Part 5

At those times when the farmers attend important functions on business bent it is customary to erect machinery and rent a large amount of space for same. The demonstrations are cramped and can never be so thorough in scope as were a special cinema show to be erected and demonstrations given at stated intervals by means of a film. This would be a good investment, which I can vouch for by the success that has attended the plan at various expositions held at the Grand Central Palace, New York.

On first thoughts, the idea of erecting a private motion-picture theater in your office building may appeal to you as an unnecessary expense, but an agricultural machinery concern in Hull, England, has such a place in which to show its implements to prospective purchasers. On the whole, it is rather a bore and unpleasant having to take the prospect through your plant, and everything is in favor of the short-cut method. Perhaps a prospective client will request even to be shown the machinery in actual use, and a lot of inconvenience is saved in not having to trouble already satisfied customers. This is only of importance when the film is produced, after which it is good for all time.

XX.

HOW PUBLISHERS CAN CAPTURE BUSINESS FROM THE EVER-ENCROACHING FILM PRODUCER

It has been asserted by some that the movies are a new menace to the publisher. While not denying the truthfulness of the statement, I can not pass by without remarking that the publisher is to blame for such a deplorable state of affairs coming to pass.

The motion picture has created a demand for clean-cut stories, without a particle of padding. Yet there are publishers who have continued to turn out fiction of all kinds with frightfully slim plots. In the motion-picture play, the story is the thing. Sometimes one of these compressed plots that the average author would weave into a good-sized novel can be unfolded on the screen in eighteen minutes.

The longest novel--from a plot stand-point--when converted into a photoplay, would not, at the most, provide more than two hours’ entertainment. As a rule, they run to an hour or so, while those that rely, to a great extent, upon description rather than plot, and are also deficient in plot qualities, could not be put on at all.

It seems to me that the person who has reaped most of gold for this fiction adaptation mania is the author. Now, why shouldn’t the publisher likewise benefit? Well, he can, if he gets into action right now.

Down to date, the greater part of the adapted fiction--short stories and serials--has not been filmed until after publication, when, of course, it would not increase the sales one little bit. If all are to profit, united co-operation is necessary. When a piece of fiction--no matter whether it be a short story, a serial or a novel--appears, an endeavor should be made to arrange with a film concern that the photoplay should appear simultaneously with it in fiction form. Tagged on to the end of the film--or both beginning and end for preference--should be a notice announcing where the printed story can be seen. This publicity the publisher will reciprocate by informing the readers of his publication that they can see the photoplay version at the movie theaters, and so forth.

The millions that visit the moving-picture shows daily have come to regard their favorite amusement as a “Guide to Literature.” They prefer to see it on the film first, because it is the quickest and easiest way to arrive at a decision. It is also the truest test.

Since the movie manufacturers have made good with the speeding-up process in stories, so must the offending publishers follow suit if they do not wish to be put out of business.

When a film form of a well-known copyright-expired work has been exhibited, a run on the cheap editions has occurred, while in many cases the book dealer has been totally unprepared for the demand. The publishers should keep a weather eye on the different releases week by week and watch out for opportunities.

Fresh developments have resulted in more business slipping out of his hands. The latest move of the film producer is to produce an original serial play, have the scenario author write it up in book shape, add some photographs from the film, together with a signed one of the leading actor. The first attempt along these lines has been distributed among the picture shows in lots of twenty-five or more at 15 cents per copy. The first edition of fifty thousand copies sold like hot cakes, so to speak, and the second edition sold well.

Why, I maintain, should not the publisher have the business that is legitimately his? There is little chance of co-operating with the ordinary one- and two-reel photoplay, as the fiction rights of these are given to the motion picture magazines, whose staffmen write them up. There are, however, opportunities for the publishers to handle the big feature photodramas, as well as the linked series and serials. It is a paying proposition for all concerned if operated on the right lines.

XXI.

ADVERTISING YOUR NEWSPAPER WITH A MOTION PICTURE

Enterprise is a restless thing. Once let it remain still and all the good work is undone. This fact is brought more closely home in the case of a newspaper, for enterprise does so much to hold a reader. One stunt is soon forgotten, and it is therefore imperative to keep the ball a-rolling.

You, as a newspaper man, know the huge following the motion picture has, and if you are a small-town member of the fourth estate I want your attention right now. Mr. Big City, your turn will come next.

Several small-town newspapers have tried out the following plan successfully. A prize, usually $25, is offered for the best one-reel scenario, comedy or dramatic, as you may choose, only it must possess a plot which can be effectively taken amid familiar local surroundings. Usually the editor, dramatic critic and the movie director act as the judges.

