Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1916)

April 29, 1916. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 2501 Metro Withdraws from Motion Picture Board of Trade Officials of the Company Who Acted as Executives of the Organization and All the Branches of the Rowland Corporation Make Complete Severance with the Allied Body— Disagreement Between Board of Trade and the Exhibitors' League Over the National Exposition Assigned as the Cause of the Break THE Metro Pictures Corporation has quit the Motion Picture Board of Trade of America, Inc., and has withdrawn all its branch offices from membership. Metro was one of the charter members of the Board of Trade, and was represented in that body by its treasurer, Joseph W. Engel, who has been the board's treasurer since its organization, by President Richard A. Rowland, who was on the board's membership committee; and by Arthur James, who was chairman of the publication committee of the board and a member of the committee on arbitration. Metro's action followed the turning down of the exhibitors' organization by the Board of Trade in the matter of the national exposition. Metro's contention was that the exhibitors as the founders of the New York annual exposition were entitled to share equally with the Board of Trade and that in the nature of unfair discrimination was against the best interests of the industry. Metro's letters of withdrawal, which went forward to President J. Stuart Blackton of the Board of Trade on Friday was as follows : J. Stuart Blackton, President, The Motion Picture Board of Trade of America, Inc. Dear Sir: — Metro Pictures Corporation, together with all of its exchanges, herehy withdraws from membership in the Motion Picture Board of Trade of America, Inc., the withdrawal to take effect forthwith, Metro's reason is that It has no desire for further oflicial connections with a hody whose recent proceedings Metro regards as against the hest interests of the motion picture industry. Metro cites as a case in point, the endeavor on the part of the Board of Trade to take away from the exhibitors' organization without fair reason or excuse, the annual motion picture exposition and "the Board's endeavor to dictate to the founders of that annual institution how, if at all, the founders should participate in the management and the proceeds. Metro believes that a "throttle the exhibitor" policy is unwise as well as unjust, and desires in its withdrawal to protest most earnestly against such a course. Metro has considered the facts carefully and is satisfied that no course other than withdrawal is honorable to itself or fair to the exhibitors. It is hardly necessary to say that Metro deplores the ■conditions which have made this action necessary. We have the honor to be, Yours, very truly METRO PICTURES CORPORATION, Richard A. Rowland, President. "Will Support Exhibitors' Exposition Metro at the same time made public its intention to give cordial support to the Third Annual Motion Picture Exposition at Grand Central Palace May 1, 2, 3, 4, S, and 6, and gave the following reasons : "Metro Pictures Corporation cordially endorses the Motion Picture Exhibitors League exposition because the annual trade show is a motion picture institution founded by the exhibitors' organization. The exhibitors offered to co-operate with the Board of Trade Show and to merge with it on the basis of equal sharing and this fair offer was declined. "The exhibitors are entitled to an equal share in an institution which they fostered and developed and no individual or clique or group can stand in the way of fair play. B. A, ROLFE "Metro is out of harmony with any high handed attempt to treat the exhibitor like a step-child and it believes that such a course will destroy any possibility of cooperation between the exhibitors and the manufacturer in the great fight against censorship. "Metro's resentment was crytsallized by the circular sent out ' by the Board ot Trade's show managers in which it was asserted that the exhibitors would hold no exposition. This was dated about the time when the exhibitors had been led to believe their proposals were acceptable to the board and they had agreed to join the board's show. Later when they found they were not to be given a fair participation they returned to their own exposition plans. The circulars were sent out after the Board of Trade managers knew these facts and Metro regarded these tactics as highly unfair. "Therefore, Metro will not participate in the Madison Square Garden Show either on Fashion Day, Bankers' Day, Fire Insurance Day or any other day, and Metro will participate every day and with its best enthusiasm and material support in the Exhibitors' Third Annual Exposition at Grand Central Palace May 1, 2, 3, 4, S, and 6." Rolfe Will Direct Exhibit The Motion Picture Exhibitors' Third Annual Motion Picture Exposition at Grand Central Palace, May 1 to 6, will be personally directed by B. A. Rolfe, manager of the Strand theatre. Mr. Rolfe sent his letter of acceptance to the exhibitors late on Friday, and immediately assumed charge as art governor, calling together the exhibitors' committee and show interests who had taken space at the exposition. There will be six days and nights of carnival, with twelve brass bands for the week. There will be picture exhibitions day and night, with a ball every evening. There will be three motion picture studios actually in operation in the Palace every day and evening of the exposition, and the public will have an opportunity to see stars appearing before the camera in scenes which will subsequently appear in motion picture theatres throughout the country. There will be a grand prize scenario contest, the details of which will be announced on Monday, and special prizes for amateurs have been arranged. There will be exhibits of picture machines, theatre equipment, lighting systems, seating systems and a history of motion pictures by a living panorama with actors, directors and picture makers appearing in the cast. The Screen Club will participate, and will have a special celebration under its own direction. Show days have been arranged as follows : May 1, Monday, Jewish Day. May 2, Tuesday, Allies Day for the Red Cross Societies of England, France, Russia, Serbia and Italy. May 3, Wednesday, German Day, for the 'Red Cross of Germany, Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey. May 4, Thursday, Orphans' Day, fcr the charitable institutions throughout Greater New York. May 5, Eriday, Metro Day and Frolic Night, greatest stars of the screen and greatest stars of Broadway participating. May 6, Saturday, Actors' Fund Day. The exhibitors from all over Greater New York kept the wires busy at the league headquarters sending in assurances of their enthusiastic co-operation toward making the affair successful. It is officially announced that there will be special exhibitors' delegates from Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Chicago and intervening points. OVERLAND PLANS CHAIN OF TWELVE STUDIOS Special to Motion Picture News. Buffalo, N. Y., April IS. The Overland Film Producing Company of Buffalo, N. Y., was incorporated a few months ago, and is working on a six-ree\ production. This company has a large studio in Buffalo and is erecting one in Detroit, Mich. It is negotiating with C. M. Thomas Real Estate Company of Rochester, N. Y., to build a studio in that city. Plans for the near future are to build a chain of twelve studios in as many different cities, so that one big feature can be released each week for distribution on the state rights plan. The Overland Film Producing Company is managed by James Calnay, who is also the promoter, chief director, leading man and the author of its features. He is known as a film expert and although only two years in this country he adheres strictly to American ideas.