Exhibitors Herald (Jun-Dec 1917)

Big Business Rules" Fastening on Film Industry, is Declaration of W. A. Brady Principles Used in Steel, Leather, Rubber, Automobiles and Other Trades Rapidly Entering Picture Production Field, Says DirectorGeneral in Resume of World's Activities be released shortly throughout the world by the Goldwyn Distributing Corporation. A recent visitor to the Peerless studio in Fort Lee, where World-Pictures Brady-Made are carried fom birth to maturity, expressed astonishment at the discovery that no less than seven distinct photoplays were in course of simultaneous production. "The last time I was here a few months ago," said this observer, "four motion pictures were being made at the same time, and nearly everybody about the place seemed to think the extreme limit of productivity had been reached, so far as this plant was concerned. What is the answer — or isn't there any?" "The answer," replied Director-General William A. Brady, "is intensiveness of productivity, which follows surely on the heels of efficiency. "What you see in the World studio is surely, if slowly, creeping over the entire manufacture of motion pictures. It is quite naturally pleasant to reflect that this corporation has been the leader in carrying efficiency and intensiveness to its present development, the more so as its effect upon the business in general is sure to be vastly beneficial in the long run. "When I cast my eye over this studio as it is conducted at present — with its seven directors handling as many stars and companies, each in a new play — and conjure up the condition as it was about two years ago, the whole thing seems like a dream, or a fairy tale, or the raving of some idealist. "Seems Like Dream" — Brady "At that period we had two studios, the Peerless and Paragon, both representing the very latest state of equipment, and each calling for a very large weekly expenditure. The output rarely exceeded two, or at the most, four productions at the same time. There was no such thing as order. "Everything was in the hands of the directors. Such a thing as questioning one of these gentlemen was plain heresy. They were accountable to nobody. Many were conscientious, and some were not, but the main fact was that system was totally absent; and the leakage was enormous. "The task of correcting this disastrous situation was not only big, but often discouraging in the extreme. At times it required action so drastic that observers insisted it could not be done — but it was. Further, the work became more and more concentrated until finally we were able to release the ' Paragon studio entirely. Output at Maximum. "At the present moment we are producing more pictures than at any time in our history, and what is more, they are better, bigger, more pretentious pictures than those of any previous period. Efficiency and intensiveness do not contemplate skimping, or cutting down quality, by any means. They mean putting your money where it will do the most good — with the sky the limit where a result can be had — and getting the last ounce of effort out of every part • of the producing machinery. "This is the big idea that is beginning to make itself felt in a noticeable degree all over the manufacturing end of the industry. The effort no longer is to see how many continents a producing plant can be spread over, or how much money can be thrown away, or how top heavy a business structure can be made. "In place of all this, the same principles which have made big business in steel, leather, rubber, automobiles, harvesters and many other branches of industry are gradually and surely making big business in the pictures." Goldwyn Film Shows National Army Work W hat the million men of the new National Army are doing to make themselves fit soldiers for the United States service in France, will soon be flashed upon the screen through the new patriotic photoplay, "For the Freedom of the World," made by Ira M. Lowry and to shortly." $1,000,000 COMPANY FORMED (Continued from page 15) ing Corporation must be to achieve its object — the purchasing of special state rights pictures and their distribution to exhibitors at prices that represent only an equitable profit to producers and distributors— my associates and myself have given many weeks of careful preparation to the working out of extensive plans for the successful operation of a company working along entirely new lines," said Frank Hall, president and general manager of the new company. "We believe that an organization founded to buy big features for cash with the sole idea of renting them to exhibitors at prices that represent only a fair interest on the investment is sure of immediate and lasting success. Our first picture is the Thos. H. Ince spectacle "The Zeppelin's Last Raid." We have reason to believe that it will prove to be one of the biggest box-office winners of the season. Our second feature is a Bessie Barriscale production, and our "Committee of Selection" is also in a position to promise another important announcement in the near future. As to distribution, arrangements have been completed with exchanges giving us offices from which our own representative can serve the exhibitors of every territory. "The M. H. Hoffman Foursquare Exchanges will handle our pictures in the many important territories which they cover and other territories will be taken care of by exchanges to be announced 'SCOTTY' SHADING WALTHALL DURING FILMING OF "HIS ROBE OF HONOR" STAR SHOWN IN SCENE OF "TULIAN RANDOLPH'S" OFFICE. WHERE HE SAT FOl SEVERAL HOURS IN TORRID 'HEAT BEFORE CAMERA FOR IMPORTANT SITUATION IN BIG DRAMA. (H. B. Walthall Pictures Corp.) JO