Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

O c t obci 1930 Motion Picture News 129 | MANAGE!?!' ROUND TABLE CLUE j Here's Another To Add To Your File For Next Spring When a showman can secure the good-will of all the local organizations near his theatre, he certainly knows what to do with opportunity when it knocks ; and for that reason we want to tell you a little about Jim Newman, manager of the Strand Theatre in Tampa, Fla., and the spe:ial front display he promoted in conjunction with his showing of "Spring Is Here." Through a tie-up with a well-known Garden Club, he arranged to have them exhibit specimens of their home grown flowers. One hundred and fifty members formed into eighteen circles to enter into competition to decide which of the horticultural specimens were the most beautiful. The awards were to be made by judges in the lobby of the theatre. As a result of tli is, the local newspapers picked up the story and ran pictures and plenty of other publicity on it. Three special stories were also run in the papers as well as pictures of the display being put on the Women's page. As you can note from the photo, the flowers on display certainly brightened up the front considerably, and caused a great deal of word-of-mouth comment. This was the first time that the Club had ever cooperated with the theatre and as a result of the success of the campaign, expressed willingness to take part in future ones. And when a showman can get results like that he sure knows his business. What do you think, Jim? Kane Has Garnered Plenty Of Space From Newspapers To compute the number of inches of free newspaper space that Tommy Kane has garnered since he has been at the Sequoia Theatre in Redwood City, Calif., would require a couple of adding machines and more time than we can spare. However, at this time we want to give you a little low down on how Kane does it. Tommy's secret is to keep in touch with all the local events and manage to work them in with the local newspaper. The paper has yet to turn a deaf ear to any of his propositions; for when a showman presents something that is going to be of mutual benefit it i> a certainty that attention will be paid that proposition. When the city held its recent election the first thing that Tom did was to scoot over to the newspaper office and arrange to have them shoot him the election returns from the office over to the theatre, where he planned to announce them to his audience. The paper liked the idea. In fact, they liked it so much that they ran a full-page ad announcing that the theatre and a couple of popular radio dealers were going to present them. Plenty of publicity, and at no cost. Then Kane promoted another with the local newspaper. This time it was a cooking school, sponsored by the sheet. The stunt went to great results. The theatre received much valuable space daily in the newspaper. If Kane had had to pay for the space he received, there would have been a lot of money expended. This sort of go-getting is enabling him to put the Sequoia over. MASKING THE SCREEN Having the picture completely covering the screen is still a problem in many theatres, due to the difference in size of sound-on-film and disc. We have encountered many home-made contraptions designed to eliminate this unfortunate situation, but we wonder whether it wouldn't be best to fix this important matter up once and for all. And the surprising fact is that many large theatres in key cities are still struggling with the problem. Some of them told me that they had worked out this, that or the other kind of a gadget to eliminate the portion of black screen when they were running sound-on-film. Others just let it go at that and give it little or no thought at all. Which, like the guy who threw all his bills in the waste basket, is hardly solving his troubles. We would welcome some "dope" on this angle from those of our members and readers who are no longer troubled with black strips on their screens, Suppose you boys tell us "how" and thereby lend a helping hand to those who don't seem to know how. Darkened House Was Utilized As Aid To Sell McKoy Show Not so long ago we showed you how Bob Gary out in Iowa took advantage of the closing of his theatre to get in a good-will plug. And now, James H. McKoy, another of the south's real live wire showmen, who manages the Olympia Theatre in Miami, Fla., passes along a new one. He advertised his house by means of a closed theatre. The entrance to the darkened house was covered witli beaverboard which had been given a futuristic touch by the artist. On this beaverboard was institutional copy relating to the coolness, etc., of the Olympia Theatre. In the center bottom of the beaverboard was a three-sheet frame in which the current attractions were advertised. And the photo will give you some idea of its effectiveness. The three-sheet was changed weekly and the institutional copy remained intact. Due to the many motorists and pedestrians passing the theatre, the display proved quite valuable from an advertising standpoint and brought to life a location that might have been absolutely dead. This stunt — even though a small expenditure was necessary — has more than paid for itself, and we think that if you ever have occasion to use it you will more than take advantage of it.