Green Light (Warner Bros.) (1937)

USE STENCILS Title lends itself readily to use as warning stenciled on sidewalk corners where there are stop lights. Before your opening get copy along this angle on important corners: “Play Safe. Wait for the green light. Then see ‘Green Light’ at the Strand.” back is a sign carrying the gag line. She, or he, wanders around to various crowded spots, handing out heralds when the curious gather around her. GREEN IN THEATRE It is obvious that use of green lights in as many places as possible about your theatre will create the correct at atmosphere in your theatre. SIGNAL IN LOBBY Signal light might be borrowed from the police departMent and used very effectively in your lobby a week in ad quee during run of film. Use it ostensibly to direct pedestrian traffic in front of box office, with copy telling folks that the green light means to go on in and see show, and the red light means to stop whatever they’re doing and go inside to see your film. Page Four Ea aaa IR GE DS IR I Ree GAG STUNT FOR THE STREET CARS Street car bally could be revived and used to great advantage in selling the title. Use boards with 24 sheet or your own teaser copy on sides of car. Gag copy might read “You may be waiting for a street car—but we’re waiting for the ‘Green Light’.” Same gag line can be used on safety zones where folks wait for trolleys — cards there. You can use the same idea for a live bally. Let a man or girl stand at place where the trolley stops. On_ her mosphere suggested by the title. A few of the spots made more effective by use of green lights are the marquee, the upright sign, lobby displays, and in the ushers’ flashlights. You may be able to use green gelatine over white bulbs in many places. Also might have the ushers wear green sashes with— “Wait for ‘Green Light’ ” copy, in advance of opening. If you look at other items on this page, you'll find quite a number of additional ways of getting that ‘‘green’’ vance, and then hung from your mar-. GREEN LIGHT BEACON To get the most out of green light atmosphere, erect a large revolving beacon atop your upright sign or build a temporary tower above the marquee with green light flashing on and off. For best effect, place light at an angle so that it shines down on faces of passersby. Of course, flood lights playing on the sides of the theatre building from atop your marquee will be sure to attract plenty of curious. And flashing green lights in as many spots as you can find around your theatre will all help sell your show. So just as long as your supply of green bulbs lasts, remember that there’s plenty of use for them. SIGNAL STILL BOARD For a smart lobby display construct a gigantic still board showing scenes from the picture. Spot light throwing a green beam is operated from other side of lobby. Try to place display in a dimly lit spot so as to get the full effect of the green light on your display. Might have stills laid out in some sequence, telling the story with captions on each still. If you do that, have operator focus beam on one still at a time, following the sequence that tells the story. LET TITLE SELL SEATS WHEEL OF CHANCE A wheel of chance with winners invited as your guests to a performance of ‘Green Light’’ is one way of arousing advance interest. A few weeks ahead of your opening erect a wheel bordered with green and red lights in your lobby. Every patron is given an opportunity to spin the wheel once. Wheel is so constructed that when it stops at a certain point the light at that point remains lit. If green, patron is winner. Naturally, it’s rigged up so that wheel stops at red lights most of the time. A couple of passes ought to satisfy the winners, don't you think? TRAFFIC SIGNAL AS WALKING AD Street bally—sure to attract plenty of attention—is a man rigged up in an outfit simulating the two-color stop light. Copy in green light — “Play safe, wait for the ‘Green Light’.’” Copy in red light— “Don’t take a chance, you may miss seeing the ‘Green Light,’ now at the Strand Theatre.’ Man in this outfit stands at very busy intersections. When the lights change your man turns so that at all times he has an audience composed of people who are actually waiting for same color light he displays. He probably won't be too busy to hand out, heralds while he’s standing there, will he? Si ULIT WITH LIGHT Here’s one way of making good use of an empty window. Mount a camera in the center of a display selling the picture. Put card nearby explaining that when green light is lit the camera will photograph persons directly in front of window, and that everyone whose picture is exhibited in lobby of theatre the following week will be admitted upon identification. Naturally, you'll have a crowd of curious waiting for the green light to flash on. Crowd should attract others—and they'll all be sure to study your display while waiting for the green light. And there'll be plenty at your theatre looking for their picture in the lobby SAFETY CAMPAIGN Do not overlook schools, police depart “ment and parking stations when con ducting your campaign. Contact school traffic officials and arrange to distribute to junior deputies small green flags with ‘Wait for ‘Green Light’ ’’ copy. Police department should welcome your co-operation with their safety campaign. You might help further by get ting drivers to use windshield stickers with appropriate copy, and parking st@ tions near your theatre should be willing to display cards or ‘A’ boards in front of driveway. ee