Motion Picture News (Jan - Mar 1914)

THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS 5* papers, about the new order of things. Let them know that you've got an excellent light, that the house is fireproof and sanitary, that women are safe in it, that your ushers are courteous, that your pictures are decent. "You speak boastingly of getting a thirty or thirty-fivedollar film service. You don't even take the trouble to find out whether the exchange can supply pictures that will hold the trade for you. You wouldn't buy a suit without looking at it. You tell me you change every day because the fellow around the corner does. How do you expect a good picture to be properly advertised? Any reel worth having at all, is worth keeping at least two days. The first night crowd tells its friends; they communicate with others, and you get the benefit of an endless chain of advertising that will bring you bigger business on the second night. "I wouldn't change my program more than twice a week for anyone. I find that it pays me more actual money in the long run to do it. At first it was uphill going; people flocked to the fellow who gave them six a day, no two days alike. I sat back and waited. Then I began to get the business again on the strength of personal advertising, and on good films. And, believe me, I didn't try to economize on service. Film is the greatest asset you've got. That's your stock in trade. Put every cent you can into it; don't make it share the expense decrease. Cut down somewhere else, but pay every cent you can for your film service. It is film that gets the money for you. "The front of your theatre resembles a warehouse. There's no life, no action, no attention-getting substance to it. Liven it up, not with posters pasted across the front, but with a clean-looking box office, a few palms or ferns, some pretty photographs. Keep the posters in neat frames, and make them look as good as you can. "Try getting down early in the morning for a time, check up on your employees, see that they are there on time, then pitch in and live right with your job for twenty hours a day for a while. Be at the door, or near it, when people come in. Give them a pleasant smile. Let them know that you appreciate their patronage. It all helps mightily. Keep your ushers standing straight, and see that they handle the people the way they should. Make whoever is in the box-office say 'thank you' every time he or she gets a nickel or dime. If they don't do it, get in there and do it yourself until someone comes along who will. "Give your manager plenty of responsibility, but don't let go of things too much. Give him to understand that you're right on the job. ready to check up the minute he stumbles. Talk with him, make him your friend, and do the same with every employee you've got. If things go wrong, don't blame them. You're the party that's at fault. "Just remember this, Jerry," and Jim's voice grew more positive as he said it, "exhibiting is like anything else in business. It takes a barrel of common sense, attention to detail, living right on the job, to make it pay. Money isn't all. Tn fact, it's the smallest part. You've been too careless. Flushed with a small success, you were content to let things slide. Now you're paying the penalty for the confidence you had that they would always continue paying without some effort on your part." There was a long pause before Jerry replied. He was thinking, and thinking hard. He couldn't help but admit the element of truth in the tongue-lashing he had just received. Jim spoke again: "Jerry, when I opened that house in Bloomfield I was on the job night and day. No man beat me to my own business, and no man left any later than I did. I studied it, night and day, week in and week out. I fought and struggled, endured poverty, hunger, and even went without smoking tobacco, so that every possible cent I could get could be tossed back into the business. That's the only reason I'm even a mediocre success. I haven't started yet to grow. I want a string of houses, and I'll work just as hard on every one of them. I expect it, and you've got to expect the same thing." "I'm going to get those overalls first thing in the morning," Jerry promised as he arose to go, a smile of thanks (in his lips, and his eyes once more bright and hopeful. Then, he added, in parting: "By George, 1 won't wait until morning. Til get them to-nisrht." TAKE A MINING PICTURE The Industrial Moving Picture Company of Chicago, Watterson R. Rothacker, general manager, has just completed a two-reel subject showing copper mining. The pictures were taken at the Calumet and Hecla mines in Michigan and in one instance the artificial lighting equipment was operated 5,300 feet, or more than a mile, below the surface. MONARCH Mr. <^CONOMIZERSJJ Price ^i£X^ir $40.00 Hill WRITE US IMMEDIATELY Regarding Our Specialties Pertaining to Motion Picture Equipment Including ECONOMIZERS, RHEOSTATS, HEATERS, TRANSFORMERS, ETC. General Electric Utilities Co. 145 WEST 45th ST., NEW YORK Agents Wanted in all Sections of U. S. and Canada You wouldn't buy rotten eggs, then why buy rotten films? Insist on the same standards in films as you do in eggs. Any manufacturer can furnish your prints on L u m i e r e stock if you INSIST. DAVID HORSLEY 1600 B'way Mecca Bidg. New York American Agent for Lumiere In writing to advertisers please mention "THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS"