EXPLOITATION AS IT WAS! 70’S LEXICON FOR BLACK CINEMA OPERATORS
POSTERS, LOBBY CARDS & STILLS : Every theatreman who knows anything about selling motion pictures loves powerful eye-catching one-sheets. Naturally the one-sheet poster that doesn’t get up does’nt sell tickets. And the earlier you put it up – the more tickets it will sell! Put up one at your theatre. Spot colorful lobbys and catchy stills in “hot spots” around town.
HI-RISE STANDEE : The standee is an eye-catching display and can be displayed in advance of the playdate without interrupting your regular pattern of coming attraction posters.
ADS : To get maximum business, a sound, solid newspaper campaign is vitally important. First schedule one or more ads in every high school, junior college, college and university publication that you can make deadline in, throughout your area. Reserve your space right now! Plan at least two consecutive weeks of advertisements in your surrounding weekly newspapers and shopping guides. Naturally your daily newspapers are the powerful mass-media. In these your campaign must start at least 10-days before opening.
HERALDS : Perfect for easy distribution at theatre, house-to-house, parlings lots, store packages, etc. Theatre imprint goes at bottom of front page.
TEASER TRAILERS : For use in advance of regular theatre trailer, and for cross-plugging, teaser trailers can help build that want-to-see excitement!
THEATRICAL TRAILERS : Fast action is the style for the trailer, giving a tantalizing taste of the great moments in the movie, showing off the new Black stars to high grossing advantage.
RADIO CAMPAIGN : Black audiences and Youth audiences listen to radio like no others, and these 60 second and 30 second spots sell action and Black intrigue with the sound of heavy soundtrack music and funky, dynamic announcing. Fill the air, radio spots are all suitable for use on all broadcasts, and all the time!
TELEVISION CAMPAIGN : Show the at-home audience what it’s like to be “at home”. 60-second, 30-s second, 20-second and even 10-second spots, tailored to television will encourage curious audiences to find out just what isn’t shown.
LIGHT DISPLAY : Dramatize the title of your fim screening by having red floodlights play on your marquee and theatre front using rotating masks to simulate inferno flames. These can be used in your lobby also for an illuminating effect on posters from the campaign.
TAGLINES : “6′ 2″ of dynamite caught in the web of international intrigue!”, “Brutal! …Blasting! …Blazing!”, “Touch him and you’re dust!”, “Six Times Tougher Than ‘Shaft’! Six Times Rougher Than ‘Superfly’!”. Taglines tell it like it is, and sells it like it should be!
SCHOOL SCREENINGS : High schools and universities are very much involved in film. Most schools have cinema classes and schools newspapers. Invite the editors of the school press to an advance screening of your film.
BLACK ORGANIZATIONS : The Black communities are represented by a number of publications and powerful organizations whose executive reach most, if not all the citizens in their group. Screenings for the benefit of these leaders should be held and they should be contacted also for assistance in spreading the word among their constituents about the film. The newspapers they read and the radio and television stations which cater to them should be well supplied with stories about the film in addition to the music from the soundtrack.
DISC JOCKEYS : Obtain sample copies of the discs and tapes of the soundtracks from record distributors to supply disc jockeys on both radio and television outlets for plugging purposes. Have a disc or tape played over a public address system in the lobby or in front of your theatre to attract attention of passersby.