Reel and Slide (Mar-Dec 1918)

40 REEL and SLIDE The vastncss of the telephone system can be easily shown on the A little touch of allegory helps to make an industrial interesting ant screen in far less time than it would take to describe it. entertaining. ment of this automobile concern's film. The films put out by the American Teilephone & Telegraph Company do not make this mistake. They have messages, of course, but they are suggested rather than pounded in. The reels are furnished to the various picture houses upon request. Leaflets describing the films are sent to the managers and if the latter wishes to use the pictures, the telephone people send them around. In many cases, the telephone people also provide "movies" with stereopticon lectures on timely subjects, as entertainments for social and business organizations. For years the American Telephone & Telegraph Company and its associated organizations have advertised in newspapers and magazines and in other ways to show the public the correct use of the telephone and give them an understanding of the aims and purposes of the telephone organization. "The more you know about the telephone and the way it should be used, the better you will use it and the more you will get from its use," is one method of explaining the purpose of a large part of this advertising. And this publicity, in many cases, has been supported by motion pictures, as witness a three-reel picture, entitled "The Telephone Way," which was issued several years ago. This film shows how a telephone is installed in a subscriber's home, how it is connected with a central office and how service is given to that subscriber, day and night, whatever the weather and whatever the conditions requiring that service. Cartoons Boost War Stamps, Show Kaiser's Funeral THE United States Government has adopted screen cartoons a.s one means of stimulating the sale of W. S. S. A clever little animated cartoon, produced by Bosworth, De Frenes and Felton, of Wilkes Barre, Pa., shows Wilhelm taking his last ride. "You are invited to attend the Kaiser's funeral!" reads the title. Cartoon films by Felton show the incidents of the It was part of a campaign of getting people interested in their telephone service and was followed by a campaign urging people to visit the company's central offices and to see for themselves how service is furnished. The result was a much better understanding of the telephone company's work, and a better realization of its efforts to supply the right sort of service at all times. Teach Value of Long Distance / In 1915, when the American Telephone & Telegraph Company announced the completion of its transcontinental telephone line, putting the people on the eastern and western borders of the nation in voice touch, many persons either refused to believe such a thing was possible, or else thought it had been possible for a long time. Those in the second class unconsciously evinced full appreciation of the ability of American telephone engineers to accomplish wonders. The public had to be taught the value of transcontinental service. So the American Telephone & Telegraph Company began to give demonstrations of this service throughout the country. Before the actual transcontinental talking was started, a "movie" was shown depicting scenes along the route of the transcontinental line and some of the problems overcome in creating such a line. "Talking movies" were made a part of the program in some cases, the picture speaker being Thomas A. Watson, who was associated with Dr. Alexander Graham Bell when he invented the telephone. Two other movies may be mentioned to funeral cortege. There is the hearse with Wilhelm's feet, bound with rope, hanging out the rear, pall bearers running afoot, a German with spiked helmet leading the Kaiser's big saddle horse, and empty carriages — all on the run. There is an appropriate caption — "Hurry the End of the War." Scener}' in the background flies past. Hundreds of figures of naval reserve men present the message, "Buy War Savings Stamps." The pictures are being distributed to all motion picture theaters of the countrjr for the purpose of stimulating interest in the sale of the stamps. illustrate this company's belief in the power of screen publicity. One is an educational film prepared for showings before telephone employes. This film pictures eiSciency methods used by the various Bell System companies and reveals many interesting devices and plans for insuring accuracy, speed and completeness in the work of its various departments. The other film has been shown successfully in many theaters, as well as at special gatherings. It was produced, as were many of the others, under the direction of the Leggett-Gruen Corporation, and is entitled "Speeding the Spoken Word." This picture is a three-reeler and illustrates some of the more interesting features of telephone communication. The first reel deals with the "Construction of the Highways of Communication," showing methods of pole-hole digging, stringing wires in almost impossible places, testing them when on the poles and protecting and repairing them. The second reel shows the operation of highways of communication, taking the audience into the training department for operators and then into the central offlce, with its switchboard and its sitting rooms and lunch rooms for operators. The final reel carriers the caption, "The Use of the Highways of Communication," and is illustrated by an educational picture drama. The Phone Subscriber's Dream A telephone subscriber dreams he follows his line to "central." The ensuing adventures of his spirit-self give a vivid picture of the pathway of the wire, as well as of the daily uses of the telephone. "The Power of Personal Projection," a motion picture allegory, in which a giant cuts the wires, closes the film. As the reader will gather from the foregoing, the telephone people believe in the moving picture for publicity purposes. But they believe and put their belief into practice that publicity films must be well done. In the old days the producer of a publicity film put out something that seemed to say to the audience: "I've got you where I want you. Now you stay here till I've told •■ you all I know about the wonders of my product." It isn't done that way nowadays as much as it used to be, and it ought not be done at all. Buy Liberty Bonds