Exhibitors Herald (Oct-Dec 1920)

December 25, 1920 EXHIBITORS HERALD 135 Importance of Well Balanced Program Reelcraft President Declares That Success of Theatre Business is Due Partly to the Admirably Chosen Bills By R. C. CROPPER THERE has been much talk of late concerning an expected depression at the box office. A forewarning has been sounded to influence the exhibitor against a reduction in admission prices. The best answer offered as a cure and preventative measure for such business troubles is that given by Dr. Heisenfeld a few days ago when he declared that the depression was impossible and the reduction unnecessary for the theatres that rendered a well balanced program properly presented. Picture theatres of the United States are now receiving the highest admission prices in the history of the industry. Were I asked to explain this prosperity and gradual increase from the one time 5 and 10 cent admission prices, I would attribute it, first of all, to the well balanced programs now being presented for the public. * * * It is true the ever increasing cost of operation has compelled and justifies the higher admission. Fortunes are now spent on building individual picture theatres. In fact, more money is now spent for a first class picture theatre than was ever contemplated for a theatre to house legitimate attractions ten years ago. More musicians are now employed in many theatres than were used in the grand opera orchestras of ten years back. All of which is given at a much increased cost to the exhibitor and has made necessary the admission prices of today. That the expense is justified is proven by the success of these enterprises; that same success being the direct outcome of the program offered the public and that program, the most successful one, is the well balanced one. Today the wise money making exhibitor takes the same care in the selection and arranging of his program as Get Out Your File Discussing the necessity to a well balanced program of a comedy, President Cropper says: "This part of a well balanced program has only recently succeeded in attracting the attention of exhibitors in the matter of its selection. Only a few weeks ago, in the issue of November 20 to be exact, the Exhibitors Herald devoted an entire page to this matter under the heading of '. . . And a Comedy.' You may not have read the article, but if you were on the lookout for things and ideas that will make money for you, you will have that article framed and hung over your desk. There was more commonsense-picture-money-making-logic expressed in those few hundred words than have been expressed in hundreds of books." he does in the building of his theatre. He knows from experience that a feature, by itself, is no more a program than a theatre without projection machines is a moving picture theatre. Can you imagine a program consisting of only the feature? Without music or the usual one and two-reel subjects that go to make a program? Can you guess the comment of your patrons after witnessing a program consisting of the feature only? Strip your program of all but your feature and see how quickly your competitor will have all of your patronage. * * * Assuming that you must have more than a feature, what is to be added becomes of equal importance. If you are a builder in the business and growing, you will study your program and look upon the selection of the feature as the purchasing of an unmounted painting on the crude canvas. Presentation of this picture to your patrons requires the setting of an appropriate frame for surely, just as a masterpiece of art requires a frame and shadow-box, so the feature requires the frame and shadow-box of a well balanced program. In selecting that frame and shadowbox for presenting your feature you should consider your patrons from their entrance at the overture to their exit after the last reel is run. Of course you appreciate the music score prepared for the picture and your orchestra leader informs you that he has a special opening selection that will be especially suited to the nature of the picture. That is the start of a well balanced program. If yours is a large theatre you may be in the habit of spending considerable time and money in the preparing and presentation of a prologue, as a sort of atmospheric introduction to your feature. So far, well and good, but even that much accomplished is not an entire complete program. There seems to be one accepted part of nearly every program and most universally recognized. It is best expressed in the words of one of the world's greatest comedians, "Always leave them laughing when you say good-bye"; and in pictures applies to the customary finishing of a program with a good comedy to send the people away smiling. Many a bad feature has been redeemed by the good comedy that followed it on the program. * * * The comedy has come to be as necessary to a program as the operator of the projection machine; just as necessary but not selected with one-hundredth the part of care given to the selection of the operator. This part of a well balanced program has only recently succeeded in attracting the attention of exhibitors in the matter of its selection. Only a few weeks ago, in the issue of November 20 to be exact, the Exhibitors Herald devoted an entire page to this matter under the heading of ". . . and a Comedy." You may not have read the article, but if you were on the lookout for things and ideas that will make money for you, you will have that article framed and hung over your desk; there R. C. CROPPER President of Reelcraft Pictures Corporation. was more common-sense picture-moneymaking-logic expressed in those few hundred words than have been expressed in hundreds of books. Even with the feature and the comedy as fixtures of the program, it is not yet complete even with proper musical arrangements and a prologue. The public expect more and you give it to them, be it a news reel, scenic, educational, current topics, western or any one of a dozen different brands and styles of short subjects that will go to balance out a program. Here is where your knowledge, ability and extcutive showmanship will count, the proper selection of the right short subjects that will best fit in with the remainder of your program. * * * The short subject that immediately precedes your feature should be selected with care and consideration; it should be a sort of preparatory reel, one that leads the onlookers into the mood or atmosphere of your big feature that is to follow. This reel, in an artistic sense, is the coloring light in the artistic setting of a well balanced program. The short subject has passed the stage of being merely a filler that could be booked and played without the bother of screening for selection. It has come to be an essential part of every program; the quality has improved and costs you more money; paying more, you expect more, and rest assured you are getting it. Never before in the history of the business, since features passed two reel lengths, has there been such an outlay of brains and money devoted exclusively to the short subject. One and two reel productions are now being made with the same care, consideration and energy as our largest features. Entire organizations devote their whole efforts to the making of these short subjects for your program.