It all started with Godzilla ….
p2pnet news | Freedom:- Updoc films, “converge on one central idea of justling the corporate-laden media,” says the company website, going on:
In a complacent world where commercial
financial backing is the make or break crux of film making, Updoc films functions outside the realm of paid product placement and corporate sponsorship. We remain with the artist’s intention, as opposed to what backers would have us sell to our audiences.
We aren’t against outside entities contributing financially to a project in whose success they inherently believe. We don’t even frown upon giving such backers an appropriate nod in appreciation for their support.
What we do believe in is being honest about the relationship that exists between art and corporate backing. We believe in making films with scripts unchanged for the sake of monetary gain through merchandising and product placement.
Oh! The Horror!! What absolute Blasphemy !!!
The relationship between film making and product advertisements has clearly been exploited to the point that the one does not exist without the other.
So what, precisely, is Updoc all about?
Here’s a history from owner, Canada’s Devon Gray.
It all started with Godzilla. The 1998 version. While watching it, I couldn’t help but notice all the advertisements. And then I noticed that the logos of the products in the movie were always facing the viewer. As I paid more attention, it became obvious that these products had been purposefully placed in the scene, the intent clearly being to advertise in subtle fashion. On a whim, I documented the number of product appearances in the Godzilla movie and went on to create a poster to illustrate just how prevalent the product placement is. The result was a staggering 93 product features throughout the 140 minutes of the film.
Upon further research, it became apparent that merchandising and product placement played a much bigger role in the film industry than one might suspect. Often, merchandising brings in billions more dollars than the movie itself.
Despite heartfelt proclamations of dislike of the practice, filmmakers can’t afford to turn down corporate sponsorship because it cuts down dramatically on the studio’s out-of-pocket expense by sometimes more than half. It’s unheard of to refuse the contracts offered up by Nike, Coca Cola, Pizza Hut, The Gap and others.
One can only surmise the number of scenes, scripts and entire storylines that have been manipulated in order to allow for product placements that likely weren’t there when the author created the story. People (corporations) who have a stake in justifying these product placements contend that the products occur in everyday life, lending to the realism of the scenes in which they appear. Because their paychecks depend on the success of these movies, merchandise and product placements, the last thing they’ll tell you is that product placement contracts bastardize the industry.
I decided to gather a few folks whom I knew to be dedicated to their craft and asked them to participate in a collaborative effort called Updoc Films.
The idea is to highlight their work, provide a forum for exposure, and to take advantage of the synergy of our differing styles, interests and technical expertise.
There are plenty of local and small-scale production companies across the United States, most of which would jump at the chance for corporate sponsorship if it paved the road to a wider audience.
Simply put, Updoc Films is a small group of people who make films for the love of it; without compromise to the creative process.
Our goal isn’t to become a large production company, but rather to continue as an outreach for people who want to make movies while staying true to their creative vision. It’s easy to say we refuse corporate sponsorship while operating at such a small level, but in this day and age, when the Internet makes getting discovered so effortless, Updoc Films continues to keep rejection of product placement an issue by highlighting the true nature of its relationship with the movie industry. This stance isn’t going to win us any popularity points among the powers that be and there will always be people who just don’t want to be woken up, but we’re okay with that.
Alongside our creations are an array of features that shine a spotlight on the underbelly of the movie and advertising industries.
Until their relationship and agenda become transparent, Updoc Films will keep supporting projects that highlight them.
Grey’s current project centres on The Cirriculum, of which, he says, aims at, “exposing the underlying motivations behind the university’s set standard of education; The Cirriculum. This humorous investigation includes themes of brainwashing, behavioral control, manufacturing consent and a surprise appearance by public enemy number one – the unabomber.”
Part II is on YouTube —-
[Born in Ontario, Devon Grey says like most children of his generation, he found himself a product of television and pop culture and, an only child, he spent most of his childhood alone, often drawing the world around him and mimicking the fantastical worlds of comic books and fantasy. These days, he says her divides his time between film, painting and various media studies. Currently. he's pursuing his interests in studying media and corporate propaganda systems, at the same time continuing his passion for film by establishing the Updoc Films production company with his partner and wife, Lindy Grey.]
Want to help p2pnet stay online? Please click here.
Use free p2pnet newsfeeds for your site. It’s really easy!
Subscribe to p2pnet.net | | rss feed: http://p2pnet.net/p2p.rss | | Mobile – http://p2pnet.net/index-wml.php
