For some things drama is better for hammering points home, but stick to comedy as much as you can—it is more popular with movie audiences.
The French branch of the Remington Typewriter Company recently had a photoplay story produced which concerned a working girl, who, on her father’s death, was the only support of the family. Through the firm cutting down expenses she is dismissed, and vainly endeavors to obtain another position as a stenographer. At the end of her resources, she obtains a Remington typewriter on the installment plan and obtains sufficient clients to provide her with work.
It is seldom advisable to go beyond a reel, which occupies about eighteen minutes on the screen, for that is the ideal length. Audiences will stand this without a murmur of protest, since they appreciate one good extra reel on the program. It matters little whether they realize that it is advertising disguised. Quick action is one of the things that have been responsible for the great present vogue of the motion picture, so have your producer compress all he can into every foot of film. It should then bring you more than the desired results.
VIII.
REACHING THE PUBLIC BY MOTION PICTURES
After an advertising film has been produced, and the owner wants to get his investment back with a fair amount of interest, the question naturally arises as to the means of distribution. A convincing motion picture is half the battle won, but it is obviously practically worthless unless the prospective purchaser be reached. Like the placing of ordinary publicity matter with the press, the marketing of a commercial photoplay is a science. No ironclad rules can be laid down, for the simple reason that everything depends on the proposition itself. I shall, therefore, confine myself to methods that have been employed in general campaigns.
Improving the Ordinary Theater Plan
Once upon a time—and it was not so far back, either—it was a comparatively easy matter to coax a motion-picture exhibitor to take an advertising picture for one or more days’ showing, but nowadays it is hard work to do so, for there are now ten manufacturers to every one that adopted film advertising as part and parcel of its publicity campaign in the past. For another thing, the movie showman has begun to realize that it is advertising pure and simple, although an attempt may be made to disguise this significant fact. Being a business man, he naturally considers it only fair that he should be appropriately remunerated. His attitude has prevented the screen medium getting into a rut, since it has allowed enterprise to enter into the intricate problem of reaching the public, a condition that was formerly confined to the actual film. One without the other only tends to spoil the results.
Here in New York the American Druggists Syndicate recently brought out a motion-picture theater accommodating six hundred, for $150 per day during the first three days of the week. The ordinary dramatic and comedy photoplays were used to entertain audiences, and the program only differed in that ten minutes was set apart for a trained lecturer, discoursing on a series of slides setting forth the merits of his firm’s goods.
All the box-office receipts went to the pro tem. exhibitor. Every patron, on paying for admission, was handed a coupon which was good for twenty-five cents at any A. D. S. store in the locality. The house was filled to overflowing on every occasion as the result of this dandy scheme, thus proving the value of a good premium to which the sporting element is not attached. It is safe to say that their products were introduced to many for the first time, and innumerable new permanent consumers were added to their already long list.
Co-operating with the Dealer