The Exhibitor (1956)

Delivering Your Film By W. C, SMITH Indiana Film Transit Co. There is probably no more familiar sight around theatres and exchange cen¬ ters than the film delivery truck and its driver. The film delivery companies are the vital link between the booking of a film and its presentation in the theatre. Like many things that are an integral part of everyday routine, the role of the film delivery man, and his problems, are often overlooked. This article, which origbmlly appeared in the excellent convention book put out by Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana at its 29th meeting recently, sheds some light on this subject. In every city in the country that has an exchange distributing center, you will find a trucking company, or maybe two or three trucking companies whose busi¬ ness is the delivery of film to the theatres in their territory — a new show for tomorrow. Their pattern of operation may differ in each locality, but the thought is the same everywhere, to get the film to the theatre in time for opening tomorrow, and return the film that has just finished to the exchange in time for the next exhibitor to use. In order to operate as efficiently as pos¬ sible, most of these truckers operate at night; this permits them to leave their distributing point after the exchanges have closed, and allows them to deliver the shows to the theatres and return the used film to the exchange by the time the ship¬ ping department is opening the next morn¬ ing. Thus, the trucking company is actually working 24 hours a day in some phase of film delivery, and the movement of the film is continuous. The day force of the trucking company comes to work around seven in the morn¬ ing. The trucks that have returned from their route the night before are unloaded and the film is sorted by exchanges. The day trucks are loaded with film to return to each exchange. Meanwhile, the fore¬ man has a list of rush shipments that must make the early morning buses, this film is put to one side for delivery to the exchanges first. By noon the men are on film row pick¬ ing up new film that will go out on the trucks that leave again at night. This film is booked to open in theatres the following day. The trucks are unloaded at the terminal, the film sorted by route, then by town, then by theatre. Meanwhile, the office force is busy making up route sheets for each driver from shipping sheets sent by the film companies. All afternoon film is picked up, taken to the terminal, unloaded and routed, and the driver’s delivery sheet completed. By the time the last shipment is picked up and sorted, the trucking company starts a check of the cargo. Delivery sheets are accurately checked case for case, ^ny difference in the label on the film and the delivery sheet must be corrected before the truck can leave. Many times the film is billed to one theatre, and the label calls for another. Shippers or bookers must be called at home and corrections made so that the shipment will reach the proper destination. After the sheets are in order, circuit letters requesting the driver to pick up a print at one theatre and leave it at another on his route must be checked and fastened to the route sheet. I pecial notes from any theatre to the driver must be fastened also to the route sheet. Around seven in the evening, the ni l:t force takes over; a check is made of the trucking equipment, route sheets are checked the driver gets the keys to his theatres, the truck is loaded and he is cn his way. Usually the continuous movement of film goes along smoothly, but many things can happen, and do happen that cause difficulty for the film carrier. Many of them are expensive and unnecessary. Here are a few of them: 1. Film that is labeled wrong or has two labels. 2. The theatre forgets to leave out a return ticket with its film, and the driver is unable to return the film and the next exhibitor misses out on his show. 3. Many times the last reel is left on the machine. 4. Film is placed in wrong cases, caus¬ ing loss of time hunting film. 5. Many exhibitors do not check their new film until they are ready to put it on the screen. All film should be checked early in the day to give time for a cor¬ rection in case of error in delivery. 6. Employes of theatres may take new film to the booth, janitors put it in closets while cleaning, or behind doors, and the manager not seeing the film in its accus¬ tomed place calls the trucking company to find out why he does not have his program. Hours later, and after several long distance calls, it is found. (Continued on page PT-18) Telephone Device Helps Speed Service Rochester, N. Y. — Now the busy theatre manager, cashier, projec¬ tionist, or other worker can answer the telephone and carry on a conversation while at the same time continuing at work around the office or booth. This convenience is provided by the new Stromberg-Carlson HandsFree Telephone, manufactured by Stromberg-Carlson, a division of General Dynamics Corporation. This Hands-Free Telephone has a microphone that is sensitive in all directions, and can pick up conversation at ordinary voice levels from as far away as 20 feet. Thus the user can continue to work with his hands free, crossing the room to get papers from a file, checking the ticket rack, threading a projector, or, in fact, doing just about anything while he talks and listens. It is not even necessary, it is claimed, to face the microphone. The microphone is light, weighing only four ounces, and is attached to the telephone instrument by a 12-foot cord. Thus it can easily be moved fc r most convenient placement, and is especially useful for telephone conferences, where it is simply placed near the center of the partici¬ pating group. The microphone has an automatic volume control that compensates for irregularities in voice volume. The control also prevents “booming” if the user speaks too closely into the microphone, and subdues extraneous loud noises such as might be caused by jarring the microphone. PT-16 PHYSICAL THEATRE DEPARTMENT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR February 1, 1956