Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

6XHIBITORS FORUm Opinions Culled from Organization Bulletins NEWSPAPERS VS. TV ITO of Ohio The New York Times recently published Seven-column ad "all advertising media are good . . . but the Newspaper is by far the best advertising medium. Published in the interest of Newspapers and Advertisers by Moloney, Regan & Schmidt, Newspaper representatives since 1900." This ad had a cartoon showing a couple bringing two television sets into a room where there was already a third one. Caption of the cartoon reads "Excuse us a moment — three of our favorite programs come on at the same time!" Ralance of this ad reads as follows: 'CHALLENGING THOUGHTS EOR 1952's MILLION-DOLLAR ADVERTISERS! A minion dollars these days no longer buys a big TV campaign BUT ... a million dollars spent in Newspaper advertising will buy a big Newspaper campaign of 1000-line advertisements every other week for a full year in 79 Newspapers in the 63 TV cities and will deliver a net paid ABC circulation I of 20,000,000 families per insertion — in contrast to approximately 14,500,000 TV sets in the entire U.S." This is interesting fodder in 1 the fight against TV. LENTEN ABSTINENCE Allied Theatres of Michigan Mr. Joe Denniston of Monroe reports his (attention has been directed to the distribution to members of the Methodist Church in Monroe, Ann Arbor and Flint of small paper I boxes to be used as depositories for money Isaved during the Lenten season by persons jstaying away from the movies. Mr. Denniston is a substantial and faithful (member of this religious group in Monroe and upon learning of this program of collection assisted in changing the printing on the boxes distributed in Monroe to read in substance — please deposit in this box moneys which could be spend for your personal Ipleasures during the Lenten season. The accumulated funds to represent part of your Easter contribution. These boxes are reported as being printed ind distributed by the Floral City Speciality (Company, Syracuse, New York. We have no (knowledge of any other religious group idopting this program of collection. We respectfully request that you exhaust every reasonable effort to determine whether this >rogram is in effect in your community and (if so you may influence the church to be lore charitable towards the movies in the presentation of their financial program. PRODUCTION WASTE Gulf States Allied Hedda Hopper in her syndicated column if February 19th, says: "Jean Arthur has collected nearly $500,000 from Paramount since 1947, yet has made only one picture for that company. Now, by mutual consent, her contract has been cancelled with a large chunk of cash going to Miss Arthur." As every exhibitor should know, it is he that pays for these ridiculous, needless, and squandered expenditures in increased filmcosts, not the producer nor the distributor. UNBALANCE ATO of Gulf States From the trade-journals, the headline glared forth at the army of loss-taking theatre owners during the past week: 6 majors' gross take up 11% in last quarterly report. With the majors' gross-take climbing uphill and the exhibitors' gross-take sliding downhill, we once again have further proof of the unbalance of relative economy between exhibition and distribution. As exhibitors pay more for film because of wild bidding and the inability to "crack through the line" of the ruthless demands of the distributors, exhibition economy becomes weaker while the economy of the distributors becomes stronger. Doesn't it seem that we are being "gobbled up" by the dictatorial agency of distribution? BLANK CONTRACTS ITO of Ohio A number of exhibitors report that they are being asked to sign blank contracts on the ground that a salesman does not have time to fill out the many forms required. This practice is dangerous. If the exigencies of the situation require that you sign contracts without their being completely filled out, be sure you obtain a copy of the work sheet signed by the salesman and dated so that you may carefully compare this with the contract when the latter is returned to you, approved. In any case where the signed contract does not agree with the work sheet, if you will send both to this office the matter will be immediately straightened out. USE PR SHORTS Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana Your Association has purchased 16mm copies of the twelve shorts that were included in the MOVIES AND YOU series that played in most theatres. The purpose in buying these 16mm prints was to enable our members to schedule local showings in their schools, churches, clubs, etc. Each film runs approximately 10 minutes and are titled as follows: LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES, THE ART DIRECTOR, THE SOUNDMAN, THIS THEATRE AND YOU, HISTORY BROUGHT TO LIFE, SCREEN ACTORS, MOVIES ARE ADVENTURE, THE COSTUME DESIGNER, THE SCREEN WRITER, MOMENTS IN MUSIC, THE CINEMATOGRAPHER and THE SCREEN DIRECTOR. Why not arrange a ten, twenty or thirty minute program for your high school or Rotary Club. We will book these shorts to you singly or in any group combination you desire. CUT EXPRESS COSTS North Central Allied Exhibitors located far from their exchange center know what an important item of expense transportation costs can be. The fact that prints are now almost 100% acetate noninflammable stock, points the way to a great savings in these costs. It is now possible to send prints in extremely light-weight plastic, veneer, or light-weight metal containers instead of the heavy metal containers now in use. Here is an example: In one theatre, the twice-weekly newsreel usually comes out in a metal can with total shipping weight being about ten pounds and shipping costs 52c each way. A recent shipment in a cardboard contained weighed 5 or 6 pounds and the round trip cost 60c. All shorts are now on acetate and a proportional saving at least is possible for features. In any event, the application of this plan to short subjects would make for a great savings. Exhibitors to whom shipping costs are an important factor, should use every means to urge the distributors to adopt lighter containers. With the metal shortage what it is, patriotism alone should incline the distributors to go along. SAFETY FILM North Central Allied After January 1, safety film will be in approximately 100% use throughout the industry. This changeover has important implications, particularly with reference to building codes, insurance ratings, fire and licensing laws and organized labor. It should mean a reduction in insurance rates for theatres and a liberalization of building and fire laws, and most definitely is one more argument against the silly requirement of two men in a booth in certain situations. Your organization is studying and working on all of these matters and will report to you on them from time to time, go to the wall. GOOD WILL A MUST Allied of N. J. Good will for many years was an important ingredient in the make-up of our business and a factor, in the formula of selling, was the good will that existed between buyer and seller. Today, in the convulsive thrashing about by the distributor, while attempting to extract the last penny from the small exhibitor, good will has been thrown aside and has become a thing of no value. No matter what business you may be in, unless it is a business carried on with a gun in hand, good will has always played an important part. Perhaps it would be wise for the distributor to again build up this forgotten factor so that his customers would be glad to do business with him. Then, perhaps the give and take attitude will be restored to the business on both sides. i-RRUARY 2 5, 1 95 2 23