Business screen magazine (1938)

media the publishers are primarily in business for the sake of the advertising revenue. Hence, their censorship and restrictions are based solely on the desire for truthful, accurate advertising. But the copywriter and plan man who sit down to create minute movie .scenarios must ook at the movie publisher in a ditferent light. In the first place the exhibitor is primarily in business for the money he makes from entertaining the public — not jor the advertising reve7iue. Secondly, being a showman himself, he "knows" exactly what his audience likes and doesn't like. Within reason, his stand is well taken — the success of his theatre or theatres has been based, to some degree, on his ability to pick pictures that please the largest number of his potential audience. Therefore you will find the exhibitor ready and willing to refuse to show minute movies which he thinks will not please his audience. No blatant commercialism for him — particu nrly if he is a big independent or a part of one of the better chains — mdess the sales story can SEVENTH ROW CENTER It only takes one "unbeliever" to spoil an entire theatre audience for your screen advertising message. by Lawrence M. Rosenthal • This business is different! Despite its triteness, this thought must be paramount in the minds of those who are confronted with the problem of preparing one-minute commercial motion picture shorts for theatrical distribution. The conditions under which a minute movie is presented differs greatly from those surrounding any other advertising medium. Henee a clear knowledge of what types of production should be considered must first be preceded by an understanding of these differences. Screen advertising is the only medium whose effect upon any one individual in the audience will influence reception by the entire audience. For instance: A magazine or newspaper advertisement may appear exaggerated (or even downright silly to some cynical reader. He thereupon gives vent to a mental "razzberry", sets down the publication and the matter ends right there. (Even professional "unbelievers" only put a "few friends wise") . Or. take a radio announcement. Over the air comes a plug for Thrill Cigarettes to relieve fallen arches. "Copies" of this ad go into individual homes. If a listener or the family group don't like it — well, a twist of the dial — and no harm is done except in that particular house. Meanwhile in both cases millions of readers or listeners drink in the publicity, believe it and act upon it. Not .so with motion picture advertising. Here, your advertising is presented to large group audiences — not individuals. Therefore your message must be planned not merely to please the general average of people but must take into consideration the need for believability to the "cynics" as well. Remember if just one or two people in any given theatre audience find your presentation ridiculous, an immediately apparent reaction is set up. Restlessness . . . whispering ... or laughter at (not with) will insta7itly affect the entire audience. An understanding of the above condition points out that believability is the biggest word in planning scenarios. The second basic difference is the fact that a theatre audience has to see and hear the advertising message ... it has no other choice. While this is a condition greatly to be desired by an advertiser as he need not fight secure attention, it can be a "boomerang". People who pay money for entertainment and instruction when they buy magazines or newspapers do not have to read the advertising. Even free entertainment via the radio carries no obligation to hear the advertising. But when a patron spends from 15c to 50c to be entertained or interestingly instructed for two or three hours, the screen advertiser must take this into consideration. His playlets then must contain some real news value or if they embellish the commercial with entertainment instead, the playlet must match in excellence the Hollywood entertainment part of the program. The third peculiar condition which governs the presentation of commercial theatrical shorts is the viewpoint of the "publisher" — i.e. exhibitor or theatre manager. In all other really be turned into a "news ad" and contains the instruction I'alue and fast tempo of ordinary news reels. The ability to handle production this way is dependent to a large extent not only on advertising brains and a knowledge of movie technique, but on a clear understanding of the exhibitor type of mind. \VH.\T KIND OF PLAYLET TO USE? A realization of the foregoing and a personal study of literally scores of minute movie campaigns makes possible the establishment of a few principles to help in selecting the type of minute movie that should be used. I.The Newsreel Type: Wherever a product can best be sold by demonstration, then the demonstration technique should be applied to movies. Here is the one medium that can — with sight, action, sound — aetualh' put on a low cost controlled demonstration to large audiences, and is for this reason the writer's first choice of production technique for most sales stories. Care must be taken that the lead into the commercial exposition is interesting and logical . . . and that the demonstration itself is "newsworthy". If either of these elements are missing, the playlet becomes just another straight commercial — unliked by many exhibitors and resented perhaps by some of your audience. 2. Cartoon Animation: The success of Wall Disney, the Pop-eye films, etc. and subsequent surveys showing Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck rating high, have given adver 14 Business Screen