The Film Daily (1929)

THE 'hursday, October 31, 1929 -SBtl £A£V INI OUTLINES POSITION f SMALL TOWN SHOWMAN (Continued from Page 8) gned contracts way beyond their ability i pay. These were not contracts fraudulently lrccd on the exhibitor by the distributor, [any of the impossible prices that were taken ime out of this new situation through the lexperience of both sides not knowing what s real possibilities were. _ These are be>ming more and more adjusted down to common sense level. While the exhibitor as committed himself to a block or year's ipply of pictures, in many cases at imposhie prices, the producers in this Industry >intly made an investment running into undreds of millions of dollars. They have immitments that run for IS years, not ist for one year, and the Producers must ly for at least five years of that term whether rofitable or not. You must realize the imble was not taken by just one side. It as been a gamble, and a big investment >read over all branches of the industry. "I have heard practically every difficulty i our business laid at the door of almost /ery one of our trade practices. These ractices however, do not control the above indamentals affecting the economics of our idustry. "There is no use to deny the fact that le larger towns and the larger theaters •e, to some extent, sucking the business away om the smaller towns and the smaller the:ers. It is my opinion that this will connue in spite of all that can be done. >efinite Obligation to ndependent is Cited "However, there is a definite obligation lat this industry owes to the small, indeendent exhibitor. We may not, beyond a Dint, be able to help the plight of those ho find themselves in difficulties after havig done everything within their power, — id if a percentage of these small operators -e to go out of the business, I say that ley should go out under the most humane wdition possible. As I said before, there re many who. in my opinion, cannot succeed thev get product for nothing but on the ther hind, you and I have seen many on nth sides of the industry sit back in their ;ats and collect easy and fat profits. Those avs are gone forever. "The obligation this industry owes you to get film rental on the basis of a fair roportion of what you take in at your box ffice; and this type of consideration which owing to the small, independent exhibi>r, can best be secured in my opinion, by a ank and open discussion of the problem l all of its phases a'nd by common sense ^operation. It will never be brought about y the o'd-fashioned, old-time methods of lot-eun attack. "T believe that the test of the good faith F the entire industry will be its treatment f the small-town exhibitor in the years to ime and T also believe that the treatment ™.-Hrd this tvpe of exhibitor will be the leasnre of greatness and wisdom accorded ,„ ViHf-rs of the big companies of our mustry in the future. Jound Table Discussion Frged on All Problems "I have heard it said that there are certain reedy and grasping individuals on our side ; the picture. Our recent meetings in New ork showed a very fair disposition to re)gnize the problems of the sma'l man; but in your mind, there is any doubt as to the :titude of any one among the producers and istributors, certain'y the quickest way to find lat out is in a round table discussion where le facts are laid before everyone. "A man may sit in his office and plan lost anything he likes; but get him in the len. in the presence of several fair-minded en, and it is pretty hard for him to take 1 unfair position, and if anyone does, at ast you will know who he is. "I hope the work of cooperation that has :en started will carry on. I still hope to ■e some agency set up where the smalliwn man can come with any type of comaint that imposes an unfair burden upon is business, for a hearing where justice ill be rendered him. "There has been too much inclination, how Today at the M.P.T.O.A. Convention 11 a. m. Recess 3 p. m. BUSINESS SESSION Address — "Sound — The Modern Miracle of the Theater," by Col. E. P. Hawkins, RCA-Photophone Unfinished business New business Election of national directors Report of committee on resolutions and action thereon Announcement of the election of national officers and installation Luncheon, Memphis Country Club, auspices of Film Board of Trade, Alma Walton, directing Concluding addresses Adjournment sine die TO-NIGHT Dance— auspices of Tri-State Exhibitors' Ass'n. Reproduction No Gamble with Right Acoustics, Wolf Says M.P.T.O.A Fight on Brookhart Bill Reviewed (Continued from Page 1) convention by M. J. O'Toole, national secretary, who stressed the importance to the industry of the bill fathered by Senator Smith \V. Brookhart of Iowa with a view to affecting Federal regulation of the business through the Federal Trade Commission. O'Toole listed the organization's fight against the measure among its prime accomplishments of the year. Reporting on the group's activities in Pennsylvania, O'Toole said that with the cooperation of other branches of the industry the legislative committee of the M.P.T.O.A. was able to prevent the passage in Pennsylvan;H of legislation antagonistic to motion pictures. He added that its efforts had met with success in having newsreels, local subjects and ad vertising matter excluded frcm censorship in the state. ever, to lay the ills of the exhibiting end of the industry on the chain operation methods, Film Boards of Trade, arbitration, etc., without analyzing the economic factors in this industry that affect all types of operation today and which are not conditions imposed by