Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1921)

Motion Pictm e News — The Booking Guide— Its Mission HE trade paper today, in our frank opinion, does not lend to the distribution of pictures the force it could and should. But the fault is not primarily the trade paper's. It is rather the fault of the trade paper advertising. The press-book, in general, is similarly wrong. So, in fact, is the entire advertising effort. The basic trouble lies in the fact that, at present and for the past several years, the whole business of distribution is very largely geared up to the first run theatre. We are aware of the ruling opinion that a first-run booking, in itself, advertises and books the picture to later run houses to some degree. But we are speaking here of trade paper and other printed advertising. Let us review the present situation. In this issue of MOTION PICTURE NEWS the picture advertising is devoted, almost entirely, to current or very recent releases. So with every issue throughout the year of every trade paper. In many instances the release is advertised for a few issues and then never mentioned again in an advertising way for the balance of its screen life. Motion Picture News has some 8,500 exhibitor readers. Only a certain percentage are immediately interested in the current or very recent release. The majority of the exhibitors won't book the picture for anywhere from two months to a year later. Yet at the time the picture is booked by this majority there is no advertising of it in the current trade paper. Editorially we carry the picture along. It is mentioned in the release date pages. Its booking career may be given in the Box-Office Reports; its exploitation may be carried in the Exhibitor's Service Bureau. But all this time no advertising effort is put back of it — no adequate advertising effort, if any at all; and by advertising effort we mean the kind of advertising information that will not merely bring the picture fully and forcefully enough to the exhibitor's attention but also and principally the exploitation aids that will help the exhibitor put the picture over once he has booked it. In other words and to sum up, the trade paper advertisement today announces the picture to probably 10r, of the picture theatres and does practically nothing for the remaining 90%. It will be said, in reply, that the press book which goes with the later run booking does just this thing, gives just this aid. But if the press-book source is necessary, why not make the same effort or at least a parallel effort in the trade paper advertising pages? And, also, let us see if the press-book, the average one, is of service to the exhibitor. The press-book, like the trade paper announcement, is aimed too much at the early run theatre, or to put it otherwise, at the theatre which has plenty of advertising facilities. The first run theatre, as a very general thing, doesn't need a press-book and doesn't use one. Its advertising manager is fully able to handle the picture's exploitation. He wants the basic selling idea of the picture, but that's about all. It's the small town and neighborhood theatre everywhere — the 90% theatre — that needs badly and should want practical exploitation aids. But, candidly, how many, as contained in the sixteen pages of the average press-book, are within the publicity facilities of the small town showman? The problem, in this important respect, has for some time been our own problem. We are meeting it immediately with " The Booking Guide," the 400 pages of which give detailed booking and exploitation facts on every release of 1920-1921. The subject is, to our minds, of such large importance that we bring it, in these columns, to the serious attention of each branch of the trade. " The Booking Guide " gives all possible information, all pictures being treated alike. The Producer, the Distributor, the Star, the Director. The summary of the story, so that the theatre man may know the plot, the high spots and whether it will fit his particular audience. In addition all references made in Motion Picture News to the picture are referred to by pages — when reviewed — first run showings — producer's advertisements — exploitation — newspaper display — prologue suggestions, etc. This means a complete record of the picture from every angle. The first issue covers all pictures released between September 1, 1920 and September 1, 192 1. This volume of 400 pages combined with a file of the " News " will be absolutely invaluable to any theatre man. The " Booking Guide " will be issued in future every six months so that the next edition will contain all information on all pictures between September 1, 1921 and February 1. 1922. The exhibitor will need a complete file of Motion Picture News to use with this second volume. Start now. Don't let a copy get away from you. Lock them up if necessary but — FILE MOTION PICTURE NEWS Wm. A. Johnston. Vol. XXIV NOVEMBER 19, 1921 No. XXII