Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1936)

April II, 1936 MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE 99 JUNIORS TAUGHT TO SELL PICTURES This idea occurred to us some time ago when we realized the enthusiasm that some of these young people were displaying toward our business, and the occasional suggestions which our managers received from them pertaining to the selling of a picture. We conceived the idea that if we could get them together once a week for a period of seven weeks, and lay out a routine interestingly presented that we would inculcate in their fertile brains the basic elements of showmanlike advertising. The idea was tried out in the Tri-Cities Initially by Joe Kinsky, our District Manager in Davenport, and met with such success that we are repeating it here in Des Moines. At this writing (Mar. 23) we have had five meetings. We have approximately thirty boys attending the School every Wednesday morning at 9:00 A. M. We open the meetings by analyzing tear sheets from our national clipping bureau service, explaining to them the good and bad points as we see it of other people's ads. We show them how our theatre advertising suffers by misplacing such items as sig cuts, and by the lack of emphasis on "last times today," the mis-use of type families, and many other deficiencies in advertising of which we are all guilty at times. We give them an assignment to attempt to accomplish each week, and the results of their efforts which they bring in each week clearly indicate those who are going forward in this business and those who have no yen for it. First Meeting General Our first meeting was limited to a general discussion, with emphasis placed on Exploitation. The first assignment we gave them was to bring in a campaign on Klondike Annie and present it at the next meeting. At our second meeting, we discussed Lobby Advertising. We tried to emphasize the following points in constructing lobby material : Economical construction. Thought given to special treatment. Whether picture should be sold in manner suggested by producer, or whether to use our own ideas (this pertaining to costume pictures, etc.) Creating ideas which appeal to the eye. Location of display — In direct line of vision; under strong light; beside a moving object. Necessity of selling complete show — shorts, second feature, etc. We introduced Mr. Loyal LaPlante, who is in charge of our Art Department, who discussed the following essentials needed for a good front or inside lobby : Neatness. Color. Arrangement (any set of stills can be made beautiful and attractive if correctly arranged for study by interested patrons). Theatre Chief Details Outline Of Course for Front of House Staffs and Junior Executives by STANLEY A. BROWN Des Moines Tri-States District Manager On a recent editorial page, comment was made on the seven-weeks' course in picture -selling made available to ambitious members of the personnel in the houses supervised by Stanley A. Brown, of Tri-States Theatres. The executive was queried as to the conduct of these sessions, held weekly, and on this page he has been kind enough to set forth, for the information of others so inclined, the subjects under discussion and how they are treated in class. Creating something from nothing is the real test of showmanship, not how much money you can spend. Date strips kept timely. "Last times today," "new show today," etc. We then introduced Mr. Bob Fulton, manager of our Paramount Theatre, who discussed the art of advertising in a town where there is no Art Department. Mr. Fulton spoke of the necessity of constructing inside lobby displays which hold exchange accessories which can be again used out in front when the picture is current. He further explained the necessity of constructing displays which can be repainted to fit the season. Dark red for winter, light greens and blue for summer, etc., and discussed the many economical methods of lighting displays which are practical. We gave them an assignment that week of bringing in a rough sketch of a set-piece on Petrified Forest, which they would use if they were in a spot that had an Art Department. The third meeting was devoted to the planning of a newspaper campaign in a town where a commercial artist is available for making up hand-drawn ads. Mr. A. Don Allen, manager of our Des Moines Theatre, dwelt upon the following highlights : An analysis of the space to be used so as to conform to budget. The many trick ways of incorporating a slug advertising the forthcoming pictures. The care to be given in the construction of an ad as to which attack is best from a box-office angle — star value, story, director, or title. The method of arranging the art in an ad so as to appeal to all potential customers. Star stills with romantic clutches, etc., to be carefully analyzed for romance. Attention getting heads and faces to be selected from stills which might sell a definite thought, and line drawings to be substituted for halftones, if preferable. A discussion followed relative to signature cuts which was touched upon by Mr. Kermit Carr, manager of our Uptown Theatre. The assignment given those attending the school for this meeting was the drawing of an 11 -inch ad on "Lonesome Pine," acting under the presumption that they had a commercial artist to work with. The fourth meeting was devoted to the discussion of constructing ads in a situation where a manager was dependent upon a press book and the mats supplied by an exchange to construct his newspaper advertising. This subject was gone into thoroughly, devoting much time to explaining to the boys how various sized ads could be revamped to fit the purpose needed and instruction given on the manner of boxing in second features vi^ith line-rules, circles, etc. Example of this were shown them from the tear sheets from our various out-state towns and an assignment given to be brought in the following week with their idea of a typical double feature program set to two columns nine inches, using any two pictures they desired with the material being only that supplied by the exchanges. Fifth Session on Exploitation The fifth meeting was devoted to exploitation. It was explained that it would be impossible to cover this topic in the few short hours we could devote to it, but we attempted to give them past examples of good and bad exploitation ideas which have been found useful or harmful. They were warned against using the old type of ballyhoo, which not only offended your newspaper but the general public. They were taught to weigh carefully every stunt as to its reaction before going forward with it. Parades, street ballyhoos, window tieups, organization benefits and crowd-stopping stunts were discussed at length with all managers present dwelling upon their past experiences for the benefit of the students, and as an assignment those attending were asked to bring in at the next meeting their idea of an exploitation campaign on "Modern Times." This concludes the meetings held to date. We intend discussing at the subsequent meetings the following routine: Screen trailers — presentation of coming attraction trailers — institutional trailers, i. e., type of stock; brevity of copy; cartoons or art; length of footage, sound. Newspaper stories and publicity: Approach to newspaper executive. Preparation of copy before presentation to newspaper. News value and stories. Timeliness of subject. Watchfulness for cooperative tie-ins on timely happenings. General resume of entire course. The manner in which these prospective showmen have attended, and the interest they have displayed clearly indicates that we are accomplishing the purpose for which we set out. The assignments they turn in each week, while naturally are crude and show inexperience, definitely show each man's respective abilities and possibilities, and we feel that we will be able to develop future managerial talent from among them..