The film daily year book of motion pictures (1931)

Group I RULES 1-15, etnbracins three exhibitor resolutions, 11 distributor resolutions and one from producers, comprise Group I. This section, for the most part, concern's arbitration for the settlement of disputes by distributors and exhibitors through use of a standard uniform contract, and define as unfair trade practices such acts as the insertion of commercial advertising in pictures, the use of misleading or salacious advertising, "bicycling," substitution by a producer of the name of a star or director other than the star or director, specified when the film was sold, deliberately retaining a print late, thus securing additional exhibition time without payment of the rental therefor, giving gratuities by exhibitors to salesmen or vice versa in exchange for advantages otherwise not procurable, and other comi'tinns of the purchase, booking and exhibition of films. The .gist of each rule follows: Rule I (formerly Exhibitors Resolution No. 6) dealing with arbitration. Rule 2 (formerly Exhibitors' Resolution 'So. 71 condemning the insertion of commercial advertising, for which compensation is received, in productions leased as entertainment. Rule 3 (formerly Exhibitors' Resolution \o. 9) declaring substitution unfair. Rule 4 formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 1) declaring unfair any requirement that »n exhibitor, as a condition of being permitted to purchase any picture of a distributor, shall also purchase pictures of another distributor. Rule S (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 4) condemning misleading or salacious advertising. Rule 6 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. S) condemning bicycling Rule 7 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 91 condemning late returns. Rule 8 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 10) declaring the giving of gratuities to be an unfair trade practice. Rule 9 ^formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 11) prohibiting the use of signed applications for contracts for higher or lower rental prices. Rule 10 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 13) condemning the practice of contracting for pictures for one theater and using the service at an entirely different house. Rule 11 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 14) declaring the failure on the part of an exhibitor to promptly report correctly the results of percentage bookings an unfair trade practice. Rule 12 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 16) condemning agreements among competing exhibitors to allocate among themselves the motion pictures of distributors, thereby eliminating competition in their rentals. Rule 13 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 16-A) condemning any agreement among distributors to prevent any exhibitor from contracting for pictures of such distributors, or exacting from an exhibitor a higher rental than could otherwise be obtained in open competition. Rule 14 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 18) condemning the use of buying power for the purchase of more pictures than an exhibitor can consume in order to deprive a competitor of the opportunity of buying pictures. Rule 15 (formerly Producers' Resolution No. 6) approving the rule of the Hays organization prohibiting the offering of inducements to any actor, director or employee of a producer or distributor in an effort to bring about a breach of contract. Group II RULES in Group II accepted at expressions of the trade are of minor importance nnd are concerned largely with ethical and personnel policies of the industry, such as elimination of fake production schemes, fire regulations for theaters, competition between regular theaters and laymen's organizations, maintenance of the highest moral and artistic standards in production, establishment of a non-profit casting bureau for employment of "extras" in motion picture productions, conditions of employment of minors in production, and an agreed statement of policy concerning block booking practices proposed by producerdistributor groups and accepted by exhibitors. Rule 16 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No 3) condemning fraudulent enterprises relating tf motion pictures Rule 17 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 5) approving regulation of exchanges for fire prevention. Rule 18 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 6) declaring the admission of the public, either free of charge or for an admission charge, to any Ijicture entertainment or performance operated by any institution is an unfair trade practice and unfair competition to the theater owners. Rule 19 (formerly Distributors' Resolution No. 7) condemning the practice of transferring title to a theater without making an honest and sincere effort for the transferring at the same time of existing contracts. Rble 20 (formerly Producers' Resolution No 1) approving the action of the Hays organization advising all members of books or plays which are not considered proper for the screen. Rule 21 (formerly Producers' Resolution No. 2) setting forth terms and subjects which should not lie screened. Rule 22 (formerly Producers' Resolution No. 3) approving the establishment of the central casting agency. Rule 23 (formerly Producers' Resolution No. 4) dealing with the employment of minors in motion picture production. Rule 24 (formerly Producers Resolution No. 5) approving the "loaning" of employees under contract by one producer to another. Rule 25 (formerly Producers' Resolution No. 7) approving the registration of titles in order to aOld conflict and publication. Group III FOLLOWING is the resolution comprising Group III, which the commission required as illegal: "Resolved, That the practice of distributors contracting for the exhibition of motion pictures known in the trade as 'entertainment' as distinguished from educational or scientific pictures, at schools or churches or any other place where motion pictures are shown to tha public, found by an impartial arbitration body to be in competition with any regularly operated motion picture theater, is an unfair trade practice." 661