Wid's year book (1921)

Success With a Big "S" Optimism is the kenyote of success and Pessimism is the quicksand of failure. While I am not an extremist, I do believe that ordinary business ability, plus enthusaism, which is a synonimous term for optimism, in conjunction with good pictures, will spell success with a big "S" the coming year. Every sign points to unparalllelled recognition of independent productions the coming year. A vast majority of the irresponsibles' are rapidly eliminating themselves from the independent field and this fact alone means better business for the responsible exchangemen, who, generally speaking, encourage independent producers and thereby assure a continual supply of good pictures for the independent market. ROBT. W. PRIEST, The Film Market. Sees Better Comedies Coming The coming year, speaking especially for the comedy end, will undoubtedly be one of increased quality. The past six months have shown that there is no difficulty in the motion picture business from the exhibiting point of view, except that audiences demand a higher class of production. This does not mean a few occasional superlative pictures, but a higher standard through the entire line of entertainment, including features and the shorter part of the program. AL. E. CHRISTIE. Many Important Changes Coming The coming year will record many important changes in the industry — changes that will tend to stabilize the business and place it upon a firm and permanent foundation. The readjustment process that has been necessary in practically every line of business enterprise since the war has already wrked important changes in the conduct of the motion picture industry. The sound principles that have been thoroughly tested in other big enterprises are being adopted by the motion picture companies. Necessary economies are being effected, both in the making and in the marketing of pictures — waste is being avoided, exorbitant star salaries are being abolished and the industry is getting down to a common sense business basis. There will be fewer but better pictures during the coming year — less expensive productions, with correspondnig decrease in rentals and lower admission prices — with a resultant increase of attendance at picture theaters throughout the country. With the revision of the Federal taxation system the admission tax and the film rental tax should be removed, thus also tending to lighten the burden of exhibitors and their patrons. WILLIAM A. BRADY, Pres. N. A. M. P. I. Survival of the Fittest I believe the coming year will prove to be one of the survival of the fittest, a year with possibilities for men of force and courage, but a bad year for the cowards and weaklings. ALFRED S. BLACK. Great Day Dawning Remember the old song, "Watchman, What of the Night?" Well, the night's past and the day of a great dawning is at hand. The motion picture industry is becoming stabilized as the result of the operation of plain, old-fashioned business methods, the elimination of waste, the conserving of the best energies the country is producing and the development of agencies of distribution that bring the producer — the original first cause in all picture making — more directly and intimately in contact with the great public. There will be fewer' pictures, but they will be better. MACK SENNETT. Greater Effort Needed Believe it is going to require greater effort to eet results during the ensuing year than it was during the past four years, but that the possibilities of "results" are as good as ever. FELIX F. FEIST Substantial Improvements Coming The coming year will mark greater and more substantial improvements in the production, distribution and exhibition of motion pictures than has occurred in any one previous year. In the matter of production, photoplays will be of a less sensational character, but will embody stories of merit with emphasis laid on character delineation. Massive sets built merely to stagger the imagination will disappear. Subjects will drop from 6, 7 and 8 reels to 4 and 5 reels. Short length subjects will be in greater demand. Sex stories will disappear entirely and production overhead will take a substantial drop. Exorbitant salaries will be reduced to a sane level and stock selling to the public will be almost a thing of the past. In other words, production, distribution and exhibition will be brought to a business basis and the motion picture industry will plant itself for the first time with financial institutions and the public has a safe and sane business proposition, for art will mix with commercialism. The independent production, distribution and exhibition of motion pictures will be firmly and forever established. I predict innovations that will raise the standard of productions and establish permanent innovations. This applies particularly to camera and projection machines. JESSE J. GOLDBURG. Quality Will Be Keynote There is no constructive value in blindly declaring, as so many statements from the film companies do, that the coming year will be the very superlative best ever. Conditions are changing. The tremendous, unwieldy motion picture industry is settling down to a more rational basis and is becoming an efficient business. Temperament is ceasing to draw an unreasonable revenue and basic value is getting its due. Competition, narrowing down will be a creative force for more serious effort. Quality is the keynote of the future. A public with a smaller spending allowance for entertainment will be a more discriminating public. The incompetents who formerly had their place because an affluent industry was willing to support all who came, must now give way to the men with ability. I look to see a continued reverting to the exploitation of the star's personality among many units which followed the passing vogue of no-star films. The big star pictures will average the greatest money makers of the coming years. ARTHUR S. KANE. PLAY BROKERS (New York City) American Play Co., 33 W. 42nd St., Van. 0590. Brandt & Kirkpatrick, 101 Park Ave., M. H. 3674. Kauser, Alice, 1402 Broadway, Fitzroy 5860. Sanger & Jordan, Times Bldg., Bryant 0600. Selden, Edgar, 1531 Broadway, Bryant 1530. Small, Edward, 1493 Broadway, Bryant 2389. PROJECTION ROOMS Jos. R. Miles, 130 W. 46th St. Public Projection Rooms, 729 7th Ave. Simplex Projection Rooms, Candler Bldg. EDITORS AND CUTTERS (New York City) Morris Ryskind. Donald Buchanan, 130 W. 46th St. Joseph Farnham, 220 W. 42nd St. Otho Lovering Eusten, 220 W. 42nd St. Arthur Edwin Krows, Yonkers, N. Y. Paul Maslike, 220 W. 42nd St. Charles Beahen, 220 W. 42nd St. \ 201