Show World (June 1909)

2 THE SHOW WORLD EXTRA Carl Laemmle becomes a Film Manufacturer. Organizes a New Company to be Totally Separate from The Laemmle Film Service. Will Make a Tremendous Specialty of American Subjects. I am going to manufacture films. I will make American subjects my specialty. To do this I have incorporated a new company to be conducted entirely sep¬ arate and distinct from the Laemmle Film Service. Those of you who have read between the lines of my advertising in the past few years have probably long sus¬ pected that manufacturing has been my ambition. About a year ago I was making ar¬ rangements to open a manufacturing plant in Canada, but was stopped by a threat from the film trust to the effect that if I became a manufacturer they would discontinue selling films to the Laemmle Film Service. At that time the Independent move¬ ment had not been organized, so I did not dare jeopardize my film service and its customers. So I dropped my pro¬ ject temporarily. I am now ready to go ahead, not on a half-hearted basis but with all my heart and soul. Permit me to state here that I have no stock for sale in my new company. Now then there are several import¬ ant things I want everyone to read. I WANT THE BEST TALENT. I will pay the highest salaries in or¬ der to secure the services of the best experts in the world. I want the best moving picture photographers, stage managers and professionals in the world. I offer the chkrice of a life time to those men who enter my employ. I will not only pay unparalleled salaries, but I will give the right men an inter¬ est in the business. I will give them stock in the new corporation and let the stock pay for itself out of the prof¬ its. You know what a success I have made of the renting business. You know there is not a parallel to it in the whole history of moving pictures. I am going to do the same thing in the manufacturing end and I have all the resources I can possibly make use of. Write to me and I will keep your communication absolutely secret, no matter whom you are working for now, and no matter whether we close a deal or not. I don’t want you unless you are the best in your line. And you don’t want me unless I give you a better propo¬ sition than you now have. I WANT GOOD M ANUSCRIPTS. I want the best moving picture play¬ wrights to submit their manuscripts and scenarios at once, with the distinct understanding that I will pay the high¬ est market price for all I accept. Un¬ derstand also that I want strong, virile American subjects or typical American comics. I am going to make American ideas my strong play. MY E UROPEAN CONNECTIONS. I am about to visit Paris, London, Berlin and other centers of Europe in order to make arrangements for mar¬ keting my product there as well as in America. I will employ regular repre¬ sentatives at all those points, if neces¬ sary, and make it a world-wide move¬ ment. N OTICE TO FILM EXCH ANGES. I give my word of honor to all inde¬ pendent film renters that I will deal with them, as a manufacturer, precisely: the same as I shall deal with the Laemmle Film Service. I will run the two companies on their own separate basis. I will charge the Laemmle Film Service exactly as much for films as I charge you and will fix a simultaneous release date on all sub- June 5 , 1909 jects. This is the only way I can hope or expect you to handle the product of my manufacturing concern. As an evidence of good faith, I am not even going to use the name Laemmle on the films I manufacture. Naturally I would like to, but I can see why renters would not care to peddle out films bearing the name of a renting competitor* Those of the renters who feel friend¬ ly toward me will not be asked to buy films on any basis other than pure merit. I am going to exert herculean efforts to produce films that you will be glad to handle. And I see no rea¬ son why I cant do this as well as any¬ one else. I WANT A GOOD COMPANY NAME. I am incorporating under the name of “Yankee Films Company”, but I be¬ lieve the name can be improved upon. So I will pay $25 for the best sug¬ gestion for a company name. "Your suggestion must reach me by June 18 at the latest. In sending you suggestion remember these points: That the name Laemmle must not be a part of it; that I am go¬ ing to feature American subjects; that the name should be as short as possible and easy to remember. This contest is open to everyone who reads this advertisement,] man, woman or child, whether connected with the tpoying picture business or not. All I want is a name, but even if I don’t get a good one from the sug¬ gestions sent in, I will pay the $25 to whoever sends in the best one, pay¬ ing for it whether I use it or not. Very sincerely yours,.! IMPORTANT—All communications in answer to the above should be addressed “Carl Laemmle, 196 Lake St., Chicago, and marked “PRIVATE.” CARL LAEMMLE