Day Eight: I’d Forgotten How Much Up Front Stuff We Need
You know, we talked about this book in detail last January when we signed the contract, about placeholders and the amusement park design and I have a ton of notes and quite a few words written–pieces of scenes, first drafts of scenes, etc–and yet we still need to get on the same page. Bob asked me tonight for at least the eighth time, no exaggeration, “How do the cells work again?” and I said, “We need a new plan. If you can’t wrap your head around this, the reader will never be able to.”
Also I’m reading a cheat sheet on Palmistry from those Idiot people. It was at the supermarket checkout and I was about to start a scene where MI gets her palm read, so it seemed like a Sign. Or at least a good idea.
I’d type more but Bob is e-mailing me about the cells again. Plus we once again have a cast of seventeen, more or less, and we’re trying to figure out where everybody is and what everybody knows the first night. I will bet you good money, Bob’s firing up Excel even as we speak.
Argh.
Addendum:
It’s late and I’m catching up on what I missed tonight–go, Hilary, helluva speech–and then I tripped over another French ad (remember the safe sex print ads?) and this time, I have to say, I’m speechless. I pride myself on being open-minded to the point of ridiculousness but my mouth fell open about thirty seconds into this, and near the end I definitely said out loud, “You have to be kidding me!” It’s a TV ad for a kid’s orange drink and it’s . . . well, it’s NSFW, for one thing so do not click on this unless you are alone somewhere. And can take a shower afterward. I mean, I really wanted to like it, very imaginative and all that, but dear god, it’s like Bambi Does Bosch. (Hieronymus, that is.)
Second Addendum: No, it’s the world. An Italian priest just tried to organize a beauty contest for nuns. He’s decided it was a bad idea (YA THINK?????) and dropped it, but not before saying that “Sophia Loren is his feminine ideal, nuns are not “all wizened, funereal old ladies,” and some of the younger “foreign girls” with vocations are ‘really very, very pretty.’”
It’s definitely the world.
Okay, just need to say, Hillary Clinton also rocks. Just blogged about that myself. I love supermarket checkout “signs.” Even though they’re almost never right. I believe in them anyway. Hope springs eternal. What are cells?
Oh-kay, now I’ve just watched the Orangina ad. Um…well, it IS imaginative. And, uh, not boring. Huh. I’d come up with something better to say, but words are currently escaping me. So, on that note, I’m going to bed now. Maybe after a shower…
Yep, Hillary was fantastic. I’m really interested in seeing her third act. I think her best is yet to come. I always got the feeling that her need to campaign and please so many people made her stifle herself, and tonight’s speech had none of that. I sincerely hope she gets appointed to something where she can put all that power and passion to good use. The Supreme Court would be nice.
As for Orangina . . . the world just keeps getting more and more bizarre. Either that or I’m getting old. Or both.
Second Addendum: No, it’s the world. An Italian priest just tried to organize a beauty contest for nuns. He’s decided it was a bad idea (YA THINK?????) and dropped it, but not before saying that “Sophia Loren is his feminine ideal, nuns are not “all wizened, funereal old ladies,” and some of the younger “foreign girls” with vocations are ‘really very, very pretty.’”
It’s definitely the world.
I thought that clip was brilliant.
Out of curiosity, where did you come by the idea that Orangina is especially for kids? Are soft drinks only for children in America?
It’s not a _kids’_ orange drink in Europe, as far as I know. It’s just a fizzy drink. That would explain the ad.
The ad for “Orangina Rouge” (with blood oranges) features a chainsaw.
“The Naturally Juicy advert, created by a French ad agency, has attracted criticism from children’s charities and equal rights groups. Claude Knights, director of children’s charity Kidscape, said: “Orangina is a drink which is mainly aimed at children and young people, but this new advert places the product in a very sexualised and provocative context.”
From The Telegraph. I assumed they’d know British marketing. Maybe the problem isn’t that the drink is marketed only to children, but that it’s also a children’s drink? Using sex to sell Hostess Cupcakes? Not that somebody probably hasn’t already done that, but not so overtly, spurting bottles between legs, golden shower symbolism.
I’d have to argue that that product is too expensive and not sweet enough to be considered aimed at kids. I’m passing on viewing the ad.
Cells? Like parts of the park? I’m thinking they exist separately kind of thing, like rooms in a fun house … probably I should stop writing your book in my head.
Wow.The Furries must be thrilled. And the were writers.
Sorry-tried to embed the link. Here tis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furry_fandom
I can definitely see why a children’s charity would have a problem with this add. Definitely need a shower after that one.
