Canadian Moving Picture Digest (May 1924-Apr 1925)

Page Six THE EXHIBITOR’S PLACE IN THE SUN By SYDNEY S. COHEN Reprinted from the “ Exhibitors’ Herald”’ (Continued from issue of Mar. 21st) AN EXHIBITOR POINT OF CONTRACT Eo! personal observation gained on my various tours and trips throughout the country, meeting theatre owners face to face and learning some of their needs and problems first hand, I was greatly surprised to learn the cause of resentment and ill-feeling that theatre owners often express for certain film companies. Memories of past wrongs or grievances that “So and So” of this or that company did to the theatre owner in the past, today keeps him from being a customer of that company, and unfortunately, it is some of the major producing companies who are not operating theatres in competition with theatre owners who still carry over this ill will and hostility due to the activities of some of their personnel in years gone by, and prevents him from being a customer of that company today. After all, the theatre owner is a very human person and perhaps it is easier for him to forgive than forget. It seems to me that much could be done toward the creation of a friendly spirit, one that would be more lucrative for the producer and distributor (and eventually for the theatre owner), through the engaging of an exhibitor’s “proxy”; someone who can speak the exhibitor’s language without the aid of an interpreter; one in whom the theatre owner has confidence and whose honesty and _ sincerity are well-known to him; someone who will see he is offered the pictures; that after he has signed the contract for the purchase of the pictures; the acceptance or the rejection is promptly forwarded to him; that he is negotiated with fairly; that his complaints receive due consideration ; that he is really interested in his welfare and makes him feel the company is not trying to put him out of business as some other companies are, but really helping him; that at every turn in the relation between producer, distributor and theatre owner, the latter feels that his interests are being specially looked after by this exhibitor’s “proxy.” In other words, an exhibitor point of contract. With such a person in their employ, these producing and distributing companies would soon enjoy very much added business in the nature of discretionary Before Buying Pictures Read The Digest Advertising Pages. bookings which the theatre owners can place during the year. As I am nearing the end of my attempt to outline conditions in the industry principally as they affect the theatre owner, I am more and more appalled by the immensity of the problems that confront us all. I realize that with the best of intentions I have only touched on some of the major questions. I also realize that many of the suggestions I have offered are susceptible of improvement. Above all things, I am impressed with the futility of individual effort. We need a common council, concerted action, all around cooperation. If I am successful in setting any of these things in motion, I will consider myself well rewarded. S I near the close of these articles and am finishing the catalog of evils and abuses which have bred so much discontent among theatre owners, every mail brings batches of letters from theatre owners from all over the country to my desk, calling my attention to matters not yet touched upon and offering suggestions of great value. ‘Though these letters, in part echo and in part amplify many of the alarming symptoms I have attempted to describe, it would be manifestly impossible to do justice to all the complaints and grievances within the limits of this series of articles. I pointed out at the beginning of these articles that the motion picture theatre owner is on the defensive; that his position was abnormal considering his importance to the industry ; that his investment lacked stability owing to his false position. I here hasten to add that the theatre owner need not remain on the defensive a! minute longer, unless it be through his own desire. Today he is like the giant Gulliver, prone on the ground, bound and fettered, while Lilliputians walk on him at their pleasure. Let him but move his powerful limbs and the puny fetters binding him would snap like threads. Then he could rise, stand erect, assert his power and instantly command the respect and treatment due to his position. SEPARATE SPHERES ie justice to the theatre owner as well as the other branches of our industry, we should differentiate in the minds of the public and official Go. gle dustry — production, ‘distr exhibition — they should © that each branch is supposed in its own distinct sphere and be held responsible and ~ for every action within that If the producers continue to and encourage their publicity ments to broadcast the super gant salaries that are supposedl to stars and directors, the — owner should make it known : alone is he not responsible — payment of these alleged sal that he is opposed to them e€ much as are officials and o A particular foolish example kind is harmful publicity, is th sent out by various press agen the old school about the allege aries being paid to mere childre was recklessly claimed that an : salary of $500,000 has been one child and perhaps a million more to another. The unexpect publishing recently of the income Washington undoubtedly will have effect of eliminating the conti publication of this senseless and amount of the tax alongside name of one of these “little” stars: very small; in no way tallying nor justifying the very large announcements ‘made in the early pi of the year. ; The most unfortunate aspect — yee these announcements is the impressit n created in official circles that in oré to pay these staggering salaries theatre owner is charging too at the box office. Therefore, h making too large a profit. know these suppositions are not Such statements as those reg: the salaries of stars tends to give own money or get it at a pum when relief is sought from a or national legislature from taxa’ or hostile legislation, it is very diffic to impress our legislators with the need of same on account of these caggerated accounts of income. I haven’t in mind any particular indiv: idual, but rather several types. The is no question that all such extr. gant statements create disgust an business men and are used to in the burdens of the industry, p: larly that of the theatre owner (To be continued.) “Tf Marriage Fails?” new C. Gardner Sullivan’s second tion for F. B. O.. “Tearing has replaced “Yellow Faces Talmadge’s new stunt thri