This is followed by a voting contest for the selection of the most beautiful young woman and handsomest young man in town to play the heroine and hero, respectively. A prize of, say, $25 each, should be offered.

Nominations are best made by coupon, accompanied by a photograph. The judges can weed out the hopeless ones and print the photographs of the good-looking ones in the newspapers, as well as having them thrown upon the screens of the local motion-picture shows. Interest may be maintained each day by announcing the standing of the candidates.

It is up to readers to vote for their favorites, who, if successful, would be trained to act in the prize-winning story.

The advantages of the indirect advertising campaign are many, and it will be found to pull more results than ordinary advertising could accomplish in a lifetime. I say this in all seriousness.

In the first place, almost everybody has a hunch to write a photoplay, but few see their efforts on the screen. In a local contest they stand more chance of making good. The winner is aware that there is more than $25 and local fame awaiting him. His success does much to remove the barriers from the doors of the regular motion-picture producers, who, knowing he is one of the “arrived,” give his future efforts special consideration.

The acting bug is strong within many, especially boys and girls in their teens. The speaking-stage used to be the attraction, but nowadays they get screen-struck instead. Can’t you imagine how proud the winners would be to act in a photoplay and be viewed by their admiring friends? It may prove a stepping-stone to an engagement with a big film company. Events have turned out this way before now.

Important links in the chain are the local motion-picture exhibitors. All are fully alive to the value of a photoplay possessing a strong local appeal. Therefore, if you agreed to announce in your newspaper where the picture was being presented, you would find all the local exhibitors clamoring to hire it. You would probably be able to charge a nominal fee to help cover the cost of production, for it is not as if the photoplay is advertising pure and simple. You get your publicity as the promoter of the production.

Apart from getting your newspaper on the lips of everybody, every candidate would enlist the aid of friends to secure votes, the additional coupons required for this purpose increasing your circulation many times over, temporarily, of course. On the other hand, you would secure new permanent readers.

You may be too far removed from such movie-producing centers as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Jacksonville. Fortunately, however, there exist private concerns throughout the country which make a specialty of local work.

XXII.

SELLING SHOES BY MOTION PICTURES

Mr. Shoe Manufacturer, take your choice. Which would you prefer to boost a brand of shoes by--an industrial film, a comedy photoplay or a trick film? That is a matter for you personally to decide, for my responsibility ceases after mentioning how each type of motion picture has been employed by other shoe manufacturers.

The George E. Keith Company, manufacturers of Walk-Over shoes, introduced themselves to the motion-picture public with “The Making of a Shoe,” said film being exactly one-reel in length. The camera man went to Campello, Massachusetts, for his material, and first panoramed his camera outside the Walk-Over plant. Once inside, evidently nothing escaped his notice, for he covered everything, from the leather inspection to the polishing of the finished soles.

Credit must go to the Krohn-Fechheimer Company, of Cincinnati, for being the first to present photoplay stars. Their film, “A Footwear Romance,” featured, to use a studio term, Ruth Stonehouse and Bryant Ashburn. It was easy to capitalize these two attractions, so full-page announcements were taken in the leading motion-picture magazines.

This was how the fans were appealed to: Glancing across the aisle on the Pullman, Edward Blair saw a pair of feet so small, so bewitchingly dainty, that at once he lost his heart to the pretty feminine possessor. But who was she, and where was she going? Resorting to a bit of clever detective work, he found that she wore the Red Cross shoe--a clue that led up to some startling information. But afterwards came the greatest shock--when he discovered her as the servant in the home of Miss Eugenie Hatton, the girl he must marry to win the fortune of his eccentric uncle.

How would you have this story end? Would you have him marry the servant-girl, whom he really loves, or Eugenie and a fortune? How it really does end will be a big surprise to you.

The star players, of course, were especially mentioned, as well as advising readers to see the film when it came to their town.

The opportunity to present the direct appeal was not overlooked, for the Krohn-Fechheimer Company offered to send the complete story of the film. With the synopsis was enclosed a card of introduction to the local Red Cross dealer.

I understand that the film was handled by a Red Cross dealer in every town, who arranged for its showing at the most desirable local photoplay theater, calling attention to the fact in his newspaper announcements.

The trick film is capable of putting over many amazing advertising stunts, and for impressing a name on the public it can not be surpassed, if equaled. While I can not recall any American shoe manufacturer having adopted same, we can take a leaf out of Germany’s book.

A clever idea was carried out by the Dorndorf Shoe Stores, which establishment used a film that presented a jumbled heap of letters, these eventually merging into the word “Dorndorf.”

The same concern employs another film which shows shoe-boxes traveling unaided from the shelves to the customer, who allows the shoes to try themselves on his feet until a pair proves suitable. Then appears the apt subtitle, “Dorndorf Shoes Sell Themselves.”

