Exhibitor's Trade Review (Nov 1925 - Feb 1926)

Page 70 Exhibitors 1 rade Review How Shall We Use The Short Subject By ABRAHAM BERNSTEIN Abraham Bernstein Short Subject Department THE past year has seen a concentrated effort on the part of producers, distributors, exploiteers and publicists, and finally the exhibitor to featurize what is commonly termed the short subject or, The Big Little Feature. Exhibitors Trade Review has devoted particular attention to the short subject in all its phases, in its Monthly Short Subject Numbers. Notwithstanding, what may seem to us, who are so close and germane to the short subject, the fact that about everything has been said that can be said about comedies, scenics, newsreels, travelogs, cartoons and other novelties, nevertheless this paper ventures to sav that the surface has hardly been scratched. THE industry knows that it has taken between five and ten years to convey just an inkling to the exhibitor of the inherent possibilities latent in the exploitation and advertising of feature motion pictures. It can hardly be expected therefore, that the exhibitor's education in the necessary pioneer work he and others must take, to properly evaluate the short subject, or short feature if you will, has been completed. In fact, it has just begun. And for the first time in motion pictures a co-operative and constructive movement, in which all of the leading producers and distributors of short subjects will participate, is about to take place. That movement is known as "NATIONAL LAUGH MONTH." The principal aims in this drive may be summed up as, first, Educating the exhibitor and the public as to the real mission and importance of the short subject on picture programs, and second, the production of better and finer short subjects, possibly largely through the results which will materialize through this drive. Not only will the exhibitor in later months be supplied with every incentive to play the better sort of short but the combined knowledge and experience of every authority in the short subject field will be concentrated in his behalf, in order that he may be shown how to put his shorts over to his own best advantage. Let us consider one sound business principle which may have been overlooked and one which underlies the frequent and judicious use of short product. We know of a famous retail jewelry shop in lower Broadway, New York, known for its tremendous trade. All day long, throngs are attracted to the shop by the displays of jewelry novelties offered at amazingly low prices. Though there is very little profit to be had in the sale of these eyes-glitterers, this shop isn't in business for love. The turnover in this store will amaze you and still its profits are probably as large as that of finer and more reputable jewelers. Well, what is the answer? It is this. Selling trinkets at almost factory cost is the chief drawing card and lure. Inside the store, in addition to the multitude of inexpensive novelties, are show-cases of the finest wrought, higher-priced jewelry, as fine as that carried by the best retailers. Most of the really worth-while sales of this concern are the result of buying on the part of patrons who primarily stepped in to buy a genuine solid gold pencil, or a pretty silver ring, or a cameo at the ridiculous price of $1.00 or thereabouts. In other words, the palate-tickling cocktail before the heavy course, is the guiding principle of this unusually successful business. Isn't there a striking analogy to this scheme, in the way that exhibitors 'n this country can make use of short product? While undoubtedly the day is passing when cheap and ordinary short subjects can result in effective draws at the box-office, still the principle behind the use of a lure is a sound one. Only now, the stronger the lure, the better the short comedy or noveltv played and exploited, the greater will be the proportionate gain. Take a concrete example. An exhibitor, let us say, has a worth while program on tap for his patrons. His feature is a fairly good one, his divertissement a novel one, his surrounding program strong. Yet, on lining up his exploitation campaign, there is a noticeable lack of specific angles, with which to draw his patrons to the theatre. It may be that the title of the feature has no drawing possibilities. It may be that he hasn't the proper accessories on hand which he could splurge with on his feature. Or a variety of other reasons. THE exhibitor or his manager knows that once his public is inside the doors of the house, it will go home satisfied and happy after the evening's entertainment. What can he do? This! He can pick on his best short subject and give it the same and even greater publicity than his feature. The very novelty of a hullabaloo being made about something new, some new angle that has an unusual tang to it, will in itself attract attention. Perhaps his short is a serial episode, such as "Wild West." The manager can ballyhoo the town with strong men and wild animals, parades and floats, placards in the good old carnival style; newspaper announcements of a circus week at the theatre and the good time for the youngsters to be had. A calliope along main street, a lobby full of caged monkeys ! anything, as long as it smacked of the sawdust ring. Why should he spend all this time, money and attention on a short? It's ridiculous on the face of it ! Not a bit, say we. What difference does it make what you exploit, when you are up against it? Get the people into the house. Your program is good, that vou know. They will go away happy. Maybe the short is a Ko-Ko Song Cartoon. These shorts are extremely popular with audiences because they are asked to join in the singing and anything that promotes a community spirit wins success from the start. Well, what can you do with this? Advert' se a community sing. Get it across with glee clubs and singing societies. Promise them a new innovation. Put on a song presentation with a local quartette. Distribute throwaways of the cartoon character Ko-Ko, with a personal invitation to the recipients to show how well they used to sing in the days gone by. And adinfinitum. There are just as many possibilities for exploitation in shorts as in features. A little ingenuity will discover them. And once the habit grows, the habit of thinking seriously about the short stuff on programs, the easier will the inclination and opportunity present itself for exploitation and commensurate profit with effort expended. (Continued on page 71)