The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Jan-Feb 1923)

6 THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. February 24, 1923. MAGNITUDE OF AMERICAN FILM TRADE. ‘Some Illuminating Figures. oe HE following facts and figures in regard to the American film trade have been compiled as part of a strong pro-film propaganda by the Hays organisation, and are sent us by Mr. Edwin J. Smith, managing director of European. The data, we understand, has been very extensively circulated among the American Press, and the effect of it can only be to strengthen the general impression of the value of the motion picture business from the commercial point-of view : Motion-picture theatres in the United States... 15,000 Seating capacity (one show) .........sccssseceeseees 7,605,000 Average weekly attendance at picture theatres -50,000,000 Admissions paid annually ........cccc:seesseeeeeeen $520,000,000 Average number of reels used for 1 performance 5 ame! <5 seats in picture theatres... . 507 ‘No. of persons employed’ in picture theatres 105,000 Persons pernianently employed in picture prod. 50,000 Permanent employees in all branches of picture INGUSHEYS ict ssesvscedeeavesesdaecesseveedaensaavedeess 300,000 Investment in motion-picture industry ......... $1,250 ,000,000 Approx. cost of pictures produced annually...... $200,000,000 Salaries and wages paid annually at studios in Production” ......csitsssscdoescaseecesseadsdderaeccocse $75,000,000 Cost of costumes, scenery, and other materials ’ and supplies used in production annually... $50,000,000 Average cost of one feature film production...... $150,000 ,000 Average number of fenture films produced ANNUALLY oo. .eeeesceeeeceeeserecesaesneeesetteans wisans 760 Average number of short-reel subjects, exclud, ing news reels, annually ..........cccseesseeeeeeees 1,500 Taxable motion-picture property in the United * Btatess soc eiic wstdasscstestisessencessseaescaaduesee’ $720,000,090 BERNARD SHAW & THE MOVIES Request for Propaganda Films. (From the “Yorkshire Evening News”’ Correspondent in New York). HE special correspondent of the ‘‘ Yorkshire Evening News " in New York has sent his paper copiea of interesting letters exchanged between Mr. G. Bernard Shaw and Judge Henry Neil, of Hollywood, California. : Judge Neil forwarded to Mr. Shaw a letter he received from Mr. Cecil de Mille, who wrote : “Tf Bernard Shaw would turn his attention to the study of motion picture technique as he has legitimate stage drama,: he would be one of the greatest motion picture writers “of the’ world, because he would find a way to put over his brilliant satire just as cleverly on the screen as he does on the stage, but he would have to learn what to use to supplant words. Anyone who writes for the screen has to learn what to use instead of words. Our great need is for writers. There are millions’ of them, but you could count the real ones on one hand if you had lost two fingers.’’ To this.communication Mr. Shaw made characteristic answer as follows : Percentage of pictures made in California (1922) 84% ” ” » New York (1922) 12% * 53 elsewhere in U.S. (1922) 4% Foreign-made pictures sent here for sale (1922) 425 Foreign-made_ pictures sold and released for Oxhibition .........seccetceenssenseescteeececsercetene 6 Theatres running six to seven days per Mi 9,000 es ay four to five days per week.. 1,500 55 one to three days per week.. 4,500 Lineal feet of film exported in 1921 .........ce. 140,000,000 a i 1913 ......ceseeeee 82,000,000 Percentage of Amnesia films used in foreign COUNLTICS. _ ssselicercisccseaudeccdceieciscessesdocvaciees 90 Film footage used each week by news reels...... 1,400,000 Combined circulation of news reels weekly .. 40,000,000 Number of theatres using news reels weeltly... 11,000 Amount spent annually by producers and exhibitors in newspaper and magazine MAVETLIBING: ccccebsesecveasdscdsed ones odésiniesecoseenss $5,000,000 Amount spent annually by producers in photos, cuts, slides, and other accessories ..........0000$2,000,000 Amount spent annually by producers in ‘ lithographs ............ssccccenseeeesetsceeeeescoeaee « $2,000,000 Amount spent annually by producers in printing and engraving ..........:.ceeseeeeeeteees $3,000,000 In connection with the above valuable information Mr. Smith writes: ‘‘It occurs to me that it would be an admirable thing if some similar data were collected in connection with British film ramifications, and diligently broadcasted throughout the Press here. Facts like these would enable the general public to realise the great importance of the film industry, and would at least convince official bodies of the far-reaching influence of what I take to be the fourth industry in the U.K.’’ “* Mr. de Mille is quite right; that is wny I refuse to let my plays be filmed,. and say that if I work for the screen I will work ad hoc, -At 66} it is a little late to learn a new trade; but I might tackle it. Who knows? I am always delighted to hear that you are still pegging away 5 though I am the worst of correspondents. So continue pegging, and you ‘may knock several new holes into American seventeenth centuryism before the end of 1923.”’ If Ford were President. Judge Neil has sent a further letter to G.B.S. He says: “ The people of the U.S.A. are partly convinced that Henry Ford should be their next President. I wish you would write a scenario which, when produced by Cecil de Mille and exhibited throughout the U.8., would thoroughly convince the people that Henry Ford, if elected, would raise the wages of practically all workers, would increase production, especially of farm products, would decrease the cost of living, and would materially increase the sum total of life’s enjoyments for all the pecple.”’ It is a bold and startling request to make to one of the chief apostles of Socialism that he should bestow his gifts upon the shrine of Capitalism. The world will be interested to hear the answer. Judge Nail naively assures Mr. Shaw that there would be a million dollars for the author in such a film, =~