Exhibitors Herald (1926)

48 EXHIBITORS HERALD April 10, 1926 Exploiting in Japan “The Lost World” was given genuine exploitation in its runs in Japanese theatres. Photo at right shows the manner in which the showmen exploited the First National picture at Asakusa Park, Tokyo, Japan. Left shows another view of the Tokyo theatre with its front decorated by the monster’s head and the bright colored bunting. Photo below shows the management of Shochiku Za in Tokyo which is one of the largest houses in the country. * w n 1* 1 iwl .^1 Gross Outlines Rules for Staging “Fiddlers Contests” NOW that, the vogue in building up patronage is “Old Fiddlers Contests” rules and regulations to govern such contests have been worked out by Jack Gross, manager of the Capitol’s Crane theatre in Carthage, Mo. The only rule omitted by Gross which is deemed important is that in awarding prizes to tying contestants make equal awards to all. Rules submitted by Gross follow: _ Advertise in local newspapers stating time and place of contest, and the prizes offered, requesting all contestants to register at manager’s office. Offer liberal prizes. Make solicitation among local merchants for donations of merchandise as gifts to the winning contestants. Explaining the advertising advantage of a presentation speech from the stage on night of contest when donated merchandise is presented to winners. Choose three to five judges who know music. These judges to sit on stage during contest. Get judges who are unbiased. Don't let the audience be judges. Don’t put an age limit on fiddlers. We had them from eight to 80 of both sexes. Be sure all entries are “natural born fiddlers,” not trained violinists. (A violinist reads music by note, an honest fiddler plays by “ear” only.) Advertise the contest in a big way. Missouri Exhibitor Says to Bar Trained Violinists — Real Fiddlers Play Only by Ear — Do Not Let the Audience Be the Judge — Play It Up as a Big Event and It Will Sure Hit the Box Office in a Big Way. You’ll be surprised at the number of fiddlers you have in your immediate vicinity. And all of them anxious to compete in prize contests. They’ll respond from adjoining counties. We had them at our initial contest from a radius of 75 miles. An easy way to place the fiddlers in order on the program is to take small pieces of paper numbered consecutively I-2-3-4-5, etc. Place numbers in a hat, allowing fiddlers to draw from hat for places. To start the show off right, assemble all the fiddlers on the stage at the same time. Let them play the “Arkansas Traveler” all together. If there is a man who does not know this Ozark classic, rule him_ out as he is not a fiddler, because this is the first tune a natural born fiddler learns to play. To avoid confusion open the show by having some qld-timer play an accordion or concertina solo. A singer singing old time songs is another good opener. After the opening let each contestant play two numbers of his own selection. It is not necessary to announce the titles of the pieces to the audience but each fiddler and his or her accompanist should be introduced upon their respective entrance. It is hard to select the winners from 12 to 20 fiddlers after they have all played. Get the judges to pick four or five. This, however, may be governed by the number of entries in your contest. These play in the finals for the prizes offered, playing only one tune of their own selection without an accompanist. The judges may then decide the winners in 1-2-3 order or as many prizes as you have offered for your contest. Dress your stage in a rustic or barn dance atmosphere. Pumpkins, corn on the stalk, or other farm products which are available are a valuable asset in decorating for your contest. An interior of a country store is another good idea. Play this up as a big event and it will sure hit the box office in a big way. It don’t cost much money but it does take some time and energy to put it over. It will prove a remunerative attraction every time. Contests Finance Easter Trips Old Fiddlers’ contests which have been staged during the past two months at motion picture theatres throughout New York state provided the wherewithal for Easter trips to Washington for graduating classes in high schools as well as other things. In Potsdam, N. Y., an old fiddlers’ contest last week showed a profit of more than $300 for the village band which staged the contest and which will now use the money for the purchase of new instruments. High school graduating classes have also staged these contests with very profitable results.