XXIII.

FILM ADVERTISING FROM THE PHOTOPLAYER’S VIEWPOINT

Business and art do not usually go together, but this can not be said of Edward Earle, the popular photoplayer.

“Perhaps why I evince such a great interest in advertising,” Mr. Earle began, “is the fact that without it a photoplayer would soon find his popularity on the wane. A player must, first of all, possess ability, as otherwise the most brilliant publicity campaign in creation will fizzle out.”

Having thus broken the ice, I got down to business.

“Do you advocate the film as an advertising medium?”

“Well, yes, and then, no,” he remarked, thoughtfully. “It is the forceful methods adopted in film advertising to which I am opposed, and which, incidentally, are responsible for the medium not having attained the popularity of its older sister--press advertising.

“One of the points in favor of the latter is that you are not compelled to read the advertisements. They win out on their own merits, for if one is sufficiently compelling your attention is automatically attracted.

“But the ‘make-up’ of the motion-picture theater screen differs in that only one thing may be presented at a time. If an advertising film is unfolded, you have no other alternative in the darkened hall than to give it your attention.

“Nothing is more abhorrent to the people of this democratic country than compulsory methods,” Mr. Earle continued, “and it is my belief that motion-picture advertisers unconsciously get in bad with their prospects. It is a human trait in buying to be able to choose between goods of the same kind, but as the exhibitor only rents out his screen to one advertiser in each trade, the public can not possibly discriminate.

“You will have to go far to find a magazine or newspaper that doles out monopolies to advertisers. I honestly think that this condition of things has a tendency to make advertisers dull and listless. Competition is the life and soul of publicity, and makes the advertisement writer put plenty of ‘pep’ into his copy.

“Once the present forceful methods in film publicity presentation are abolished, the medium will enter an era of prosperity.”

“Do you consider this treatment can be avoided?” I asked.

“That all depends,” Edward Earle replied. “You see, the average photoplay program occupies two hours. To lengthen this in order to include advertising picture, the exhibitor has either to open his show earlier or else curtail his performance. The former step would not be practical, as his busy times are from seven to eleven in the evening, in which hours he has to give two performances. The latter move, however, would not meet with the approval of his patrons.

“If the advertising film was about one-reel in length, the exhibitor could just about squeeze it in. This should be shown at one theater for only a day, as the regular fans dislike to see a picture more than once. It will also allow other advertisers a look-in.

“If the ad. story can be told in less than one thousand feet, so much the better. I notice some commercial producers offer to release several subjects by different advertisers on the same reel. I know in the case of press advertising that it is a serious mistake to cram as many words as possible into a small, displayed announcement, but in film publicity the reverse is the case.

“The more material you compress into a film the snappier it will be,” commented Mr. Earle, “though clearness should not be overlooked. The bugbear in the motion-picture industry to-day is padding, and I should be sorry to see national advertisers fall for it. A film may occupy the screen longer, but it will certainly not impress spectators any the more.

“The big advertisement has its place in filmdom if the story succeeds in maintaining the interest from beginning to end, but you must remember that a whole page magazine ad. can be read inside of two minutes, while a feature, its motion-picture counterpart, demands at least an hour of a fan’s time.

“But there is no room for the big feature in the regular motion-picture theater. If I am not mistaken, there will spring up a chain of photoplay theaters in the large cities to which the public will be admitted free. At these ‘billboard stations’ short, regular photoplays will be sandwiched in between the ad. films so as to attract the folks inside.”

Mr. Earle raises some interesting points, which deserve the consideration of every national advertiser.

XXIV.

ADVERTISING FILM CIRCULATION

Motion-picture advertising has presented its crop of new problems, and probably none so involved as circulation. Let us, first of all, compare the film with printer’s ink. To my mind, a motion picture is like a press agent’s story syndicated to a chain of newspapers throughout the country, yet it is different in some respects. A write-up may be released for simultaneous circulation and published in several thousand newspapers on the same day, but this stunt would not be practical in the case of a motion picture.

The regular photoplay producers have specified release dates for their productions, and although several thousand exhibitors may book the same production, their dates will be spread over a period of about six months. Each print supplied by the film manufacturer costs the exchange at least $100. The leading theaters are in a position to pay the high rental demanded for first run, but the exchange has to keep that print working overtime in order to make a profit, so it is hired out to other exhibitors at proportionately reduced rates.

