The film daily year book of motion pictures (1932)

bookings, the producer has been forced to get down to the brass tacks of exploitation. Instead of leaving it in great part to the theater owner, feeling as he often did in the old days of outright rentals that "I've got mine, now you get yours," the producer and distributor find that they are in the same boat with the exhibitor. They are a co-partnership. The sale of the product is only beginning when it reaches the retailer — the exhibitor. Like any national manufacturer of a staple product, the producer must sell the ultimate consumer — the public. The theater manager on his part must work more closely with the producer's publicity department. Together they can cover the field intensively. Intelligent co-operation between exhibitor and producer or distributor is bound to result in increased profits for all. The present year finds practical theater men formulating publicity campaigns for the exhibitor. These in control of the exploitation campaigns of the producers are not theorists. They have been in the field. Many of them have personally operated theaters. They know the real psychology of selling the public. They understand and are in thorough sympathy with the theater man's problems. So the campaigns on the various pictures are planned forcefully — practically. They are based on the fundamental of merchandising appeal, whether newspaper ads, posters, press books, heralds. The flash theater front is coming back strong. In fact, it IS back. As witness all the big Broadway houses, which for the past six months have been vieing with each other in turning out the trickiest, most novel, eye-compelling fronts. And these fronts are selling the public in an astounding and impressive manner. We are back to the Barnum principle. Done with more class, of course. But still, fundamentally, the flash fronts symbolize the circus appeal. And that's show business. And always will be. And the Poster is coming back. In fact, it is back stronger than ever. On the big features, producers are going out with extensive poster campaigns in all the big key spots. The 24-sheet splash nowadays is a commonplace. A 100-sheet billing in the old days was a novelty. Today it is in general use, on a super spectacle. One of the most cheering developments is that the small town exhibitor has been thoroughly educated to the prime importance of modern exploitation. He knows more about real showmanship than the big town exhibitor of a few years ago. Intensive competition has forced this upon him. He has seen the state highways lure his patrons in their cars to a neighboring town where the show was bigger — or the other fellow's exploitation more alluring than his own. His only weapon of defense was Exploitation. He has adopted it. He is wide awake to all the possibilities that the producer dumps in his lap in the way of a comprehensive selling campaign. Yes, fellows, oldtime showmanship is back. Not overlooking the Pressbook. Take any of them, issued by the first-line producers. Crammed with practical, workable ideas from all publicity angles. The big circuit managers are using the pressbook as never before. They know the pressbook is the backbone of the entire manual of Showmanship. The merchandising tie-ups have been placed on a scientific basis. Working right with the manufacturers of a given product, complete and exhaustive campaigns are available on any big feature that ties the exhibitors show up directly and compellingly with the nationally advertised product right in the theater man's own town. The impetus and prestige of million-dollar national manufacturer campaigns are at the exhibitors disposal. He can come in on the ground floor, and cash in by intelligent co-operation with the local dealers on any given tie-up. All in ail, the Trend of Exploitation from every angle reflects one vital fact to every live exhibitor. We have entered an Era of New Showmanship. COLOR By DON HANCOCK INURING 1931, the number of features pro*^ duced in color took a decided drop. Only three features, two by Radio Pictures and one by Warner Brothers were made with color although many short subjects, both in series and individual releases had the added color printing. At the start of the year, producers were reticent about making definite announcements as to what use they would make of the better color processes. They also refrained from going on record regarding the outlook for color features. Increased cost of production without sufficient increase in gross sales was said to be the greatest drawback. Indications point to the belief that only in prosperous times and under flourishing conditions will there be a recurrence of the 1929 boom in color film. In the short subject field, travelogues scenics, novelty releases and a few independently made cartoons have included color in their presentation but it is safe to assume that as far as the producer and exhibitor are concerned, color has made no progress during the past twelve months. Imported features made by foreign producers were in the majority devoid of color, although in a few cases, special spectacular sequences were made with color process. The outlook for color features for 1932 is a matter of conjecture due to the fact that producers are unwilling to predict what the new year of features will bring forth unless economic conditions take on a decidedly different aspect. 105