Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

January 10, 1925 EXHIBITORS HERALD 35 THE THEATRE Q.AjDepartment of Practical Showmanship OVERSEATING AS COMPETITION This Week — Coppock Discusses Over^ Seating JS Plots Attendance Frequency Plan 37 Ready-to-Stage Radio Feature 38 Moss First to Use Holiday Copy 34 Stiles Joins House Organ Circle 40 Adapts Payne’s Souvenir Program 4t Mock to Leave Exhibition Field 41 Olson Will Make Puzzles Pay 41 How Coppock Method Draws Patron Back Graphs of “The Spirit of the Lantern” and “The Prisoner of Gingerbread Town,” Coppock Presentations published in previous issues, are given upon the second page following, demonstrating in practical application the Coppock method of increasing attendance frequency. Differentiation of appeal fundamentals in successive presentations is Mr. Coppock’s answer to the box office problem involved in naaintenance of a successful stage production policy for the motion picture theatre. It has been pointed out that presentations widely different in subject matter, locale, etc., may still be practically identical in fundamentals and may therefore give the patron the impression that stage productions at such-and-such a theatre are "all alike.” On the other hand, presentations similar in subject matter, locale and outward aspect may be used successively without monotony if arrangement of appeal fundamentals is varied as it is possible to vary them by use of the Coppock graph method. Demonstration of this is made with graphs of two original Coppock Presentations published in past issues for production by theatremen direct from these pages. These presentations, one an Oriental number and the other a Winter episode espedally suitable for use during the holiday season, serve the purpose admirably. Coppock Says Presentation Can Overcome It; Furnishes **Radio of Tomorrow** Script Over-seating b competition and a condition which can be overcome by the established tools for combating competitive attractions, according to the second in the series of articles by Albert Bernard Coppock, producer of Coppock Presentations, published this week. The first article in the series was published in the December 13 issue. As in that issue, Mr. Coppock climaxes his article with an original presentation, ready-to-stage direct from the pages of this department, this time making radio the basis of his production. “The Radio of Tomorrow” is published upon pages 38 and 39. Demonstration of Mr. Coppock’s system for increasing attendance frequ^cy by elimination of monotony in presentation is made upon page 37. A Practical Picture Presentation Policy By ALBERT BERNARD COPPOCK In the first article on presentation the thought of attendance frequency gained much attention. This idea is born of the anticipation of what is commonly known as over-seating. The Scale of Emotions assists in general construction of a presentation, and in this article a system for presenting the ideas and visible things to insure versatility Over-seating might well be anticipated in view of the great number of houses being built, but it should be seen as competition and provision made to meet it as such. When the time arrives that it becomes necessary to figure that a percentage of patronage must return each week it is time to have an exact scientific method of presenting entertainment. When the theatres that have been leaders in the art of presentation have opposition springing up about them, it is time to do presentations right. And right in this sense is absolute correctness, perfect as a machine and built according to a principle as true as two times two is four. * * The outstanding argument against this is that you are dealing with a human element and a certain amount of freedom exists in artistic expression, etc., and your question is would it not result in a sterotyped form to interfere with these things? The answer is no. Within the human element lies all the power to entertain it, and freedom in expression simply comes from the natural understanding of principle and the ability to work rapidly in accord with it. The power to create a perfect show lies within neither man nor money. The real power is in the mind of the audience. The successful showmen have been those who tuned in with the human element. Now with the stupendous task confronting us of creating a super presentation each week it might be advisable to sift down this tuning in process and find what is in is given. it. There can be nothing new. Electricity was ever at the disposal of mankind, but it had to be discovered. Chemistry and invention are only discoveries and utilizing of natural laws that, as far as we now understand, are of eternal existence. Scientists, for years, have been discovering things about the human mind that are being used in business and in the courtroom. Why not bring those discoveries into the show business? Physics have been used very extensively on the stage in lighting, color and mechanical effects. It is now time for metaphysics. The problem of the theatre is in the mind of the audience. The main object to center about in solving this problem is to know the receptivity of the audience mind for the infinite number of ideas that may be drawn from nature as nucleuses for entertainment. The audience response to these ideas is the success of the show. * * * An examination of temperament will lead a long way toward this understanding of man and nature sufficiently to select ideas and express them correctly. Each person in an audience will be found to possess a combination of three principal temperaments, one of which usually predominates. These are : T emperaments 1. Mental — (memory and reason), 2. Motive — (action and energy). 3. Vital — (planning and directing). Ref. : Characterology — by L. Hamilton McCormick.