Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1931)

October 24, 1931 Motion Picture Herald 49 Now, the publication of a certain amount of technical matter is most excellent, provided it is in a form that can be assimilated and understood by the average projectionist. However, it is, in my opinion, equally important that matter be published designed to raise the morale of the men — matter designed to instill in them a pride in their work, and thus create in their minds a desire to do the very best work that is possible with the equipment provided. That has been my general line of procedure for the past 22 years in this work. That it has been very successful has been admitted by even those who hate the very ground upon which I walk because I have stepped too heavily upon their pet projection corns. In England the men are not protected by an effective organization, with the result (not a criticism, but just fact) that the employer, taking advantage of the fact, pays the least possible wage that men can be secured for. Gentlemen, that is not a procedure calculated to attract to the business of projection men of high ability, which is required to get the best result before the audience with the finely adjusted, highly delicate equipment now provided. That is one very serious mistake the European exhibitors make, and one reason why projection in those countries is criticised. I venture the assertion that by the reason of the poor results low wages indirectly bring about, the exhibitors of Europe lose a great many times more at the box office than would be sufficient to raise wages to the point where better results would be had. Brains are required to place motion pictures and sound before audiences at their best, and if you want brains, gentlemen, you have got to pay for them. Another element of equal importance is found in the fact that in Europe the projectionist still is looked and treated merely as a mechanic. According to all accounts, he is regarded nothing more than a hired man placed upon about the same level with the usher. Such treatment operates to retard high-grade work. Men treated thus seldom have any pride in their work. They enter the projection room imbued with the idea of doing as little as they can and still get by. I think the idea back of this kind of treatment is largely the fear that if treated differently, the men will demand more money, forgetting that more money means better men — men who will give more efficient work and better results, all of which means better box office results. We have in New York City one theatre that pays its projection staff $686.50 per week, not including overtime. This theatre of course has vaudeville, but the far greater part of its program is motion pictures. It uses the same pictures that are used in Europe, or at least they are largely the same. It is seldom you can enter this theatre from 2 o'clock in the afternoon till 10 at night and get a seat without waiting. Its prices are 50 cents in the afternoon, and 85 cents in the evening. What is the answer? It It is tuith pride that we list beloiu a fetu of our recent installations, on %vhich we furnished all of the Stage Equipment: Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City Severance Hall, Cleveland, Ohio Convention Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Westchester County Center Building, White Plains, N. Y. Earl Carrol Theatre, New York City Warner Brothers Theatre, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Warner Brothers Theatre, Erie, Pennsylvania Fox Theatre, Hackensack, New Jersey Paramount Theatre, Steubenville, Ohio Paramount Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio Paramount Theatre, Hamilton, Ohio Paramount Theatre, Middletown, Ohio Paramount Theatre, Mansfield, Ohio R.K.O. Theatre, Albany, New York R.K.O, Theatre, Schenectady, New York R.K.O. 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