Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1960)

Newsmakers Fabian's Message The acute film shortage and how exhibition can act to solve it was, to no one's surprise, the most exciting topic at the Theatre Owners of America convention in Los Angeles. The industry's headline newsmaker was Simon H. Fabian, circuit operator, chairman of the American Congress of Exhibitors and treasurer of TOA. His message to the convention was a straightforward, no-holds-barred pronouncement of the exhibitor's status today — and it snapped a number of motion picture heads to attention. Theatremen should, he contended, be ready to meet production-distribution at least halfway: "We hold ourselves ready at any time to resume the meetings, to discuss not only our own problems but any problems affecting the industry." But he spoke in no uncertain terms of exhibition's firm determination to lick the product shortage by its own efforts. He told the nation's theatremen that they can regain a large measure of prosperity by plunging into the production field to provide the films they require to survive this crucial period. But let theatreman Fabian speak for himself: "I come here, in my capacity as Chairman of ACE and head of its Committee on More Production, to tell you what we have done and where we are headed. I come with over $3,0()(),()()() in the bank as the basic financing to set up an ACE Productions Company and with the firm confidence that we have found the way to protect our future . . . "In our initial effort we were successful in breaking down the barriers between exhibition and the Presidents' Committee of the Motion Picture Association. As you know, for years it has been a desperate hope of many exhibitors that such Summit conferences — a face to face meeting across the table — could reform the industry. But it was soon evident that a conference at the summit was no panacea. The open door was not the road to settlement of differences between Exhibition and Dis tribution. There was no meeting of the minds and this effort didn't cure a single problem . . . "I think you should know what we tried to do in detail and understand that the failure to reach useful solutions and to eliminate at least some of the sore spots, was not the fault of the exhibition side of the table. "1. We did our utmost to persuade the Presidents to increase their feature production. They listened sympathetically. Some of them even made tentative promises. But the number of releases grew less and less. Probably because Distributors have a different view of the present and future of the theatre industry than we have. We were, consequently, forced to undertake the gigantic task of creating more production, and we sincerely believe that our ACE Productions will, therefore, supplement the production programs of the existing distributors. "2. We pressed very hard to get the distribution people to organize a national or even an international contest, or create some other practical machinery, which would stimulate the development of new faces. All of us believe that the present generation of movie fans should, and must have, a wide choice of young people of talent appearing in pictures, from which they can choose their own favorites and thus create a new constellation of motion picture stars. At the same time an increase of production creates opportunities to develop the creative minds of the business; writers and producers, as well as essential technical experts. "We believe that this is a critical need of the business; that we can't grow without it. And we took the liberty, in our discussions at the Summit meetings, to commit you, the theatre owners and operators to extensive cooperation if only the studios would set up an over-all scheme to which exhibition could contribute a powerful promotion effort. Again, the same sympathetic interest from the Presidents, but the idea died aborning. "3. Our Exhibitor-Producer-Distributor Committee undertook to grapple with the jungle of problems involved in trade practices and trade policies. Nearly every one of those issued is involved with shortage of feature releases. Shortage of prints is directly connected with shortage of features. Multiple runs are linked to lack of sufficient product. And it goes all the way down the line. "No matter what phase of internal industry relations we start to discuss, we invariably come back to the shortage of film. "Regardless of previous failures, we hold ourselves ready at any time to resume the meetings, to discuss not only our own problems but any problems affecting the industry. "4. Which reminds me that we struck out on Conciliation and I am speaking of the specific plan to clear up disputes between exhibitor and distributor. It was argued by the distributors that the scheme had never had a real chance and that they would issue instructions to the field in their respective companies, so that their Exchange Managers would have authority to settle differences. In cases where this was impossible, the exhibitors could appeal to New York. Whatever the reasons are, and I assume they are many, the second effort to use the Conciliation plan has not worked, and as far as I know, it has been abandoned ( Continued on Page 1 5 ) BULLETIN '.. ,