Business screen magazine (1938)

film entitled Back to the Farm in 1911. The first Harvester film starred Beverly Bajiie, famed star of that era, and was as popular as its descendants witli rural audiences. The advantages of modern farm equipment were pictured. The motif is changed somewhat todav hut the motive remains the same. Hanester produces on a large scale to aid its selling organization. For machinery demonstrations, the medium is unexcelled and Harvester's dealers are able to bring to their customers, field perfomiances of their equipment — now an indispensable element in the local sales program. Harvester's use of pictures in 1911 practically dates the application of this medium to industrial and advertising uses except for isolated experimental attempts. Since that time. Harvester officials say, their pictures have been produced in great variety and each individual picture has had its specific purpose. Sales promotion, institutional publicity, sales organization training and entertainment have all figured largely in the Harvester film program. In the davs of its silent films. Harvester's picture production was handled entirely within its own organization except for laboratory work and some photography. Before the introduction of sound. Harvester had built up a sizeable library of silent motion picture films covering the activities of tlie Company. With the introduction of sound, the Company abandoned its silent film program and began to build a new library of sound films. The Company's sound picture program has made it necessary for Harvester to rely on the services of industrial film specialists and the Company for the first time assigned complete production of several films to studio organizations. Control and supervision of narrative ideas and sales objectives however is carefully maintained by Harv'ester. Mr. L. A. Hawkins of the Chicago headquarters office is in charge of the visual program. The method of distribution of these films has been made more or less standard. Pictures produced each year are made for the primary purpose of showing at "power-farming entertaimnents," which are held in fami communities during the winter montlis. Harvester dealers hold these entertainments in cooperation with the regional branch house organization. These programs are arranged with the use of equipment which is maintained at each of tliese regional branch houses. At the close of tlie season, prints are returned to the Companv for distribution tlirough various motion picture film circulation chaimels to schools, colleges, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, theatres, etc. But all motion picture projection equipment remains at the branches and it is the duty of one of the men in each branch house organization to make local arrangements for the showing of films throughout the rest of the year. While films produced each year follow closely the anticipated sales organization. Harvester does not make a definite attempt to tie up its films with other advertising activities. Neither does the Company consider the direct sale of equipment an important aim for its film program. Altliough tliis occurs from time to time, the films are considered as sales promotional backgroimd which definitely assists salesmen and dealers in closing their orders. Entertainment is an important element in all Harvester productions. Pictures made in the rice fields of Louisiana are popular w ith the wheat farmers of South Dakota and Canada. Likewise, an interchange of subject material brings supplementary entertainment to relieve direct selling films. Harvester publishes a promotional booklet entitled the "Short Course Plan. A Community Meeting for Farm 15