Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

MISTER CHAIRMAN!” ... it could be YOU as a theatre manager active in community affairs! By CURTIS MEES U I ow good are you at communicating your ideas to others? And how good at getting others to communicate their ideas to you, in the way they really intend having them understood? Do you think you are reasonably successful in this respect? Or have you never thought —or tested— your effectiveness at communications? Today, in every walk of life, communications, be they good or faulty, are the keystone of solutions to most of our problems. The vital factor, so often overlooked, is whether or not we are actually “communicating” with others in the vein we intend. For example, we feel that we are communicating to you in this article something of value to your business life (as well as your social life), but we have no way of knowing whether our point is getting across, or whether you are idly skimming across the lines while giving your inner attention more closely to the message your wife gave you as you left the house this morning, or to the letter you intend writing the salesmanager regarding the lousey gross you had on his picture last week. Those other “communications” may be taking precedence over ours! We as exhibitors, therefore, should be concerned with all phases of communications and endeavor to upgrade both the quality and direction, as well as the quantity of our messages regardless of the medium, be they verbal, written or visual communications. As prominent civic-minded people in our respective communities, we are frequently looked to and called upon for leadership in various projects and at meetings. These activities require effective communication of ideas, as well as the ability to induce others to share their thoughts with the group in its discussions. As responsible leaders in our own field of the motion picture industry, it behooves us to produce as many capable spokesmen as possible to present the exhibitor’s side of the story if and when Distribution and Production meet with us on industry conditions. Poor communication has sabotaged many an industry effort, as witness the recent endeavor of the major distributors in New York to promote a national press trip to Hollywood as part of a build up of public interest in the movies. With the very best of intentions, the group undertaking to put over the project failed to get across to the producers — as well as the exhibitors— their enthusiasm for the potentials which they envisioned in their preliminary meetings! What was a very promising idea, therefore, died on the vine because the producers could not be made to see how the plan could benefit them, as well as all other branches of the industry. Many reasons might be advanced for their thinking, but the sum and substance of the complaint lies in faulty communication. And in a small effort to minimize such failures in the future, at the “top brass” level, but particularly at the level of theatre and civic groups involving theatre managers, we want to examine certain basic factors common to all good communications. PREPARING FOR CONFERENCES Since these generally involve some form of conference where group thinking is brought to bear upon the problem of the moment, we call the meeting to order. As chairman of the meeting, we turn the gavel over to you . . . and may you lead a most instructive and profit able conference in pursuit of solutions of the problems vexing your group! Initial preparations for any conference start with determination of the number of persons who will take part, and include selection of a room large enough for the meeting as well as the related questions of seating, of hearing and visual requirements. As a showman, fully aware of the meaning of comfort, your first thought should be to obtain a room which offers as much comfort as possible, with seating arrangements which will give every conferee a good view of the proceedings while being in a position to join in the discussions and to hear every word that is said without straining. If any special equipment is to be used in conjunction with your conference, such as blackboards, charts, projectors and screens, as well as sound equipment, this should be arranged for and planned as part of the physical setup so that no last minute hunts need be made for places to hang charts, raise the projector to a suitable level, or find electrical outlets convenient to the equipment as it is to be used. Details? Perhaps, but according to such details may your conference fail or succeed. Paper and pencils should be on hand. Refreshments may well be available nearby for those breaks which liven up extended meetings— and relieve tension that can thwart agreement. Arrangements should be made for distribution of identifying cards for all members of the group if some persons may not know each other. Place cards might be needed if it is advisable to seat people according to a plan designed to keep the conversation flowing and to create a harmonious relationship within the group. The secretary for the occasion should send out announcements of the confer( Continued on page 15) 10 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 8, 1956