The Washington times., 1914-10-01
THE BEST
Piotoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
rt Posters Replace
1urid Lithoerdphs
For Thedter
Displays.

within the past few months there
been a decided change in the
aracter and quality of the pos
I, 5 that are used for the advertise
n mt of the product OF certain OF the
lr &c motion picture manufacturers.
! videncc is seen in this change OF
I beginning of an era OF aTusuc
lures for the adornment of the
pnts Of the phOtoplay establish
~nts throughout The country. There
nsver has been any reason for MAX
ing the outside of a picture theater
lrok like the front elevation OF A
deshow. The exhibitor had little
aoice in the matter, however. un-
less he incurred more expense than
h" felt his house justified. There
Il av he two opinions as 10 that
1t the exhibitor had very good
ound for utilizing the paper that
was sent him by the producer. 1t is
probable that if ne had foreseen
Y hat this would lead TO. there would
have been more hesitancy displayed.
Owever, the old style of posters
Y rre used and the old style of pos
FRS were certainly an abominatfon.
competition increased the size rath-
O. tnan the quality, and in order TO
cp I'D with the displays of the
4 an down the street our exhibitor
a : forced 10 s~ath the front of the
/ ilding he occupied with the most
y Eiegated assortment of lithographic
sfits that have been turned out.
l"r advertising. purposes.
y hen the littt in size seemed TO
! 01e been reached tho matter or
JlinG thrills into the posters was
| ken up by the Producers and there
re- frequently thrills in the poster
Al never by any chance appeared
j. the screen production. This is
! phably what led TO the final pro-
{. st by certain exhibitors who had
interests Of the pictures and
cir business Al heart and resulted
. the reforms that are now notice
Il le everywhere.
The first really artistic poster tina;
e as shown in this city for regular
J Ugram release, the first one. that
Is displaying e colored picture, as
~" Edison people have always had
; very conservative poster policy
= .Vertised a Pathe production about
'rur months ago. The real artistic
quality of this poster its subdued
tone and the general excellence with
- nlch it set forth the subject matter
zliTacted attention wherever il hap
D~ued TO he exhibited. The LubiI'
company, having long been dissat-
IEfied with the poster matter, soon
'rerward came out with a series of
'hographs that were quite as fine
any of the Pathe pictures. Then
the Essanay, SeliG. Nitagraph and
kalem companies took the matter
w and made artistic pictures and
the Mutual companies were not far
behind. The competition that
seemed to spring up-and Is still
rontinuing-haS row become friend
rivalry for the most artistic pro
| jrt:Cns Some of the posters. cs
.r'ialiy those II comedies, have peen
7" work of the very hest artists and
| productions oil which the artists
| ay pr Dc themselves.
| Nn"ther Development Of the poster
| -rIEgle is seen in the efforts that
20 - ing made by the film conlpan-
10 supply exhibitors with at
.1"iive pictures Of screen favorites
or lobby display of a more perma-
eut chara cter Artistic photographs
-roursd in frames were the first
top im this direction. These were
.rreed.d by larger and larger pho
graphs Of the more prominent
.lrs and then came portraits don"
artists. the StNeTdl pISlul SS VI
,tGr Mutual Girl done by famous
IIstrators probably directing atten-
IN TO this field.
The picture idea has nov developed
the point of producing oil paint
- Of stars. 4 very large and i'm
sing portrait of Alice Joyce, garb-
3 in A Lucille gown, and wearing
ANY valuable jewels, has lately
aen received by a prominent Ninth
ret exhibitor, and will be display
i'm his Lobby when an Alice joyce
.rlluc is TO be shown al the
later. II is understood that efforts
Fra being made to secure similar
'aintings of other screen stars to
.r used in similar way.
The best poster exhibit we have
zen was in the lobby of the
Srrand Theater in New York \
-oster artist of no mean ability must
- employed on the staff of the
eater. as the pictures that decor
I'd the lobby We're OF uniform
-rze and chara and advertised
cry one of the photoplays shown
during the week we visited the
ueLter as we'll as those coming the
-rNt week. The posters were paint
tI along unique lines. and attracted
-ttention because OF their odd char
a"ter as we'll as because of the
lings that were being advertised.
-bmethlnS OF lne same SOTt IllBHl
- done by almost any exhibitor.
V'e once SOW a poster made by cut
ing out a very highly colored figure
-om a regular Autograph and past
ing il on common strawboard. The
umbination of the bright colors OF
re picture against the rather sub
dued background Of the strawDoard
las most effective. This idea could
n- uti lied in working out many
effective schemes for lobby dis
plays. Or il might be useful
I'M 70 persons interested in photo
Dlays who have an artistic touch
md wish TO make a little pin money
by preparing such things for eN-
pibitcrS IN tho peiphhors c. NJ.