Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1950)

Shotvmansh ip €Janf€»r€*nt*e EXHIBITORS PROMISE FULL SUPPORT in Town!" Asserting that there are no strings attached to the offer, Rosenfield expressed the hope that these ads would obtain wide circulation. He also urged the widest possible use of the slogan, "MOVIES ARE BETTER THAN EVER!", which is contained in a variety of newspaper slugs, available on one mat. These slugs should be used in all newspaper ads, on programs and post . ers, as well as on grocery bags, envelopes, etc. through tie-ups, Rosenfield recommended. The slogan is also contained in a banner, burgee and 40 x 60 poster. These accessories are all to be distributed at cost by National Screen Service. A doorbell-ringing campaign and good will speeches by theatre managers to lo ' cal organizations were advocated by Stirling Silliphant, in charge of special promotion for the film company. DODNEY BUSH, exploitation manager, < and David Golding, publicity manager, spoke of the importance of constantly barraging the public with ballyhoo and publicity. Ralph Palca, manager of 20th-Fox's radio department, asserted that the screen is a theatre's greatest advertising medium and asked the exhibitors: "Have you been using your screen to sell your theatre?" The meeting heard two recorded talks , which are available to further exploit the slogan "Movies Are Better Than Ever" and to institutionalize the theatre. They are titled "The Manager Speaking" and "The Voice of Your Theatre." These discs each run 60 seconds. The conference witnessed a preview of , a newly prepared two-minute short to sell movie-going. Titled "Our Town, U.S.A.", this subject depicts a typical family discussing movies and movie-going, without any reference to Fox pictures or any other particular product. It is especially designed to precede the theatre's trailers. It, too, will be distributed by National Screen Service., "As fine, as courageous, as inspirational a meeting as I ever attended," was the tribute of Eric Johnston, MPAA president, who added that there is entirely too much pessimism in the industry. He admonished exhibitors against nurturing fear and advocated courage, faith and hard work to solve the problems they face. CAM PINANSKI, president of the TOA, declared that his large New England ; circuit will go "all out" to push the Fox showmanship plan. He urged wider use STRESSES TV TRAILERS Means of turning television screens to the advantage of movie houses received considerable attention al the Fox Showmanship Conference. Great stress was placed by several speakers on the importance of developing TV trailers especially designed for home video. Circuit operators Leonard Goldenson, Sam Pinanski, Si Fabian, Charles Skouras, and Harry Brandt, among others, advocated greater attention in the future to this means of advertising. In this connection, an editorial entitled, "Go Into Their Homes After 'Em!", which appeared in the February 27 issue of FILM BULLETIN, was reproduced and distributed by 20th-Fox at the Chicago meeting. of special television trailers. Allied president Trueman Rembusch reiterated his stand against showing films with stars who have fallen into public disfavor by their personal conduct. If the industry sincerely seeks good public relations, it must keep faith, he said. Leonard Goldenson, head of the Paramount theatre chain, offered the opinion that films play off too quickly to allow favorable word-of-mouth to help the boxoffice. 'We must spend money to make this showmanship idea work!" was the straight-from-the-shoulder observation by Charles Skouras, president of the huge National Theatres chain. His circuit will spend $100,000 as its share of the proposed institutional newspaper campaign, Skouras stated. He spoke frankly about the threat of television and warned against minimizing its effects. Where TV has not reached, business is off approximately 12 percent in National Theatres, the circuit operator said, whereas in Los Angeles, where there are some 400,000 sets, grosses are down about 40 percent. He urged that the industry strive to capitalize the new medium, rather than fight it. CI FABIAN termed the meeting the ^ "most stimulating" one he has ever attended. He warned, however, that he had some words of criticism for his hosts, as well as for other film companies. Distributors have become lax in exploiting their product, he declared, citing inadequate budgets as the reason why there is not sufficient pre-selling of pictures. Fabian laid some of the fault for inadequate exploitation at the doorsteps of the large circuits, which became dependent on their favorable runs and clearances and neglected showmanship. He had criticism, too, for the lack of co(Continued on Page 26) special institutional advertisements mm MOVIES ARE THAN EVER! SEE THESE GREAT COMING HITS! (List your forthcoming Twentieth CenturyFox pictures here) y y y y y y y y \ L * t's our pleasure . . . when you have a good time at the movies. It's our pleasure . . . when you laugh and thrill and sometimes' cry at the things you see on the screen. It's our pleasure ... to see the whole family choosing motion pictures as their best entertainment buy. It's our pleasure. ..that youngsters have come to know and love the movies as a very special treat. It's our pleasure . . . that Hollywood is constantly searching for new ideas . . . and bringing them to life. It's our pleasure . . . that today you are finding movies better than ever.. .gaining a greater pleasure in seeing them. *7^^"» »-— (NAME OF THEATRE) MARCH 13, 1950 7