The Film Daily (1927)

THE 18 i^g^ DAILV Sunday, September 4, 1927 fIVE PRINCIPLK FOR SELLING THE NEWSREEL « Fox News Director Gives Pointers on Selling Newsreel Truman Talley, dircctor-in-chief of Fox News, has compiled a compendium of showmanship rules in getting the most out of a newsreel for the box-office, which it would pay every exhibitor to observe. These injunctions follow: (1) "Screen your newsreel the moment the print reaches your theater, which enables you to form your own opmion of the value of that particular issue and enables you to ascertain what subject or subjects may be worthy of newspaper advertising or special lobby or box office display. (2) "A profitable policy is to utilize onesheets issued by all newsreels. There is not a one-sheet issued by any newsreel that is not an attractive, worth-while adornment to any lobby. These one-sheets, containing anywhere up to a half a dozen summarized news headlines, can not help but attract additional patronage, because these one-sheets are carefully and even artfully prepared to draw the greatest range of people, featuring subjects of appeal to children, young men and women, and to all classes of adults. (3) "Many exhibitors throughout the country systematically advertise in the newspapers either the trade mark or special subjects of whatever newsreel they are running. They would not expend this additional money for advertising, week in and week out, unless they got results. Many millions of motion picture theater-going people have their favorite among newsreels. (4) "In addition to advertising in the newspapers, the alert exhibitor who maintains any sort of a contact with newspapers in the city can get at least a story a week in the local press on topics being presented in the current newsreel. Especially if the exhibitor advertises his newsreel, the additional publicity of press stories is an easy matter to obtain. (5) "All sorts of novelty stunts can be devised to arouse still greater interest in the newsreel. One of the greatest stunts ever devised by an exhibitor, who cooperated with the educational leaders of his city, was an essay contest among school children on the outstanding topics of the day. Not only did this represent a constructive educational step, but it made friends for the theater among the intellectual and intelligent peoijle of the community, and it was but one step further to induce one of the local newsjiapers to print the wiiniing essays. This idea, or variations of this idea, can be put into cflFcct everywhere in the world." "Cater to the Funny Bone^^ So Says J. E. Storey, Describing Pathe's Production Basis For Making of Comedies IT takes a production man to analyze the facts behind a result, and if a finished picture may be termed a conclusion or a result of so many production facts added to one another, then John E. Storey, supervisor of short subject production at Pathe's West coast studios, should be the one to be able to reveal the kind of dope that leads to pictures that click. Giving Storey's viewpoint directly in his own words, so far as Pathe product is concerned: "Pathe tworeel comedies are the product of veteran producers backed with the foundation of years of successful experience in catering to the "funny-bone" of the movie-goers of the world. "Mack Sennett 'went on his own' in the days of the old Biograph and gambled on his idea that funny films would click at the theater till. Today, his name is a guarantee of the laugh-provoking qualities of a comedy to the last fade-out. This season, the producer will offer a new series in addition to the regular Sen scenarized by Roy L. McCardell. Gaiety Pictures, Inc., are the producers. "The Grantland Rice Sportlights are built upon the firm foundationidea that we are living in an age of sports, indoors and out. J. J. Hawkinson, co-editor and producer of this series of single reel subjects, has spent the greater portion of the past year on the continent collecting new material with which to give the Sportlight reel even more color and variety. "Aesop's Film Fables trace their foundation to the wisdom of ancient Aesop back some two thousand years. Clever animated cartooning cleverly gagged, provides the sugar-coating to the Aesop morals and makes them hit home — in the humorous regions. 