Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1918)

February 2, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 639 ■ Why the Falling Off? h s s Zty Som Spedon REPORTS received are convincing evidence of a considerable falling off in attendance at many of the motion picture theaters here and there in smaller communities throughout the country. An old lady who became somewhat deaf went to a physician to find out the cause of her deafness. He gave her his opinion, using some scientific and technical terms and the old lady went home just as wise as she was before. She asked her old man if he knew why she was deaf and he said : "Because you is." Various reasons are given for this falling off in attendance but the fact remains, there is. We could give you our reasons but they would only be second hand, so we will give them to you first hand, just as they were told to us. Individual Reasons. Here is a real reason. "The weather has been so cold. We have had to close our theater almost entirely for the past two weeks." Another of the same kind : "We haven't had any coal." This one is different : "So many young men have gone to the war, we have a noticeable decrease in the attendance of young people." This is practically the same : "Young women have joined the Red Cross and taken positions in the employ of the Government, they are conspicuous by their absence." Still another very similar: "Old and young women are so absorbed in knitting we see them "nit," or very much less than we did." This is most original and unique: "The advance publication of picture stories in magazines forestalls our attendance at our theatres. People read them and say they know all about them, so they don't have to see them." We have heard this before: "Too many big features. They cost too much money, we can't afford it. People want shorter runs of two and three reels. They are coming back to them in smaller places and would rather spend an hour than two of their evenings." The Exhibitor's Claim. The exhibitor makes this his chief claim : "Too many and too high war taxes in face of all the aforementioned reasons brought on by conditions of war." In addition, he says: "People are curtailing their pleasures to invest in Liberty Bonds, Saving Stamps, to contribute to the Red Cross and to meet the high cost of living." Most of their reasons are good. The question is : "How are we going to meet them ? It would be idle prattle for us to tell you what we think. Some of the exhibitors are up against it and we are not, although we are aware what effects one branch of the industry affects all. We have a sneaking opinion that we would be governed by circumstances and hold out as best, and as long as we could. No matter how much the distributor would like to assist the exhibitor, we all know that he is affected by the same conditions and if he sells his goods without a fair profit he will go to the wall. It looks to us as if we were all in the same boat and it will require a staunch craft, some careful navigation and endurance to weather the seas that we are navigating just now. Not All Are Affected. The reasons we quote are those of individuals affected by them. Not all exhibitors are, for we hear of exhibitors in some localities doing a flourishing business, running the same and better than ever. We rejoice with the fortunate ones, but we are concerned by the less fortunate. We quite agree with all those who prophesy good times after the war. We know all the exhibitors will come back strong, if they can pull through now. Every Little Bit Helps. There is, notwithstanding all that is said, an increased interest in motion pictures on the part of the Government in propaganda, industrial and educational films which may make up for the falling off in the manufacture of productions for the direct theatrical field. The deficiency may be made up to the reputable manufacturers in the increase of pictures in demand in the entertainment of cantonments through the Y. M. C. A. in the furtherance of their work. Quality Regardless of Cost By Sam Spedon Regardless of the salaries the "stars," directors or anybody else may receive in the making of moving pictures, we are convinced that the public demand quality. It has been given them and they have learned the good, bad and indifferent in pictures. The better they come the better they like them. Regardless of how short or how long the pictures and the prominence of the players that make them, the pictures will be the things that count from this time on. Not Too Much, Just Enough. We will take it partly back. The salaries paid in making pictures, if they be excessive or fictitious, will greatly lessen the possibilities of manufacture. We have got to be sane in our demands or find ways and means to become so. The recent slump in the industry has brought every branch of it to realization of the artificial and "brainstorm" methods employed in production and distribution. There are hundreds thrown out of employment here and we are informed thousands on the coast, who are now willing to work at fair compensation for services rendered. We are also informed that those now employed are willing to conform to an equitable adjustment of their compensation. A Ton Wise and Tons Foolish By Sam Spedon THESE uncontrovertible facts were presented to Albert H. Wiggin, New York State Fuel Administrator, and to National Fuel Administrator Garfield, as well as direct to Secretary McAdoo. One hundred and eighteen theaters in the city of New York by shutting down, would save 163 tons of coal a day and the loss in taxes would be $11,800 for each day's closing, with possibility of even greater losses. About 15,000 persons would be thrown out of work. The testimony of an expert engineer showed that if the theaters were closed three days a week it would be necssary for the managers to burn 50 per cent, more coal to reheat them, besides the cost of repairing the damage by freezing of water pipes and sprinkler systems. He further stated that the fuel necessary to provide warmth and light for persons assembled in theaters would be only a fraction of the amount they would use in their own heating apparatus if they remained at home. It would also be well to take into consideration the great loss tothe Government of the propaganda of fuel-saving, food conservation and other direct appeals to the public which have been and must be accomplished through the motioru picture screen.