Bureau of Distribution of the Division of Films

Film distribution was handled (outside of the States of California, North Dakota, and Michigan, in which States the distribution of Government films w^as in charge of the councils of defense of those respective States) by contract with established film^distributing organizations on a percentage basis, in accordance with the established custom in the motion-picture industry.

The respective Government films were distributed by the follow^ing distributing organizations :

Ofiicial War Review, Pathe Exchange (Inc).

Pershing's Crusaders, First National Exhibitors' Circuit (Inc.).

America's Answer, World Film Corporation. Under Four Flags, World Film Corporation. U. S. A. Series, World Film Corporation.

Our Colored Fighters, Downing Films Co. (colored).

Divisional representatives. — From September 15 to December 15 the Domestic Distribution Department had in the field 17 sales representatives stationed in the various centers of distribution, such as New York, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Seattle, Salt Lake City, New Orleans, and Atlanta, which representatives supervised the sales e^'orts of the distributor and made direct governmental appeal to exhibitors on behalf of the Government films, and also adjusted and regulated the problems resulting from the close and noncompetitive booking of these films.

The aim of this department was to secure the widest possible distribution of the Government films in the shortest possible time. To this end every effort was made to eliminate the competitive idea from the minds of exhibitors and to, wherever possible, secure simultaneous showings in houses which ordinarily competed for pictures.

Proportionate selling flan. — There was also inaugurated a proportionate selling plan whereby the rental charged every house was based on the average income derived from that particular house. By this method the small house as well as the large one could afford to run the Government films. The result of these efforts to obtain thq widest possible showing for Government films is tabulated below, and it may be mentioned that the showing of America's Answer breaks all records for range of distribution of any feature of any description ever marketed.

Title of production. Reels (each). Number of prints circulated. Total bookings of record. Number of theaters played. Contracted theaters still to play. Official War Review (1 every week for 31 weeks) Pershing's Crusaders America's Answer Under Four Flags U. S. A. Series (4 subjects) 1145 112 103 73 25 6,950 4,189 4, 548 1,820 212 6,950 3, 352 3,026 837 1,522 1,104

Of each issue.

Additional contracts on all features are still being received. (This report as noted above does not include the States of North Dakota, California, and Michigan.)

On the basis of a total of 12,000 motion-picture theaters in the United States, over one-half the total number of theaters in the country exhibited the Official War Eeview and nearly that portion America's Answer. (Bearing in mind that three States are not included in the figures on the Government distribution.)

In the film industry a booking of 40 per cent of the theaters is considered as 100 per cent distribution because of the close proximity of a great number of theaters, rendering them dependent on the same patronage — that is, theaters are plotted as available in zones rather than as individual theaters, thus three theaters in one zone present but one possible booking because of the identity of clientele. Taking this into consideration, the distribution of Government features approximated 80 per cent and 90 per cent rather than 50 per cent distribution, although on America's Answer in certain territories such as New York and Seattle the percentage of total theaters booked reached over 60 per cent and 54 per cent, respectively, which on the above basis would equal 100 per cent distribution.

A^eios weeklies. — In addition to the above activities this department furnished to each of the four film news weeklies— Gaumont, Pathe, Universal, and Mutual — a weekly quota of 500 feet of topical war film to be incorporated into their respective film news weeklies.

Theater adTnissions. — Beginning with America's Answer a clause was inserted in the feature contract with the exhibitor expressly providing that no advance in admission prices should be made during the showing of the Government films; this was made practical by the proportionate selling plan in effect, and it also made it possible for the public to see these features at the same price paid to see any film at the particular theater, small or large.

Publicity. — Publicity matter was furnished to newspapers and periodicals of all description throughout the country, which was used generously by those publications, which also cooperated splendidly with local theaters on these features by timing the publication of this matter just preceding and concurrently with the local play dates of the Government features.

This department also prepared and distributed to every exhibitor in the United States press sheets on the several Government films, which stimulated bookings, especially in the remote communities not reached by the general publicity.

