Business Screen Magazine (1965-1966)

i|.Ki Than 20 Million Persons have now '•-Lcn Sieel emit America, the American Steel Institutes prize film on the his iiil development of steelmaking in the 111. I States. The half-hour color film com !is first year of distribution i>n October liing 20.8 IS. 37 1 viewers, for one ot jest first-year audience totals of any ored films on record. ivision viewers accounted for 19.808. f this figure, obtained through 432 tele in almost every state in the union. .Mod alking Picture Service registered an ce of 17.915.600 from 407 tele during their 1965-66 campaign. An ad lal 25 telecasts produced an estimated ice of 1.893.000. These were arranged ly by the various steel company members Institute and included paid telecasts on evening time. ,868 Showings to Communitj .\udiences tribution of the film to community audihas been reported at 18.868 screenings 1,009,771 persons. Sterling Movies, as handled the commercial phase of this jution program w ith 1 7,038 showings audience of 807,771. Steel company )ers of the Institute, as of .August 1, also nted for 1,830 showings to an audience 2,000 in community groups, fling Movies has also sold 25 prints of and America to companies and organizaoutside the steel industry during the oneperiod. These purchasers included the ers Company. International Harvester, pillar Tractor, The New York Telephone )any, and the American Society for s. 'ortv Per Cent of Telecasts Run in Color tdcrn Talking Picture Service's breakof types of stations showing the film indicated that 60 per cent were network , 17 per cent — independent commerations, and 23 per cent were educational ns. Forty per cent of the telecasts were or, and 19 per cent were shown between I 1 1 p.m.. prime viewing time. Dniy American Film Honored at \'enice rling Movies" average monthly audience )mmunity and school showings has been 4. of which 47 per cent were adults. el and America, which received a second at the recent 7th International Industrial Festival in Venice — the only American 1 be so honored — was produced by Walt y Productions. In his inimitable way Don"uck traces the evolution of steel up to s highly-developed technology, and takes k at the inno\ations that are coming iteel research laboratories. ; film opens with animation sequences ng how iron ores became part of the s crust in the geological turmoil of ages Graphics and live action then document rallel development of America and the ndustry. sent-day steelmaking is shown, with the itionary new processes and techniques lave been adopted in recent years: the lasic oxygen furnace turning out a heat el in a fraction of the usual time; con BER 6 vol IMF 27 Donald Duck, the litroic ironinuxtcr iii "Steel and Anuritd is lutiniiti inform thousands of ijoting.siers. 21 Million Have Seen "Sleel and America American Iron & Steel Inistilule (!(tlcir Film Mciiilcd lor Kccord Total .\u(lience ?9 tinuous casting, in which a ribbon of hot stejl emerges from a bottomless mold; \acuum melting, and vacuum de-gassing. The film also illustrates how electronic computers harnessed to huge steel rolling mills are being used to help improve the uniformity and quality of product. Some of the industry's 5.000 researchers are shown at work on new projects ranging from ore beneficiation to further utilization of nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen to create better steels. The point is made that only about half the iron atom's potential for strength and versatility has been explored so far. The film closes with an affirmation that the industry will meet the demands of steel's Century Twci as it has in the past. PROMOnOX BIILD.S AL UI1.XC:K ■si Sieel and America has been backed by an impressive promotion campaign, put on by Modern Talkmg Picture Service. Sterling Movies, and the public relations staff of American Iron & Steel Institute. One important medium has been the Institute's Idea-Gram for Steel Companies, which tells them that "however excellent its quality, no film sells itself without backup publicity and promotion. In Siecl and America. the steel industry has at hand a most effective means of telling its story to mass audiences. If adequately promoted the film could be seen by 70 million people in the next five years. Similar Idea-Grams are issued periodically to recap useful ideas that have worked for steel companies in promoting .'iieel and America and to report showings-to-date and other news and comment. Their primary purpose is to encourage steel companies to implement their local promotion of the film. \N'ell-Piiblici/.ed in Industry' Jounial.s Steel company publications have given excellent support to the film. Newspapers, maga zines and newsletters of at least 25 companies ha\e carried major features. Even though the commercial distributors promote the film extensively, industry publicity provides a great help in building additional interest locally through mailings to civic and fraternal organizations, clubs, school officials, and TV stations. Steel Companies Active in Promotion Here is how several companies have been promoting or making special use of the film: Bethlehem Steel Corporation mailed to 1.200 civic leaders and school administrators in its plant communities a copy of the descriptive booklet. Hiiihlinhi.s from Sieel and America, and a print order form. In each community, the co\ering letter was signed by the local plant manager. Company purchased 30 prints of the film, which, after showings held for about 18.000 salaried employees throughout the country, were donated to school Scene fn>m "Steel and America" .thous electron inicTosco\u Ihvih used h\j a scicntvit in steel eompanii's research center. It i.s helftina hint tlevelop the improved .\ieels needed />(/ indtistrtj.