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Sufficient proof that the press agent was on hand with his trusty camera at Mae Murray's birthday party.
throughout the country by keeping their names, faces and activities before the public.
There are many stars who would not have reached the positions of prominence they hold today without the offices of the personal press agent, who obtained for them a public interest in their work.
The personal press agent is paid so much a week or month by each client.
Then there is the theater press agent. He is paid by the theater manager, and devotes his time and attention to getting stories about a picture printed at the time it is showing at the theater. Usually he also prepares the newspaper ads. Of course, he has the aid of the pressbooks already obtained by his fellows in the studios.
The film companies employ press agents at their exchanges to co-operate with the theater press agents over stories, publicity "stunts" and advertising. There is keen competition among these men who boost the pictures to see who will secure the greatest number of stories, or the stories getting the most prominent "play" in the newspapers. Often the success or failure of a picture's showing rests on the ability or disability of the press agent.
There are also exploitation men who pay
no attention to newspaper stories. Their object for existence is to think up unique stunts that will attract public attention — a parade, a man dressed as one of the characters of the film walking the streets, etc. He prepares various advertising devices outside of newspapers — the novelty throwaway and circulars of various kinds. If the picture appeals to certain classes he sends mail to them telling about it.
The various publicity men usually confer on a campaign for a particular showing, then apportion the responsibility for each part of it and go to work. Such conferences are often solemn affairs involving the success of an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and might be consultations of surgeons or scientists.
There is great comaraderie among the motion-picture press agents. They have their own social and professional associations— the Western Motion Pictures Advertisers, familiarly known as "The Wampas" — in Los Angeles, and the A. M. P. A., or Associated Motion Picture Advertisers, in New York. These bodies meet every two weeks, and at certain times of the year stage elaborate shows in which the rest of filmdom participates.
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