Here’s hoping that you can give us a definition of a cell as it relates to the WIP.
holy crap… Well, that was certainly interesting. It most assuredly doesn’t make me want to drink their fizzy beverage, however, so I’m obviously not the target audience. I do love one of the comments on youtube, though — “anything that gets fired from between the thighs of zebra women in bikinis is instant thirst quenching goodness in my book.” Heh. Bet it’s got electrolytes, too!
How do you trip over these ads? I’ll say this for it, it was memorable. And that’s the point in advertising. Off to shower.
I thought the cells were something covert.
Weren’t the cells that cool new graph you came up with to replace Bob’s spread sheet?
Anyway, yeah, Hilary. She was amazing and so gracious. What an intelligent woman. It sure will be interesting to see where she goes next in her career.
The ad was very suggestive. It was artistic and upbeat, but to sell orange drink? Hmmm? Methinks my age is showing.
I think Hilary is one smart, tough lady and could accomplish a lot in the right position. Her best traits didn’t play well on the campaign trail - she doesn’t come across as a people person - but a smart president would find a way to put those traits to good use. I think she’d make a heck of a Secretary of State.
I second the Secretary of State vote. Not that I’d be opposed to Supreme Court Justice. But I think Hillary would be a kick-ass Secretary of State.
So Orangina. Points for creativity, but I have some questions:
What was up with the alien looking creatures that appeared after the bear poured the Orangina on the grass? Are they saying: “You’re a sweet, innocent doe-let a bear steal your Orangina and your world will suddenly be a sexy (read: sleazy) romp in the woods?”
Perhaps this is REALLY an ad suggesting you mix your Orangina with vodka and see what happens. So, yeah, if it’s mainly for kids in europe, I’d be a little upset with this ad, too. But, again, I say, points for creativity. I don’t think anybody ever really sees an ad and says to themselves, “Self, if that doe can get laid by drinking Orangina, then, by golly, I’m gonna go buy some so I can get laid, too.” (What? That case of Orangina in the closet means nothing. Nothing. Maybe I just like Orangina.) But you can’t say the ad is boring, and it’s obviously got people talking, so, I’d say it’s done its job.
But, no, really, what are cells? Inquiring (enquiring?) minds want to know.
It’s a bit risque, yes, but Orangina is not just for kids. And you have to figure it’s French *gallic shrug*. They’re pretty strict about violence on TV, but they’re a lot more comfortable with sex. Unlike Americans who will blow things up and shoot people all day, but freak out at the sight of a breast. I would bet that the ad only runs after 8 or 9 at night.
I generally love me some anthropomorphization, but this goes entirely too far! First of all, the two legged stuff was creepy, as was the stripping. I have no problem with the inter-species love, but it’s just not realistic.
So I’m going to put in my two cents that the cells (the ones Bob doesn’t understand) are not like terrorist sleeper cells.
My brain is bringing up the thought that sometimes “cells” can refer to paranormal activity in the way of ghosts. So it wouldn’t exactly be a “ghost” because it doesn’t have a body and other things typical of ghosts. But a place with lots of paranormal activity might have cells of paranormal activity. Or maybe when there is not one specific “ghost”. But at one time I had seen every episode of TAPs on tv, so there is lots of paranormal information running around my brain.
And that ad was definitely not child appropriate. And I can see how they would have a problem. Because while I merely thought it was weird and a little bit creepy, when you combine sugary soda + furry animals you would think it equals sex. But yeah, points for creativity. Is it a big sealer in European strip clubs you think?
I love the way the ad references old-fashioned adult cabaret, and I’m sure that’s especially resonant in France. The woman on a swing, the naughtily trailing a flower down the man’s body, the silly exploding breasts… all straight out of live cabaret and burlesque. Especially as it’s all set to a Latin beat and dance moves. And of course stripping originated at the Moulin Rouge and other nightclubs on the seedy edge of Montmartre.
Regardless, burlesque isn’t a mysterious lost art of 1890s Paris. Bette Midler made her name doing campy ’70s burlesque in NYC bathhouses and cabarets, and her act could be *very* indelicate. Remember The Birdcage (La Cage aux Folles)? It’s partly about the tug-of-war between being an over-the-top burlesque performer at night and a blandly normal couple in everyday life. At the time there was a lot of interesting commentary on the flight from sexy humor in pop culture.
