Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1948)

Local 16mm News reels Pay Off in Goodwill Local Newsreels, featuring community and neighborhood events, photographed in 16mm edited and projected by local theatre managers, are finding increasing use as a tool for integrating the theatre with its community. A remarkable instance of their success has has been in the Walter Reade circuit with houses in New Jersey suburban communities. Four of the circuit's houses are now using the idea regularly and the circuit is planning a 16mm magazine reel to be issued once a month, meanwhile encouraging its managers to start their own. Had Impressive Gross The idea was born when Murray Meinberg, city manager for the Reade circuit in Plainfield N.J., built an impressive gross with pictures of a Fourth of July parade which cost him $91 — $63 for the film and processing and $28 for newspaper advertising. It all started when Mr. Meinberg was named publicity chairman for the July 4 celebration by Mayor John W. Zerega of Plainfield. On the morning of July 4, Mr. Meinberg, reviewing the parade, bemoaned the fact that the budget alloted to the celebration would permit little photographic coverage. He noticed an amateur 16mm photographer setting up his equipment and snatched the opportunity. With the aid of Floyd Sill, a Boy Scout executive, he arranged a tieup whereby the scouts would share in the publicity of the film. Then the two set to work. They shot so much of the parade they ran out of film. No further supply was available and the stores were closed on account of the holiday. The problem was put up to the Mayor, who arranged for enough film to cover the other events. Rushed to Laboratory They rushed the film to New York for processing and subtitling, done with the aid of Jack Harris, Reade Theatres chief booker, who has his own equipment and who helped cut and edit the reel. Very shortly thereafter, Mr. Meinberg announced proudly in the Plainfield newspapers that the film record of the day's activities was showing at the Strand theatre. First, however, he held a preview before a specially invited audience which included civic officials. Response was so favorable that after a week at the Strand, the film moved over for an extra three days at the second run Paramount. Mr. Meinberg received further attention when, at a special ceremony at the Strand, he presented the original reel to Mayor Zerega to be placed among the city's historical records. Following Mr. Meinberg's favorable re How the Reade Paramount theatre in Long Branch advertises its local newsreel. ports, other Reade managers took it up. Tony Hunting of Red Bank, N.J., filmed the Volunteer Fireman's parade in his community. And Guy Hevia in Morristown is filming local football games. The reel, which is silent and is accompanied' by the playing of phonograph records, usually is added to the complete playdate and runs about a week. The Paramount theatre in Long Branch, N.J., is the latest Reade house to show locally filmed events on its screen. The idea of combining community service and added audience attraction through the use of locally-made film in 16mm is not new and has been tried with success in a number of situations. The YMCA Auditorium theatre in Coatesville, Pa., for instance, for years has shown narrow-gauge films made by J. I. Hoffman, executive secretary of the "Y." Mr. Hoffman is a film enthusiast. Another exhibitor long interested in 16mm possibilities is Ray Branch of the Strand theatre, Hastings, Mich. Several others, including Phil Chaiton, manager of the Tuxedo theatre in New York's Bronx, have experimental with the presentation of local events shot on 35mm. Century Theatres, New York, once planned a newsreel service for its houses based on this idea. Stockholders of Loetv to Vote on Board Jan. 30 All incumbent members of the board of directors of Loew's, Inc., will be up for reelection when the company holds its annual stockholders meeting in New York January 30. Members of the present board are: Nicholas M. Schenck, president; Joseph R. Vogel, vice-president ; William F. Rodgers, distribution vjce-president ; J. Robert Rubin, vice-president and counsel ; Charles C. Moskowitz, vice-president and treasurer ; Leopold Friedman, vice-president, secretary and counsel, and David Warfield, William A. Parker, Henry Rogers Winthrop and Eugene W. Leake. According to a meeting notice sent to the stockholders, 56 Loew executives and others in the company received remuneration in excess of $100,000 during the fiscal year ended August 31, 1947. Ninety-three received in excess of $50,000, but not more than $100,000, and 223 received in excess of $20,000, but not more than $50,000. Total remuneration for these 372, who were other than officers or directors of the company, was $22,226,669. Eight officers received remuneration increases during the last fiscal year. They were: Howard Dietz, a $22,500 increase and a total of $104,285; Mr. Friedman, a $20,000 increase and total of 130,357; Mr. Moskowitz, $28,000 increase and total of $156,428; Marvin H. Schenck, $22,000 increase, $104,285 total; Mr. Vogel, $40,000 increase, $156,428 total; Jesse T. Mills, $2,300 increase, $31,285 total; Mr. Parker, $200 increase, $8,600 total; Mr. Winthrop, $100 increase, $6,400 total. Other officers' and directors' remuneration for the year was: Mr. Leake, $25,000; Alexander Lichtman, $200,000; Edgar J. Mannix, $202,607; Louis B. Mayer, $500,000; Mr. Rodgers, $114,714; Mr. Rubin, $215,642; N. M. Schenck, $224,767, and Benjamin Thau, $200,000. Pursuant to Mr. Rodgers' employment contract, the company also deposited in escrow $79,000 during the year ending August 31, 1947. Under terms of the contract, the first of a series of 180 monthly payments to Mr. Rodgers of $1,738 each was begun on July 29, 1947, out of a fund deposited in escrow to that date. Frank Buck Files Suit Frank Buck has filed suit in Federal Court, New York, against Columbia, Astor Pictures, Astor Productions and Astor Film Exchange, seeking $250,000 damages. Mr. Buck contends that a 1936 serial he aided in producing has now been made into a feature in violation of his contract. Mary Pickford to Launch Appeal for Children Canadian-born Mary Pickford will launch the campaign of the Canadian Appeal for Children, sponsored jointly by the Canadian Council for Reconstruction ajid the United Nations Appeal for Children. The drive begins January 12. Highlight of the launching celebration will be the world premiere of Miss Pickford's production, "Sleep My Love," to be held at the Elgin theatre, Ottawa, January 12, under the patronage of the Governor General. The premiere is the first big event of the United Nations' Economic, Social and Cultural Organization's campaign to inform the world of its objectives, and solicit support. Proceeds from the premiere will be turned over to the drive which aims to collect funds to aid need children abroad. 32 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 10, 1948