The Film Daily (1924)

THE I iiip ■■■■ iwiw^i^Bpi^BI Sunday, September 14, 1924 jratory was plunged into darkness. The "juice" had failed us, and of ■Qurse the operations of the caterlillar were completed before the •lectrical service was restored." Tolhurst then told how, after alnost two months effort he was finaly able to photograph the spinning of lie cocoon for the first time so far IS is known. "Although the long lours of waiting for the caterpillar o start weaving his night shirt seemd to have been wasted, nevertheless, preferred the session, seated safely n my chair with on'; one spot to vatch, to chasing that same caterlillar's mother all over a field of irush and stump' filled woods. My hins now bear evidence of the Provience that keeps an eye out for utterflies — when the net of the purticr comes near." Creating a Demand By MADELINE BRANDEIS In working out the production of a e\v series of pictures under the capon of "Sonny Series" adapted from thel Train's book "Son and other ties," I am employing what I I -ider a novel method of exploita011 in advance of the actual producon of this series. A quegtionnaire I been sent out to various otfeani' ons, clubs and exhibitors for a full : ession of opinion as to just what of entertainment this series lid cover. Already a surprising jniber of replies have been reived, every one of which is of a ;ry encouraging nature. The "Sonny Series" of stories — ,als with the family of home folk, pified in six human interest tales ch complete; and containing natural e comedy, adventure and pathos, uring recent recent years the proicers have come to realize that thout doubt the most wholesome d funniest comedies shown in theers have been developed around e antics and adventures of children. ie present series is not altogether novel idea. However, it is not my Ti to discover something new, but develop something old 'In a new There is one kind of picture that ver fails and that is the one which tertains us with ourselves. Picre audiences do not go to the eater to be informed as to how they things up in Mars, or to be taught ilosophies or theories of supermen; t bring Mars down to us — show us super man at breakfast and watch r interest. Show us our homes in plicate, our own little troubles as : day unfolds, our own little weaksses, ambitions, desires and lievements, and watch us laugh, ' and thrill. This is why pictures like 'Not One SiJare.' which was made without 'o, heroine, villain, or in fact any the ingredients of a box office sucs, is called "The Greatest Laugh I Cry Picture of the Year." There not anything in it but your life I my life. That is my aim and amen in producing the "Sonny Serof two reel shorter and sweeter :ures. No Longer "Fillers" By J. E. STOREY General Sales Manager, Pathe The day when an exhibitor calls a booker on the telephone and says: "Send me out a comedy 'filler' " is past. Today the average show manager selects his comedies and short subject matter with the same care that he does his features. The public itself is directly responsible for this change in attitude on part of the theater manager. The box office proved that the public was beginning to show a preference for those playhouses furnishing them the short subjects that they enjoyed the most and the comedies that fitted themselves to the rest of the program. Realizing this, the wide-awake exhibitor conducted a survey to ascertain just what types of product his patrons wanted in the way of short subjects. Until this time, the exhibitor, with but a few exceptions, had little or no knowledge of what the short subject injrket afforded in the way of screen entertainment. He had always taken the comedy field for granted. It was merely a field of picture supply thai would add another half-hour to his program. When the public definitely demanded certain types of short subject entertainment and patronized those theaters that supplied the demand, the theater owner woke up to the realization that he was losing money. That was just a few years ago. In those days even the nationai trade papers, not to speak of the newspapers, considered the short subject not worth reviewing. Today, however, the situation has changed completely. Trade magazines, journals and daily newspapers feel that the space they give the comedy and other short subjects on the program is well deserved of the linage they accord them. Exhi^bitors also have had a change of heart. It is a common sight, even on Broadway, to see the comedy in "lights." Realizing this, Pathe has been for some years specializing in the short subject field. Comedies of one and two reel length, serials, neWs reels and short subject specials all have come in for a thorough analysis so to provide the exhibitor with just what his patrons want. ,, Assisting Pathe are Hal Roach and Mack Sennett. Between them they will produce 104 subjects during the coming season. A new brand to be known as the Mack Sennett Star Comedies will be added to the list of that famous producer. The first has been completed with Ralph Graves in the featured lole. There are now two new brands of comedies being produced at the Ilai Roach studios. The first of the new co'.ncdies is to be known as the H;il Roach Star Comedies. Another brand new star is Arthur Stone, who has been recruited from the vaudeville stage and is declared a "find" by Hal Roach. The other Roach comedies consist of the sixth series of "Our Gang," the "Spat Family" comedies, and