Motion Picture

With its heavy emphasis on the temporal and the aesthetic, the alliance between the motion picture (or movie) industry and consumer culture is an easy one; something Dichter and his colleagues at The Institute clearly recognised.

The documents within this theme include reports commissioned by Paramount Pictures Corporation and United Artists, with themes as general as How to get more people to go to the movies, the best design for theatre buildings and strategies for appealing to younger audiences. One particularly interesting piece of research for Samuel Goldwyn Productions, Inc. (latterly of MGM) explores the marketing opportunities for the well-known Danny Kaye film Hans Christian Andersen, and goes as far as suggesting script and shot alterations to make the best use of their findings.

This theme also encompasses other forms of marketing and merchandising, such as research into early examples of product placement (Chrysler cars in Motion picture tie-ups) and a run of reports on Universal Studios’ theme parks (Universal Studios Europe - site preference and concept analysis). These documents evince not only the research behind the studios and films, but also their cultural reach beyond the theatre.

Bericht zu einer motivpsychologischen Studie über die Einstellung des deutschen Publikums gegenüber dem Kino bzw. Filmtheater in seiner derzeitigen Erscheinungsform Oct 1969 Report FFA
Draft and notes for a study on the public acceptance and site selection for a Universal Studios theme park in Europe 1989 Report Universal Studios
How to get more people to go to the movies 25 Sep 1953 Report
How to motivate the audience and the sponsor: proposal for a motivational research study of non-theatrical films Sep 1956 Proposal Kodak
Motion picture tie-ups Report Chrysler; Plymouth
A pilot study on the relationship between the TV and motion picture industries Pilot Study
A preliminary research analysis of the emotional reactions of the public to All My Sons Feb 1948 Report
Proposal for a motivation research study of advertising media Nov 1969 Proposal
Proposal for a motivation research study of the youth market Aug 1969 Report Paramount
Proposal for a psychological research study on the advertising problems of Hans Christian Andersen Feb 1952 Proposal; Memorandum
A psychological pilot study on the advertising and promotion of "Hans Christian Andersen," a forthcoming Samuel Goldwyn production Dec 1951 Pilot Study
A psychological study of Castle Films Jun 1950 Report Castle Films
Revised proposal for a motivation research study of the youth market Aug 1969 Proposal Paramount
Rohanalyse der Filmstudie 07 Dec 1969 Report FFA
The sales and advertising problems of Castle Films: Proposal for a psychological research study Mar 1950 Proposal Castle Films
Universal Studios Europe - Amsterdam 1989 (notes and drafts only) 1989 Report Universal Studios
Universal Studios Europe - Frankfurt 1989 (notes and drafts only) 1989 Report Universal Studios
Universal Studios Europe - Hamburg 1989 (notes and drafts only) 1989 Report Universal Studios
Universal Studios Europe - London - depth interviews 1989 (notes and drafts only) 1989 Supporting Material Universal Studios
Universal Studios Europe - London 1989 (notes and drafts only) 1989 Report Universal Studios
Universal Studios Europe - Paris 1989 (notes and drafts only) 1989 Report Universal Studios
Universal Studios Europe - script 1989 (notes and drafts only) 1989 Report Universal Studios
Universal Studios Europe - site preference and concept analysis - Jim Garber and Associates 1989 25 Aug 1989 Report Universal Studios
Universal Studios Europe - site preference and concept analysis - Jim Garber and Associates 1989 25 Aug 1989 Report Universal Studios
Universal Studios Europe - site preference and concept analysis 1989 (notes and drafts only) 1989 Report Universal Studios
Universal Studios Europe 1989 (notes and drafts only) 1989 Report Universal Studios
Universal Studios Europe 1989 (notes and drafts only) 1989 Report Universal Studios; Disneyland; EuroDisney; Mickey Mouse
Vorschlag für eine motivpsychologische Studie über die Einstellung des deutschen Publikums gegenüber dem Filmtheater in seiner derzeitigen Erscheinungsform 09 Oct 1968 Proposal FFA
Vorschlag für eine motivpsychologische Studie über die Grundeinstellungen gegenüber der Filmkritik 10 Mar 1970 Proposal FFA