Motion Picture Magazine (Feb-Jul 1919)

CcMOTIC MACJVZINE fj S. L. Rothapfel, formerly one of the best known exhibitors of motion pictures, while he served as manager of New York's Rialto and Rivoli Theaters. Today Mr. Rothapfel is a producer, and is directing his own productions that the way may be made easier for other exhibitors have a good play, the next week a bad one. Trouble between the exh i b i t o r and producer was maintained at a fever heat until about a year ago. Then each faction began to realize that in trying to cut the other fellow's throat, they were cutting their own. It was definitely decided that pictures were here to stay, as proved by the increasing success of the big "exclusively motion picture" edifices which had been erected. The exhibitors formed a distributing company of their own and the' big producing companies were on a more business-like basis. By means of national and local advertising, personal co-operation and other facilities, the producers were offering real assistance to the showman. In turn, the theater men are being more careful of the film, seeing that their employees do not clip out portions of the production for their own private library and returning it promptly to the exchange. The theater man began to realize that the leading producers were seriously and conscientiously trying to give him carefully made and interesting stories and that the producer really knows more about producing pictures than does the exhibitor. The producer in turn is learning that the exhibitor is a better judge of the public than he is. Several of the producers now require the exhibitor to send in a written report of their productions shown and grade them as to their appeal and popularity. These reports, coming in from all over the country, give an excellent diagnosis as to the popularity of certain stars and the kind of story the public enjoys. A survey of these reports leads to much interesting information. A star may be a great favorite in the East or West, but the Middle West and South will have nothing to do with her. A production shown in Seattle may play to crowded houses, but in Portland, Oregon, a night's ride away, it may be a failure. St. Paul may like one star which Minneapolis will not go to see. One star is popular in a certain type of role as far East as Denver; east of Denver they want her in some different character, while down South or in Canada the exhibitor wont even show her pictures, knowing that the public does not care for her. " I have before me a six-page letter from the producing department of one of the big organizations to the different directors and editors of its several studios. This communication deals entirely with the selection of titles for photoplays. It is composed of short, crisp statements sent in to the New York office from exhibitors all over the country — the little and the big — telling what is required in a title to bring the public into their respective theaters. It shows sincerity on the part of the exhibitor in giving a reasonable and comprehensive explanation on why the titles of some pictures will draw people into a theater, while others will keep them away. It shows sincerity on the part of the producer in carefully reading the letters, compiling them and sending the information to the members of their force who are concerned in that part of the producing end of the business. The exhibitors are unanimous in their demand for short, snappy titles. They must have a "kick" and suggest something relating to the central idea of the story, cause the patron to think or stir his imagination. The exhibitor is universal in his demand that titles suggesting war stories should be abandoned, and states that the public will flock to see picturizations of popular novels and short stories Photo Campbell Studios, N. Y. sometimes in preference to some big star in an unknown story. The producers now know positively that the public does not want costume plays of any description, allegories, fantasies, morbid stories or stories with unhappy endings. A few persons in each community enjoy one or two of the types of stories mentioned, but there are not enough to support the expense of making the picture. One of the most progressive of the producing organizations has made several of these stories, but did it more in an effort to advance the silent art and attract a new class of patrons to the theaters than in an expectation to get their money back. Also, at the risk of financial loss, the advanced exhibitor offered these productions to the public and squandered hundreds of dollars in giving them artistic settings and music. The type of exhibitor who will advertise Ferguson in "A Doll's House," "Bring the Kiddies!" and "Mate-her-Link" in "The Blue Bird" is still unfortunately in the majority, but his day is" fast drawing to a close and his place is taken by. the presentation director, who studies his pictures as a stage actor would his role or a musical conductor a score. The ignorant, get-the-money showman is now the big thorn in the side of both the sincere producer and the sincere exhibitor. The big producers, as a body, practically control the distributing field; they realize that their existence depends upon showing to the public only the best. The slogan, "Foremost stars, superbly directed in clean motion pictures," has been adopted by nearly all of the big producing organizations. The big fellows are very careful not to produce plays that will greatly offend the censors — altho, by the way, to produce any one picture that will pass all of the Censors in the different c o mmunities thruout the United States and Canada, and tell a story in which the (Continued on page 108) 39 PA6 A star may be a great favorite in the East or West, but the Middle West and South will have nothing to do with her. A production shown in Seattle may play to crowded houses, but in Portland, Oregon, a night's ride away, it may be a failure f \