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All Done By Electricity

1968 , Rickmansworth (Hertfordshire)

Cat no. 3061

An explanation of how electrical circuits are formed and a warning about the potential dangers in the home.

A film outlining the potential dangers of electricity in the home. An award-winning film in a Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) competition, the film explains how electrical circuits can be formed and the dangers that might arise if electrical appliances are poorly maintained or installed. Making use of animated sequences as well as a humorously played case study, the film emphasises the importance of correctly earthing appliances, especially in the kitchen. The film begins with an anecdote about an illusionist in a theatre, levitating a woman, and the sceptical comment by a woman in the audience. It concludes with the failure of the illusion. Both scenes humorously played by the filmmakers. The film also includes sequences in which Francis Williams with the aid of simple demonstrations and animations directly addresses the camera in order to explain how electrical circuits are formed and illustrates the danger of live wires in the home, especially in the kitchen. Francis Williams demonstrates with a light bulb how circuits work with a live and neutral wire. The film uses simple animations to illustrate how an individual by touching live and neutral wires can be electrocuted (completing the circuit like the lightbulb), and also animations to illustrate how an individual might complete an electrical circuit in other ways by touching something metallic out of the damp soil, or by standing on a damp floor. Francis Williams refers to the importance of not having any exposed live wires in the kitchen and uses a poorly wired iron to demonstrate the importance of the earth wire in a 3pin plug as a safety mechanism. The film concludes with a role-play to demonstrate the importance of ensuring the earth wire in a 3pin socket is correctly earthed. Francis and Edith Williams play the roles of a keen DIY householder and his wife respectively to illustrate how a frayed cable on an iron and an incorrectly installed earth wire on a 3 pin socket might lead to a fatality. Shots include: examples of electric appliances in the late 1960s house - light switch/ light, vacuum cleaner, kettle and a spin dryer. The film also possibly includes shots of the Williams’ own kitchen.

Keywords

Home safety; Health and safety; Electricity; Electrical circuits; Electrocution; Electrical wiring; Accidents; Public service announcement; PSA; Science; Physics; Magic; Accident

Background Information

Film produced for Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents competition.

  • Maker : Francis Williams

  • Maker : Edith Williams

  • Script : Francis Williams

  • Script : Edith Williams

  • Illusionist/ magician Francis E Williams

  • DIY householder/ Man in bath Francis E Williams

  • Illusionist's assistant Edith F Williams

  • Housewife Edith F Williams

Manifestations

All Done By Electricity

  • Award:
    • Group 1:
      • Note: Awards (data migration 25/06/2021): Movie Maker Ten Best Film Competition, Ten Best winner, 1969; Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents – Movie Maker competition, Home Safety Group, 1st prize, 16mm sound section, 1968.

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