Bedtime Stories of Archie the Ant (1925). He continued to work for BIF into the 30s on the retitled Secrets of Life series, handing the direction of films including Magic Myxies and The World in a Wine-Glass (1931) over to his colleagues Mary Field
and H.R Hewer, while he concentrated on the photography.
He died at his home in Southgate, North London, on 24 March 1945.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
naturalist and early nature documentary
Nature documentary
A natural history film or wildlife film is a documentary film about animals, plants, or other non-human living creatures, usually concentrating on film taken in their natural habitat...
pioneer working for Charles Urban
Charles Urban
Charles Urban was an Anglo-American film producer and distributor, and one of the most significant figures in British cinema before the First World War...
, where he pioneered the use of time lapse and micro cinematography.
Biography
Smith began to photograph the natural world around him while working as a clerk for the British Board of Education, but found his desire to exploit the educational possibilities of film stiffled until his close-up photograph of a bluebottle's tongue caught the attention of film producer Charles UrbanCharles Urban
Charles Urban was an Anglo-American film producer and distributor, and one of the most significant figures in British cinema before the First World War...
. Smith subsequently made To Demonstrate How Spiders Fly
To Demonstrate How Spiders Fly
To Demonstrate How Spiders Fly is a 1909 British short silent animated documentary film, directed by F. Percy Smith, featuring a close-up of an animated model spider throwing its silken thread to take to the air...
(1909) and The Acrobatic Fly
The Acrobatic Fly
The Acrobatic Fly is a 1910 British short silent documentary film, directed by F. Percy Smith, featuring close-ups of a housefly secured to the head of a match and juggling objects with its feet...
(1910) before joining the Charles Urban Trading Company
Charles Urban Trading Company
The Charles Urban Trading Company was formed in 1903 by the Anglo-American film producer Charles Urban. It specialised in travel, educational and scientific film. It made its name with coverage of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5 from Joseph Rosenthal and George Rogers...
full-time and directing over fifty nature films for the Urban Sciences series, including the pioneering stop-motion film The Birth of a Flower (1910), prior to the outbreak of the First World War.
During the First World War, Smith served as a Naval photographer, shooting aerial views of battlefields for British forces, and made a series of films depicting battles through animated maps, including Fight for the Dardanelles
Fight for the Dardanelles
Fight for the Dardanelles is a British silent documentary film, directed by F. Percy Smith and produced and edited by Charles Urban....
(1915).
After the war he went to work for British Instructional Films on the Secrets of Nature
Secrets of Nature
Secrets of Nature is an East German film. It was released in 1950....
series starting in 1922 and made the comedy film The Bedtime Stories of Archie the Ant (1925). He continued to work for BIF into the 30s on the retitled Secrets of Life series, handing the direction of films including Magic Myxies and The World in a Wine-Glass (1931) over to his colleagues Mary Field
Mary Field
Mary Field was an American film actress who primarily appeared in supporting roles.- Early life :She was born in New York City, New York. As a child she never knew her biological parents. During her infancy she was left outside the doors of a church with a note pinned to her saying that her name...
and H.R Hewer, while he concentrated on the photography.
He died at his home in Southgate, North London, on 24 March 1945.
Filmography
- To Demonstrate How Spiders FlyTo Demonstrate How Spiders FlyTo Demonstrate How Spiders Fly is a 1909 British short silent animated documentary film, directed by F. Percy Smith, featuring a close-up of an animated model spider throwing its silken thread to take to the air...
(1909) - The Acrobatic FlyThe Acrobatic FlyThe Acrobatic Fly is a 1910 British short silent documentary film, directed by F. Percy Smith, featuring close-ups of a housefly secured to the head of a match and juggling objects with its feet...
(1910) - The Birth of a Flower (1910)
- The Strength and Agility of InsectsThe Strength and Agility of InsectsThe Strength and Agility of Insects is a 1911 British short silent documentary film, directed by F. Percy Smith, featuring close-ups of a houseflies and other insects secured and juggling various objects with its feet...
(1911) - Fight for the DardanellesFight for the DardanellesFight for the Dardanelles is a British silent documentary film, directed by F. Percy Smith and produced and edited by Charles Urban....
(1915) - The Bedtime Stories of Archie the Ant (1925)