The Film Daily (1931)

14 DAILY Sunday, June 14, lyjl Industrial Shorts Are Creating Special Audiences Promotional Films Finding Vast Clientele in Specific Fields EDWARD F. STEVENSON A RE< chibi tion field for advertising aiul industrial sound shorts has convinced me that i>ul>lii ince of this type of promotional entertainment is an accompli t. The direct ad vertising <>r frankly, industrial short, however, must be distinguished from the "sponsored" picture that attempts lit. mi advertising in a "sly" way\ ng audiences the impression that something U being put over on them. There has been a good deal of <l|scussion in the press recently regarding theatrical distribution of advertising sound motion pictures and many arguments have been advanced for and against such distribution. I do ii"t believe, however, that this controversial discussion has had the slightest effect upon the basic distribution principle of the advertising motion picture business — this i>. that it' an advertising short is properly conceived, properly synchronized properly made in respect toaudi< interest, entertainment quality, photographic excellence, advertising subtlety and box-office appeal, it will find ready acceptance at the hands ■ iiid alert exhibitors and their audiences. Plenary distribution of advertising and industrial shorts is contingent upon three essential factors: (a i Production quality. Audience interest. Contact with exhibitors. Quality is the cardinal element in any product, particularly in motion pictures. The true value of an advertising motion picture is measured by the number of persons seeing it and absorbing its message. Any / 1 oi fi I Gibbons /ells TEN w \\ S l() (.ETA TIIKII I < HI I ()l III A /«. ■ Xpert supplied by the Pub lic I . ndicatt are carrying this full fiine feature at advance on RKO Pathe't Thrills.'' bcina prt< duced by Van Beurcn. iang Th ernes /Arouse foreign rans F< F< Washington B* THE FILM DAILY Washington — Motion pictures depicting gangster themes arouse European audiences against American films. Dr. Lcyton Richards, minister of Birmingham, England, declared in a sermon here. He also assailed the showing of news films of the recent Army air maneuvers. mediocre picture is a self-destructive force, No picture of this type should be released until it is a paragon of cinema excellence embracing the finest points of technical perfection. Audience interest is an inipcrspicuous constituent; it is that indefinable ingredient in a motion pictur that holds the attention and makes permanent the impression, Every production should contain this important element. Scenarios must be written by writers specifically trained in audience reaction. Non-theatrical distribution is measurable in terms of exhibitors. There are main thousand non-theatrical exhibitors in the United States, representing a potential audience of millions. The value of this type of exhibition is that a distinct class of picture reaches its distinct class of audience. A motion picture of interest to w6men is shown to women — in their classes, at their clubs and meetings. A film dealing with an engineering project is exhibited to engineers and kindred groups. In the early days promotional pictures were made in haphazard Easfiion. Ordinary cameramen did the photography and films were produced without benefit of sales or advertising thought. Today advertising shorts receive specialized treatment. Analysis of subject, creation of scenario, production of film and distribution of picture are in the hands of experts. Tin secret of booking an advertising motion picture lies in the picture, not in the theater. If the picture is made properly, by producers who know their work and who can inject entertainment into film yet not sacrifice the advertising mess: all the theaters — circuit and independent— will want that picture. Visugraphic and other advertising shorts have been shown and are being shown in every theater of consequence in the United States — over the large circuits and in the independent houses, reaching millions of people time and time again Perhaps the most convincing argument relative to the theatrical distribution of commercial sound shorts is contained in a report which has just been issued by our distribution department. This report shows: That in a ten-month period a total of 24.813,860 people saw 41,126 showings of Visugraphic shorts. That during this period 19,919,282 people saw 27 })AZ Visugraphic theatrical showings and 4,894,578 people saw 13,184 non-theatrical showings. These figures prove, I think, that entertainment quality is the telling force in motion pictures of every type — dramatic features or advertising shorts. Eight More Releases Winds Up Current Paramount Shorts List Paramount has eight more shorts to release on its current program, which will be completely in distribution by July 18, with the 1931-32 lineup of 2d two-reelers and 132 onereelers going into release on Aug. 1. The eight subjects to wind up this season's group are: "My Wife's Cone to the Country," screen song: "Cab Waiting," with Jack Benny, two reels: Paramount Pictorial No. 11; "Via Express," with Tom Howard, one reel: "The 13tl, Alarm." with Chester Conklin, two reels: "That Old Gang of Mine," screen song; Climate Chasers, onereel Bruce novelty, and Paramount Pictorial Xo. 12. Twelve shorts on the new schedule will be released in August. These include: Screen Souvenirs Nos. 1 and 2; "Betty Co-Ed," with Rudj Vallee; "Fur, Fur Away." with Smith and Dale; "Xo More Hookey," with llaig Trio; "Retire Inn," " with Billy lb 'Use; "Putt Your Blues Away," with Lillian Roth; "Nothing to Declare," with Lulu McConnell; "One Hundred Per Cent Service." with Burns and Allen; "Bimbo's Express," Talkartoon; Paramount Pictorial Xo. 1; Gallagher and Shean, screen song. The September schedule has 10 releases, including "Beauty Secrets from Hollywood," in Technicolor, and there will be 13 in October, with another starring Rudy Vallee. T.P.E. Adding 26 Shorts For Release Next Season A group of 26 additional shorts will be added to the Talking Picture Epics repertory for 1931-32, it is announced by I. H Simmons, director of sales. In the next three months the company will release "Up and Down New York," "Heart of the Nation," "Sunny Sweden," "Calling on Cairo," "Top of the World," "Historic Boston," "Montreal," "This is Australia" and six Ditmars "interviews" with animals. S0PHJSTICA1 ED SHORTS PASSING 0UJ,SAYS STARK iphistication is definitely out insofar as short product is concerned, in the opinion of Mack Stark, general manager of Simple Simon Comedies, Inc. "With the present cycle of films with juvenile appeal it is especially important that one and two-reel pic I tures should be of such a nature as to appeal to children as well as to , adults." says Stark. "This point has been kept in mind in planning the Simple Simon program. The two two-reel comedies* already completed, 'Hot Shivers' and 'A Shocking Affair,' both have an abundance of action and provide amusement of the more wholesome kind. "In addition to our series of comedies, the Simple Simon organization is also planning a number of onereel novelty shorts, which we believe will be entirey different from anything heretofore shown. These also will have a definite appeal to children." ROACH TO FOLLOW OUT LONCER COMEDY POLICY In keeping with Hal Roach's new policy of not limiting his comedies to two reels when it is felt that the subject warrants extra footage, a number of the comedies produced by Roach for the 1931-32 M-G-M schedule will run nearer three reels. Five groups are coming from the Roach studios next season, these including eight Laurel-Hardy, eight CharleyChase, eight Our Gang, eight Boy Friends and eight Zasu Pitts-Thelma Todd. Other subjects that go to make up the 46 two-reelers and 47 one-reelers on the new M-G-M shorts program include six Dogville comedies, 13 Fitz Patrick TravelTalks. 12 Flip the Frog cartoons, 12 Sport Champions, six Fisherman's Paradise and four Harry Lauder song monologue sketches. PUZZLED Placing of miniature golf courses in lobbies of theaters showing the Bobby Jones series of Vitaphone shorts on "How I Play Coif" is proving popular as an exploitation stunt. The idea, however, is not producing the same effects everywhere. In several cases exhibitors are in a quandary over the connection between the golf stuff in their theaters ind the minnie courses around town. They are unable to figure out if the :ompetitive midget tracks help send matrons to see the golf shorts, or if the golf shorts make new customers for the minnie courses.