Next to movie studios, in the United States, the National
Screen Service (NSS) had the most direct and profound impact on the movie
paper advertising industry. From 1940 until the mid-1980’s, the NSS was
the "control center" for almost 90% of the movie paper
distributed. In essence, the NSS turned the movie paper advertising materials
into an industry all their own.
By the mid 1940’s most major studios turned over the production
and distribution of all movie paper advertising to the NSS. NSS produced,
printed, distributed and stocked all of the materials (For more indepth,
see a complete history of the National Screen Service, see below)
NSS had established several regional offices throughout
the United States. In 1943, after losing a legal battle relating to monopolizing
the market, NSS subcontracted with a number of independent exhibitor exchanges
throughout the country (For more indepth, see our article on NSS vs Independent
Exchanges). These independent exhibitor exchanges would get their movie
paper from NSS and distribute or rent them directly to theatres. Theatre
owners would simply come to one of the NSS offices or one of the independent
subcontractors to get their advertising materials. If they were rented,
they would be returned after use for credit toward other advertising materials.
In an effort to regulate and control the materials going
through it, the NSS established a dating and coding system. This control system
was actually established earlier for handling trailers but then crossed over
to the paper as well. An NSS number was stamped
on all paper distributed through them. In addition, a special stamp was used
on the outside of the materials. The NSS also printed the NSS
Tag on all materials. This tag basically set the guidelines for use of
the materials – the materials were on loan only and were to be returned. The
NSS would also indicate variations such as
advance, style,
awards, or review.
The mid-1980’s saw a slow but drastic change in the movie
industry. Individual screens gave way to multiplex theatres with multiple
screens. With more than one film sharing the lobby’s advertising space,
there was less room for each theater to promote the film. A total readjustment
of the advertising materials had to take place. This readjustment caused
the phase out of certain sizes of materials (including half-sheets,
three-sheets, inserts,
30 x 40's, 40 x 60's and
lobby card sets). With fewer sizes to deal with,
movie studios began to control their own movie paper advertising, thus causing
the phase out of many NSS offices around the country. By the end of the
1990’s, there were only three regional offices still remaining. A small
percentage (approximately 15%) of the movie paper advertising materials
were being handled through these offices. As of September, 2000, the remaining
NSS offices were bought out by Technicolor, Inc. Technicolor plans to continue
operating these offices, with particular emphasis on the one-sheet.
