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44 ^> <^ ^> The Motion Picture Industry
production and is concerned primarily with the total number of pictures allocated to the various seasons. Because of the inadvisability of releasing the best-quality feature pictures during late spring, summer, and early fall, however, consideration is given also to the type and classification of each picture.
Careful allocation of such prerelease productions as New Show World Specials is not necessary. The company controls a sufficient number of extended-run theaters in the New York theatrical district and in Los Angeles, California, to provide all necessary theater facilities for these pictures, even though their exhibition dates should overlap.
As a general rule, box office receipts vary during the four seasons of the theatrical year. The first quarter, including September, October, and November, is fair, gaining momentum in late October. In the winter season, receipts are greatest. In the early part of the spring season, receipts equal those of late fall; in the late spring, they are approximately the same as in September. The summer season usually is the least profitable. In 1929, however, the introduction of talking pictures, a decline in the popularity of legitimate plays except in New York City, and the widespread use of air-cooling in theaters forecast a leveling out of box office receipts. With this fact in mind, production officials of the Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation diverged from the usual practice of varying the number of releases according to the season of the year. At the present time the tendency is to level out the releases over the year. Tentative quarterly release schedules can be changed without seriously affecting the mechanism of distribution and exhibition.
The production process of a picture usually begins with the directorial assignment about 30 days in advance of the date set for starting actual production. Upon assignment the director, in conjunction with the casting, art, and sets departments, selects respectively the cast, locations, and sets. When possible, Paramount contract actors are given first preference in casting. At the same time a scenarist prepares the