The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 348 The Educational Screen MOTION PICTURES- NOT FOR THEATRES By ARTHUR EDWIN KROWS Beacon Films ONE may not proceed far into the purlieus of New York's stage or motion picture business without coming upon younger members of wealthy families who are seeking to learn "from the ground up" the secrets of a fascinating profession. As long as I can remember there have been interesting instances of this, but there is one outstanding recent case, a reference to which may fittingly end this chapter on the preliminary lessons learned in this field by Big Business. In 1930 Major H. C. S. Thomson, a 49-year-old Scotsman who had been president of Film Booking Offices of America in Los Angeles and had just sold out to J. P. Kennedy, became inter- ested in seeing what he could do by introducing Big Business methods into non-theatrical motion picture distribu- tion, came to New York and there or- ganized Beacon Films. The main offices were in the Pathe Building, 35 West 45th Street. The prospective first market was to be constituted by churches and schools, and, as the churches seemed easier to handle on the mass basis, immediate attention was concentrated on them. First, however, it was necessarj to finance the undertaking. Thomson there- fore made acquaintance with several of these aforesaid wealthy beginners and persuaded them of tlie high merit of his plan. Among others he contacted were W. Douglas Burden and John Hay ("Jock") Whitney, particular cronies, at the time, of Merian C. Cooper, who had lately returned from the spectacular ex- perience of producing "Grass." Cooper became vice-president of Beacon, and his friends, I understand, botli invested. Then there was De Witt L. Sage, of Narra- gansett, Rhode Island, who had backed an African expedition under auspices of the American Museum of Natural His- tory, and had just completed a trip with the Martin Johnsons. He became secre- tary of the corporation. Also, Roy P. Gates, born in Texas, known as a sports- man-pilot in aviation and with a brief picture experience as "producer." He became vice-president and general man- ager. Mrs. Elizabeth Richey Dessez, who had been head of the non-theatrical department of Pathe, situated in the same building with Beacon during the time Jeremiali Milbank was the power behind Pathe, joined Beacon as director of pub- lic relations. The new outfit started out bravely, and the field was suddenly impressed with stories of abundant wealth and probable achievement. The group even put forth a Beacon portable projector. But, so soon as February, 1932, Major Thomson, disgusted with the meager response of the market, and a few lesser circum- stances of adverse nature, resigned. He promptly started up another concern, however, called Lumatone Productions, and took Mrs. Dessez with him as editor. Roy Gates succeeded to the presidency of Beacon and carried on. But it seems that the glamor was gone. In 1933 a Beacon high spot was the as- sembly, in seven reels, of a Catholic feature called "Through the Centuries," the indefatigable churchlady, Mrs. Rita McGoldrick, supervising the work. But Part 41.—Starting a new chapter on the devious ways of the non- theatrical market and some histor- ical reasons why it is what it is. quiet soon descended again. Thereafter one could obtain about fifty subjects from Beacon Films by applying to the concern at 729 Seventh Avenue. One could also obtain prints of most of the items from other, independent rental agencies, includ- ing the church pictures produced by the Harmon Foundation. Beacon's main standby, though, apparently was the non- theatrical release of "The King of Kings," in twelve reels, "scored" with a sound accompaniment. Chapter X—Marketing Problems A SMOOTH-RUNNING MA- CHINE requires many smooth- running parts, working in unison. That observation was never truer than when applied to the non-theatrical field of motion pictures. One may have excel- lent films and an eager audience there, yet be frustrated in bringing them to- gether by having no reasonable system John Hay Whitney, later to become a factor in Hollywood production, gained some original motion pic- ture experience with Beacon Films. of distribution; or the distribution may exist without proper reels; or the audi- ence itself may be unable to appear. It is difficult to say which of these factors is the most important, but certainly, in this period of expanding uses, market considerations deserve a long, separate scrutiny. The celebrated public relations coun- sel. Ivy Lee, discussing films one time in a Visugraphic house organ, went so far as to say that pictures are worthless unless they may be shown. This em- phasis upon exhibition factors was sup- ported by history, for it is a truth well established that discoveries and inven- tions are of virtually no importance until the world has place for them. That is why there was no especial gain for the pre-Christian Greeks in having steam engines (which they had), or to the ancient Norsemen in finding North .America (which they probably reached), and why the rewards for those achieve- ments awaited respectively the days of James Watt and Christopher Columbus. Possibly it follows, too, that the time for non-theatrical pictures has not yet ar- rived. I know many conscientious observ- ers who sincerely believe that it has not. A Market Philosophy The non-theatrical market is repre- sented, of course—is personified in large sense-—by the user of pictures. All the production, all the selling, has him in view. But he does not stand alone; he is not self-sufficient. With all of his natural importance he is but one piece of a mechanism having many other ])arts. Resembling the central character in .'Xesop's famous fable of the Belly and Its Members, he cannot get along with- out the others. Together with his ad- vantage of position, therefore, he has certain obligations to them, the fulfilment of which also represents his function in the smooth-running whole. In return for the privilege of having proper films, he is expected to pay the costs of supply- ing them, which is to say, the expenses of producing and providing not only the picture but projector, screen, place of exhibition, and so on. And, beyond mere costs, to make the provision of these factors worthwhile to those who create •and offer them, he should pay a profit in addition for their benefit. Thus, as far as the user of pictures is concerned, there is constituted a tacit, major understanding which never wavers, an operating principle. The ultimate con- sumer is expected, and should expect, to pay for what he receives. Upon that prima facie, age-old contract, written or unwritten, verbal or unspoken, those who cater to the consumer's wishes es- tablish and maintain their several lines of business.