New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-31
this kind The New York premiere Of nc.
ture is always good for space

this kind. The New York premiere Of a mir
ture is always good for space
While the p A, is on the lookout for H.
kindest words of, the critics he ncvertbel,..
reads with interest all Of the comments -.
his pictures. Even when some rural tbes+a-
manager out IN She sticks insists that "M;s,
Blank is the poorest star on the screen and
this feature is as bad as she is" tho D !.
enjoys the hunlor of it as well as anvbod..
For he knows that the chances are anotho.
gentleman perhaps within = few raiioz ~ -.
former; viii find the same production "a 60.
lire boH-otilcc attraction and d zeal fo7t,,ro j,
Another factor IN the sale Of picture
the direct appeal to the exhibitor The :
made through the press material sent o,.t
With each production. 1t includes all r,o.
Ter Of information regarding the niece
players, author, director, etc, and LEI -
accessories designed to promote the selliro -
the picture to the public
THIS material is miscellaneous .,a
prises such items as news shorts, production
notes, and interviews with star. Director n0a
others VINO had hand in making tho ~.
ture. All this is intended to call at4or4;o.
to the picture and is suggested far nso -
newspapers il the towns where the fast,..o
IS 10 be shown. There are advance no.;oo.
during run stories, and even comnlote .na
highly commendatory leave it to the p A
Tor thatD reviews Of the production. STRANGE
~ enough, many papers unable to review the
picture use these laudatory reviews Ard
when The 7. A. runs across one OF those 80
printed reviews h s happy indeed. He foels
himself of some value in the world. after oil
In one instance picture was released ar-
cording to schedule, but the first notices ovon
1t were most unkind. Scarcely a critic b.d
any use for it and most Of them felt tbov
could 90 better themselves Il was ebsroo
they declared, to waste good money or s,cb
miserable film
The P. A. was in despair. He had worked
hard to give the production decent send.os
and he felt that the attack was not only nm
just, but direct reflection on his work Be.
SIDES ne had to have some kindly comments
to help sell the picture to others.
AT length fate gave him faint smile for
IN the mass Of oaustic clippings returned on
the picture he discovered review he himself
had written. And later, from a more distanr
part of the country, he received another He
had cast his bread on the waters and if had
returned to hlm-the same bread to be sure
but with the taint Of publicity rubbed off.
The picture is not the only thing he mus.
sell. The time has not fully arrived when
that in Itself will draw patrons. The public
has its favorites, and it is the P. AS duty to
see that his stars are given the fullest nub-
licity possible. He must also launch new
stars.
A concrete example is not difficult to find.
One actress scared to the attention of film
company on the wings of the wonderful press
notices given her for her work in supess
special photoplay. She was more than usual
ly pretty, she screened we'll, and knew how to
act, and so the powers said: MAKE her
star"
The P. A. scratched his head and began to
plot, deeply and darkly Well, he knew that
no exhibitor would buy pictures made by an
unknown actress. He was equally certain.
and for the same reason, that the public would
not turn out to her. So he appreciated
that 1t was his task to make her name well
known.
First he turned his attention to the exhibit
tors. He sent personal hand-addressed post.
cards, beginning at one end of the country
and ending at the opposite coast. These pul-
ported to come from some one signing HIM
self with lone initial. There were several
OF these cards, mailed from various cities en-
Continued on page sir1 II