Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1956)

BALANCED DISTRIBUTION *Curt> Lies in ( Continued jrom Page 7) the industry's branches has been the disorganized method of releasing films, resulting in alternating periods of feast or famine for exhibition. But let Mr. Edward L. Hyman explain the problem: "The age-old custom of pointing all the best pictures for four major holidays — Easter, Fourth of July. Labor Day and Christmas — and leaving the pre-Easter, May and June and the month of December periods generally barren of quality pictures has prevailed up through 1955. This custom was started many years ago for the apparent reason that these particular periods were not conducive to the greatest business potential. However, our business has changed over the years and it is vitally necessary that we keep abreast of progress if we are to survive." Calls For 'Orderly' Releases To rid exhibition of its aptly-called ''orphan periods," Mr. Hyman makes this pitch: ". . . We feel that the excessive concentration on the major holidays must be diluted and a plan for the orderly distribution of quality product throughout the year be devised and consummated." He then cites a practical illustration of the defect in the present distribution cycle : "As we all know, our business in 1955 was good through the summer months. The last quarter, especially the period from Thanksgiving to Christmas was not good and was behind the same period in 1954. The difference a few quality pictures would have made in the May and June and September through Christmas periods just defies the imagination and this could easily have been accomplished with a more orderly distribution. "The irony which is injected into this problem of orphan periods is that on holidays like Easter, Fourth of July and Christmas there are at times more quality pictures than can be absorbed . . ." Mr. Hyman supports his plea with some pointed observations on specific "neglect" periods : "With respect to the May and June period . . . here is a season of the year when the big TV programs have just gone off the air and we are confident that the release of the best pictures coupled with aggressive newspaper advertising and exploitation could very well make this period the best in the year . . . As you know Elmer Rhoden is sponsoring a Spring Festival and any quality pictures released in May-June would receive terrific sendoffs because of this." Of post-Labor Day: "This past September . . . we saw quite a lull in business. We feel that it was the result of a combination of circumstances. The first . . . was the reaction in the quality of releases which set in following the tremendous pictures which were released in July and August . . . On top of this the big TV programs came back on the air wi*h a tremendous fanfare of advertising and exploitation . . . We P«q» 24 Film BULLETIN January 23. 1 9SA Cooperation 9 are in business every day of the year and must continue a ail times to give our patrons the proper inducement. Thi is not different from the way department stores are oper ated. They do not rest after the big Christmas rush bu follow it with their big January White Sales. We mus also follow our biggest seasons with our own 'Whit Sales'. We should have our best foot forward with som of the better pictures of the year . . ." Of post-Thanksgiving through to Xmas: "We are convinced that, if the biggest picture of the yea were released at Thanksgiving, we in exhibition could as sure distributors of greater playing time and top terms ii our best and most important theatres. It does not take an great imagination to realize that a quality picture wit! 'legs' and with proper advertising and exploitation can, ii many instances, play from Thanksgiving until the year end attraction is available. What a difference this wouli make in the month of December." Then, with a display of diplomacy rare in movie indus try relations, Mr. Hyman nails down his case: "We have now defined the evil and pointed out its fal lacies. However, we cannot place the blame, for example on distribution or production or exhibition alone. We thin! the blame must be assumed by all these segments of th industry and the cure lies in complete cooperation amon: them. We cannot ask production and distribution to as sume all of the risk entailed in relasing quality pictures ii which many millions of dollars have been invested, during periods which, in the past, were not conducive to the great est potential. Exhibition must also gamble . . . Exhibition should be more than happy, if given a quality picture witl 'legs' during these orphan periods, to guarantee the maxi mum playing time and the best film terms so that the re turn to the distributor would warrant the release of such quality picture during such a period. We are certain mos exhibitors would go along with such a plan . . ." Asks Aggressive Showmanship This, concluded Mr. Hyman, plus aggressive advertis ing-exploitation campaigns during "orphan" periods, seem the most certain formula for reducing the troughs in movi business and maintaining boxoffice returns at a consistent ly high plateau. Naturally, Mr. Hyman cannot speak for the balance c exhibition, even though he chose to make assumptions fo it. Furthermore, his comments are tempered to a degre by the fact that much of it seems applicable only to first run houses. Nonetheless, the manner in which his cas was prepared and argued, and the results obtained, mak it a good model for further efforts along this line. Judgin by distribution's response, the film companies are readj at least in some degree, to heed the voice of exhibitior And if the theatreman in the balcony yells, "Yeah, wh don't they go further!" — he has a good case and one tha he should keep on arguing until they hear him, too. But back to Ed Hyman's balanced distribution case. l\ direct conversations with key executives of all principc