Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1916)

August 19. 1916 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 1061 ■■■■■IDUIIiHlllinHllIIHIl' B 1^^— — itmnuuwuitimu. _ _titmiiPfiBitmraififflifflmTO^ •The 'News" ^^-ishes to include under this heading novel advertising ideas, successful schemes in management, decoration and equipment of the theatre — everything in fact done by the exhibitor to stimulate his trade, ^e in^-ite every exhibitor to send for publication the successful ideas that he has worked out, also to come to us for suggestions or information. Address the Editor." Hon: a Brooklyn Exhibitor Raised His Prices So That His Patrons, Instead of Getting Sore, Felt He Was a Benefactor in fact am-tliing for a JULIEX LOEB of the Sumner theatre, BrookhTi. gives some good suggestions on raising prices. This up-to-date note should create a lively interest amongst liis fellow exhibitors : " WTien the Sumner tlieatre was being built I was told on all sides that it would be a rank failure unless I ran it on the ■ picture and vaudeville ' lines, with plent>" of both for ten cents." he says. " The theatre opened with just pictures and music, admission ten cents and fifteen cents in the reserved section. It took several months to educate the people to the pictures of quality which I was showing and the superb music which my small orchestra rendered. I did educate them, but not without some considerable expense in the renting and advertising fields. ■■ I advertised in t^vo newspapers purchasing ' location ' in each, that is to say, my advertising matter alwa>-# appeared in the first column of the theatre -page. Location is rnost important, as your patrons and prospective patrons aTxvays know where they can find the announcement of your full week's program. '■ I used window cards and one sheets showing the full program giving witli each a dated admission ticket. Elevated station, and fences also formed an important part in my advertising campaign, on these I used twenty-four sheets or to make a change the lithographs supplied by the Siown Exdush-ely in .Mansfield at the PROGRAM FOR JUNE, 1916 Tie Htmit *itn Fa=at '.t^-j Dcf^ Tbt irT». I ir Lie Vd^ai^ r—^ Tbe Rcae erf tt« kUcj M^., „ WixloMuis Ron ~ — Fsrr^ ■ 12-13 ■ 1+-1S ■ 16-17 ' IS ' 19-20 ' 21-22 ■ 23-24 film companiesnovelty. " After the theatre had been open for a few months the increased attendance warranted raised prices, so I started by charging fifteen and twenty" cents on Friday and Saturday', and then I took in Sunday night. Xaturally there was a slight drop in the attendance, but the increased prices more than made up the deficiency. Then came the final advance, when I charged fifteen and twenty cents every night : this took two months to work up. but finally all the old and many new patrons came to the theatre. " It was the ser\"ice, pictures, and music which counted when once tliey were in the theatre, but it was the stead} advertising which brought them there. " You will find it easy to raise your prices if you will give your patrons their money's worth, but at the same time 3"ou must adzerfisc, advertise, advertise." SUBPOENAS FOR FILM JURORS A number of theatres have sent out subpoenas to the people of their towns summoning them to appear at the trial of .\nna Xilsson and Tom Moore in Pathe's ■"Who's Guilt}?" series, produced by -\rrow. STATE OF IXDIAX-\, SULLIVAX COUXTY, ss. You are hereby commanded to appear in the ^Motion Picture Court of Sullivan Count}', in the State of Indiana, at the Sherman theatre, in the City of Sullivan, on Monday, the Seventeenth day of July. 1916. to serve as Jurors for the Pathe Term of said Court. At which time Anna Xilsson and Tom Moore will be tried in one of the Great Problem Plavs, " \VHO'S GUILTY?" IX TESTIMOXY ^VHEREOF. I hereunto subscribe my title of said Court, at my office in the Cit}' oi Sullivan, the' 13th dav of Julv. 1916 CLERK :iIOTIOX PICTURE COURT, Sullivan Counts Breaking Even on the Cost of Picture Progress by Selling a Part of the Back Page PICTURES WITH LUNCH FOR MOTOR CYCLE EMPLOYEES Bill Graves of the Mirror theatre ■Springfield, Alass., has inaugurated a 12 o'clock matinee, for the benefit of the employees of the Indian, Motortyde; Cbfnpany durina: lunch time ' - ." SUBMARINE VOYAGE BRINGS PUBLICITY TO MILWAUKEE THEATRE One of the cleverest press stories put over in Milwaukee in recent years was that put across for the Butterfly Theatre by the Press Publicity Company. It was a perfect sample of what the hooking up of a live news topic with the name of a theatre will do to advertise the theatre. When news came that Captain Paul Koenig had succeeded in crossing the Atlantic in a super-submarine, a wire was immediately sent by ^lanager Hildebrand of the Butterfly oft'ering the captain an engagement in that city at the Butterfly and assuring him that he would be given a royal welcome. X'aturally the papers played the stor} up big as it gave a local angle to a stor} of national interest. Some of the papers even played it up on their front pages and it attracted wide attention. Though it was possible to put over a story of this kind in practically ever} city in the countr} it is doubtful whether or not any one else availed themselves of the opportunity. WINQ to the great demand for RESERV^gxifj ED SEATS we have arranged to reserve all seats. C You can PHONE BAY RIDQE 000 and order seats to be held for any performance you wish to attend. <L Tickets will held until 2.00 MATINEE: and 8.00 EVENINQtL C BOX OFFICE is open 10 A. Al. to 10 P M. each dav, and seats can be ordered a week IN ADVANCE. C Doors open t.SO'a. .30 C PHOTO PLAYS an. »an from opening time till 2.15 MATINEES and 8.15 EVENINGS at which times the regular VAUDEVILLE program will begin. H], Foi the benefit of late comers at MATINEE Photo Plays are run after the vaudeville until 5.30 o'clock the end of the afternoon performance. C This theatre IS NOT run ccatinuous but the extra long Matinee will enable patrons to come in as late as 3 o'clock and still see a long show, without repeats. C But to get the full benefit of our excellent program we strongly advise you to be in your seats at 2.15 and 8.15 at such performance as you may attend. C BUY TICKETS EARLY and avoid theannoyance of standing in line. C Put your name on our SUBSCRITION LIST and "have your favorite seats when you want them. Bay Ridge Theatre Annoumcement