Charles Chase comedies. Of the Chronicles of America there will be 33 subjects in all. These cover important phases of America's history from the discovery of Columbus down to the end of the Civil War. Pathe will also continue the release weekly of the Pathe News (two issues each week). "Topics of the Day" and "Aesop's Fables." The monthly release of the popular single-reel subject, Grantlahd Rice's "Sportlights," will also continue. Audience Rights And How a Southern Manager Considers Them in Balancing His Bill— The Value of the "Shorts" Bradentown, Fla. — In the program at the premiere of the new Sparks Enterprises house, the New Palace, manager Bobby Burns, ran this article: "I liked the feature, but the comedy was "awful," is a statement commonly heard among the patrons of some theaters. The owners of such theaters are those who speak of short subjects, in the trade, as "filler." They buy them by the bunch, as you buy clothes pins or matches, without regard to individual merit. The management of this Theater takes another view on the matter. We believe when you intrust an hour and a half, or two hours of your valuable time to us we are obligated to give you something worth while for every minute of it, not for just a part if it. For that reason we select our short subjects, our comedies, scenics, news pictures and novelties with exactly the same degfee of care exercised in the selection of our feature pictures. We believe that the twenty minutes you spend looking at a two reel comedy is just as valuable to you, in proportion as the hour you spend at the feature picture. We feel amply rewarded for our pains when you speak of the program as a good show, instead of a good picture." Relative to which Manager W. W. Anderson, Pathe Exchange, Atlanta, adds: We are satisfied that in referring to the Short Subjects, Mr. Burns is no doubt referring to the Pathe service, because we are pleased to say that this theater has booked to run Pathe News, Pathe Review, Aesop's Fables, Grantland Rice Sportlights, and practically our entire output of Two Reel Comeries. Nat'l Screen Service Cuts Rates The National Screen Service has reduced its,^rental rates for all trailers. The price on the "De Luxe" trailers has been cut from $12.50 to $7.50, as applying to those using the service who are not subscribers Regular subscriber's rates have been cut from $7.50 to $5. The net rental price on all service trailers, heretofore $3.50, will be $1.50. Gardner Leaves Metro-Goldwyn {Special to THE FILM DAILY) Hollywood — Milton Gardner has resigned as business manager of Metro-Goldwyn. He is succeeded by Sol Clarke, formerly with the Cinema Mercantile Co. Shorter Features Since my appointment as Southern District Manager for Pathe in July. I have been on a trip, which is not yet completed, throughout the entire Southern territory, visiting not only the Exchange cities, but going out on the territory to towns as Small as 5,000. When Mr. Pearson wrote m& about the Short Subject 'issite of "THE FILM DAILY," I felt that the strongest thing I could emphasize for the issue was the fact that regardless of the feelings of feature, producers, it is practically the unanimous opinion of the many exhibitors I have visited, that there must be some kind of an average limit to the length of Features. Exhibitors agree that the Short Subject producer ife beginning to take a commanding position in the matter of presentation. Exhibitors are acknowledging that there are certain Shor tSubjects which are BoxOffice attractions and novelty subjects, ,such as "The Fourth Dimension," recently popularized in all Famous Players' Theaters. They decry the fact that in many instances, features are nine, ten and eleven reels long, and not strong enough to hold the attention of the public. When I say that Short Subjects are taking a commanding position in the drawing power of the theater, I am not theorizing. As for instance; some weeks ago I was in Washington, and found that Loew's Palace was featuring an "Our Gang" comedy in electric lights and the Rialto a Sepnett comedy in electric lights. Lawrence Beattus and Tom Moore are recognized showmen and they would never have resorted to this form of publicity, also the advertising in newspapers, if they had not felt that these were Box-Office attractions. The Famous Players' theaters feature the Fables and in many of their theaters the orchestra leader sets special music to the subject. I would not care to express for publication how strong some exhibitors have told me their feelings as regard feature lengths, but it is certainly time for the feature producer to realize that the feature canftof over dominate the exhibitor's progr'am. This year looks like a wonderful one for Short Subject Distributors and I prophesy that it will only be a short time before you will see subjects like Fables and "Our Gang" comedies featured practically as prominent as the longer attraction. It is a note of high respect to Pathe, and Short Subjects in general that theaters like the Newman, Kansas City, Missouri, St. Louis and Palace, Dallas, representing the highest form of presentations, have booked "INTO THE NET," and advertised it very strong in the newspapers. As for instance, recentiv the week prior to the opening of ''INTO THE NET" the Newman, Kansas City, the most prominent newspaper in that town carried a quarter page ad on this subject.— OSCAR A. MORGAN, Southern Dist. Mgr., Pathe.