Publix Opinion (Dec 27, 1929)

4 PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF DECEMBER» 271u, 1929 CHATKIN, MORROS, KEOUGH DISCUSS DEPARTMENT DUTIES “You are going out to the field in what we believe will be the biggest year in motion pictures,” declared David J. Chatkin, General Director of Theatre Management in a talk last week to the men of the manager’s training school. “Pictures, especially in the | first quarter, will be the finest in our history, while later releases from our own company are outstanding.” Mr. Chatkin’s visit to the school had a double purpose. He not only made the acquaintance of each member of the class but he left with them important words of advice. “You are in the motion picture business,” he stated. “You must know motion pictures. Then you must know how to sell them. Every thing else that you may do personally or through the institution is contributory to the boxoffice. But above everything else, you must know motion pictures and their sales values.” Morros Covers Music Another department head to address the student managers ' during the past week was Boris Morros, head of the music department. He spoke in conjunction with the course in music given at the school. “Recognition,” he stated, ‘“‘is the first criterion to be considered in selecting a program. There is audience satisfaction in hearing songs that are known. The second factor is simplicity, necessary because of our type of audience. Good taste is another factor while variety or contrast require just as careful consideration as any of the others. “Even though there are no orchestras in most of our theatres, every Manager must consider the balanced program from the musical point of view when he chooses short subjects. Above all he must introduce as much variety as possible. The audience likes to be surprised. In planning a program, Mr. Morros continued, provision should be made for a vigorous closing and a hearty, lively opening. The in-between numbers may be made up of slower tunes, comedy numbers, ballads, ete. Among other things, the music director covered the .subject of orchestra instrumentation, the different kinds of voices and how they could best be combined in groups to form trios, quartets, and mixed choruses. He also explained the functioning of the new Music Novelty department which is preparing short subjects on film for various occasions. Paramount Ad-Sales A lecture on the functioning of the Paramount-Ad-Sales Department was also given during the week by a member of the organization. He explained in detail how a press book was made up and advised that each press book be read thoroughly because ideas applicable to problems other than the one under consideration could be found and put to valuable use. He also covered poster sheets, window display cards, stills, and novelty heralds. In addition to the foregoing, time was devoted to a discussion of stagecraft under Henry Schwartzberg, assistant at the school. The week ended with an examination of the material covered in the past few weeks. ' Legal Aspects | Toward the end of the week, Austin G. Keough, head of the legal department, discussed the legal aspects of theatre management. He discussed the organization of Paramount Famous Lasky and Publix, state and local laws in regard to employment, building TRY THIS UPON TECHNICOLOR Publix Opinion has received what seems to be a hot tip on technicolor projection together with an enthusiastic letter. Try it and see what results you get. Lionel Wasson of the World Theatre, Omaha, Nebraska, used a number 6 straw gelatine ahead of the projection machine on the color scenes of ‘‘Glorifying the American Girl’? and reports “it improved technicolor 100%.”’ SESE Sees eee eee eee a eee eee nee eee nen nanan eeeans Students Find Success As Exploiters Managers in the Springfield district are assigning assistant managers and students to exploitation work with exceptional results, according to word from _ District Manager Myron Shellman. Of course the men are assigned to this work with the thought that it will be excellent training for them. In the case of Lawrence Lasky, a student assigned to the district by Mr. Fitzgibbons, however, it proved of great value to the Broadway Theatre. Lasky has been in show business ten days. None the less he promoted a full page co-operative ad without the aid of the newspaper, staged a tie-up with a local ballroom on a contest for the picture “Broadway,” getting free publicity and radio time, and had a nurse give away 6,500 candy kisses in front of one of Kresge’s stores and obtained a two column story and picture in the Sunday news section. Nothing that he did cost the theatre any money. The co-operative ad featured a star contest. Small heads of the stars in “‘Broadway’’ appeared on the page scattered among the various ads. Readers were supposed to identify these heads in order to win prizes of $10, $5, and $2.50 and passes. Show cards containing the names of some of the stars appeared.in the windows of the merchants in the tie-up. Prizes restricted to the first replies received. Shellman ventured the opinion that the success in the exploitation outlined above was due to carefully following plans laid out in advance. Where there is a definite tie-up angle, and where plans are carefully drawn up _ there should be little difficulty selling merchants a proposition that can be mutually advantageous. Another New Theatre Publix took over the lease to a new theatre now being built in Casagrande, Ariz. regulations, Sunday shows, censorship, and fire regulations. He also covered the responsibilities of the theatre to its patrons, the legal considerations in advertising, lotteries and prize contests. af HOW ARE YOUR SHADOWS? Shadows may make or mar the appearance of a flood-lighted statue. Notice the pictures below. One has been illuminated from the bottom only and the shadows’ are reversed. This results in an appearance of fear or startled surprise. The other had a light source above and to one side. The natural shadows bring out forcefulness and life-like appearance. Lighting Institute. POSTING YOU ON POSTERS! A weekly report on your billboard locations and postings will or should be sent you by the outdoor advertising company. Check up on