Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1921)

2182 Motion Picture News Left — The " Country Store " part of the exploitation for " His Nibs, " arranged for the special showing at the Hotel Astor. Right — View of the orchestra costumed as " rubes " and showing the picture screen Many Exploitation Opportunites Offered solo, news weekly and feature picture. It might be well to quote some of the titles used. There would be numberless ways extracts from these could be used. Your newspaper advertising should of course contain full explanations relative to any prologue numbers you may stage. Lobby displays should prove popular exploitation on " His Nibs." The rural atmosphere can be carried out to advantage, and if this is done no better ideas can be advanced than to refer to those explained by the cuts accompanying, which are of the " country store " arranged in the lobby leading to the Grand Ball Room, Hotel Astor, New York, for the trade showing of " His Nibs," October 6th. If, however, you have used this sort of a display recently, which many exhibitors have on pictures like " The County Fair," etc., a front in replica of that of the " Slippery Elm Picture Palace " suggests itself. Description of this is unnecessary since the stills you will obtain will show the " Palace." Ballyhoos for the picture will probably depend largely on what each local exhibitor can dig up with the least amount of time and expense. Your orchestra on the streets made up as a rube band will certainly get attention, even if you have used it previously in exploiting a picture. A concert in front of the theatre with comed\gags worked up for the " hand" will draw a crowd, and with a crowd in front of the theatre, some business is bound to be forthcoming. The ancient wagon and the " crow bait " horse with a rube driving will be all right too. The house staff in rural attire will go good if this idea has not been overworked. Presentation Ideas P RESENTATION of the picture ^ is important. A prologue of the right kind will add a lot to the show and also bring extra business. Special Music Article for Soon His Nibs EXHIBITORS who expect to play "His Nibs" should be interested in an article relative to the music score for the picture used at the trade presentation, held at the Astor theatre, New York, October 6, which will be published as a feature number in the Music Department of the News in an early issue. James C. Bradford, who wrote the orchestration rendered on the above mentioned occasion, will relate exclusively in the News, the high lights of his score and explain why certain selections have been adapted and how they synchronize with the action of the picture. Professor Bradford may be counted on to write a practical music article that will be of real value to the orchestra leaders who will later be called upon to publish a score for use in their theatres. Guests at the Astor for the trade showing were unanimous in their praise of Mr. Bradford's score and it seems certain that it will be widely used or adapted in the house to play " His Nibs," when released. The opportunities for numbers appropriate are unlimited. The country store idea with male quartette and perhaps the " village band " officiating is always sure fire. Probably the " Old Time Movie Show" stunt will suggest itself to a great many exhibitors. This can be used advantageously but since the picture itself is rather an adaptation of the idea, just the opposite might prove a bigger hit. The picture machine film and how it works is a great mystery to the average fan. Suppose you were to present a prologue where your own up-todate picture machines booth, etc., were l)rought before the eyes of the audience. This would seem especially appropriate since a lot of the best comedy of the picture is shown in scenes purporting to be in the projection booth of the " Palace " and these sequences may go over the head of the fan if he doesn't have some idea of what a projector is like and an inkling of how it operates. A plan that would convey the most practical information to an audience would be to transfer the actual operation of presenting pictures in your theatre to the screen. A simple and inexpensive "way to do this would be to send a photographer into the booth to take flash lights of the various operations. Let him shoot jour operators threading up, rewinding, etc., and get closeups of the apparatus. From his negatives have him print thin positives of lantern-slide size on plates. Caption these to explain the various operations and explain in a simple way the general principles of projection, how the light is used, what the condensers arc for, how the lenses magnify the image, etc. These slides could be hand colored at small cost and it would not be impossible to use film instead of still pictures. Another plan that would surely be interesting would be to build a duplicate of your booth in canvas on the stage and install an outfit like that in the operating room and then project a picture from the stage in the same manner as has been done so frequently when the " Old Time Movie Stunt " is put over. *<pJlS NIBS" is a picture where various contests may be staged. In cities where Chic Sale is known in his vaudeville act a contest for initiations of the various characters the head liner portrays ohght to find favor with the ahdiences. In every city there are plenty of semi-professionals who will be only to glad for an opportunity of trying out in an irritation of sft well known a player. For the smaller houses it perhaps would be better to confine > our contest to the amateur ranks and perhaps to make it an affair for boys. Suppose you were to engage the services of a competent " make up " man and announce that all the bovs who wished to compete would he made up to resemble Sale in one of the parts he plays in the picture, after which they will be allowed to compete for a prize. Another contest that should go good would be for " rube " song artists either among the boys or the semi-amateurs. Prizes offered for the best rural song numbers would ■surely bring out some good entertainers. Some pluggers could probably be interested in putting on some new rural numbers and perhaps induced to sing some of the old favorites, like "All Round Round With a Woolen String," " Rueben, Rueben. I've Been Thinking " and others that never fail to go over with audiences. The use of the stock paper, especially 24-sheet stands, is strongly advised. The picture has a catchy title, especially for those who are brought into the theatre by bill board advertisingStills decorated with captions from titles and cut-outs are recommended and if possible secure the herald used for the showing of the picture at the Astor Hotel New York.