The Social Seminar
Encyclopedia
The Social Seminar is a series of educational films for adults produced by the Extension Media Center of the University of California at Los Angeles in the early 1970s. The series was executive produced by Gary Schlosser
, an Oscar-nominated producer of short-subject documentaries. The films were distributed nationally, for example to state educational film offices. The series was produced for the National Institute of Mental Health
as a "multi-media training series."
Five episodes of The Social Seminar are known to have been produced: "Buddy," "Guy," "Teddy," "Tom," and "Changing." Each depicted, in a cinema-verite style without voiceover or introduction, aspects of the lives of a selected person or family as they dealt with personal, interpersonal and societal change. The episode "Changing," for example, showed how one man's reevaluation of his life and social standing led to his becoming a "hippie" in the eyes of his family and coworkers; though his home life was enhanced, he found himself increasingly socially isolated.
The films are now part of the Prelinger Archive and are available freely online. In June 2011, "Changing" was featured on the Turner Classic Movies
series TCM Underground
.
Gary Schlosser
Gary Schlosser is a film producer who was most active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He is best known for co-producing the 1966 film Cowboy, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary, Short Subjects in 1967...
, an Oscar-nominated producer of short-subject documentaries. The films were distributed nationally, for example to state educational film offices. The series was produced for the National Institute of Mental Health
National Institute of Mental Health
The National Institute of Mental Health is one of 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health...
as a "multi-media training series."
Five episodes of The Social Seminar are known to have been produced: "Buddy," "Guy," "Teddy," "Tom," and "Changing." Each depicted, in a cinema-verite style without voiceover or introduction, aspects of the lives of a selected person or family as they dealt with personal, interpersonal and societal change. The episode "Changing," for example, showed how one man's reevaluation of his life and social standing led to his becoming a "hippie" in the eyes of his family and coworkers; though his home life was enhanced, he found himself increasingly socially isolated.
The films are now part of the Prelinger Archive and are available freely online. In June 2011, "Changing" was featured on the Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
series TCM Underground
TCM Underground
TCM Underground is a weekly late-night cult film showcase airing on Turner Classic Movies. Developed by TCM programmers Millie De Chirico and Eric Weber, it was originally hosted by industrial rock/heavy metal musician and independent filmmaker Rob Zombie. TCM Underground began airing Friday the...
.