Business screen magazine (1946)

'Vifal Link" Between Production and the Audience — Rna's Films: a Pictorial PrEview nf a Modfil Film Library Center Left; this ultra-modern film distribution center of Roc's Films occupies the former 1,000-seat Astor Theatre building near downtown Milwaukee. priifitahle equipment sales center in Drder to do so. In January. 1955 the former 1.001 1 seat Astor Theatre was pur TinT \ IT.4L Link in the economic chain that holds the filiti business together \iont be found in a Manhattan bank or in a Chicago projector factory. It lies out in all of the 48 states, in the dominions of Canada and within a thousand and more cities and towns . . . for the tie that binds the creator and sponsor of an original film production to the goal of its intended audiences is exemplified by the regional film tlislribulor. Long-Cherished Dream Is Realized Journey north along the shores of Lake Michigan to bustling Milwaukee and visit Roas Films, a modern version of what a model film library looks like at mid-1956. Serving all of Wisconsin from this vantage point as the regional film exchange of Modern Talking Picture Service, as the distributor to schools of Coronet Films and for the Society for Visual Education. Roas Films has just completed new quarters within the shell of the former .-Vstor Theatre, a neighborhood house. Roas Films is the brainchild and Above: through this graceful entrance to Roas Films come program chairmen, business, church and school film users. life-long dream of Roa Kraft Birch, its president and founder. Long active in educational and sponsored films. Mrs. Birch has concentrated her interests in film distribution \\ithin the \ear. disposing of a chased and stripped to its four lo" walls and the roof. Within this 7200 square feet of ground area, there were installed ultra-modern ofiices. film shipping department, a promotional workshop, storage racks and Below: the working "heart" of a modern regional film library— before the background of 16mm film storage racks are the neatly-garbed film inspectors and shippers who handle upwards of 400 film programs outward bound on a busy day. Two of the electronic Inspect-O-Film machines are shown in the background; each film undergoes thorough inspection before dispatch to its intended audience. a two-car garage \\ith film loadiii facilities. The vertical theatre area v>as A vided into two floors and the secon is now occupied by a "dream apartment for Mrs. Birch and he husband. Frank. Frank Birch, inc dentally, is one of Milwaukee's fir. citizens as chairman of the boat of one of the midwest's largest avertising agencies and a past pre' ident of Lions International, second large modern apartment the residence of Jean Larson. Roa most competent Film Librarian. 22 People on Library Staff It takes 22 people to serve tl, statewide clientele of the librar; Included in this fuU-time staff a four film inspectors and two fil shippers. The library is current' handling between 1.500 and 181 film titles per \\eek and these va from 400' to 1600' in length. Eve^ film passes through one of the fo Harwald Inspect-O-Film machim. an electronic device which guari against minute damage and helps 1 insure the perfection of e\er\ 16ni! showing in the field. ! Twii employees are active in t' direct mail department of Roi' Films, assuring a steady flow of pi motional material to the 20.000 fil* users whose names are on Address graph plates. This clientele inclm schools, churches, industry, cli and organizations of all kin throughout the state. Activitv wit! industry is. incidentally, increasi within recent months as more a more plants are reported using sa and supervisory training films a other programs for personnel re tions and safelv education. nr Si' i Film Bookings Require Core Behind the scenes of each fii shipment is a systematic recoif operation. Each request requij' prompt shipment of a fully V specled film, properly reiorded »1 checked. Its return from the fi' sets in motion the IBM forms whj will travel all the way to Modiji Talking Picture Service headqu!lers in New York for coordinati'. Certification of audience coui ■ BUSINESS SCREU