The film daily year book of motion pictures (1934)

lad signals the other, who replies, and as he does so the boy on the sidewalk calls off the message to his companion. For a moment the chatter is stuff to suggest that the boys are merely practicing their scout duties. When a crowd is gathered, the message runs into a plug for the current or coming show. The boy on the marquee is provided with suitable copy, which he should actually transmit. The waving flags help things along. — • — ANNOUNCING BOARD Good for daily change houses. Use a threesheet size board to announce attractions. These are listed with the current attraction at the top and the others in regular order. All cards are moved up one place at the end of the day and a new one added. Other cards are used on the left with the day of the week lettered in. Current bill has a "Today" and the underline "Tomorrow" instead. All strips are cutout letters, backed by colored tissue, but only the top or "today" section carries a back-flasher lamp which shines through the tissue, getting special attention for the film it is most desired to put over. Cutting out the letters is little more trouble than painting, and it gives a much greater emphasis value. Until backed by a light, the effect is that of a straight color, all of the tissues being fairly dark, to provide contrast. — • — CRASHED PLANE * Here is a smash stunt to pull on an airplane feature, if it is possible to get hold of a plane that has been in a crack-up. The smashed plane is hoisted to the front of the theater building, and anchored with the nose of the aircraft stuck through a window, making it appear that the crash had occurred right there. At night this spectacular stunt will get a great play, with floods from the marquee focused on the plane. — • — SIDEWALK ARTIST Secure a local artist for certain hours in the evening, when he sit/ at front of lobby and draws the figure of the star in your coming attraction. If he is clever, he will engage observers in conversation occasionally, and go into a short talk about the feature and its star. Here is an inexpensive stunt that is good for a lot of word-of-mouth advertising. The artist, if he has the showman's instinct and knows how to sell the show in his chats, can make this stunt outstanding. — • — MARQUEE CUTOUTS Take the lithographs on a coming attraction, and have cutouts made of the featured players. These are mounted on beaverboard and placed on top of the marquee. From other portions of the lithos cut out the title of the picture, which is run clear across the cutouts. To further attract attention, place a baby spot in the center of the display and have it sweep from one side to the other. With the figures and title in colors, the display at night can be seen for blocks away. Here is a marquee flash that can be used on any future attraction. — • — SHADOW EFFECTS For any feature that has a star whose work emphasizes the dance angle. From a second story window adjacent to the theater have a girl dancer go through her regular dance routine at certain hours of the evening. She can be dressed in costume to resemble the star. A white muslin sheet is stretched across the window with a baby spot in back of the dancer. When the girl appears between the light and the sheet, the observers in the street get the effect of a shadow or silhouette. After the dance, a shade giving the complete billing is dropped over the window. TALKING DISPLAY From a sidewalk attraction, this one never fails when it is properly handled. At front of lobby place a life-size cutout of the star mounted on beaverboard. Completely surrounding the cutout place a number of star stills. A microphone is placed in a spot where the speaker can watch persons looking at the display. As each person examines the display he is treated to a talk on the highlights of the picture and the splendid work of the star in question. The announcer in this manner has a great opportunity to put over some clever selling talk. — • — ANIMATED AUTO This is one of the marquee stunts that never fails to click. It can be seen for several blocks. From the producers' array of lithos you will be able to secure a figure of the star at the wheel of an auto. Have this cut out and mounted on beaverboard and placed on top of your marquee. The wheels of the car are built to revolve, operated by a small electric motor. Decorate the wheels with colored bulbs and you have an animated marquee display that will attract the eye of every passerby within range of your theater. MERRY CHRISTMAS That's all there is to it. No picture advertising, no advance plug, merely a large, highly colored sign reading "The Theater Wishes You All a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year." You'll be surprised the amount of goodwill this simple stunt will accumulate. Leave the sign out 24 hours of every day before and after Christmas that you consider advisable. Try it and see. 713