The Moving picture world (September 1923-October 1923)

160 MOVING PICTURE WORLD September 8, 1923 Independents Seek No Favors, Need None served, with the result that when negotiable paper is offered it will be accepted only from an exchange with an established financial credit. But a propitious fact is that the independent producer will make fewer mediocre pictures and that the real big specials— that is, the greater number of them — will emanate from independent studios to be distributed as State Right or independent productions, leaving the average picture bolstered up possibly by a star of advertised prominence, to the large producing organizations operating their own exchanges. This is as it should be, because special productions can never be made by rote, rule or schedule, nor can they even be systematized to the extent of regulating to a certainty, in advance, the cost. In other words, special productions are the province of special or independent producers. Of course, here and there a national producing-distributing organization will make a special, but that will be spasmodic. I have been a State Right producer and distributor from the beginning of independent productions and never during these years had the future augured so well as the season of 1923-24. I vouchsafe the opinion that the end of 1924 will see every irresponsible and dishonest State Right exchangeman (and we have a few of them with us yet) out of business. ' In summation, I should say that the independent market is coming into its own and will be maintained without dislodgment indefinitely. By William D. Shapiro, Pres. Franklin Film Company, Boston NEVER in my ten years' experience in this business has the outlook been as promising or the results as good as this season has represented itself to us in the sale of Warner Screen Classics. I know from personal contact with all the Independent Boys in this territory that they have signed 300 per cent, more business this year than ever before. All the exhibitors are lending themselves to the Independent man as they have every reason to do so. I predict not only the biggest year for the Independents, but their business for the season of 1923-24 will be equal to their total business for the past three years. By Fred E. Baer INDEPENDENTS may expect an exceptionally fine year for one main reason: They are handling an exceptionally fine product. They ask no favors on account of their position as Independents. They need none. They have gone out into the market, they have gathered a product as fine as any of the national distributing and producing organizations ; and their position is as strong as any of their national competitors. This is as it should be. An independent producer or distributor owes to the exhibitor a value that must correspond with the rental received; no favoritism should be allowed, simply because of the fact that one of the interested parties happens to be an Independent. Some years ago such favoritism was looked for. It kept the Independent shaky. Today there is a different point of view. The Independent is in a splendid position; the producers are sufficiently financed to make big pictures; the distributors have the backing to buy them. The exhibitor buys from the Independent in this new season with confidence; he buys quality pictures, gets excellent service, and the best advertising accessories. I form my opinion of the excellent prospects ahead of the Independent from the organizations I do business with. In all divisions of the industry — producers, distributors, exhibitors — I hear the optimistic note. Exhibitors are manifestly glad to do business with Independents on a strictly business basis; not a friendship basis as formerly. They know that today they get splendid pictures in the Independent exchanges; the kind that they make money on. I was told recently of a remark made about one of my clients where the commentator said that So-and-So must be spending as much money in advertising as some of the national distributors. He does spend considerable, it is true, but the spending pays, for he gets wide distribution for all his pictures and can afford therefore to accept lower rentals than if he did not advertise and secured only half the runs. There is no doubt that the progressive Independents are facing a brilliant season. By J. S. Jossey, Pres. Progress Pictures Co., Cleveland THE Independents — producers and distributors alike — have definitely come into their own. An analysis of the existing distribution system clearly discloses why this should be : The exhibitor, who in the past looked upon the independent distributor merely as a safety exit to be used in an emergency, has awakened to a realization of the fact that the product offered him by the independent exchanges is on a par with — and, in many cases, excels — the product of the so-called old-line companies. He realizes, too, that in doing business with the legitimate independent exchange he is enabled to steer clear of any entangling alliances, for, in most cases, independent product is offered on a picture-by-picture basis, which compels each production to stand or fall on its own merits or demerits. The theatre owner is not compelled to saddle himself with a variegated assortment of "weak sisters" in order to obtain a few really big pictures, but is left free to choose where and what he will, thus assuring himself of a supply of product hand-picked from the best the market has to offer The exhibitor, when planning his program, seeks, so far as possible, to book his entire show from one exchange. Thus it is that the exchange which handles a complete line of product features, comedies, serials, and novelty reels — venr often "gets the break" over an exchange with a less varied output. Progress Pictures Company of Ohio, with its assortment of worth-while pictures of every description, is therefore in a position to compel the attention and draw the patronage of every independent theatre owner in the territory. It is for that reason — and, too, because our pictures are real pictures in every sense of the word — that I anticipate for my organization the most successful season in its career, with still bigger triumphs to come in the years that lie ahead. By Samuel Zierler, Pres. Commonwealth Film Corp. THE editor of Moving Picture World asks my opinion of the new season as it affects Independents— producers, distributors, exhibitors. I look forward to a big year, but then I always do. It must be a bigger year than last year; just as last year was better than the preceding one. Every business, every section of an industry must go forward or backward; it can't stand still. Three years ago some folks were worrying about the Independents; it looked as if .hey were on the brink of a chasm. Today there's no need to worry. The Independents are strong and getting stronger. Their organizations rank in service with the biggest of their national competitors; their product can stand up proudly alongside the biggest and the best. There are two reasons why this is true: One is that exhibitors have given marvelous support to the Independents. Of course, it was to their interest to do so, as exhibitor organizations frequently pointed out. Nevertheless, their support was splendid and has done wonders in building up the present-day strong position the Independents have. The other reason is the consistent encouragement and interest displayed by your publication, Moving Picture World. You kept a bright light shining on the Independents all the time, and, I daresay, it cost you a pretty penny. It has done the industry a mountain of good, though, and the prosperity you have helped create will surely bring to you the deserved reward. The Independents are in excellent shape. The producers are placing their pictures profitably; the distributors enjoy the very best of relations with their exhibitor-customers. The new season should be the very best. Certainly Commonwealth expects to find it so. By C. W. Trampe, Mgr. MidWest Distributing Co., Milwaukee OUR slogan for the coming season is "The Independents are not selling on sympathy this year." No doubt you know as well as we do that in the past it has been necessary for the independent exchange man to sell his product more on good will than on the merit of the goods he was disposing of. Fortunately, the situation has been changed considerably, with such big, dependable producers supplying pictures for the independent market. And they have, each and every one of them, been supplying good pictures. This can only mean one thing, and that is that from now on the independent exchangemen can say "heads up" to each other and face the exhibitor world with the assurance that they are selling product on a par with the pictures offered by national distributor-; and. in many instances, far superior. This office has been able to place five Grand Avenue runs in Milwaukee within a period of seven weeks, and each of the pictures was shown at top admission in Milwaukee, which is fifty-five cents. There is just one stumbling block in the path of the independent exchangemen at the (Continued on page 162)