Movie Makers (Jun-Dec 1928)

HOME PROGRAM BUILDING Edited by Louis M. Bailey THE most satisfactory home movie program of sale or rental films is secured when the three factors, age of audience, interests of audience and the season of the year are the basic guides for its selection. This summarizes the opinions expressed by amateur projectionists in the contest announced in July Movie Makers for the best discussion of the home program question. The age consideration was stressed as fundamental, three general age groups being named, children, young people and adults. Meeting the specific interests of the audience to be entertained was similarly emphasized. The question of fitting the program to the season would seem to be held secondary in importance to these two factors. Various other elements which make a home program satisfying touched upon were: length, musical accompaniment, elimination of waits between reels, comfort of seating facilities, and other environmental influences. Concerning the age of audiences, Jesse S. Cohen of Brooklyn, N. Y., said: "For an audience consisting partly or entirely of children, it is best to lead off with a 'Felix Cartoon.' This may be followed by a feature such as the Kodascope Library presentation, 'Behind the Front,' with Wallace Beery, Raymond Hatton and Mary Brian. "Where the audience consists of adults it may be better to substitute a scenic for the comedy, while the feature presentation may well be a film of the type of 'The Grand Duchess and the Waiter,' from the Kodascope Libraries. "Finally, where the audience consists of young people of high school or college age, a most appropriate or at least a most satisfactory program would be a 'Snookums' comedy and 'California Straight Ahead' from the Show-at-Home Libraries. An equally good feature would be '9 3/5ths Seconds' with Charlie Paddock, from the Home Film Libraries." Writing on the same point, Howard Winner, Jr., of Sharon Hill, Pa., said: "If the audience is comprised mostly of children you will do well to select a comedy program, that is, a five-reel feature comedy, a two-reel comedy featuring animals or children and a one-reel travelogue or educational subject, or perhaps an animated cartoon. "If the audience is made up of older children, the best show you could possibly present would be a 'Western A SYMPOSIUM of amateur opinion expressed in the letter contest announced in July Movie Makers, and which was won by Dr. Paul Appleton of Providence, Rhode Island. thriller' feature, a two-reel comedy and a one-reel miscellaneous. "Then there comes the entertainment for the 'grown-ups.' This should consist of a five-reel drama, a two-reel comedy and a one-reel travel or instructive picture." Discussing the second factor, the interests of the specific audience, Paul Appleton, M.D., of Providence, R. I., demonstrates forcefully how individual the desires of different projectionists and their friends may be. To quote, "the projectionist represents the comparatively well-to-do type of person, or he would not spend his money on this individual sort of pleasure which is expensive for the average man. He is therefore the type who has travelled, who is educated and who is well read. He cares little for 'slapstick comedy' or the frivolous love story films without literary background that he cannot avoid finding in the motion picture theatre, because those are the films that satisfy the mass of people. "He wants to live over again the scenes of his travels. He wants travel films of the highest order similar to the Burton Holmes' films. "He wants historical films or films based on historical literature, such as Drinkwater's 'Abraham Lincoln' or the recent Roosevelt Memorial Film, which go well with the projectionist, for he is not only interested in biographical fact, but in historical significance. The projectionist is the large patron of war films for the same reason. "The projectionist from the very nature of his training and education is at least distantly interested in science. He therefore watches with comparative enthusiasm any scientific depiction. Also with the human interest in 'the other fellow's job' and a fairly broad technical and scientific knowledge unconsciously acquired from reading and human association, he is always pleased with industrial films descriptive of mechanical and manufacturing processes. Such films as the recent Gorham Company's release, semi-popular medical films, and almost all of the so-called 'edu cational,' if not too juvenile in simplicity, appeal to the average projectionist." Another very specific and personal reaction was voiced by Mr. Cohen, who said, "The most important element lacking in the present day library is the sophisticated drama, as represented, for instance, by the airy French comedy drama. It is possible that the library founders have overlooked the fact that the home projectionist is able to select his audience in a manner quite impossible to the average theatre manager. For that reason I see no cause for the lack of such films as 'Potemkin,' 'The Last Laugh,' 'Tartuffe,' 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' and many others in the libraries of amateur films. Their drawing power in theatrical circles may have something to do with the reluctance of their owners to release them for home showing, but I fail to see how that is true." In regard to the question of type of audience, Joseph A. Schlitt, Jr., of Jersey City, N. J., said: "In reference to the type of film, I should say that it depends upon the taste or liking of the program director or the people that are to view the program. As for myself, I never show 'Westerns,' as my friends do not care much about them. Heavy drama, such as 'Merry Go Round,' comedy, such as 'Poker Faces,' and pictures of that type are what I use. The field is limited, however, on pictures of this sort and I think the libraries should get more out in time for the coming season." H. Syril Dusenbery of San Francisco, Calif., declared on this point, "The exact nature of the short subjects to be used depends on the particular interests of your audience. Most people enjoy short comedies, yet there are those who abhor them. Others like travelogs and scenic pictures. Generally speaking the average audience in the home will enjoy a short reel most of all when it is made up of a one-reel comedy, a nature or sport picture and an unusual scenic or foreign travel picture." The third factor, that of the season of the year, is stressed by Milton Davis of Washington, D. C. He wrote, "As a lover of home programs I find one should choose his programs according to the season of the year. I have at least two home programs a week and the first thing I consider is the feature. If it is summer I never rent a long heavy drama to tire my guests, but look for something of a light nature. Then come the short subjects 593