Govermnent presentations. — In order to lend a certain dignity to the Government features which would be sufficiently impressive to take them out of the class of ordinary motion-picture productions in the minds of the general public, and to stimulate interest in them on the part of officials and influential citizens whose expressed opinions were worth much in securing showings of these pictures, there were given governmental presentations of each of the three big features as follows:

Pershing's Crusaders was shown in the following 24 principal cities of the United States :

Boston, Mass. Buffalo, N. Y. Chicago, 111. Cincinnati, Ohio. Cleveland, Ohio. Columbus, Ohio. Denver, Colo. Detroit, Mich.

America's Answer

Albany, N. Y. Atlanta, Ga. Atlantic City, N. J. Baltimore, Md. Birmingham, Ala. Boston, Mass. Bridgeport, Conn. Brooklyn, N. Y. Chattanooga, Tenn. Chicago, 111. Cincinnati, Ohio. Cleveland, Ohio.

Kansas City, Mo. Milwaukee, Wis. Minneapolis, Minn New York, N. Y. Omaha, Nebr. Philadelphia, Pa. Pittsburgh, Pa. Portland, Oreg.

St. Louis, Mo. St. Paul, Minn. Salt Lake City, Utah. San Francisco, Calif. Seattle, Wash. Spokane, Wash. Toledo, Ohio. Washington, D. C.

in the 34 following cities :

Columbus, Ohio. Dayton, Ohio. Denver, Colo. Hartford, Conn. Indianapolis, Ind. Kansas City, Mo. Macon, Ga. Milwaukee, Wis. Minneapolis, Minn. Nashville, Tenn. New Haven, Conn. New York, N. Y.

Omaha, Nebr. Philadelphia, Pa. Pittsburgh, Pa. Portland, Oreg. Providence, R. I. St. Louis, Mo. St. Paul, Minn. Tacoma, Wash. Washington, D. C. Worcester, Mass.

Under Four Flags in the following nine cities :

New York, N. Y. Philadelphia, Pa. Baltimore, Md. Cincinnati, Ohio. Dayton, Ohio.

Indianapolis, Ind. Chicago, 111. St. Louis, Mo. Kansas City, Mo.

Each of these so-called official showings extended over the period of a week or more and were presented at municipal halls, well-known legitimate or motion-picture theaters centrally located in the respective cities. Wide and intensive publicity and advertising campaigns were conducted by representatives on the spot by means of department-store window and hotel-lobby displays, street-car cards and banners and newspaper space donated by local advertisers, etc. This campaign also included circularization' and personal interviews with representatives, officials, and leading citizens, clubs, societies, and organizations, including large industrial plants and firms. Churches, schools, chambers of commerce, political and social clubs. Young Men's Christian Associa' tion, Red Cross, Liberty loan and fraternal organizations were among those included in the lists.

In many instances portions of the house or the entire house on certain evenings were sold en bloc to organizations which attended en masse. These showings and the local notables attending were given publicity in the local press, thereby stimulating attendance at the regular showingig in the local motion-picture houses in the respective territories which followed.

Taking for example the official presentations in New York City — Pershing's Crusaders was shown at the Lyric Theater ; America's Answer was shown at the George M. Cohan Theater; Under Four Flags was shown simultaneously at the Eivoli and Rialto Theaters on Broadway — each of these showings was preceded by a press campaign of about two weeks, several hundred 24sheet, 3-sheet, and 1-sheet posters were posted, and thousands of window cards displayed, invitations were sent to all local dignitaries, and the showings were attended by representatives of the French, British, and Italian High Commissions. In Washington, members of Congress, the President, his Cabinet, and many other officials attended, all of which facts were used extensively in advertising the features for general distribution.

Screen pledge. — All theaters which played one or more ■Government films were supplied with a certificate of service rendered the Government by the dedication of their screen to the support of its work.