Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

July 10, 1943 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 21 TO SHOW "MINUTE MOVIES ON CIRCUIT SCREENS Screen Broadcasts Plan Endorsed by Agencies of the Government Government-endorsed "minute movies," sponsored by national advertisers, will be shown on the screens of some of the nation's largest theatre circuits, in some instances for the first time, under a plan announced this week. Major circuits, including National Theatres, Schine, Interstate of Texas, Mullin & Pinanski of Boston, Wilby-Kincey of Atlanta, Brandt, Cinema and Interboro circuits of New York, among others, are reported negotiating for the new product of Screen Broadcasts, distributed by Motion Picture Advertising Service of New Orleans and United Film Service of Kansas City. Eight series of 26 one-minute films have been produced by Screen Broadcasts and will be distributed by its parent companies throughout the United States as part of a "community security" campaign which has been launched by the company. Advertisers of drug, food and other products have sponsored the pictures. Theatres will be paid for booking each of the series of pictures planned for release. Have Been Endorsed by Government Agencies According to William Johnson, president of MPAS, the films have been endorsed by the Treasury Department, the War Production Board, Office of Price Administration, Office of Defense Transportation, Office of Civilian Defense, the U. S. Public Health Service and other Government agencies. Mr. Johnson said that some months ago his organization made a survey of about 500 towns in the U. S. "to find out what the people in those towns were thinking. We found that people weren't entirely sold on war participation. We found that they were not buying War Bonds at the rate they should; that motorists were still driving at speeds in excess of 35 miles per hour and burning gasoline on unnecessary outings; that all departments of Civilian Defense were not adequately manned." Submitted His Plan to Treasury Department Attacking the problem from the angle that "selling the war" means selling the American people on winning the war by coaching them on the many vitally important ways the home front can help, Mr. Johnson submitted a plan for a series of sponsored films to Treasury Department officials several months ago. The first series was on War Bonds. Executives of the War Savings Staff approved the plan and the pictures were produced by Screen Broadcasts which then proceeded to solicit commercial sponsors. Since then, series of 26 "minute movies" have been made by the company for the OPA, the ODT, OCD, the U. S. Public Health Service, and the Department of La bor's Na'tional Committee for the Conservation of Manpower in War Industries. Since Pearl Harbor, the advertising film business has been sharply restricted because of raw film stock shortages. Producers of "minute movies," for example, have been relying on their stocks purchased prior to the War Production Board order limiting the supply of raw film. Very few new advertising pictures were produced in the last year. Producers of industrial commercial films, however, diverted their operations to making films for the Navy, Coast Guard, the Office of Education, Coordinator of InterAmerican Affairs or other Government agencies or to making training and morale pictures for national industrial firms. Was Forerunner of Present Trailers In the early days of the motion picture industry, screen advertising took the form of the old-time slide which told about the wares and services of local merchants. As the industry developed, the slide grew into the "minute movie" picture which, in turn, was the forerunner of the picture trailer. Finally, the "minute movie" gave rise to one and two-reel pictures sponsored by national industries and from that screen form of educating the public in the elementary operations of American industry, was born the documentary film. With the rapid development of the motion picture industry, screen advertising became a moot question. There were many theatre operators who were reluctant to use advertising films. Other exhibitors, however, came to rely upon the sponsored film for additional revenue. The advertising picture business grew to million-dollar proportions and it reached its peak just before the United States entered the war. The parent companies of Screen Broadcasts, among the oldest in the business, maintained contracts for regular advertising films before the war with about 9,000 theatres throughout the country. Under the new Government film plan, Mr. Johnson reported that thus far theatres in 2,500 communities in 30 states were showing the War Bond series and that theatres in 2,000 communities were booking the OPA and OCD groups. Films explaining ODT objectives and those on job safety will be released shortly. Pictures Are Booked On Yearly Basis Standard rates for the pre-war "minute movies" were $3 per showing of which the theatre was paid $1 per showing. It is understood that similar rates are still in effect. The pictures are booked in theatres on a yearly basis, insuring playing time of 26 weeks, or one picture in each house every two weeks. Through an authorization from the motion picture bureau of the War Production Board, raw film stock was made available to Screen Broadcasts for the series. The eight different groups were made in both 35 and 16mm. Mr. Johnson said in New York this week that trade and business associations, parentteacher groups and other organizations would be utilized in helping to promote the "community security" program, in connection with scheduled showings of the films at each theatre. His organization is preparing detailed circulars, brochures and other promotional material which will be sent to exhibitors acquainting them with the purpose and procedure of the project. Other material will be made available for community groups. National Decency Legion Classifies Seven Films The National Legion of Decency this week reviewed seven films, classifying three as unobjectionable for general patronage, two as unobjectionable for adults, one as objectionable in part and condemning one as unsuitable for exhibition in entertainment motion picture theatres. The lists follows: Class A-l, Unobjectionable for General Patronage : "Colt Comrades," "Fighting Bailey," "Henry Aldrich Swings It." Class A-2, Unobjectionable for Adults: "Gals, Incorporated," "Life of Simon Bolivar." Class B, Objectionable in Part: "Best Foot Forward." Class C, Condemned : "Confessions of a Vice Baron." Russian Film Envoy Due in Hollywood Mikhail Kolotosoff, Soviet film producer, is expected to arrive in Hollywood within a month as a representative of the Soviet Film Committee. He will establish a permanent office in Hollywood for the purpose of studying American film technique and production methods. He also expects to promote the interchange of technical knowledge of motion pictures between the two industries. Mr. Kolotosoff will not deal with trade relations between the U. S. and Russian film industries. Currently that is being handled by Leonid Antonov, a representative of the Soviet Film Committee who is now in New York. Warners Donate Prints To War Shipping Board Three prints of Warners' "Action in the North Atlantic" have been donated by the producer to the War Shipping Administration for official use in merchant marine training schools, it was announced last week. The film will be used at the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, and at the Cadet Basic Schools at San Mateo, Calif., and Pass Christian, Miss., as part of their regular training program. Thomas on Sales Tour Harry Thomas, Monogram eastern sales manager, left New York this week on a tour of the company's Pittsburgh, Chicago, Cleveland and other exchanges. Promoted to Corporal Cy Jacobsen, formerly short subjects buyer for the Indiana-Illinois circuit, has been promoted to corporal at the Army Air Force base in Kingman, Ariz.