Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1947)

36 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, February 1, 1947 The Brass Tacks of Efficient Picture Theatre Management* CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF A 'SLUMP1 By Jack Jackson Now that the first stanza of Father Time's dozen-versed ballad for 1947 is finished, permit me to ask : Are the lingering echoes "soothing to your soul" as of "notes distance made more sweet"? Or do you consider your attempts to follow the tempo of the 1947 metronome more like some nightmarish din of macaronic lyrics set to the stuttering cadence of a jitterbug theme song for a scene depicting the building of Babel's tower? This past month's experience should suffice to convince the most optimistic theatreman that there's no "Arthur Murray" short cut to acquisition of a smooth stride perfectly timed with the rapidly developing business trend. No, we're going to have to get hep to these new steps the hard way. Remember, please that my bifocals are just as smeary as yours and that I'm "beating the brush" as madly as any of you who read this in an attempt to uncover the stealthy gent who is playing havoc in the profit woodpile. And let me further confess that after watching "quality" product fail to attract "quantity" business, whatever suggestions or ideas find their way into this discourse are unadulterated and undisguised "stabs in the dark." Of course, I'm going to rummage my think-tank for the kind of material that promises to bring the customers back within seeing and hearing range of my cashier's sunny smile and cheery "thank you." And as fast as I can "dream 'em up" I'm going to put the best ideas ideas to work. Don't Overlook Special Days and Events Then I'm going to take time out to look over the calendar to make note of what particular days or scheduled events warrant special attention. It's surprising how often some little-observed holiday can be turned into an occasion that results in jumped-up business. I'll be loosing great gobs of cerebrum solution to oil up some sequence of counter-irritants to take as much sting as possible out of Lent. Maybe you haven't thought about it, but that six-week menace to the ticket machine will be chinning itself on the business horizon very shortly after you lay down this particular article. Unless I miss my guess, there are only going to be two choices for theatremen during 1947's Lent — either high pressure work or fast dwindling receipts. After that I'm going to call in my "Brain Trust" and sentence them to a full week of scheme-scouting — the kind of schemes they believe will magnetize those marble slabs at our box-offices and guide thereto the wavering feet of former customers who, evidently, now are finding other ways of spending their amusement dollars. I'm going to burn up a lot of mid-night candles myself, because I've always believed that there is no obstacle to theatre patronage that cannot be pushed aside or hurdled IF — and it's a big IF — showmanlike intelligence is consistently and diligently applied and showmanlike effort religiously and relentlessly expended. From the ideas submitted we'll select those containing the most of what we feel is necessary to draw the greatest possible attendance for the general run of film attractions. Our plans will be laid so far ahead that each season will find its activities "talked up" well in advance and as much resistance as possible dissipated before we put them in effect. In that way we'll be able to make such changes as are necessary in the plans and be in position to set in as good or better substitute material. Of course we're not going to neglect the picture-to-picture effort and will engage in special stunts when the attractions lend themselves to inexpensive profit-promising endeavor. And another thing ; we're going to carefully analyze each idea submitted *This series copyrighted and must not be produced in part or whole without written permission from Showmen's Trade Review, Inc. to make sure that it can be carried through to a satisfactory conclusion without placing undue stress on the service or management personnel of the theatres. I've seen too many "quickie" business schemes that were financial failures — despite increased business — because their execution involved so much money or effort, or both, that the final tally showed loss instead of gain. Every scheme you consider should be carefully gauged for the amount of physical energy required to put it across, and if the manpower is not available, discard the idea because the most expensive — and hardest to find — essential to the accomplishment of anything worthwhile is labor. Labor of any kind is mighty high these days and labor of the kind required to successfully consummate theatre promotional activities is darn close to being non-existent. Better figure on doing the very best you can with what you have and drop ideas involving manipulation that is out of balance with the manpower supply. Searching for Faults I noted earlier that recent experience had showed a disinclination on the part of the public to attend — in sizable numbers— the showing of some dandy film attractions. The "why" of this is as much a mystery to me as it is to others facing the identical situation. It sorta worried me and I've been walking around my theatres trying to ferret out faults. I've sat in with the customers and I've been cautiously observing the conduct of employes. I've listened to the comment of outgoing patrons and deliberately started conversations about theatres in barber shops, restaurants, etc., in order to get a line on what was happening to customers who were but are not now, regulars at our theatres. Among many things I found that considerable of our business loss was attributable to "after Christmas" purse depletions with a smattering of "too busy," "too cold," etc. thrown in. None of the folks I talked with complained of not having the money or of being afraid of depression or inflation, so I started analyzing what I had found in the operation of my theatres. Here 'tis (Continued on Next Page) Said the Governor . . . Governor-elect James L. McConaughy told the General Assembly at Hartford, Conn., that he approved of state aid to install visual education in the school. "In recent years," he said, "educational moving pictures have become a valuable adjunct to teaching. I advocate state aid, on a matching basis, whereby every school in the state may have such equipment and every school system an expanding film library."