The Moving picture world (November 1921)

December 10, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 699 Selling the Picture to the^Public Copied the Plan Book Charlie Moyer, all puffed with pride, calls attention to the fact that Henry Weiner, who handles the United Artists' films in Cuba, went to the trouble of translating a goodly portion of the plan book on Douglas Fairbanks in "The Three Musketeers" for the benefit of native exhibitors. It is a very sightly publication, with all of the line cut examples and most of the stunts. A good tale will bear repeating and we know of no plan book better worthy of translation, since the story possesses a world-wide appeal. Fitted His Exploits to Style of Picture W. E. Drumbar, of the Riviera Theatre, Knoxville, played "Carnival" recently. He knew that the picture would please, if he could get the crowd, but he figured that without a star name the newspaper work alone would not bring the desired results. The title itself suggested the exploitation, for a carnival connotes serpentines, confetti, balloons and general festivity. To show just what sort of a carnival it was, he played up the "Venetian" in the billing. Then he hired a string orchestra to sit behind a profile gondola and strum, and that gave the final touch to the exploit. Hit a Hot Spell The playing clays were hotter than in the summer; one of those late fall relapses into the July temperatures, but the people came just the same, and they came in sufficient numbers to give him about 700 per cent, on his exploitation investment, not counting what he would have lost from the average business had he failed to sell the idea. Balloons and serpentines are cheap, and you can get a wonderful lobby for $25 and a good one for a tenth of that sum. Wherever the idea has been used, the picture has made more than good, showing very clearly that exploitation is what really brings the money into a house, whether it is stunts or the exploitation already given the star. HOW W. E. DRUMBAR PUT OVER "CARNIVAL" IN KNO XVILLE WITH STEAMERS AND A MUSICAL GONDOLA He figured out that this story, lacking a star, could best be sold through a sight appeal, so he cut his newspaper advertising and used the money for serpentines, balloons, a string orchestra for a ballyhoo and a general whoop-up, with the result that he got back six or seven dollars for every hard coin he invested. The streamer lobby is the stand exploitation for this United Artists' production and sells more surely than any other scheme THIS LAYOUT COST AN ALABAMA MANAGER JUST ONE DOLLAR ■ Even that was a lot to fritter aivay on an exploitation stunt, for Sheffield, Ala., is not a large town and a dollar looks lorger than the side of a house, but there was a circus six miles a-a'ay and Bowser held on to the business ■ Dollar Exploitation Offset Circus Date Exploitation cost is largely relative. One man may spend a hundred dollars on a stunt and feel it less than another man's five dollars. Sheffield, Ala., is a small town and J. T. Bowser, of the Lyric, has to figure closely. He had Douglas MacLean in "Passing Through" the same day that the John Robinson circus played a larger town only six miles away. Painted Oivn Signs There are some sections of the South where they wonder if the Ringling BrothersBarnum and Bailey show is half as good as John Robinson's, and the entire country turns out. Bowser hired a mule and cart for a dollar, painted his own signs reading, "Maud's 'Passing Thru' town on our way to the Lyric today," gave one darkey a pass to drive the "mewel" and another a ticket to beat a bass drum, and he not only held his own, but showed to a twenty-five per cent, increase over the average business. It does not read like much of an accomplishment, but it shows that even the smallest towns can exploit and make it pay. No town is so small that it will not respond to an extra appeal, and Mr. Bowser displayed just as much nerve in spending that dollar as a large town manager would in gambling five hundred for better business. P. T. A. will tell you a lot you should knozv and probably do not. Why not get a copy?