Year book of motion pictures (1929)

BOY ARTIST A "personal appearance" of a boy artist iu a department store window making sketches of a film star and scenes from her picture is the result of co-operation between the book department of the store and the theater. Crowds will watch the "child prodigy" at work. PRINTED MATTER MATCHED CARDS Throwaway cards on white stock are numbered consecutively with a limited number of duplicates printed in another colored stock. This stunt is only good for schools or colleges where the cards can be distributed on the campus or school grounds. The cards read: "Find the person who has the duplicate of this card number, and come to the . . . . . theater as our guest to see (name of picture)." The white cards are distributed to the boys and colored cards to the girls. LOVE ADVICE Distribute pamphlets through attractive girls to women. According to the nature of the attraction, these can be headed with such teaser titles as "Advice to Flappers,'' "Advice for Jealous Husbands," etc. Of course the advice printed has a lot to do with the star or the theme of the feature. LOVE MAKING COURSE On picture with strong love theme. Prepare teaser herald with this catch-line on cover: "Advanced Course in Love Making." Inside is material on the showing which hooks up with the cover copy. PRINTED KISSES White cards carrying a red imprint representing the imprint of a girl's rouged lips. Reading matter states: "A kiss from Cname of star). She has developed this form of gieeting to her friends. She rouges her lips and imprints them on a greeting card as she lias done here." Follow with announcement of showing. "THE KISS TECHNIQUE" Here is a line novelty herald for any picture featuring kissing scenes. On cover appears caption "The Kiss Technique," followed by catchlines such as "Do you know how to kiss?" "Do you enjoy a good kiss?" "This folder contains some pointers on the Art of Kissing." Inside are three or four kissing scenes from the picture. WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENTS On feature with wedding atmosphere. Have "wedding invitations" printed and distribute from house to house. On envelope is printed : "Announcing a wedding of interest to you." The card inside contains brief copy announcing the picture in the form of the formal wedding invitation. Have invitations printed in script, giving the appearance of being engraved. WEDDING RINGS Use on feature with divorce angle. Distribute wedding rings, each fastened on a card with copy reading: "For Sale — This ring is no longer needed. For further information see (name of picture) at (theater)." Distribute these on streets the day heforc opening. SPECIAL STUNTS SILHOUETTE WEDDING Tie up with newspaper for "Silhouette Wedding." Prominent merchants will cooperate for publicity in the newspaper write-ups. Prospective bride and groom remain a mystery till night of wedding on theater stage. The bride to-be appears at one store each day to do her shopping. She is masked. The newspaper announces the hour at which she will appear. There she goes through formality of purchasing the article the store has donated. Great break for the merchants. The paper publishes the girl's picture in various poses from day to day, but always masked. Here is a fine stunt to arouse curiosity for two weeks preceding showing. Stunt should be used on feature with a strong love theme. ESSAYS On picture whose theme centers on a problem of love or marriage, interest women's clubs to write essays on the subject. This should be tie.l up with the newspaper to print the best essays. WINKS This can be used on any feature with a flirta tious angle. Through newspaper and other announcements, girls are invited to compete in Winking Contest. Prizes are offered for the cutest, wisest, and naughtiest wink. Photos can be taken in a studio, or on a camera car parked in front of theater. Secure loan of car from dealer for the advertising. Local stores will furnish the prizes. The stunt can be worked with cooperation of a newspaper, which publishes coupons entitling girls to enter contest. The newspaper plays it up with stories and photographs of contestants. MATRIMONIAL BUREAU Use on a feature stressing the matrimonial problem. Establish a matrimonial bureau sufficiently in advance of showing to secure a maximum of public interest. Distribute through the mails photographs of the star supplemented with a card written in longhand urging persons interested in the bureau to call the theater phone number for further information. This should be followed with a teaser campaign in the newspaper, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of matrimony. IMPERSONATION IDEA Pictures bearing strongly on the sex angle can be boosted by orieiing prizes to young men who attend the theater during the showing of the picture dressed in female attire. These local "Adonises" will assist in creating unusual public interest in your showing. SPECIAL SHOWINGS COMBINATION TICKETS The occasional featuring of a showing followed by a dance is a good drawing card. Combination tickets are issued for this affair, and no advance in price is made. The dance can be held at a neighboring hall, and makes an excellent tie-up with the dance hall. Both theater and dance hall benefit, and many angles of publicity can be worked up. For instance, the dance hall orchestra can play in the lobby of theater before the show, and during the program. SPECIAL MATINEE Name a special matinee after the name in title. For instance, if the attraction was "Lovey Mary" the affair would be called a "Mary Matinee." Everyone in town named Mary is invited to the theater as its guest. Cards announcing the event carry blank lines for the name and address of the woman using it, which is presented at the box office. "ATMOSPHERE" NIGHTS Effective publicity at nominal cost can easily be worked up with this one. Have large banner across theater front announcing for instance, on a big romantic drama, that this is "Romance Night." Play it up in teaser throwaways. Then follow with full notice in newspaper ad. This can he made a regular and diverting feature by running special "atmosphere" nights at intervals. "Mystery night." "Love Night," "Adventure Night," etc. WEDDING STUNT Advertise for a couple to participate in a genuine wedding on stage of theater. Lots of newspaper publicity on this, and the merchants will contribute gifts. Have motion pictures taken of the bride visiting various points of interest during the day. Many tie-ups can be arranged on this feature of the stunt. Secure public officials to attend the ceremony and make addresses. Society and Fashions NEWSPAPERS A FASHION "CLINIC" Tieup with newspaper on suggestions from women readers on fashion hints. The paper uies a picture of the star in a fashionable costume. Readers are to try and suggest how this cojtume could have been improved upon. 780