Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1924)

SOS MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 27, 1924 “ Velvet Hammer” Unknown to Exhibitor Critics "Regarding the advertising layouts. I think that the most valuable are the two column from 4 to 8 inches. Large ads. are good but too expensive. One good big lay-out is sufficient. I find that the most valuable layouts are the First National and Paramount two column two inch ads. They can be run often and are well designed, and can’t be lost in any paper. I prefer an ad like this to any single column ad. I also like the layouts of First National best, I think that only the title and illustration should be hand drawn, or if the entire ad is drawn, designed in such a way that the title and illustration can be cut away from the balance of the text matter so that you can set to suit your particular needs. I think that press matter should be printed only on one side of the paper whether in newspaper form or book, as when clipping an article or illustration you usually mar something on the opposite side that you want, necessitating having two or more press books.” The significance of press sheets to Earle F. Dorsey, Loew’s Palace and Columbia, Washington, D. C. : “The providing of feature stories for motion picture publicity is simplicity itself and should cause no difficulty provided such sheets are edited by men who have acquainted themselves with the editorial demands of the great rank and file of newspaper editors. Too many press sheets are edited for towns like What Cheer, Iowa, others are edited apparently with only New York and Chicago in mind. “The real fine work comes in providing exhibitors with ads that can be used without placing the theatre in hock for advertising bills. Most cities of the type of Washington, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Kansas City, Baltimore and the like, have advertising rates for amusements that run from twenty-five cents to one dollar an agate line. An ad that runs one hundred and fifty lines by three columns wide will cost $450 per paper, with usually two good papers in each town. Imagine trying to meet such bills, yet press book editors seem as a rule, oblivious to this fact. “One of the greatest evils, and one could write a book of solid, constructive criticism along this line, seems to be due to the fact that the advertising art department has no hand in the taking of “stills” and that such a staff is expected to get results with such photographic accidents as happen to be included in a set taken by a man who never framed an art layout in his life. The art of close-up “still” photography is also another lost art, whole sets of stills coming through sometimes taken the horizontal way of the film and lopping off legs and arms indiscriminately. “I happen to have before me a press book intended for exhibitors and press agents, only, issued by Vitagraph, on “Captain Blood.” It is expensively bound in red cover, with a highly expensive four color scene pasted on the front and everything done inside to make it the most expensive thing in the world. Yet the part intended for the use of the public was not basically good. Paramount spends thousands selling the picture to the exhibitor in four color booklets and yet its ad service, once without a rival in the world, has steadily declined until today it is seriously threatened by several rivals, Metro probably has the worst ad layouts in the universe. The use of halftone is practically unknown and the line effects are laid on, apparently with a whitewash brush. Yet this condition has prevailed for six years or more without the slightest improvement. Some of the ads are actually repulsive, rather than business-getters, and type would be immensely superior to their use. “All in all, the advantages of the press book, taken by and large, are nearly always outweighed four to one by their disadvantages. It seems so strange, too, when one considers the perfectly simple remedy for the trouble at about one half the cost that is being required to get out the inferior article. I’d love to have a chance to frame one just to get an idea of who’s sanding the machinery from the inside for I cannot believe that the men who write them are really as dumb as their work would seem to indicate.” Eller Metzger of the Strand Theatre, Creston, Iowa, gives the following version of what kind of service the press sheet should render : "Tell the length of picture (for exhibitor’s information). Tell why this picture is worth walking a few blocks to see. Tell in concise readers the particularly good features Advance reviews — from four to s:x cf them — in plain English and dealing with facts but building up suspense and arousing curiosity which provokes the fan to pay the admission and see the picture. That is what the vast majority of America’s live-wire showmen want. Read their names and then turn a careful eye over their comments. of story, cast, production, direction, photography, etc. Reatlcrs should be written in a good “newsy” style by one of sufficient intelligence to appreciate that the public can spot a press agent’s hokum yarn as quick as they spot three sheet out in front. “Press sheet should contain music cues. Should give a variety of display ads (complete) for use of exhibitors who cannot frame a good ad. Some press sheets show nothing but display cut, but it takes a little selling talk along with cut to make an ad effective. “Press sheet should give cast, with brief sketch on principals at least, or better still on all of cast. Press sheet should give a few good ideas for exploitation that are practical. Many are not practical for smaller towns owing to cost. Some are a joke in any town. Don’t waste paper and ink telling about star hurting her little foot when making this one, or the size of her shoe, her favorite game is dominos, she never drinks tea with her meals and all the rest of the trash that is too frequent. Print on one side of the paper only, as many exhibitors clip both ads and story material. (Some make such changes as they see fit, others just clip the whole thing and hand it in). Forget about how many nails the six hundred carpenters used unless you have a “Hunchback,” or something very massive. The public hates statistics in any form. The big thing in any press sheet is to provide exhibitor with stuff that will enable him to sell the public, and that means you must know what points appeal to the public. Use these points with a little tact so your reader won’t realize this ad or reader is intended solely to separate him from the price of admission. “Lay off of any statements that can be construed as sex appeal for this loses an exhibitor two dollars every time it makes him a dollar. Show the photos and paper on production. Supply a variety of catch l'nes that vary in length, most of them are too brief. “In designing ad cuts don’t get them too light. It takes black ink to make contrast on white paper, and contrast is what makes an ad of moderate size dominate a page. Have mats on every cut, and quote the prices of cuts and paper.” This is the general opinion of Thomas H. Fernil, Bishops-Cass Theatres, Denver: “If the cost were not too prohibitive I ’ ould recommend a press sheet of say four pages, designed something as follows : “One page devoted largely to display ads, slides, paper and exploitation suggestions including tie-ups which have a direct and not remote connection with the picture. Nine tieups out of ten in my opinion are useless. “One page with conservative stories for what might be called metropolitan papers. Stories to be sophisticated, yet readable and newsy. “One page with flashy stuff for medium sized towns which cannot afford dramatic editors. “One page, still louder and very simple, for small towns. “These suggestions may not appeal to you, but it seems to me very difficult to create a press sheet of any even standard which would be of equal use to all papers. I vote for a highly specialized press sheet.” The following questions are answered in their respective order by the following theatre men : Your idea of a press sheet — Of what should it consist? Advance reviews of picture — Do you believe in them? Why? How many in press sheet? W. A. Woolfall, Peoples Theatre, Butte, Montana: “Something that will give you ideas to work on — Yes and have short and snappy — People don’t care about reading long ones and we have more of a chance getting them in papers if they are short — I should judge about six for advance and during showing.” J. S. Phillips, Rialto Theatre, Forth Worth, Texas: “Just a little on theme, personal work and merit of production — Very good, but except Sunday advance. Cost fifty cents per line — Blank — Four.” E. D. Turner, Imperial Theatre, Asheville, North Carolina: “Duplicate Paramount — Blank — Blank — Blank.” Barry Burke, Palace Theatre, Ft. Worth, Texas: “Blank — Yes, and no. It should not tell too much regarding the story of the picture— Blank — Blank.” A. S. Wieder, Rivoli Theatre, Portland, Oregon: “Good reading, decent ads that can be used at all times — Blank — To arouse interest if proper angle is struck in story — About six.”