Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

1226 MOTOGRAPHY Frank Hall Negotiates Large Deals Makes Arrangements for Wide Distribution of Five Specials and Opens New Headquarters FRANK HALL, president and general manager of the U. S. Exhibitors' Booking Corporation, whose policy of buying big special productions for cash and renting them to exhibitors through independent exchanges has resulted in the acquisition by the U. S. of some of the most important special pictures of the past year, has just closed several large deals of unusual interest. The U. S. plan of distribution aims to force each production to stand on its own merit and make a profit dependent only on its box office value. An efficiently operated exchange in each territory is selected to offer the productions to exhibitors, while an extensive advertising campaign is carried on by the home office, introducing each picture independent of the other U. S. subjects and continued at intervals during the life of the picture instead of being limited to only a few weeks before the release date as in the case of program offerings. The new deals consummated by Mr. Hall include new arrangements for the distribution of Tom Ince's "The Zeppelin's Last Raid" and "Those Who Pay"; Sidney Olcott's "The Belgian"; Julius Steger's "Just a Woman," and the initial Authors' Film Company offering, "The Crucible of Life." Among the prominent exchanges with which arrangements for the handling of the various pictures have been completed, are the following: New York, Liberty Distributing Corporation, all U. S. subjects; New Jersey, Frank Gersten, Inc., all U. S. subjects; New England, Globe Feature Film Company, "The Zeppelin's Last Raid," "Those Who Pay," "The Belgian," "Just a Woman"; Eastern Feature Film Company, Inc., "The Crucible of Life" and all future releases for one year; Eastern Pennsylvania, Max Milder and John Hennessy, all U. S. productions; Western Pennsylvania, Quality Film Corporation, all LT. S. productions and all future releases for one year; Michigan, DawnMasterplay Company, Inc., all U. S. productions; Indiana and Illinois, Doll-Van Film Corporation, all U. S. productions and future releases for one year; Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, Super Film Attractions, Inc., "Just a Woman," "The Crucible of Life"; California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaiian Islands, All Star Features Distributors, Inc., all U. S. productions and future releases for one year. While Mr. Hall will continue to buy pictures upon the open market, he is also contracting for twelve special pictures to be made by two prominent directors during the coming year. His plan calls for the purchase and distribution of twenty-four pictures in the next twelve months and he promises an interesting announcement regarding these productions in the near future. Elaborate offices on the third floor of the Longacre building overlooking Broadway and 42nd street, New York, have just been fitted up by Mr. Hall as the headquarters for his new activities. Get Fine Doris Kenyon Posters Some of the most beautiful and artistic posters ever gotten out for a motion picture have been contracted for by De Luxe Pictures, Inc., and the William L. Sherry Service for Doris Kenyon's first production at the head of her own company, "The Street of Seven Stars." The artistic trend of the photoplay will be fully maintained in the posters, lobby display material and all other exhibitor helps, of which an unusually large and varied assortment has been contracted for. Original drawings by two famous artists, Haskell Coffin and Charles Chambers, will be used. An intensive and nation-wide publicity campaign has been inaugurated, which will include many of the foremost publications. While it has not been definitely decided upon, Mr. Sherry expects to release "The Street of Seven Stars" on June 30. Bara Picture Nearly Done Theda Bara is nearing completion on a new super-production at the Fox studios in Hollywood. » "The Message of the Lilies" is the tentative title of the picture, but this is to be changed, it is understood. The story was written by Betta Brueil and the scenario by E. Lloyd Sheldon. J. Gordon Edwards is directing. Start on Four Jester Comedies Work on the four Jester comedies that will make up the first year's output has commenced. This will bring the releases in complete form up to and including January, 1919. Seiter to Direct Twede-Dan William A. Seiter, the director, has been engaged by the Jester Comedy Company to direct Twede-Dan, "the international mirth maker." Vol. XIX, No. 26 Apfel Talks of Script Oscar C. Apfel, World director, is a three-in-one man in the screen world today. He is a master of technique and mechanical effects, he knows how to handle his players in a way that gets Oscar Apfel the best results, and he can write or adapt a story to suit his purpose if one is not otherwise available. "Getting good stories is the hardest part of the business," says Mr. Apfel. "These are tense times and the creators of picture drama must learn that audiences care more for wholesome, sane, human little things of everyday life than for so-called 'spectacles' and distorted glimpses of life as it isn't. "As for adapting 'best sellers' — how many do we have at the present time? — Six, or possibly eight. We need a new story every week. Best sellers and magazine stories are not always suitable. Many of our best books are merely epigrams— bright conversation, extremely interesting to read, but nothing to screen. I firmly believe in picturizing good books, but it's a crime to mutilate them until the author's idea is entirely lost. "Generally speaking, I prefer long stories for the screen. As a rule they are more artistic, more worth while to an audience and are popular with all classes of people. And I believe in allowing any story all the footage it requires. Even in a small town a good feature is often shown two days in succession and that's a real test — because small town audiences are the real critics."