Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1916)

1134 ACCESSORY N Exhibitors I Special juvenile performances at the regular motion picture theatres received more attention at the recent Convention of the General Federation of Women's Clubs in New York City than any other one topic. The club women are right up on their toes and they are going to be mighty active from now on! You are going to hear from them. They are coming to you to ask you to work with them in providing what they want, and we have tried to show them the reasonable way to approach you. To do this, the Motion Picture News prepared a pamphlet called the Juvenile Motion Picture News for distribution at the Convention. Thousands of copies are already in the hands of the club women. There are a few left. Every wide awake exhibitor should have a copy. So long as they last you may have one. The pamphlet tells of the co-operation necessary between the local exhibitor and the women's club, and just remember that there are 9,000 of these clubs including 2,500,000 women in their membership. The main feature, however, is the list of films adapted to juvenile programs, with the name of the producer and of the exchange. Better write to-day for a copy, if you want to be sure of getting one. MOTION PICTURE NEWS, INC. 729 Seventh Avenue, New York City EXHIBITOR'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT :WS SECTION Vol. 14. No. 7 MUSIC PLOTS SO-CALLED AM) THE MUSIC PUBLISHERS (Continued from page 1128) ity of leaders would hardly get their orche.stra started much less .stopped. Musical plots unll be the thing when they are compiled by men who are in the busiitcss for the good of thai business, and who are practical musicians. I know what I am talking about when I say that these published plots are not made by practical men. Can a man by years of handling music over a counter, know what sort of a scene that a certain number will fit. Again, can a man that two years ago could not get any semblance of music out of a small orchestra, sit down with the catalogue of a firm that he is working for (music publishers) and tell hundreds of men that are practical how to jjlay pictures. Why are the film firms so dense as to let such people handicap the playing of their productions. The musician wants to give the best results in all branches of his profession, and will gladly welcome any help that he can get. He needs it. for it is no sinecure to have to set up a feature every day in the week, if he has to see it in the morning. Sometimes this isn't possible owing to delay in delivery, then he is at the mercy of these so-called plots. The chances are that he will get called down by his manager because the music didn't fit, for that individual usually swallows what the maker tells him, and they tell him that the plots are the thing. They will be some time, and let us hope it is in the near future, but until the makers of films wake up to the fact that to make a musical plot that the average leader can use and making something of, those plots will have to be made by someone that knows how to play pictures, and not be compiled by someone working for a certain publisher, and who dare not suggest any number that cannot be purchased from his firm. To refer to the printed score, they, too, are ne.xt to impossible. I have used them several times or rather tried to, but the results were bad. To get one of these scores a few minutes before you go into the orchestra pit, and when you start to play you find that a certain number in the piano book has 48 bars more than the cornet book, and so on, which I haven't encountered only once or twice but many times, makes one disgusted with trying to work on other people's ideas. Were I always able to see my picture in advance I would never attempt to use other people's suggestions, but as this is not always possible, I am at the mercy of these plots sometimes, and if you or the makers of pictures would only advocate that the plots be made by men who are capable of doing so. then you will not only have my sincere thanks but those of the whole picture playing community. An amusing feature in these plots is where the writer of them suggests playing a number tremolo during an agitated scene. I can't imagine the result, never having had the nerve to try it. Do they wish the player to do this on the piano and string instruments only, or is there a way of making the clarinette. cornet, trombone, etc.. play a number tremolo. Let us get down to practical picture playing if we wish to elevate that branch of the musical profession. With the aid of practical men doing work for the makers of films, such an elevation will come, but so long as the manufacturing concerns allow themselves to be hoodwinked into thinking they are getting something worth while, but which is worthless to the recipient, then so long will we be handicapped, and playing pictures will be looked upon by men who can get other work as beneath them. Such should not be the case, but at present there seems to be a lack of discernment on the part of the makers. I shall be glad to hear from you on this subject if you think it worth while to discuss it in your paper. Thanking jou for your courtesy, I am. Yours sincerely. H. Lo\-ETT, Musical Director, A. L. C. M. ORGANIZATION {Continued from page 1117) Jf there are any questions to be asked, or information desired, write direct to \\ alter \\ . Irwin, chaimian of the organization committee. He has all the data and is ready and willing at any time to get into any and all details which may increase the power and promote the interests of the motion picture industn,-. E. K. GiLLETT. Be sure to mention ■ MOTIOX PICTURE NEWS " when writing to advertisers.