The Film Daily (1921)

10 fili^j DAILY Wednesday, June 29, 1921 With the Convention Prominent Executives Make Plea for Centralized Distribution of Pictures B. B. Hampton and Lewis J. Selznick Present Concrete Plan — Latter Places Waste at $30,000,000 Yearly (Staff Correspondence) Minneapolis — A plea for centralized distribution of pictures and a complete control of production and exhibition by exhibitwas the keynote of the Monday afternoon session, at which Lewis J. Selznick, J. J. Friedman, President of the Federated Film Exchanges of America; Dr. Francis Holly, in charge of the Bureau of Commercial Economics at Washington, and Benjamin B. Hampton were the principal speakers. .Mr. Hampton, whose talk brought the session to a close, carried word to the convention from M. II. Flint, president of one of the leading banks of Los Angeles, to the effect that his financial unit was prepared and willing to finance the independent producer. "I am informed," said Hampton, "that production this year is only about 19 per cent of the 1920 production, and of this 19 per cent the biggest share is in the hands of Famous Players-Lasky. The production of the independents is about 95 or 96 per cent off from last year." Hampton proposes centralized distribution, governed by a board which shall pass on all questions between producer and exhibitor. Selznick had previously expressed the opinion that about $30,000,000 was being wasted each year through the existence of too many exchanges in the distributing zones. In this Hampton heartincurred. "You are paying the cost of this," said Hampton. "There isn't any reason why one or two exchanges should not handle all the business that is to be transacted in each zone." Hampton paused to pay tribute to the organization powers and ability of Adolph Zukor. He, however, did not eulogize the methods of Mr. Zukor or Famous Players, using Zukor's personality only as a means of pointing out the basic principle which must govern the deliberations of the M. P. T. O. Selznick declared his willingness to join any organization that would seek to govern the amount of annual production, and to step aside as an exhibitor. "If you tell me," said Selznick, "that 24 or 18 or 10 pictures are all you want from me, that is all I will give you. Such a barometer will help me to control the salaries that are now being paid to actors and actresses and authors. The vexatious problems confronting the exhibitors today must be solved, either by the exhibitor himself, the producer or Wall Street. Wall Street has proven itself unfit. I believe that centralized distribution is the only solution, at least it is the starting point. I would like to see exchanges started in 30 zones which would tell the producer what his output is to be. In this way, and in this way only, the producer and exhibitor (Continued on Page 11) Convention Figures Uj«^ WONT LOSC M/ HAT So reflects Charles O'Reilly of New York T. Peter evidently means business too ! »04H»<)^^0« frti«»<>^M-t <-«»><« ft<i><^H»<c>«»<><^»n^»<rH WARNER BROTHERS are pleased to announce THE EARLY RELEASE OF THEIR SUPER-PRODUCTION | "Why Girls Leave Home' From the famous stage success of the same name with Anna Q. Nillson I Directed by William Nigh I i Produced by Harry Rapf Coming Soon THE SURPRISE OF THE SEASON Gus Edwards* Famous Classic "SCHOOL DAYS" wi ith WESLEY BARRY (By arrangement with MARSHALL NEILAN) Supported by an all star cast and Gus Edwards' famous "SCHOOL DAYS" KIDS Directed by William Nigh Produced by Harry Rapi