Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1933)

48 ROUND TABLE CLUB June 3, 1933 STUDIO PREVIEW SHOWS! New Idea for Theatres Offers Great Possibilities for Increasing Ticket Sales! LIERE is a slant that blew in from Ohio a short time ago, which excited our interest and will, we believe, have the same effect on other Club members. The idea, briefly, is this: You contract your local independent exchange and buy, for one performance only, one of their pictures that have not been sold to the town. Play it as near to original availability as you can so that those who see it in your theatre will not be able to say that they had already seen it in some other town not too far away. Following the Hollywood idea, the theatre must build up interest in their "Studio Preview" by giving it an advance campaign without undue emphasis. Merely a oneframe trailer advising your patrons to watch for "Preview" night when by special arrangement with a studio in Hollywood your theatre will give a preview of a newly completed feature. Announcing the Preview! On the day you are to present this picture we suggest that you announce it via your regular newspaper ads and special plugs elsewhere in the paper than your theatrical page. Place a large sign in front of the theatre, especially if you are on a busy transient street, reading: "TONIGHTSTUDIO PREVIEW." In presenting the picture, spot it between your first and second night show. Original titles must be removed and in its place have your owh trailer reading somewhat along these lines: "BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH THE HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS THE PALACE THEATRE PRESENTS A NEWLY COMPLETED FEATURE WHICH HAS NOT BEEN TITLED AS YET." They go on to ask that all patrons will confer a favor on the studio and management if they will kindly fill out the forms handed out by the ushers and to leave them with theatre attendants on the way out. Give It Atmosphere! Surround the entire idea with as much Hollywood atmosphere as is possible along these lines and see how they go for this in a big way. The cards handed out by the ushers, as used in Ohio by Horton Kohn of the RKO Palace in Columbus, reads as follows : FEATURE PREVIEW COMMENTS Story Cast Title suggestion Remarks Please give to any theatre attendant as you leave the theatre. Feature previews will be held at the Palace every week. Watch newspaper ads for announcements. These cards measure three by five inches and are distributed to the patrons as they come in for the first evening show. In spots where every foot of product has MILWAUKEE SMILED! During the recent "Bank Holiday" the M.P.T.O. of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan took almost an entire page in the Sunday edition of a Milwaukee newspaper to boost theatre patronage. Alongside a photo of a fellow with a regular Joe E. Brown smile ran the head: "Trade Your Long Face For A Smile". Following was a quotation from President Roosevelt's inaugural address: "The Only Thing We Have To Fear Is Fear Itself!" Other paragraphs pointed out that there was no better way to forget troubles and worries than by attending the theatre; that everyone in town was in the same boat; that "Smiles Are Best" medicine for the blues, etc. The entire M.P.T.O. local membership was listed. Prominent mention of the move was made in the paper's main editorial column. Although no signature was attached to the tear sheet we have at hand, it's perfectly safe to credit this fine piece of box office propaganda to Fred S. Meyer, guiding spirit of the above-named organization. not been already bought due to double featuring or because of two or more theatres needing all available product, this idea can be built up to be a real novelty. It can hardly be labeled a double feature bill because the preview is held on but one night of your run and is given as a special added idea. Although the major distributors may refuse to sell their product into towns not holding regular contracts, you will find that the independents will work with you. If the comment about one of these preview pictures is sufficiently good, you should book the picture in for a short run a few weeks later under its proper title and announce in your ads that this is the picture previewed on such-and-such a date. Good word-of-mouth advertising will give it an excellent start to large grosses and altogether the idea possesses many worthwhile slants certainly worthy of serious consideration. Perhaps there is a slant or two in this that will start you working something out along your own lines. If you try out a Preview Night and can add some original idea of your own, go to it and let us in on the details. We will pass them along so that all may benefit by each other's experiences. Cummings Mailed a Letter To stir up interest on "King's Vacation", Harold G. Cummings, manager of the Warner-Palace Theatre, Danbury, Conn., sent out a special, personal letter on a selected mailing list. Gist of the letter concerned the line-up at Radio City Music Hall when the picture played there and made a strong bid to Arliss fans to come to the theatre and enjoy seeing a favorite and accomplished star in one of his best vehicles. A postscript also got in a plug for a couple of forthcoming attractions. DICK WRIGHT WAGED SPLENDID CAMPAIGN ON MUSICAL PICTURE Among the raves received by the Club on box office potentialities of "42nd Street" is one from Dick Wright, manager of Warner's Strand Theatre, Akron, Ohio. He reports that in spite of the day and date banking crisis the film was held for a second week and did the best business since "All Quiet" was played back in '30. Maybe Dick's campaign had something to do with this. Let's see what he did : Although the "42nd Street" Special stopped at Akron but 40 minutes a photo shows that Wright made the most of the occasion. Botb papers carried news stories five days in advance advising Akronites that they could glimpse a bevy of movie stars and approximately 5,000 fans, newspapermen, photographers, the American Legion Post's band of 40 pieces and a flock of Postal boys with banners, turned out to meet the train. The General Electric tie-up also proved an efliective selling angle. Thirty canvassing salesmen employed by the company distributed 20,000 four-page tabloids (regular material) one week in advance in all residential sections and a fine window display in the G. E. salesrooms created further interest. A complete health-kitchen was assembled in the theatre lobby where one of the salesmen was in constant attendance. Another tie-up (see photo) was made with a local merchant and netted a very attractive window of "42nd Street" fashions, cards and stills on the picture. In addition to 500 brilliantly colored pennants the front of the theatre was decorated with large colored blow-ups, with a rotating beacon light atop the marquee to attract attention at night. Eight 28x42 colored enlargements of chorus girls were placed in individual frames and set along the sidewalk five days in advance, as well as a large display containing 40 stills. This dis play proved an excellent medium for making Akron movie fans "42nd Street" conscious. A tie-up made with the classified department of one of the local newspapers netted 100 inches of gratis advertising display. Dick states he was also fortunate in having on hand at the time loudspeakers with amplifiers mounted on marquee to pick up Inauguration Day ceremonies from the radio station. Voice range extended for two blocks in either direction. Wright pays glowing tribute to the press book gotten out on this picture and suggests that fellow showmen follow it closely when planning their campaigns. This same hint was conveyed in a past issue of the Round Table Club section. Many thanks to Dick for his suggestions.