Business screen magazine (1938)

there's to be a picture shown. Tliey sit down, see the picture, then talk about their normal daily problems, and go home! If the picture was a particularly good one. they may make a few comments about it. Contrast this with the same group who are notified in nine or ten different, successive, inexpensive ways over a period of three weeks to three months that this picture is coming. They are warned long in advance to cancel all conflicting engagements. Mention is made in house organs, bulletins, mimeographed letters, post cards addressed to their homes, and posters hung on the bulletin board. When they enter the meeting hall, some local official precedes the film showing b.v pointing out the importance of the particular sales proldem that this picture bears on. He tells something of what brought it into being. He indicates the very real value they can get from it if they look for certain things at certain times. He indicates that it presents suggestions and ideas that they can put to work that very day. And he states finally that the next sales meeting, or the next two or three sales meetings, are going to be devoted to reports of individual results achieved from following the suggestions in the film. After the film is concluded, and before the room lights go on, the same local executive is on his feet with a simple, forceful, planned follow-through program, an important part of which is calculated to rouse lively discussions among the members of the audience. Each man is not only given an opportunity, but is actually challenged to take sides. Whichever side he takes, he is challenged to defend his position. Each point discussed is brought to a conclusion and by the time the meeting is over, every man present has pledged himself to apply certain tested ideas to his own selling for the next period of time. Follow-up material, based on the film, goes out to these men automatically. It keeps them on their toes. It never lets them forget that they're going to be expected to report results. And in order to report results, they've got to try. And we know if they'll tr.v, they'll rai.se their selling level — and their reports will be favorable. ♦ The blame should fall squarely on the advertiser. It's his picture. It's his money. The profits are his — if there are any. Still, the producer of the picture may be partly to OFFICE APPLIANCE SALESMEN eiljoy the HCW ButCS Mfg. Co. film IVs the Little Things That Count produced b.v Caravct aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii liiiiiniiiiiiniiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiw The Screen Service Bureau and Surveys Maininincd hy the editors oi Business Screen Magazine for the benefit oj business and advertising readers, the Screen Service Bureau now announces jurther development and the preparation of the First Annual Business Screen Surveys now being prepared in collaboration with independent research authorities. The interest and cooperation of our readers is earnestly requested for the benefit of all users of films. • Among the questions being considered for inclusion in the First Annual Business Screen Survey soon to be mailed to various groups using or affected by the use of business films are the following: 1. Number of sound motion pictures 2. Number of silent motion pictures 3. Number of slidefilms. silent & sound 4. Volume of dealer, group showings 5. Volume of educational distribution C. Volume of film in theatre circulation 7. Number of 16mm. and 35mni. sound projectors in use for business 8. Extent of advertising agency participation and counsel 9. Extent and use of color processes 10. Methods and types of distribution 11. Comparative film results obtained 12. Number of years all types of films employed by firms 13. General types of films used in business; group selling, advertising, etc. 14. Frequency of film usage, etc. ]Many other topics are under consideration for the form, which will be mailed on a nationwide basis. Individual returns will positively not be publicized. This fact is stressed by the editors. The importance of this survey to all users and potential users of films makes it imperative that complete cooperation and authority be applied in the handling of all statistical returns. Supplementary surveys will also be undertaken in specialized fields as a matter of checks and balances against the general census. Although general estimates of the 1937-1938 volume of commercial films give $25,000,000 as the extent of the business, the Business Screen Survey is expected to furnish the first accurate authoritative statistics confirming the amount. Meanwhile, the activities of the Screen Service Bureau are increasing daily. Requests for information are being an.swered through reference to competent authorities without obligation. iiuiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiininiiiiiiiiiuiii iiittiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiininiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip blame. At least one producer admits it. His confession, which follows, is printed at length because he discusses not only his own responsibility but in addition adds a few pointed renuirks about the need for more "build-up" for pictures. He says: "There is one great service that a competent producer is eager to perform for his customers, that in most cases he fails to perform because both he and his customer are human. I know this sounds like an alibi in advance, but I'm in dead earnest. "Any good producer knows that this kind of liuild-up and this kind of follow-through will enormousl.v increase the resultfulness of his film in the field. He knows that an emphatic increase in resultfulness will incline the customer to buy more and better films. Insofar as he is able, the producer tries to sell these ideas to his customer. But both producer and customer are human. The customer is so enthusiastic about his new film that he doesn't think it needs any build-up or any follow-through. He's so excited and impatient to get it into the field that he hesitates to delay his program by planning an elaborate build-up or follow-through." "The producer may not want to interrupt his customer's current joy and excitement, nor does he want to raise doubts in his customer's mind as to the value of the film b.v pointing out that its efi'eetiveness can be increased. "By the same reasoning, the producer is diffident about focusing attention on this point at the time when he is trying to close the contract for the picture. He wants the order. The budget is seldom big enough. Whatever he can lay his hands on, he wants to put into the picture in order to make it a better picture. And so he naturall.v hesitates to call the attention of his prospect to the fact that production cost of the picture is only one of the costs which should be considered in planning a picture program. "By no stretch of the imagination would I put the producer in the printing business. He certainly has enough problems of his own now. But as counsel to his customer, the user, he certainl.v can take a positive stand in recommending a build-up program liudgct. "Frankly, I don't know the answer. Perhaps it's the same answer faced in all fields of endeavor — slow education through painful trial and error. Already we find that the more experienced picture users have learned to establish an add!tlo7iaI budget for the promotion planning, scheduling, ballyhooing, and following-through." Our correspondent adds that in those rare cases where this kind of program has been thoroughly and thoughtfully carried out, the results per dollar, or per picture, or per person, have soared to almost unbelievable heights. In the same letter, this producer adds: "Anything you can do to persuade business executives that the finest picture in the world is only a tool — and that the measure of its success will be determined by the care and thoroughness with which that tool is made to do its job — will both save money and make money for film buyers and will be ardently supported b.v ever,y worthwhile producer."