Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive's collections of magic lantern slides, films, videos and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource.
This film is part of Free

Land Clearance on the Farm
Kathleen Arrowsmith's lovely colour film captures how once back-breaking rural tasks were made much easier with some mechanical assistance
From the collection of:

Overview
Kathleen Arrowsmith's short colour film, made during the first winter of the war, shows how the necessary task of land clearance was made much easier by the use of a TracTractTor T20 caterpillar tractor. We see it pull up large numbers of small trees and bushes, which are then burnt on site, as the farmer creates new fields for future cultivation of the land under wartime conditions.
Mrs Kathleen Arrowsmith mainly filmed at Warren Farm near Streatley in Berkshire. Her films provide a vivid portrait of rural life on a working farm in 1930s Berkshire. Many of her films feature traditional hand and steam-powered mechanical farming techniques used to harvest wheat and other crops like vegetables. Her later films feature views of larger vehicles of the period, as well as views of rearing livestock and a variety of breeds of working horses on the family farm. The TracTracTor T20, which features in this film, was made by the International Harvester company, which began to produce the model in 1931.
Related

Horse Transport Horse Transport
Amateur film 1938 4 mins Silent Location: Streatley
Kathleen Arrowsmith's colourful compilation features horses, the Great Western Railway, harvesting, babies and a large herd of cows

Hay Making & the Royal Show Hay Making & the Royal Show
Amateur film 1937 4 mins Silent Location: Streatley
Bygone Britain is revealed in this rural delight where hay is stacked with pitchforks and some very heavy horses aim to be Best in Show

Traction Engines and Cultivators Traction Engines and Cultivators
Amateur film 1938 4 mins Silent Location: Streatley
A vanished vision of farm life straight out of Thomas Hardy - in glorious colour - with smoking steam engines, bouncy lambs and a very frisky foal

Alexandre Desplat (Masterclass) Alexandre Desplat (Masterclass)
Inside Film 2011 33 mins
Over 30 years and 150 projects, the composer shares, with humour and passion, the intricacies of making film music.

Ian Neil (Masterclass) Ian Neil (Masterclass)
Inside Film 2012 74 mins
Neil selected soundtracks for 127 Hours, Shame, Kick Ass, Control and many more. He discusses the job and its complexities, referencing his own work.

Screenwriters' Lecture: Peter Straughan Screenwriters' Lecture: Peter Straughan
Inside Film 2012 mins
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy's adapter reveals his quest for "the poem of the book" and the importance of simplicity: 'Drain the pond to find the fish'.

Screenwriters' Lecture with Brian Helgeland Screenwriters' Lecture with Brian Helgeland
Inside Film 2012 27 mins
L.A. Confidential's screenwriter explains why he thinks writer's block is a myth, and reveals Clint Eastwood's unique powers of persuasion.

Olivier Assayas (Masterclass) Olivier Assayas (Masterclass)
Inside Film 2010 41 mins
Irma Vep writer/director Assayas moved from film journalism to filmmaking – a fascinating journey told with disarming honesty to Jonathan Romney.

Roger Corman in Conversation Roger Corman in Conversation
Inside Film 2013 61 mins
Jack Nicholson, Boris Karloff, Francis Coppola and making movies in five days – prepare yourself for Corman wisdom.