Now, suppose you have a one-reel industrial film produced. The negative, we will say, costs $500, but for every print you need the charge is $100. Now, if you are going to have your film shown at every theater simultaneously, it means that you will have to supply one print for each theater. As the picture will only be retained for a day or so, it is extremely doubtful whether the expense will be justified, so it is best to utilize only one print in each territory. A film does not generally begin to show signs of wear and tear until after about six months’ constant use, and, if we allow one day for each theater, each copy of the picture will be shown in about 156 theaters. Allowing an average audience of one thousand at each of the two evening performances, the film will have been seen by 312,000 people. There are more in these than appear on the surface, for, although a publication may guarantee such a circulation, you have to allow for those readers who skip all advertisements. In the motion-picture theater this can not be done, as only one thing is shown on the screen at a time, and in the darkened hall a spectator can not turn his attention elsewhere.

Another thing which must be taken into consideration is the fact that the one-reel film occupies the screen for eighteen minutes, which is several times greater than the time a reader devotes to a press advertisement.

The film must be charged to the copy writer’s account, for an exhibitor charges from $12.50 to $50 per week for renting out his screen for advertising purposes. A film, I admit, represents a big outlay for the copy writer’s services, but it is a worth while investment.

The Maxwell Motor Sales Company, for instance, had a series of films produced which were presented over five thousand times in America, Canada, Australia and England. It is estimated that they were seen by at least two million people. The circulation was mainly achieved by dealer co-operation, the dealer making arrangements with the local exhibitor and presenting free tickets to all who cared to accept same.

Those advertisers who do not make their appeal to the general public will find that quality circulation is far preferable to quantity circulation. Hoggson Brothers, the New York contracting designers, realized this when they showed their film exclusively to business men who contemplated having buildings erected or remodeled.

The film owned by the Columbia Paper Manufacturing Company, of Washington, D. C., was exhibited by one of their traveling representatives before printers in various parts of the country.

The film which boosted the products of the Peabody Coal Company, of Chicago, was shown at a number of educational institutions, as well as to individuals interested in the coal business.

The Reliable Incubator and Brooder Company took advantage of a recent poultry show held at Quincy, Illinois, to present a motion picture, “taking spectators through their plant and showing their poultry-raising methods.”

Both the French China Company, of Sebring, Ohio, and the National Tube Company were represented at the Panama-Pacific Exposition by motion-picture exhibits.

Under these conditions, the motion picture becomes a catalogue in celluloid. It is more powerful than the printed page, and helps to substantiate the claims of the salesman. Whether it is best suited to general or class circulation is determined at the outset, after which it is necessary to seek the right channels, these being determined by the character of the proposition.

XXV.

COVERING THE MOTION-PICTURE FIELD BY MAGAZINES

Not so long ago photoplay audiences were content to just see the films through, so the players remained mere shadows until the industry advanced a few steps further, when stock companies were formed. Now, this meant that the fans saw the same actors, week in and week out, instead of a fresh face every time, and, very naturally, they began to evince an interest both in the screen players and the brands of photoplays. Then the motion-picture companies were bombarded with inquiries asking for the name of the man with the curly hair, and so forth.

It occurred to one of the film companies that there was scope for a magazine appealing expressly to the fans, and now the motion-picture field is represented by nearly a dozen publications of all sorts and descriptions.

The motion picture to-day has such a tremendous hold that it is estimated that there are twenty million fans in this country. Just think of it--one-fifth of the total population.

It has been truthfully stated that motion-picture fans are the most inquisitive folks in the world. They make it their business to read every word in their favorite photoplay magazine, and this ensures an advertiser’s announcements being read.

I have discovered that the majority of the readers are girls and women, but the publications are taken in the homes and eagerly devoured by the rest of the family.

It has long been thought that motion-picture audiences only comprised the poorer classes, but now the habit has spread to folks in comfortable circumstances. These publications reach the largest city as well as the smallest rural community, and are equally good for mail order or dealer campaigns.

The photoplayers thrive on popularity, and you would be surprised what a lot a fan thinks of his or her idol, so the appeal goes closer home when the copy is linked with the name of a prominent screen performer. For instance, in one publication the Charles William Stores, the New York mail-order house, ran three cuts of popular players in the full-page ad. They first showed Harold Lockwood wearing one of their spring hats; the second was of Romaine Fielding attired in one of their business suits, while Marguerite Clayton was seen with one of the dainty afternoon dresses on. In the same issue Ruth Stonehouse testified to the merits of Sempre Giovine Soap.

The logical follow-up medium for your film is the motion-picture publication field, for every fan takes regularly at least one publication devoted to photoplays, and the cover of national magazine or periodical you have in mind may only catch his eye at the news-stand.

XXVI.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS OF ADVERTISING BY MOTION PICTURES

There is a great future before advertising by motion pictures, and it is only with the most careful deliberation that I have concluded in what way the future developments will assume shape.