'Topics of the Day is the presentation of tried and proven wit and wisdom from the world's press. This reel is in its tenth year. There is no guess work about the contents of each release. Even after culling the gems of wit from the published ef "Rare Bits," Latest Addition to Pathe TJOW old material can be cloaked in new garments with interesting and profitable results is evidenced in "Rare Bits," the new single reel series on the Pathe 1927-28 short feature program — are just what the name implies, rare scenes of rare places, rare things and rare races. Beth Brown, editor of more than 300 short reels and authoress of several screen stories, is editing the series of 12 subjects. "An Oriental Album" is the first of the series, which was released on August 28th. This new series, produced by Record Films, Inc., will present a variety of ideas, telling the story of each specific idea with smooth continuity. First the producer has worked from a definite idea, a story, one that every audience will be interested in, and then that idea has been demonstrated with rare-bits of films and titles. Most everything in the world has been photographed, but the producer of this series has unfolded the material in such a manner that the fans will think they are seeing something positively new and startling. nett brand comedies featuring Madeline Hurlock, Billy Bevan, etc. and 'The Smiths' series with Mary Ann Jackson, Raymond McKee and Ruth Hiatt. The new series will be known as Mack Sennett Girl Comedies and will feature the noted bathing girls. "Hal Roach learned his trade through apt apprenticeship and his comedy product brings joy both to the exhibitor and tJie audience. This season. Roach will release four 'Our Gangs' through Pathe, three Charley Chase two-reel farces and eight Star Comedies. " 'Henry and Polly Comedies,' featuring Taylor Holmes and Leah Baird — are a new series developed along the lines of the famous Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew domestic comedies. Two stars suited for their roles are being presented in proven plots, forts of the best present day humorists, the editors try out every reel before audiences before admitting a subject for release. "Will Rogers is the world's jester. Whatever Will does is news — therefore of interest. When Will went to fiurQpe, C. S. Clancy conceived the idea of filming his jaunts in foreign climes. Pathe has twelve single reel subjects in which Rogers takes the audience on brief tours of various countries and adds merriment with his own titles. " 'Rare-bits' are a new idea in film fare. Taking an idea of interest, each subject develops a particular thought through intriguing scenes with a strong element of entertainment. 'From Soup to Nuts', for example, one of the subjects shows all the sources of a good meal." INTERNATIONAL WILL CONTINUrWITH "U" Two Hearst Newsreel Services Will Be in Competition with Each Other REFERRING to the oft-cited rel)ort that because the Hearst News Service had contracted to supply a newsreel service for M-G-M the end of distribution of International through Universal was imminent, R. V. Anderson, sales manager of International, emphatically declared that the latter service will continue to be distributed for many more years through Universal. Anderson made the situation clear in the following manner: "Though it is quite true that the Hearst News Service is making the new M-G-M News, that company is entirely separate and distinct from the International Newsreel Corp. "International Newsreel has behind it the resources of the Hearst organization. We have the world's largest 'still' service, distributing each day thousands of news stills for newspapers and other periodicals. Each picture bears the copyright line 'International Newsreel' and this alone is of inestimable value. "The illustrated poster is another off-shoot of our 'still' department. These are being printed and distributed with the same speed that characterizes the handling of the reel itself so that first-run theaters can display attractive posters while the news items are showing. Producers Busy on Shorts for Early Release Comedies in the final stages of edting and others in production for release on the Pathe 1927-28 program ofTei a wide variety of fun-fare. Mack Sennett has a trio of units busy before the cameras. Ruth Hiatt, Raymond McKee and Baby Mary Ann Jackson are in the throes of another of "The Smiths" domestic comedies. Daphne Pollard, Mack Swain and a bevy of bathing beauties have just completed the first of the new Sennett Girl Comedies. Madeline Hurlock has returned from the East and is starring a new Mack Sennett brand comedy with Billy Bevan, Vernon Dent and others of the contract players in support. The Hal Roach Studios, which are contributing fifteen comedies to the new season's Pathe program have several two-reelers in the final stages of editing. "The Smile Wins," an "Our Gang" made under the working title of "Keep Smiling," is being edited for reviewing by the Pathe conmiittee. Charley Chase's next release "Now I'll Tell One" is ready for release date and "Assistant Wives" is being whipped into final shape. Eight Roach-Star comedies are scheduled. "Do Detectives Think?" and "Galloping Ghosts" are the latest to pass through the editing department.