Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

October 25 , 19 3 0 Motion Picture N e zv s 89 iMANACEItf' KCIJND TABLE CLUB WHAT IS EXPLOITATION? EARLE HOLDEN Says: EXPLOITATION and ballyhoo! As great a difference between the two as day and night, or a black horse and a white horse. At least I think so, and although I have only been in the game four years, I have learned to respect the meaning of the two words. As it appears to me the word ballyhoo takes us to the circus lot. It is a hard word to use, because of the fact that modern shownmanship had almost eliminated the word. When the spieler of a side show stood on the platform, and with cane in hand, told of the million of wonders that one could see on the inside for ten cents, that was ballyhoo. But the managers of theatres don't go in for that kind of showmanship, not that there is anything wrong about it, but their method of selling comes under the classification of exploitation, to sell their shows in a manner that will bring them the greatest returns for their money. And what constitutes exploitation? There's so many ways of exploitation that it is rather hard to state just what does constitute exploitation. I would refer to any form of a street device for selling a picture as a street ballyhoo. I would refer to any noise or music device for selling a picture as a ballyhoo, which shows that even the present day theatre manager does have to use bally methods in selling some of his shows, but his ballyhoo must carry a truthful message. And it must be stated that some of the old time showmen who stood on the platform yelling their wares to the public were apt to stress a point here and there, such as the giant reptile you will see on the inside, captured after it had strangled 40 men to death with one stroke. The snake probably was raised on some snake farm, and had been doped from the time it was old enough to see until the present, so much, that it did not know a man from a horse. But the most practical side of the showmanship game of today where motion picture theatres are concerned is the regular exploitation methods. And they come under many classifications, but all tend to sell that particular show which the theatre manager is attempting to put over. If you plant a special story in a newspaper that is exploitation. You had to sell the editor the idea that the story had news value, you had to write it like that, and that was newspaper exploitation. The window trim in which the merchant had to be sold on the idea that the stills and art displays would attract to his window were surely exploitation ideas. The fact that you promoted perfume at $15.00 an ounce gratis to spray the theatre with was exploitation. You had to sell the merchant the idea that people would like the scent of the perfume and would want to know where they could purchase it, and if the merchant was wise he would do some exploitation of his own with the results that you would have a trailer on his screen announcing that the perfume could be purchased at his store. In all matters pretaining to exploitation the word ballyhoo should be left out. They are two separate means of selling a picture. If you are going to ballyhoo a picture then ballyhoo it and if you are going to exploit a picture then exploit it, and yet there are times that the two can be worked together to good advantage. If I build an atmosphere front for my theatre that is exploitation. It had been included in my exploitation plans. Now if I decide to fur Here's the latest opinions on exploitation. These views submitted by Earle Holden, manager of the Fairfax Theatre, Miami, Fla., and Dave Lustig, publicity chief of the Manhattan Playhouses in New York City will let you see what two showmen — hundreds of miles apart — have to say. Follow this series closely, as the tips contained therein are valuable. Only a few more of them, too. ther enhance the selling value of the front by placing a loud speaker on it playing music, then that is ballyhoo, a direct bally to call attention to the front which should then sell the Dicture. The same thing applies to the truck that I might have out on the streets. My exploitation ideas call for certain specifications on the same. The art department and the carpenter carry out my exploitation ideas. Then my truck is ready, but how shall the attention of street walkers be called to the truck. By ballyhoo methods of course, a loud speaker or a spieler. I have tried to show what I believe is the difference between the two. Exploitation is used mostly, is used all the time, with a Tangling in of ballvhoos for the purpose of attraction additional attention to that particular exploitation idea that I am trying to put over. In the modern show business we necessarily need both exploitation and ballyhoo, with the exploitation dominating. Exploitation itself is a'separate part of the show business, but a good theatre manager in order to hold down a ffood job has to be a theatre manager and an exploiteer. And the theatre business is not the only business that depends on exploitation and bally methods in order to do business. While it is true that the words originated around the show business, practically every industry today is using exploitation methods to sell their product and it is a noticeable fact that most of these methods were handed down by showmen. And all in a nut shell exploitation is really advertising, which is secured free of charge to put over a show. Advertising really heads the list with exploitation coming next and then ballyhoo and all three make the combination to either pack your house or to have your show play to empty seats. DAVE LUSTIG Says: WHAT is exploitation? It we are wrong this case can be taken to a higher court. If you agree' with us . . . our time has been well spent knocking out this "must go" for our friend "Chick." Exploitation is the getting across of a certain picture or stage show that hasn't the big names, well known story by a well known writer . . . and a number of other lacking qualifications the seasoned showman should know. Suppose we get the order or get the idea ourselves to put across a certain special month, picture or what have you. Instead of the usual three or four hours sleep we remain awake jotting down various steps and ideas that later we will either incorporate into a more or less smashing campaign or tear up and assign to the ever-waiting waste basket . . . only to begin all over again doping, planning and discarding. Yes, indeed, its a great life but nerve wracking! Ask Chick ... he knows! After we decide on a dozen or two jotted ideas we start pounding out the necessary copy, routines, window displays, and the war is on! Each manager, following the set campaign, suggests various bits and ideas. Then they start to work. And boy they sure do work ! The campaign is under way . . . the dear public learn all about it'. . . they tell their friends and results start clicking in a consistent manner. The box office sings a theme song . . . the home office begins to smile . . . the managers are delighted . . . and more bacon is brought home. Exploitation embraces many things . . . and covers a multitude of sins. It acts as the hypnotic influence, when properly applied, that draws them from various sections into the theatre and when the talking entertainment is entertainment Mr. Mrs. and Miss Public, dear beloved souls . . . leave the theatre in a happy mood . . . and if not . . . well ... we do try to make 'em come and then like what we give them. The mere sending out of a few thousand circulars or heralds doesn't mean exploitation. It is the many different items checked on a campaign routine that clicks and hits the bell. It was the consistent plugging of the Manhattan Playhouses, Inc., organization that put over Blue Ribbon Month, Gratitude Month, Better Talkie Month, and everything we have done. It was the managers who went over the top with banners flying and bands playing. Pictures that had but litle selling value were put across to satisfying returns by the men in our organization stepping to the music doled out by the main office. Our men are not rubber stamps nor puppets . . . they are expected to do things and they do. Empty seats are the bugbear of every theatre man. Exploitation properly applied will fill, at least, many of the empties, but each and every theatre really needs a bit of study and special exploiting of ideas for it has been proven time and time again that certain stunts and campaigns that will click well in one neighborhood will not apply to another. Managers who know what it's all about know their immediate vicinity and their own house can add to a campaign sheet with telling results but these additions will bear more fruit when taken up with the main office for two or more heads many times are better than one. And on the other hand it is imperative that the house manager follow the campaign sheets as well as studying the press sheets for every bit of effort put forth to boost a picture counts and the public is always interested in something a bit different and the oldest standbys can be rehashed and adapted with a new angle that many times goes over to much better results than a newly thought out bit of special exploitation and that is where the value of The Manager's Round Table section clicks . . . for here the managers have a fund of practical exploitation stunts used by managers throughout the country. Often a manager picks an item out of the pages of the News and brings it in to our office and asks us if they can use it. We often adapt the idea, giving it a different twist and are honest enough to admit that we are thankful for these pages especially when we have a million things to get out so copy can reach the printers before deadline.