The Moving picture world (September 1923-October 1923)

126 MOVING PICTURE WORLD September 8, 1923 First National Changes Policy of Distribution in British Isles; Also Reduces Price of Posters ASSOCIATED FIRST NATIONAL PICTURES, LTD., the British branch of the American distributing organization, announced at its second annual convention held in England on August 10, several changes in its distribution policy which have had the effects of a bombshell thrown into the industry in the British Isles. By these changes some of the problems which have been perplexing that country a considerable time are brought nearer solution. The change in policy was announced by Ralph J. Pugh, managing director of the British organization. It followed a series of conferences between the British leaders, Robert J. Lieber, president of First National; E. Bruce Johnson, and M. P. Harwood, foreign manager and chief auditor respectively of that company, all of whom attended the London meeting. The most drastic change was the concession of mutual signing of contracts. This spectacular move, never before attempted in the British industry, gives to First National salesmen the authority to sign contracts on behalf of the company simultaneously with the signing by the exhibitor. Hardly less important was the reduction of the prices of posters by ten per cent., a step which will have a far-reaching effect on the methods of motion picture advertising in the British Isles. Heretofore distributors, or "renters," have been in the habit of seeeking a large profit from the sale of paper to exhibitors and the use of billboard advertising has been consequently limited. Both of these changes went into effect on August 20. For several years the British exhibitors have been endeavoring to secure from renters the concession of mutual signing of contracts. In addition to acceding to this request, First National has broken away from the old "standard" contract, which is in common use throughout the British Isles, and has inaugurated its own form, which contains practically all that was called for by exhibitors in the "fair clauses" form — a bone of contention between exhibitors and renters for several years. Kinematograph, a leading British trade publication, congratulates First National upon this innovation and calls it a "step nearer to better business methods in the industry." In permitting salesmen and managers to sign for the company the British exhibitor is relieved of the fear that his contract may be refused confirmation. The reduction of the price of lithographs follows up the first step in this direction made at the convention in London last year, when First National reduced the price of posters to cost, instead of continuing the practice, still in vogue among British renters, of effecting a profit from their sale. Because of last year's reduction in prices the sale of lithographs was increased 300 per cent., and this volume production permitted a further reduction of 10 per cent., which became effective on August 20 of this year. The convention was attended by the managers and salesmen of the nine First National branch offices in the British Isles, as well as the full executive force of the London offices and the staff of the London Branch. Besides the American executives, Messrs. Lieber, Johnson and Harwood, the meeting was attended by Mr. Hubach, First National Berlin representative; Mr. Schless, Paris representative; Max Stoehr, Switzerland branch manager; Mr. Van Duinen, of Holland, and Watterson Rothacker, of New York and Chicago. After the announcement by Mr. Pugh of the change in distributing policy, E. Bruce Johnson complimented the British executive.s and the sales force on the position that First National holds today. "It is because of the things you have accomplished," he stated, "that we are able to make a decision regarding the simultaneous signing of contracts." Mr. Johnson stressed the trust and confidence that First National has thus placed in its field forces in empowering them to sign contracts which it did in pursuance of its set purpose and principle to render the fullest possible service to the exhibitor. Mr. Lieber commented upon the leadership which First National has maintained in MORE of the world's great authors will soon be writing original stories for the films if the efforts of Sol Lesser, prominent motion picture official, bear fruit. Mr. Lesser will leave for Europe on the Leviathan September 8 and will take up the matter of writing directly for the screen with some of the Old World's most prominent literary lights. Among those whom Mr. Lesser will see are Arnold Bennett. H. G. Wells, John W. Galsworthy, Maurice Maeterlinck and Hugh Walpole. Mr. Lesser's trip abroad will last for about ten weeks, and in this time he will visit England, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Holland. Norway, Sweden and Spain. One of the chief motives of his trip will be to make distributing arrangements for the product of Principal Pictures, of which he is president, and to make more fully popular the entire screen product of America in all European countries. "I also want to get an idea of the Europeans' viewpoint," Mr. Lesser said, "so that our pictures can be made with more of an international appeal. At present American producers turn out their films with only the Canadian and American markets taken into consideration, and sales that are made abroad are looked on as of only secondary importance. But the fact is that the want Ask your projectionist if he is using the new Griffith Lens Chart. If he is burning carbons this chart will enable him to secure the very best screen results with the equipment he is using. See page 195. the British Isles during the past year. "The exhibitors in the States," remarked the First National president, "have taken up our announcements of next season's products with an enthusiasm that has never been seen before. I know that our announcement stands as on outstanding word of the film business here for the coming season." A banquet was held at the Hotel Savoy on Saturday evening. August II. Among the guests were Mr. and Mrs. and the Misses Lieber and representatives of the trade and lay press. Ralph J. Pugh was in the chair. A. U. Gale of the C. E. A., a British exhibitor organization, proposed a toast which was answered by Mr. Lieb.r. Mr. Gale expressed his appreciation of the new First National contract and of the publicity service which has been rendered by the company to exhibitors. Mr. Lieber in reply said: "Mr. Pugh's announcement is honestly made. I do believe that we have tried to get a new contract in a manner that will be entirely just to the exhibitors. It is a great step that the salesman when he calls on you will be able to sign that contract. "I am an exhibitor myself and I do not believe that there is an exhibitor who cares how much he spends for a film; he does not care what the price is so long as the returns at the box office are compensated with the price he paid, and the thing that matters is the amount of returns you get from the film." and need of Europeans for pictures that cater to their particular taste has never been fully appreciated on this side of the water, and there are possibilities for popularizing American pictures in Europe that have been entirely overlooked. If the European's taste is considered he can be made as avid a film fan as any American, and I am going to try to make pictures that will have an appeal both here and abroad.' Before Mr. Lesser leaves New York he will make distributing arrangements for the entire product of Principal Pictures for the coming year. Heretofore Principal has made such arrangements only for each of its pictures as it was finished, and Mr. Lesser's present plan is a radical departure from his company's former policy. Principal will have between eight and ten pictures to distribute during the coming season. While Mr. Lesser is vice-president of First National, it is no foregone conclusion that that company will handle the Principal product as, he says, "the distributing contract is to be awarded to the company which can prove that it can get the best results, and there will be no partiality shown." Among the books that Principal will adapt are all those of Harold Bell Wright, one of the most popular of fiction writers. "The Winning of Barbara Worth," one of Wright's best sellers, will go into production October 15. Mike Rosenberg, secretary of Principal Pictures, is in New York with Mr Lesser to confer on Principals distributing arrangements. Speaking of the best advertising mediums in the trade, Mr. Rosenberg said : "Moving Picture World has always been my favorite paper both as a place to get results from ads, as well as the one from which to gather the most news of the industry. T read every issue. I was the first independent to begin advertising nationally, and I placed my ads in the World in those days, and it has continued to hold first place in my estimation." Lesser to See Great Authors; Mike Rosenberg Lauds M. P. W. By T. S. DA PONTE