it. ; If you have occasion to use extra boards for any reason, make sure that the dead matter left on them when you return to your normal number of boards is killed. The company will do that. Make sure that there is a two weeks’ cancellation clause in all your poster contracts. Use color tinted backgrounds on your paper instead of colored paper. The latter fades too rapidly. Boards just out of town are often useful for institutional advertising. Go after those yourself or have a poster man do it for you. You can often obtain the use of such boards for a few passes. = When sniping, that is, posting on building barricades, etc., allow enough room between sheets to make reading possible but do not leave enough room for rival postings. Whatever you do, do not get into a poster sniping war. TEN TYPES OF AD COPY, WITH USES How many different kinds of copy can you write? Here are a few types that the expert copywriter uses according to necessity. 1. Reason why copy. Interesting and logical arguments in favor of your product. 2. Sentimental or emotional copy. An appeal to the heart rather than to the mind. 38. Narrative or fiction copy. The message is told in story form. 4. Dialogue copy. A variation of the narrative. 5. Didactic or announcement copy. Statement of the message without elaboration or trimmings. 6. Testimonial copy. Probably less often believed than any other advertising message. 7. Colloquial or personal copy. Carries the tone of casual conversation. 8. News copy. 9. Humorous copy. 10. Poster or car card copy. Don’t start using these classifications just because you want variety in your ads. Some of these are better than others for different problems. Your choice of a definite type must depend on the individual problem—the individual message you are trying to convey. These photographs have been furnished by the Edison Planning Good Displays For Windows Preparing a good window display is an art in itself. But as in the case of most arts, certain basic principles will give the layman a working knowledge of the most important elements for practical application. For one thing, the type of display depends on the type of store, whether exclusive, middle class, or popular. Another thing to consider is arrangement. . Balance displays. . Build up displays. Flat trims do not attract. . Do not overcrowd. . Do not have too much empty space. . Connect price cards and objects displayed with ribbons if necessary. Other things to bear in mind. 1. Make the display characteristic of the store. — . Put human interest into the display. . Suggest use of articles shown. . Display related articles together. . Plan your display ahead of time and get all your material together before starting to work on it. : . Keep a window notebook, jotting down ideas gained from other windows, trade papers, ete. 7. Record the results of windows used in the past. Some principles of layout that apply to other media as well as to windows. 1. Horizontal lines serve to indicate quiet, calmness, and rest. > . Vertical lines give impression of reliabiilty, strength, and height. . Diagonal and oblique lines indicate emphasis, movement and action. Occasional breaks help hold interest. . Circles attract the eye and are therefore useful as eye catchers, but they do not retain interest. Circles and ovals, however, are preferable to squares and oblongs. . It is difficult to obtain interesting balance with only one type of figure. Curved figures are more interesting than straight lines. Stars, triangles, pyramids and cones are all pleasing EXECUTIVES LECTURE TO STUDENTS a Institutional Ads Build Business An appreciation of your theatre by the community as an institution will be reflected in constant patronage. Institutional advertising helps build such an appreciation. Here are just a few institutional items that can be sold. . Admission price. . Location of theatre. . Accessibility. . Seating comfort. . Fine quality of projection. . Fine quality of sound. . Organ or orchestra. Personnel. Ventilation. Starting. hours. Conveniences for the patron —check room, umbrella service, ete. : . Picture Product (Paramount Pictures). Cleanliness. . Equipment other than seats. . Stage talent. This is by no means a complete list but it gives you the idea. How about using it? ORGANS REQUIRE CONSTANT CARE Your organ is an expensive bit of property. Whether you use it or not, you must not neglect it. It should be inspected periodically. Rats and mice ruin an organ in a very short time. They nest most often in the console, attracted by the glue and paste. If you find that yours is infested, get them out as soon as possible. It has been a common experience that organs not used for three months have been found in such poor condition that they could not be used again until they were completely overhauled at great expense. The use of camphor in large quantities will keep moths out of the felt and leather stuffings of the instrument. Japanese camphor will also keep mice away, AD 00 YD OTB 09 DO oo) but the only sure preventative is to keep rodents out of the theatre. To play safe, have your organ inspected every month! USE YOUR PRESS SHEET PROPERLY Do you use your press sheets properly? Many of the press sheets are prepared while the picture is in the course of production. The copy in it is consequently more or less generalized and may have to be changed to suit local conditions. It is therefore important that every person using one be careful of the material he selects. ON NO ACCOUNT MUST THE MATERIAL IN THEM BE CLIPPED AND GIVEN TO THE NEWSPAPERS AS CLIPPINGS. Papers will have little respect for that type of copy. Always have the stories taken from the sheet typewritten double-spaced as neatly as possible and forwarded to the paper as coming from you personally. Two Training School _ _ Students Assigned The need for men in the field ‘has caused two men in the mana ger’s training school to be assigned positions before the end of the course. They are Ben Greenberg and Rufus C. Speece. Greenberg, formerly of the Metropolitan of Boston, has been sent to the Paramount Theatre in Springfield, Mass. Speece will manage the Arcade Theatre in West Palm Beach, Fla. He was with Keith’s Georgia in Atlanta before he entered the school. 4