Reel and Slide (Mar-Dec 1918)

EDIX^ORIALS NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS If you fail to receive your copy of Reel and Slide Magazine promptly please do not think it has been lost or was not sent on time. Remember there is an unusual pressure on the railroads, moving troops, supplies, food and fuel. The demands on them are enormous; they have more business than they can handle, so delays are inevitable. Everything humanly possible is being done to expedite prompt delivery. Forward ! WITH no thought of bursting shrapnel and poisonous gases into which they plunge — with every muscle tense, with every faculty of mind alert, with one thought only — to fight and win. That is the way our men are going into battle. When the shrill whistle sounds the advance, out they go — their whole heart in the task before them. No power on earth can hold them back. Forward ! The same sharp challenge to battle is sounding for us. We must answer in the same proud way — the way of our fighting men — the American way. We must lend the way they fight. We must show the war-maddened Hun a united American people moving forward shoulder to shoulder, irresistibly, to victory. Our task is to supply the money, the ships, the guns, the shells that we must have to win. It is a tremendous task. We must do it as our fighting men do theirs — with the indomitable spirit of victory. We must work, and save, and lend with one thought only — to fight and win. Get into the fight — with your whole heart. Buy bonds— to your utmost ! Buy until it hurts your pocketbook — buy until your bank account can't stand any more buying. Then buy some more. Film Distribution THOSE "doubting Thomases" who have held that national distribution on industrial moving pictures is illusory are respectfully requested to examine the results, described in this issue, of the Universal Industrial Department campaign on "Over the Roads to War." In hundreds of theaters throughout the United States this film is being featured on the program. This offers actual proof that pictures of this type can and do get distribution as efficient as advertising copy in the biggest magazines. In this campaign, results have proved that an analysis is possible of the buying power of audiences, the actual number of people reached, showings divided by cities and states, etc. This campaign is one of the most notable achievements in screen publicity. Burbank and the Film LUTHER BURBANK, the world famous horticulturist and botanist, is a strong advocate of the use of the motion picture screen in public schools. He also is of a philanthropic turn of mind. Some time ago Burbank, whose home is in California, went into the educational screen idea and made an oft'er to put a projector in every school in California at his own expense, providing the state and city educational authorities would supply the right kind of films and in adequate quantities. A lengthy survey was made at great expense, to determine just how much real educational film was then available. The result was not up to hopes or expectations. The upshot was that Burbank, while not doubting the ultimate feasibility of his plan, decided to wait. In connection with this survey, it would appear that those who made the survey set too high a standard for educational subjects, which rasies the question: What is an educational film? Strictly speaking, it is a film whose sole object is to convey specific and abstract information on a certain branch of regular school room study. No cognizance, apparently, was taken of the instructional film of which there are many thousands of reels at hand today. Evils of Cheap Slides A WESTERN slide maker, in business for many years, writes to Reel and Slide, "By making cheap slides, many slide men in the East are greatly injuring the industry. The cost of labor and materials today wipes out all profit if we are to do business at the old prices. "There is an absolute minimum at which a good slide can be sold. If sold for less, either the slide is a poor one or there is no profit in it for the maker." Cheap slides, at least for educational purposes, seldom satisfy the user. Cheap slides, in the end, serve to curtail the demand. Cheap slides fool nobody. Mrs. Jane S. Johnson IN the Times Building, New York City, the Division of Films of the U. S. Committee on Public Information holds forth. Mrs. Jane S. Johnson, secretary, is busy these days aiding schools, colleges, churches and industrial firms in getting copies of the government war films through the film exchanges which have tmdertaken to distribute them. Mrs. Johnson says that this form of exhibition is being welcomed by the committee and that every effort is being made to see that such applications are filled promptly. Institutions with projectors should get in touch with Mrs. Johnson. The government war films are entertaining, instructive and patriotic. Make Your Dollars Fight