The film daily year book of motion pictures (1928)

Leaders See Prosperity for 1928 "DOINTING out the general forecasts of economists and Government officials that prosperity will prevail in the United States in 1928, leaders in major branches of the industry agree that this year will be a healthy one for the motion picture industry. However, many of them point out that the adjustments which must be made are several and important. Economies in production and exhibition— and in the latter instance, the current policy of presentations is referred to — must be effected, they assert. By the very omission of any discussion concerning distribution, the inference is clear that in this direction, wastage has been largely eliminated. These views will be found extremely interesting. They concern the domestic market. The situation abroad is discussed in the Foreign Section, page 936. ADOLPH ZUKOR President, Paramount Famous Lasky Corp. The moving picture industry has the best of reasons for optimism and confidence in approaching 1928. I believe personally that it will be one of our best years. This prediction is made with the knowledge of a few dull spots in the nation-wide survey. An examination of such data, however, reveals that they are due to purely local conditions and may be regarded quite reasonably as breathing spells, after which the tide of prosperity will resume with a full sweep. Reports from theater boxoffices throughout the country generally indicate a sound and substantial condition. Two important elements are the basis for my confidence. One is the prosperity of the country and the excellent prospects for its continuance on a large and far-reaching scale. The other element is the condition and attitude of the industry itself, which in many ways seems to me the best in its history. We are emerging from a period of expansion. The last two years have seen the building of many big theaters and ambitious production ventures have been carried out. Now we are in the midst of the task of gearing up the giant machinery to work at its full efficiency, eliminating waste, solidifying its internal structure. Already there has been encouraging progress and this undoubtedly will be carried out much more fully during the new year. This new spirit and attitude should produce a better product, a smoother functioning of the business organization and a more economical operation. So, because of the nation's prosperity and a better temper within the industry, I look for a big year to come. * * * JOSEPH M. SCHENCK President, United Artists Corp. The new year should mean greater prosperity for the motion picture industry because economists and public men of authority have prophesied greater prosperity for the entire country. My only apprehension as far as pictures are concerned, is due to the short-sighted policy of our exhibitors in building theaters of 5,000 and 6,000 seating capac ity. To keep those theaters full the owners deem it necessary to put in a big, diversified entertainment, consisting of vaudeville with a background of splashy sets and crowds of supers, or chorus girls. In carefully analyzing the effect of this policy on picture producing, you can readily see that in a theater of 5,000 seating capacity, where they take in as much as $75,000 and $80,000 a week, playing to about 150,000 people, they spend about $65,000 for overhead and vaudeville entertainment, leaving but $10,000 for a picture, and if they do pay the $10,000 they don't make any profit that week. At the same time, they exhaust 150,000 people, most of whom would go to see the same picture if it played in a 2,000 capacity theater without any vaudeville embellishment, and the picture, under those circumstances, in three or four weeks, would receive a flat rental of about $25,000. It is absolutely essential for the producer to receive the highest possible returns in rentals from theaters for his picture, to enable him to remain in business, and if, through an ill-advised policy, the exhibitor squanders a lot of money in the management of his theater, the producer suffers more than anyone else suffers. The feature picture is responsible for the provision of necessary money to build these palatial theaters. The public who owns, through stock subscriptions, most — in fact, all of those theaters — bought the stock on the strength of the theater being a picture theater and, in my opinion, faith has not been kept with the public, as they turn these theaters into vaudeville houses. * * * WILLIAM FOX President, Fox Film Corp. There is a clear indication that the patrontage of the motion picture theater is increasing each year. I look forward to an even greater increase for the year 1928, for the following three reasons: 1. The added accommodations by way of new and magnificent theaters that have been completed during the year 1927, which will have a tendency to attract those who have not been up to the present time regular patrons of the motion picture theaters. 2. The progressive strides made by the majority of the producers in making better and finer motion pictures. 3. A large, new patronage will be attracted by Movietone, which, in our opinion, will greatly enhance the value of motion picture theater entertainment. * * * CARL LAEMMLE President, Universal Pictures Corp. It is only human nature for any man's forecast of a coming year to be colored by his own desires in respect to that year. So supposing I frankly discard the thought of attempting to pose as a prophet, and instead state a few developments that I would like to see come true during 1928. 1. A stronger effort on the part of all producers to keep pictures, with the exception of productions of road show caliber, closer to the 6,000 ft. length, or less. Most pictures are too long. It is obvious that something radical must be done about the short product. The market is cluttered now. Quality productions are in very keen competition with short product which is merely made to sell at a price. The right type and quality of short product is absolutely necessary to give exhibitors the variety of appeal on which success of their show depends. 501