Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

Motion Picture News October 25 , 1 930 MANAcercr round table club Truthful Advertising In a recent letter received from R. Mason Hall of the Lyric Theatre in Norton, Virginia, we quote a paragraph which we consider straight from the shoulder and always of timely interest. We would appreciate any other expressions of a similar character because it deals with a subject of such great importance. "My possibilities for exploitation here in Norton are limited, but regardless of the town or the location, if you go after it strong enough using the available opportunities that the town affords you can usually get the business. By winning the confidence of your patrons, being fair and square with your advertising, and exploiting each feature as being just what it is. Exploiting each feature as being bigger and better than the one you just showed, I think is about the worst practice a theatre man can follow, especially if he has competition and uses this method; he will wonder why he isn't packing them in. My idea of exploitation is not putting over a big special; any fool can do that. It's these good little subjects that need the plugging and if you put it across, then I congratulate you and consider you a good exploiter." We are grateful to Mr. Hall for this frank expression and we hope to hear from him again on some more of his opinions on how to sell your shows and your theatre. Carkey Crashes Thru With Whiz Work for Olympic Opening Throwing all his showman resources into the task before him, Larry Carkey, who is now handling the Olympic Theatre in Utica, N. Y., is turning out some great stuff at the house. On the recent opening of the house he treated Utica to a fine campaign. Radio announcements were broadcasted four times a day for ten days in advance of the opening date, telling about the theatre opening and the attraction playing the house. Fifty thousand paper napkins were placed in every restaurant and soda fountain in the city. The napkins carried the imprint of the initial attraction at the theatre. 40,000 circulars were distributed on a house-to-house campaign. Music stores, book stores, and every available merchant's windows were tied up, the windows being devoted entirely to the theatre opening. An elaborate theatre front was built for the opening of the house, cut-outs and other things were being placed on top of the marquee, with floodlights enhancing the effects. Cards were placed in every room in the leading hotels advising the guests of the feature attraction at the Olympic. Plenty of newspaper stories were secured well in advance and right through to the opening day. As the city boasts a large foreign population, every foreign paper in the city carried ads and stories, a move which proved to be an excellent one. Over 5,000 telegrams were sent out through Western Union informing Uticans of the event to take place. Congratulatory telegrams sent in by screen stars were placed on a large board in front of the theatre. The Western Union set up a receiving set in the lobby, and furnished with copies of the congratulatory telegrams by Carkey, they duped them so that it appeared as though they were just being sent. This move created a lot of comment, the natives thinking that it was the McCoy. As a result, the stunt clicked wonderfully. Carkey's whole campaign, well planned and executed, was a certainty to click from the start. The theatre enjoyed one of the best nights it had ever had and the town saw a sensational opening night and campaign. With Larry all set up there, we look forward to hearing more from him real soon, and we are sure that his work will contain some slants that will help his fellow showmen. Keep it up, Larry. Guest Week and a Film Check Chart Campbell's Latest Up in Canada they are still as active as ever, and one place where there is bound to be something doing is in Wallaceburg, Ont., where Duncan Campbell manages the Capitol Theatre. Not so long ago he pulled a stunt that went over well in his town. It was called "Guest Week." Six local merchants co-operated in it and permitted Campbell to insert names iu their daily ads. The names were selected at random from the town directory. A heading on the ad stated: "Look for Your Name in This Ad and Receive a Free Pass to See (Title, etc.)." The local newspaper came through handsomely and give him a front-page streamer on the top of the sheet, "This Is Guest Week at the Capitol." Directly underneath they ran a long reader. The space was secured absolutely free. Incidentally, "Guest Week" went over very well. Perhaps you want to try it? Along with this story we are reprinting a copy of the film report chart which Campbell so kindly passes along to us. This was gotten up for him by one of the boys at his house and contains a pretty complete summary of what goes into the booth. If at any time the theatre is accused of damaging film, they have only to check back on the film report to find out the condition it arrived in. We are reprinting this rather small in order to save space. If you care to use the slant, you can make up your reports any size you want. They may be either printed or mimeographed, Campbell's being the latter. Date Name of Feature Picture Producer No. of Reels — Large Small Condition Type Condition of Film Comedy No. Reels Other Shorts No. of Stops Reason Adjustments Made Quality of Reproduction — Feature Shorts Running Time — Feature Comedy Other Shorts Spec. Gravity of Battery Tubes Changed Amp Pec. Amp Exciting Lamps Charging of Batteries Rate Amps No. Hours . Supplies Ordered Any Trouble in Sound Reported by Manager. Remarks Projectionist. Projectionist. Manager. Oke, Duncan. We are glad to note that you are still selling them in a showmanlike manner up in your district. Give our regards to Jack Allan and the rest of the Round Table members around your vicinity and let's hear some more from you. PIERRE BOULOGNE says: "Like every other manager who reads the ROUND TABLE CLUB regularly, and they are legion, I bet, I get a great deal out of it. More than one stunt I have used has come right out of your pages." Manager, Norva Theatre, Norfolk, Va.