Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

54 MOTION PICTURE HERALD May 2 3, 1931 ROUND TABLE RESPONSIBLE FOR INCREASED MERCHANDISING ACTIVITY SOME INTERESTING SLANTS ON THE CLUB'S "DOINGS"! WITH all possible modesty we can truthfully say that the Managers' Round Table Club of Motion Picture Herald has done more towards encouraging merchandising throughout the entire industry than any other medium ever advanced. And the same goes for improving theatre operation and its hundred and one incidental sidelights. Merchandising, or exploitation if you will, was one phase of a manager's activities that was so matter-of-fact that few ever gave it the serious consideration it deserved. Theatre operators, both chain and independent, are now greatly concerned over this picture-selling medium because they recognize the necessity of it ; not alone from the standpoint of increasing business for the individual pictures being exploited, but because of the attention it directs towards the theatre in general. Press books were about the only accepted medium for the stimulation of exploitation i)rior to the Round Table Club. And they were slightly augmented by certain activity for specific pictures according to the producers' and distributors' opinions about so-called outstanding productions. Perhaps the most gratifying thing about the success of the Round Table Club is not just in the stories published about the members and what they are doing to sell their pictures to the public, but the spirit in which they have entered into the desire to let their brother managers know what they are doing and to learn how others are handling this important part of any showman's job. We Get Started Just about three years ago your chairman, then engaged in handling a string of houses in New England, thought it would be a good idea if showmen the world over would create a clearing house for ideas, for suggestions in practical theatre operation and for cultivating friendships that isolation makes so desirable. They found these things in the Club until today we have an organization of almost thirty-five hundred showmen engaged in practically every branch of show business, all actively interested in "their" own organization. Probably the first time in the history of the business that they ever had an organization of their own. The support of the publication was a most important factor in the growth of the Club because it was through this particular medium that the various members' activities were to be broadcast. It was on these pages that they could read, each and every week, about showmen and their problems. And that support was forthcoming, originally under the banner of Motion Picture News and now under the farreaching influence of Motion Picture Herald. It is not our intention to make a statement that no other trade paper gave exploitation any attention or space. On the contrary, they gave it plenty. But it never really amounted to anything because the chief source of their merchandising news was the material sent out from the publicity departments of the various distributors, etc. The personal contact, if we may use that expression, was lacking. If a manager found anything about himself in one of the trade papers it was generally a press agent's conception of what happened and in most cases rarely credited the man who engineered the idea and brought it to a successful conclusion. That "personal contact" is the thing that turned the trick for the Round Table Club. By "CHICK" LEWIS "Peek" into the machinery that has grown from a little cog into a gigantic organization embracing a membership of over 3400 showmen, 10,000 interested readers and encouraging show-merchandising and theatre operation on d scale never before attempted in the history of the industry. When we tell you that close to a thousand letters a week reach your chairman's desk you can begin to understand what the Managers' Round Table Club of Motion Picture Herald means to the theatre men of today. Managers did not have to feel any longer that their material was "perhaps" going to be used if they took the trouble to send it in. They KNEW it was going to be received with open arms, to be prepared properly for publication and that they would receive the credit they deserved for their efforts. Another angle which has met with favor among the members and followers of these Club pages is the way all story material is handled. Instead of printing the contributor's letter e-xactly as received, each and every item is written up in what we have termed "showmen's language" ; an easy, readable style. This, too, was liked by the members because it enabled them to get the facts of another member's activities without reading several hundred words really not meant for publication when written. And on this angle alone we were told, those three years ago, that the idea would never get over because the boys who wrote in their stories would object to seeing them appear in print in any other form than the way they were written. Yet we have NEVER had a kickback on this angle in all the three years of our existence. So we feel safe in saying that we have hit on the method of handling stories that pleases the entire membership of the Club. Feature Stories Special story material, from time to time, and according to its value, would be treated as outstanding stories. This referred to such activities as Fashion Shows, Anniversary Celebrations, Summer Business Builders, or any other timely topic. Thereby not only emphasizing the particular angle, but showing what to do and hozi' to do it. The style in which all stories are handled shows how fair the members are treated. Every story is set in the same style and type size and does away with any thought that certain members or contributors get better "breaks" than others. On these pages we are all equal, regardless of whether you are handling a five hundred-seat movie or a five thousand-seat palace. The only difference is the size of the story and that is entirely gauged by the material submitted and also whether they include photos or printed matter to be made into cuts. Barring these two slants the same attention is given to each and every letter received. Timely Topics At various times we try to build up added interest in the Club and the Club pages by starting some interesting discussion about some angle which may be occupying the limelight for the moment. In this respect we have run series dealing with "What Is Exploitation," "Your Problems And Mine," "Personal Publicity," etc., all made up from information secured from the members themselves. Just as everything else on these pages. As a medium for intercommunication between members and showmen the world over we can think of nothing to compare with it. Not only TAKE A PEEK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN CLUB HEADQUARTERS through these pages, but by direct mail between members, thousands of showmen have started friendships which will last as long as many of them live. The basis for such correspondence may be the exception one member takes to what another member has to say about some particular kind of merchandising. Or again, they may find that they once knew or worked with a showman whose activities appear on our pages. What does it matter how it starts? The point is that they find new friends. We Win a Hat! It was amusing during the first year of the Club's existence to note the "knowing" smiles when we made reference to the amount of mail handled at Club headquarters from our members. Not being exactly schooled in the business of trade paper work, we never for a moment thought that our statement was being doubted until one gentleman connected with another trade paper actually inquired whether we weren't stretching our imagination too far. He then went on to tell us that he was in "this" business for some fifteen years and knew that it was next to impossible to get the managers to write letters consistently to any trade paper. We won a perfectly good spring hat before the end of that day, and far be it from us to say that we are gamblers — not much. But what tickled us most was the genuine surprise on that man's face when he sat at our desk and looked over the accumulated mail for about three days. The amount of mail was not the only thing which made him sit up and take notice. The friendly wording used in the majority of those letters is what made hi^n turn an about-face and offer his apologies. When physically possible each and every letter is carefully read and acknowledged personally. The only deviation from this rule is when we are rushed for a short time and do not want to hold up publication until we can answer our mail. Then we "shoot" it through for early use and answer it after the story has been prepared and sent to press. Important matters are naturally given prompt attention. And take our word for it, more than fifty percent of the mail concerns personal matters and not exploitation material. So you can judge for yourself whether this department can be classed as mechanical. No, indeed, it's a personal matter between each member and your chairman. We are afraid that what we started out to make into a brief summary, about the Club and what it is doing, has now reached the proportions of a "confession," so we'll cut it short with the heartfelt appreciation of your chairman for the fine support the members have accorded him and look forward to greater accomplishments during the next years of the Club's existence. Here's hoping that the spirit of "All For One And One For All" will take on even greater importance in the future than in the past and that all our members will find the Club and the Club pages a source of interest and pleasure. We are always ready to be of service, regardless of what the request may be, so do not hesitate to call on us any time at all. To each and every member who has cooperated in the past, we take this means of expressing our sincere appreciation, and we are sure that we can count on them in the future as well. Thanks, boys, and here's looking ahead to better days for all of us in this business of running theatres.