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,291674,00.html
I assume a lot of the reaction is because of the idea that Orangina is a kids’ drink. I do agree that a lot of the sexy images in the ad are now associated more with the porn industry and decidedly UNartistic strip clubs. I also think the makers of the ad incorporated some images that reference *current* stripping and porn in pop culture (the Chippendale thong, the money shot), and they could have (but didn’t) balance that out with more female-dominant tropes from burlesque. But it ends with that greatest romance trope of all: the taming of the macho male, two straws in a shared drink bottle, fadeout to sunset. Really, I’d think a romance audience would be all over it.
Drat, I got moderated.
The add is defiantly really weird but it brought to mind the old Egyptian gods. I think the thing I was most disturbed by was the fact that they were doing all that stuff with an orange drink that they want me to buy. I can categorize this has something weird but mythological interesting or something I would want to drink. Trying to do both makes my brain hurt.
Also golden showers, ewwe way gross.
Huh… an ad where a bear gets laid because of an orange drink and a priest who wants to organize a beauty contest for nuns.
Huh…
I’m at a loss for words.
I wouldn’t say Orangina was a kids drink - and nor is the Telegraph (affectionately known as the Torygraph) the voice of moderation … though not averse to using photographs of pretty ladies to liven up its news pages
My favourite part of the Ad is the chamelion and the flower. You have to look fast, it’s near the end.
I’ve never seen this ad and judging by the length of it, I suppose it would play rather in cinemas than on TV. The idea of being soaked with Orangina (which is much stickier than, say, Sprite or Coca-Cola) does not appeal to me, and it has definitely got a lot of sexual symbolism, but - and again, here I see the difference between America and Europe - I wouldn’t worry if my kids had seen that ad when they were smaller.
So… the ad concept was by FFL, “les creatives terribles of the Paris scene”, and it was made by an American team at Psyop (psyop.tv). If there really is a trans-Atlantic humor gap, I’m sure they found it during production. Or maybe not. Psyop’s Todd Mueller says:
“From what I understand, at the moment in France censorship is self-regulated. The agencies and clients regulate themselves to ensure no lines are crossed. However, that’s about to change. Sarkozy will be instigating some kind of government regulation. However, I hope this would make it through that. It’s more silly than it is dirty, and if you catch all the sexual innuendoes you’re probably old enough to be watching them.”
The print ads aren’t as fun. Without the movement and the soundtrack, they’re just animal pin-ups:
http://commercial-archive.com/node/141108
… and here we have a comic strip about the making of the video.
http://www.wordsandpicturesonline.com/11-19-07.html
Aaaand I’m moderated again. I knew I would be, but srsly, how could I not link to such strange and wondrous stuff?
As a parent to my particular child, I wouldn’t censor it, but I would use it for discussion. the anthropomorphisim, the sexual symbols, sex in advertising, etc…
I think most of the sexuality stuff went over my kid’s head until he was ready to question it. I guess I was lucky. I’ve always felt responsible for any censoring that was necessary, and never trusted TV very much anyway. When groups start saying censoring is needed for the good of children, I like to remind people that it’s their business to know what their children watch.
The beauty contest for nuns has been canceled. The priest said mournfully that he was “misunderstood.”
I think Hillary, because of her work on health care, would also make a great Secretary of HHS–though that’s not a powerful position in the Cabinet.
Where can one get Orangina? I love blood oranges.
Orangina is at delis around here. It has a distinctive squatty bottle. But it’s nothing like blood oranges, sorry, Talpianna! More like Seven-Up mixed with orange juice. Low-pulp orange juice at that, despite the uber-pulpy ads.
I love Orangina, and it is certainly not in the Hey-kids-ask-Mom-to-buy-this-high-sugar-fizzy-water section of my grocery store.
It’s the second-most refreshing summer drink after Gin and Tonic, and actually, it ends up being more refreshing because I can knock back lots of it on a hot day.
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be in expensive tubby little bottles, because it can be bought in the almost-2-litre size for triple the price of pop, but not more than I feel it’s worth.
A kids’ drink? I don’t think the colour is vivid enough to qualify.
holy cow. that commercial is… something else.
um. bambi does bosch? (sorry - new here.)
“Furries would love it…” Har. Sorry, but the writers of that ad were on crack. As was the priest. Though neither of those things surprises me.
RfP: You can avoid moderation if you put no more than one link in a post. According to Jenny, if you have more, you look like a spammer.
Um, wow. That was a little much, even for me. Sexual? All the way from courtship to orgasm to afterglow–yeah, I would say it was sexual! Maybe it isn’t as overt because it is done with animals so that small children just see that and say “oh mum, can we get the drink with the dancing animals?” but for the rest of us–OMG!