Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

September 9, 1916 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 1519 September Set by Steiner for Work on Next Serial Director-General of Serial Film Company Promises Novelties in Production to Follow " The Yellow Menace," Rc' leased Through Unity Sales Corporation — " We Stand on the Quality and Strength of Our Pictures," He Says, in Speaking of Film Just Put on Market HAVING set a new mark in the production of serials, with "The Yellow Menace," William N. Steiner, director-general of the Serial Film Company, is now arranging to start work on a new serial toward the end of September. The new production, he promises, will be something of a surprise in several ways, and in its production Air. Steiner will follow much the same policy as he laid down in the filming of " The Yellow Menace," which is to be released through the Unity Sales Corporation, beginning Labor Day. The novelty in connection with " The Yellow Menace," from the exhibitors' standpoint, is that the entire serial, of sixteen two-reel episodes, is completed, and any or all of the chapters may be seen at the exchanges before the production is booked. This is the first time in the history of motion pictures that such a thing has been done ; it means that the exhibitor need not judge of the serial with the first two or three episodes as a sample, but may see the whole thing, if he desires, at any of the Unity exchanges. " This is an immense advantage," said " Big Bill " Steiner, in discussing his work this week, " and it has already demonstrated its value, as the entire rights to territory in North America have been sold in advance of the release of the first chapter. Instead of the exhibitor being compelled to take so much on faith — a system which has proved disastrous more than once — he can walk into any of the exchanges and see the first, second, tenth and sixteenth chapters of ' The Yellow Menace,' or the whole sixteen if he so desires. The manager of one of the largest circuits in the East did the latter; he came in and sat through the whole sixteen — and then booked them. " This means that we stand on the quality and strength of our production. It is just like selling merchandise; we lay them on the counter and let the buyer look them over. In addition, we are showing stills from every chapter at our various exchanges. We have compiled a little booklet, which exhibitors will distribute to their audiences with the showing of the first chapter. This booklet contains a still from each episode, and a synopsis of the story of each episode clear through to the finish. It will make it unnecessary for the exhibitor to get out heralds, and in addition, will stimulate interest on the part of the audience and strengthen the desire to see the story through. Many Exhibitor Helps Offered by Unity " This is only one of the aids for the exhibitor which have been prepared by the Unity people. The story, novelized by Louis Tracy, the noted English novelist, will appear in serial form in the New York World, Chicago Herald and other important newspapers in the leading cities all over the country, simultaneous with the release of the film on Labor Day. It has also been billboarded everywhere, and an William Steiner attractive line of paper is on hand. This is the first time so thorough a campaign in the interests of the exhibitor has been prepared and put into operation before the films were released. " I am glad personally that the Unity Sales Corporation has undertaken the distribution of ' The Yellow Menace.' They make their office a congenial place for the exchange men to drop into and the visitor is treated with great courtesy and consideration. This spirit is very attractive, both to exhibitor and exchangeman, and has made the Unity and the men who compose it, very popular with the trade generally. " The topic with which the ' Yellow Menace ' deals is easily the most important submitted to public notice in the United States during the present generation. In a nutshell, it is the case for preparedness. But a picture serial, with all its wonderful developments, has also the limitations of the screen. It can only depict ; it cannot argue. So in the marvellous happenings featured by 'The Yellow Menace' authors, producers and actors have collaborated in an appeal to the intelligence of the people. Thus, the audience is shown how a leader evolved from the teeming masses of the East — a creation entirely possible — a scientist of real ability, and a thinker of depth and originality, can nevertheless become a brutal fanatic who stops short of no means to exalt the Yellow races at the expense of the White. " Ali Singh, the miscreant, who figures throughout every episode of ' The Yellow Menace,' is just such an abnormal individual. What he succeeds in doing throughout these exciting scenes indicates to the thinking mind a real danger lurking in the future. If this lesson can be driven home, this series of films will render a national service. There can be no questioning their excellence and dramatic effect, and pains have been taken to insure that their political significance will also make itself felt. Cleveland Committee Makes Report on Wage Conference After Meeting with Operators, Ernest Swartz Declares Against Increase, Contending That Present Conditions in the Business Fail to Warrant Higher Pay manded. They compromised with a two dollar increase at that time with the un THE Motion Picture Exhibitors' League derstanding that the remaining three held its rpsTiilar meetintr on Tiiesdav. dollars be given them in two years. That Special to Motion Picture News. Cleveland, O., Aug. 26. 'HE Motion Picture Exhibitors' League held its regular meeting on Tuesday, and heard the report of the special committee of eight, which was appointed last week to attend the meeting of the operators' union at their rooms, 310 Prospect avenue, last Friday evening, where an open discussion took place, relative to the increased wage demand of the operators. Ernest Swartz, chairman of the committee, gave a brief resume of the arguments which he presented at the meeting against any increase. He contended that the present conditions in the motion picture business were not such as to warrant any further increase of wages ; that the exhibitors were bearing the burden of a war tax ; that there had been an increased cost of equipment, and that the running expenses had also grown. Mr. Swartz proved that 75 per cent, of the operators were getting outside wages, and 38 members admitted receiving over the wage scale. The operators claim that their present demand is the outcome of an agreement made with the exhibitors two years ago when a five dollar a week increase was de time is now up, and they say that they are simply standing on their original demand. The exhibitors, however, say that no such agreement existed, and as no papers exist to uphold the operators, their statement holds little weight. The League passed a motion to the effect that they are opposed to any raise in wage scale, that all members of the League be notified to such efTect, and that a letter be written to the operators demanding arbitration. Elsie Loeb. LABOR DAY IS OPENING DATE FOR "CIVILIZATION" IN BOSTON " Civilization " will open on Labor Day at the Tremont Theatre, Boston, which has been rebuilt at great expense. Governor McCall of Massachusetts has accepted an invitation to attend, with his family, the private exhibition of " Civilization," to be given on Sunday evening previous to Labor Day. The Mayor of Boston and others will be invited to attend.