Motion Picture Press Kits: A Resource for Film Study

Leuschner ¡Motion Picture Press Kits: A Resource for Film Study Eric Leuschner University of Missouri-Columbia Motion Picture Press Kits: A Resource for Film Study The press kitforthe movieAmistad(1997). Included isthe press kitpackage (top left}, booklet (bottom left),sackofphotographsandthe more recentadditon ofa multimedia CD-ROM (bottom right) that is both IBM PCand Macintosh compatible. 50 I Film & History Regular Feature | Methods and Resources In addition to point-of-purchase material such as sell sheets, stand-ups, and product displays, motion picture kits, or pressbooks, are part of the colossal marketing strategy used by film studios to advertise their current releases. Created and printed by movie studios, press kits contain media release information and are sent to newspapers and magazines for reviewing and publicity purposes. More than ephemeral bits of media hype, press kits are a valuable resource for film historians and film students as well as sociologists , pointing to the values ofcurrent society and the prospective movie audiences, or at least the values attributed to them by the Hollywood studios. This paper attempts to provide a background to press kits as a resource for film studies. Press Kits Information in press kits includes press releases, credit and cast lists, production information, cast biographies, plot summaries , position papers, and still photographs, both of the film and ofbehind-the-scenes. Although press kits are used primarily by newspapers and other print media to prepare reviews, and thus there is little demand for complex marketing techniques and gimmicks, press kits are often packaged in attractive heavy-stock folders featuring a reproduction of the theatrical poster. While many press kits are no more than photocopies ofcredits and plot summaries, others are more complex and create a seamless narrative, incorporating the necessary details of the production with photographs. Studios have taken quick advantage of technology, putting press kits on the Internet and on CD-ROM. This technology allows audio and video clips to be easily incorporated as well as provides hyperlinks to related sites. Despite the easy access ofpress kits on the Internet, they tend to be transient in this medium. Only current releases are maintained, and it is uncertain if a researcher will be able to return to a desired site. Studios have also begun to use CD-ROM press kits. This medium is useful for newspaper editors who utilize desktop publishing software and can download digitized photos directly to their page layout, saving editors time and the studio money. The ultimate goal is that "more photos and more effective stories get published with the net result being more publicity" (Goodpasture 98). CD-ROMs, too, while useful in capturing huge amounts ofinformation, including images and audio and video clips, are technology dependent. Because of the temporality of the new media, traditional press kits will continue to have value—a value that will only increase with time. Even traditional press kits, however, are plagued by currency . Since press kits are used primarily by media outlets in preparation for film reviews, and thus, are considered timely, they are often thought of as a disposable commodity , thrown out as soon as they are used. Several libraries and museums have recognized the importance of these artifacts and have retained press kit collections. Having retained press kits since the 1930s, the Museum of Modern Art houses the largest collection. Other depositories that collect press kits include: • The Library of Congress motion picture division • New York Public Library for Performing Arts • National Film and Sound Archive (Caberra, Australia) • Oklahoma State University • UCLA • University of California, San Diego • University of Southern California Cinema TV Library • University of Southern Indiana Certainly, this is an incomplete list. Press kits can be found in various sources, including libraries, newspapers, theaters, and film merchandise outlets. Too often, however, they are simply thrown away. Edward L. Bernays: Father of the Press Kit The "father ofpublic relations," Edward L. Bernays (18801993 ), is credited with the invention of the press kit. He was the first person to create an intentional public relations packet for a movie. Bernays, nephew of Sigmund Freud and coiner of the phrase "public opinion," was hired by William Fox of the Fox Film Corporation to publicize the 1917 film Cleopatra, starring Theda Bara...