one side upon the other. "Every man in this industry started at least with an equal opportunity. Every man or corporation that ever owned a chain of theaters started with the first one. Many men, by choice, have not expanded and in not expanding have lost their opportunity. Marcus Loew started as humbly as anybody in this business. All have had the opportunity of adding to their holdings in years gone by, who worked towards that end and were deserving of it. Says Small Operators Must Continue at Disadvantage "There is no way today in any business, 'hat I know of, to bring the advantages of the big operator down to the basis of the small operators. The difference in buying oower existing today between the small theiter owner and the chain operator presents the same disadvantage that the retail grocer c^ces when he buys against the chain grocer : but I repeat, the industry does owe this type of operator the most humane and just consideration that can be given him. "Our business can be played two ways. One is by getting the best out of the industry— by working out, in a friendly manner, *he problems that are constantly concern:ng us, and the other way is to make it a nolitical game One is sure to have some ^nefits to both sides (as nearly as anything can be sure) and the other has proven, by happenings in the past, to be without constructive possibilities end greater trouble for all." Memphis — Volume regulation is being ignored entirely by too many houses, S. K. Wolf, head of the Electrical Research Products acoustical department, told the M.P.T.O.A. convention here yesterday. Wolf, who arrived from Hollywood to repeat his talk given recently before the Academy of M. P. Arts and Sciences, said his department has acoustically analyzed 20,000 theaters. "Good reproduction is nothing any exhibitor has to gamble with," he declared. "Today we can analyze the sound reproduction qualities of any theater. The apparatus goes a long way but, in the final analysis, tne theater acoustics must be right." His talk followed showing of "Finding His Voice," a Western Electric short subject showing how sound is reproduced. M.P.T.O.A. Custodian of Future, Eberhardt Says The M.P.T.O.A. is holding in its hands "the entertainment future of the nation," W. F. Eberhardt of Electrical Research Products told the delegates at a banquet in the evening. Eberhardt spoke in the capacity of official representative of the AM PA. "The final verdict depends, of course, upon the quality of entertainment you offer," he said. "But before any jury — even the public — can render a verdict, it must be induced to see and hear the evidence. That is where the appeal of advertising and publicity must play their part. "You must make friends for the talking picture. You must win, on a permanent basis of quality entertainment, the patrons who have been temporarily attracted by novelty. You must win back some patrons who have turned away discouraged because they happened to attend an adequate demonstration of this new art and who, for some reason or other, saw and heard it under unfavorable conditions. You must create new armies of. patrons to keep pace with the growth of the industry.'' Eberhardt offered the M.P.T.O.A the cooperation of the AMPA in its work of advancing the cause of motion pictures in America. SLATE PRACTICALLY SET FOR M.P.TM ELECTION (Continued from Page 1) tion here today. Although a Middle West candidate is being suggested, Willard Patterson of Publix, may be named to replace Marx. If not elected a vice president, Patterson will be named to the board of directors. Other new directors expected to be named are: Major Thompson, R-KO; Moe Silver, Warners; and William Benton of Saratoga, replacing Colvin Brown, Harry Crandall, Fred Dolle and Joseph Walsh. Indications are that directors today will be asked to confer with distributors during the year to safeguard exhibitors' interest in the matter of the "music tax," wide screen and insurance adjustments. Reading of S. R. Kent's letter was a highlight of yesterday's program. Speakers included C. C. Pettijohn of the Hays organization, S. K. Wolf, head of the acoustics department of Electrical Research Products; Willard Patterson, Frank Rembusch. William J. King and Fred Weir. Television Perfection in 25 Years is Forecast With the strides being made and in prospect, television should be pretty well perfected in 25 years, Elmer E. Bucher, executive vice president of RCA-Photophone, yesterday told the New York Co-operative Club. The combination of talkers, radio and television in the home is not far off, despite the fact that television is not yet well developed, he said. A great number of engineers now are devoting time to television, Bucher declared. Turn of Election Dooms Film Shows in Westwood Westwood, N. J. — Reelection of the present municipal administration spells doom of pictures here. With the Sabbath ban against picture shows to be continued, the only theater in town, operated by Fox, will be forced to close its doors, since it is contended that it cannot operate at a profit on week-day receipts alone. Bargain Prices Richmond, Va. — Bargain rates for children are reported to be proving satisfactory in many theaters of the state, with increased kid attendance. Both the American and Roanoke, Roanoke, are charging less than half the full admission price for children. The Majestic, Danville, announces that "two ladies are admitted on one ticket" for musical and vaudeville shows there with the Broadway, Rialto and Schoolfield Y.M.C.A. vieing with each other offering the best talking productions.