Re: [MOPO] Fwd: Re: [MOPO] NSS questions

[Vaughn K. Mann]

Yes Phil,

I can certainly relate to what you are saying. I mentioned that this was a network of 10 or 12 theatre's, owned and operated by the same individual. Thus, in many cases, much of the paper, the entire NSS package was Kept and Stored backstage for further use later on in any one of the theatre's.

Yep! it was later on I realized I was living the "theatre find" and how I stayed in touch with a beautiful era of the "Movie House".............and eventually ended up on MOPO.....Vaughn

At 12:17 PM 7/22/2004 +1000, Phil Edwards wrote:

Yes, this is how it worked with the display paper travelling with the film print from theatre to theatre. It's what made a good film booker - that he would have as many prints "working" as possible all the time - moving from theatre to theatre as they finished their first runs and went into sub-runs in the days before multiplexes and saturation booking for what is basically now a one-time theatrical release. Prints standing idle (then and now) would get a booker into trouble with his/her sales managers. Now such print movement is all computerised (theatres still need to have the prints broken down if they are going on to another location or back to the distributors) for pick-up. Back in the pencil and eraser days of print movement management it could be a very stressful job.
 
It was up to individual theatres if they wanted to buy/lease extra display paper for incoming shows just in case the previous theatre didn't send on enough or any. Lots of theatres in the pre-TV, video days of multiple re-bookings for popular shows used to keep at least a file set of lobby cards, a one sheet (and daybills here in Australia) and/or stills so they wouldn't have to re-purchase material when they booked the movie back a few weeks later when a print became available again. This is what constitutes a "theatre find" these days.
Phil Edwards
Phil Edwards Cinema Arts Pty Ltd
26 Vista Avenue
Soldiers Point
NSW 2317
AUSTRALIA
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Phone/Fax (International Dial) 0011 61 2 49847233
Phone/Fax  (Domestic Dial) 02 4984 7233
Website: www.cinemarts.com

----- Original Message -----

From: Bruce Hershenson

To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 11:53 AM

Subject: Re: [MOPO] Fwd: Re: [MOPO] NSS questions

Vaughn

I think you are slightly confused, but are also 99% correct.  I have talked with many former theater owners, and their stories are all very similar to each other.

I think you will find that the truck you described was not going to NSS, but rather to another theater just about to show the movie.  Your theater would have the movie on say, Sunday to Wednesday, and it would go on Wednesday night (after the last show, as you said) by either truck, car, or Greyhound bus, to the next theater, AND THE POSTERS WOULD GO WITH IT (just as you said).

That's why it was so important the theater not give the posters away, and why the posters arrived to you "used".  If you didn't get the posters to that next theater, they had nothing to put on their walls!

Of course, in the biggest cities, there were poster exchanges the theaters would deal with directly, and some theaters were the first to get a film so they would get mint posters, and some were last in line, so they didn't have to return them, but those were the exceptions.

Bruce

At 08:36 PM 7/21/2004, Vaughn K. Mann wrote:

Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 21:36:00 -0400

To: michael king <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

From: "Vaughn K. Mann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

Subject: Re: [MOPO] NSS questions

Hello All,

 I do remember as a very young man, after the last show of the evening and the last show date for that title,  bringing the film down from the booth, down a long flight of marble stairs, after the last show in two metal cases. Each containing 3 or 4, 20minute reels. We would sit them in the outer lobby where the "film truck" would pick them up.

More to the point, my father, who managed the theatre would put all the advertising paper, including one sheets, on top of the film cases, so that all would go back to Boston. I do remember that the paper was supposed to be returned to NSS in Boston. I clearly and fondly recall  my father telling me to pull the one sheet down, so that we can get it out with the film. How it got there via the "Film Distributing Truck" eludes me, but...........recall vividly that it was headed back to NSS for use somewhere else. I also know that many of the one sheets and other styles were not necessarily mint when received from NSS.......I put enough of them up in the framed case. Thus used before.

What does the above support........not sure, but felt, at least, it was worth mentioning. Mike appears to have a great deal more knowledge than myself in regard to NSS activities, however,  just wanted to relate this experience and perhaps it can be explained or refined..........All I know is that I enjoyed the trip back...................Have a good evening, Vaughn

At 06:49 PM 7/21/2004 -0400, you wrote:

Hello Ethan...

NSS Locations:

In a form letter from NSS dated 6/14/84, which I received from them,

having had an account there since 1948, they list the branches that

were closing as of 6/25/84:

Boston, MA - to be serviced by NSS Camden, NJ - a sad day for me,

indeed.

Cincinnati, OH -  to be serviced by NSS Kansas City

Seattle, WA - to be serviced by NSS Los Angeles

Dallas, TX (which served LA, MS and southwest AL) - to be serviced by

NSS Kansas City

Atlanta, GA remained open.  Included in the letter are the addresses

of the four operating locations:  Camden, Kansas City, L.A. and

Atlanta.

Returned posters:

In my experience, NSS did not expect One Sheets to be returned.  Many

times they were cut up for use in marquee displays, etc.

The Lobby Displays (40 x 60s, Half Sheets, LCs, Inserts, etc.) were

expected to be returned for re-use.  Some branches were more lenient

than others in this regard.  The older paper would be kept as long as

there was room in their storage spaces; then periodically "cleaned

out" to make room for new material.  The Boston Branch kept the older

paper well into the 70s, because of the number of college film

societies and revival houses in town.

NSS owned Consolidated Litho, which printed the Warner posters.  Fox

and MGM used Tooker Litho; Paramount, Republic - Morgan; etc.  In

these cases, the NSS info is sometimes printed into the plate by hand

by the various litho companies.  If the NSS number is not in the lower

corner margin of the poster itself, it is sometimes printed on the

back by hand in black crayon by NSS staffers.

I hope this answers some of your questions.

Best,

Mike

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