Wid's year book (1918)

I Appreciation of Open Booking Plan In my opinion, the most important happening in the moving picture industry during the past year — outside of the affairs of war — is the rapid awakening of the mass of exhibitors to the fact that a wide open booking plan is the only safe one for them to adopt. The attempt of some of the producing companies to tie up the exhibitors on a non-cancellable contract looked like a vicious proposition at first, but I believe it is proving a blessing in disguise because it has caused the exhibitor to study the benefits of open booking as never before. You have helped in this awakening. Mr. Laemmle has helped to expose the dangers. I h&ve also noticed a gradual movement among the majority of producers to arouse the exhibitors to the danger of an air-tight contract. Many attempts have been made to effect a monopoly in this business, but the most recent attempt through the medium of the non-cancellable contract is by far the most shrewdly managed of them all. Years ago when a then large picture concern tried to secure a throttle hold on the exhibitors by means of patents, the campaign was so badly bungled by mistreatment of ex¬ hibitors that it fell of its own weight. In the current campaign to control the exhibitors, there is no mistreatment of exhibitors at present ; and therein lies the shrewdness or foxiness of the movement. What mistreatment might take place after a monopoly became a fact is guesswork, but the real danger of the present campaign lies or rather did lie in the fact that it was presented in such an alluring way to exhibitors. , The fact that a few, including yourself and Mr. Laemmle, undertook the unpleasant task of ripping the thing wide open and showing it in all its rottenness to exhibitors is a mighty fortunate thing for the showmen who hope to control their own theatres and be their own bosses. As a result of this campaign of exposure, I understand that in cases where the exhibitors oppose the signing of a non-cancellable contract, they are given a special contract which is so rubber-stamped that it contains the usual cancellation clause. According to my way of thinking, this daring attempt to give the exhibitor a sweet choking has been (and may still be) the most significant event in the business. Next in importance is the fact that the regular program feature has been forced to give way to the big special picture because itlie latter offers the highest class on the market. R. H. COCHRANE, Vice Pres., Universal Film Mfg. Co. Exhibitor Cooperative Association In my opinion, the most important happening in the motion picture industry during the past year, is the development of exhibitor co-operative associations throughout the United States. It is my belief that we are listening to the murmurings only of co-operative bookings at this time and in the not too distant future a real big organization will be developed along practical business lines, which will be productive of very profitable results to the exhibitors interested. The intensive development of the star series produc¬ tions and the tremendous individual pictures which have appeared during the year, are also worthy of passing notice. SYDNEY. S. COHEN. Warring Factions Disappear I consider the action of the Motion Picture Conven¬ tion in Chicago of inestimable importance, in the fact that the two warring factions of the exhibitors became affiliated and their disappearance as a separate entirety, they having agreed to become a branch of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry. This action makes it possible to secure as members at least 90 per cent, of the motion picture exhibitors of America. As practically all of the influential producers and distributors are members of the Association, the industry will now be in shape to build up one of the most powerful business organizations in the world, and it goes without saying, this power will be used for good. The President of the United States, The Committee on Public Information, and other Governmental depart¬ ments all look upon the motion picture as a wonderful medium of education, and the Government is taking advantage of this medium by spreading their publicity matter throughout the world in the form of motion pic¬ tures, both of an educational and entertainment char¬ acter. WILLIAM WRIGHT, Sec’y and Treas., Kalem Co. Exhibitor Distributing Organizations In my opinion, the forming of the exhibitors distri¬ buting organizations, such as the First National, Affili¬ ated and the United, will prove to be the greatest development, since they will be able to supply the exhibitors with good films, at the prices that he can afford to pay. I hardly believe that my opinion is shared by the greater number of producing organizations, but never¬ theless, this is my opinion. THEO. W. WHARTON. Becoming an Organized Business The most important thing that has happened in the motion picture industry this year, has been the recogni¬ tion given it by the Government as to its necessary importance in the spreading of propaganda and assist¬ ance in war work. « As to the development of the industry itself, it is quite apparent that we are rapidly becoming an or¬ ganized business. The day of “horse swapping” busi¬ ness transactions is practically over and during no year have more noticeable steps forward been made in this direction than during the past one. Along these lines the industry has become more stabilized as regards the relations between exhibitor and distributor. For instance, today the exhibitor is able to plan ahead with more certainty than ever before. He can sign for various products and feel quite sure that they will be delivered to him as per schedule. He can lay out his campaigns of exploitation just like a retailer in any other business can do. In short the industry is rapidly becoming more of a business than during any twelve months since its inception. I do not mean to say that the industry has become a perfect business in¬ stitution, but surely it is rapidly approaching that point. HAROLD EDEL, Managing Director, Strand Theatre. N. Y. C.