Business screen magazine (1946)

Anyone Can Distribute Sponsored Films! Y ts, anyone can distribute sponsored films! All you need is a small office, some paper and basic supplies, the simplest kind of rewind and splicer (some programs have been known to operate without the splicer). But suppose you want your distribution to be the best in every way — to match the quality of your products and the reputation of your company. Suppose your distribution objectives included such important things as reaching only the audiences that benefit you most; keepv ing your prints always in tip-top condition; making the most of the available print supply: obtaining complete and accurate management reports; and, doing the most effective, most efficient job of sponsored film distribution that could be done. In that case we think you would want your distribution to be the same as Modern distribution — and so you would need: Audience Knowledge • You would want to know where the thousands of audiences for 16mm films arc located, who is in charge of film programming, what the interests of those audiences are. You would have to do constant research to locate the thousands of new audiences that are added each year. Addressing Facililies • Once colleaed, your audience knowledge would have to be recorded on addressograph or similar plates so that you would have the facility for using this information. And you would have to have the capacity to expand this file by 15 or 20 thousand audiences each year to keep up with the growing market for your films. Promo/ion Knowledge • You would have to know the best times of the year to promote the use of your films and how to design and write your promotion to appeal to the people you want to have see your film. If you were big enough (as Modern is > you could have a full time staff working on advertising and promotion alone. Audience Confidence • This is a tougher thing — an intangible— that you might have to build up over many years. It results when your audiences have actually learned by experience that you are a reliable and convenient supplier of sponsored films. In many school systems, to gain this, you might have to make personal visits to supen'isors and administrators and you will always have to work cooperatively with all educators and all audiences. Film Exchanges • For audience convenience and to make the most efficient use of your print inventory, you would need a de centralized network of film exchanges. These exchanges would have to be strategically located in major cities and should be placed at addresses in those cities that are easily accessible. A good store-front premise would be a definite plus value for you. W^e have found that 28 such exchanges constitute the most efficient network. Personnel • To staff your 28 exchanges you would need capable people specially trained in the problems of sponsored film distribution. These people would truly have to be specialists because you would learn that the job of distribution of sponsorc-d films cannot be mixed successfully with the jobs of distributing rental films or equipment or any other job. Equipment • To give your people the right tools to work with, you"d need the best of office equipment and you would find (as we have) that special items like elearic typewriters would increase their efficiency. Your films, if they are to be kept in the best possible condition, demand professional film rcwm equipment which, of course, would include electronic film inspeaion machines. This equipment would be a gcxxl investment because you would protea the money you have spent for prints. Management Reports • If you want to keep management fully informed about the results of your distribution effort, you would want the facility that is only provided by IBM key punch and tabulating machines. They will enable you to prepare regular reports of results by state, type of audience, marketing areas, and other vital information. Administration • To manage effeaively all of these aaivities and plan for future growth and development you would require capable administrators who have had many years of experience in sponsored film distribution and who can devote every minute of their time to your objeaives. This isn't all but it will give you some idea of what is involved in this business of distribution of sponsored films IF you expect your distribution to be the best in every way. You can readily see that this is a full-time job for a lot of people. The point is this . . . Modern has this know-how, these facilities, and capable personnel NOW. And Mcxlcrn has the experience— 23 years of it — devoted exclusively to the distribution objeaives of 150 major sponsors of public relations films. Why be satisfied with less than the best, when the best costs no more . . . and often costs less.' Phone or write any of the offices listed below. MODERN TALKING PICTURE SERVICE NEW YORK: 45 Rockefeller Plaza • JUdson 6-3830 PHILADELPHIA: 243 South Broad Street • KIngsley 5 2500 CHICAGO: 1 40 East Ontario Street • DElaware 73252 LOS ANGELES: 612 South Flower Street • AAAdiion 9-2121 N I M B K R 8 .S5