About 15 years ago, I saw a film on PBS (probably) about a movie theater operator in South Dakota circa 1937 who owned a good motion picture camera outfit, and he would film local happenings-- parades, fairs, high school sports. People liked to come to his theater and watch themselves in his custom shorts before the features. The preserved films are a good "slice of life" from the time.
I'd like to find it, but I have no idea of the title.