Nicely Assembled

Marvel Studios’ production of Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers”, I mean.

A huge-budget, huger-scale, and hugely ambitious project that was the culmination of several years’ work.

The sum of many parts. And many characters.

“The Avengers” comic book title first brought several of them together in the 1960s, as a fighting force composed of “Earth’s mightiest heroes”. As does the film of 2012.

If you are a follower of recent cinema, you will no doubt be aware of the commercial and critical successes Marvel has scored with its various flagship characters. All filmed under the Marvel Studios banner – but each movie done in collaboration with separate studios.

Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.).

Thor (Chris Hemsworth).

Captain America (Chris Evans).

The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo – the third actor to play the Hulk’s human alter-ego, Bruce Banner, in the wake of Eric Bana and Ed Norton).

The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson, previously seen in “Iron Man 2″).

And Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner, who had a brief cameo in “Thor”).

“The Avengers” movie unites the team in a single adventure, under the direction of Joss Whedon (who co-wrote the tale).

He has done a fine job. Not surprising, really.

The creator of television Sci-Fi classics like “Firefly”, “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer”, “Angel”, and “Dollhouse” is noted for delivering intelligent, witty fantasies, played out by diverse characters. “The Avengers” continues in this fine tradition.

Each of the main characters has a chance to shine, much to do, and an opportunity for humor, in an epic saga which assembles the team for the first time, under the watchful (single) eye of Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson), head of the global security agency known as SHIELD. (Both Fury and SHIELD have featured in some capacity in all of the heroes’ individual franchise films.)

The Avengers must defeat the global threat posed by Thor’s adoptive brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston, in hissingly evil pantomime form) and the Ch’tari – an alien race brought to Earth by the Tesseract (the blue power cube Odin stole from the Frost Giants, in “Thor”, and which the Red Skull used against “Captain America: The First Avenger”. Wheels, within wheels.)

Cue in-fighting, between the heroes, intrigue, and full-out inter-dimensional warfare, above the streets of Manhattan.
All that, plus an aircraft carrier that turns into a flying fortress.

It’s brilliant fun, and highly entertaining.

And will, of course, spawn a sequel (or two).
There are allusions to this, at the end of the film – by which time The Avengers’ trademark mansion is already being put together by Iron Man / Tony Stark.

But we won’t be seeing the group as a whole until after their next round of solo adventures.

Do yourself a favor, in the meantime.
Grab some popcorn, and see this movie.

And I’ll see you, soon.

Peace.

Life, In The Cloud

My recent experience of being laptop-less, and having to execute a major project using handwritten notes and cyber cafes, got me to thinking:

Assuming your work requires digital technology (and whose doesn’t, really?), is it possible to conduct your day-to-day affairs, using cloudware, alone?

And What IS Cloudware, Anyway?

Well, cloudware is software that runs online, via Internet servers, rather than from your computer hard drive.
Little or no installation (or download) is required.

It is also known as Software as a Service (SaaS).

Applications (ie. programs) exist as hosted services, which you can access using a standard Web browser.

Customers subscribe to applications, rather than buying them.
Typically, this is done on a per-month basis. But many services are available, for free.

There’s a lot of stuff, out there.

Check out Cloudware City (https://cloudwarecity.com), and you’ll see what I mean.

Here, I’m going to concentrate on the basics.

But, first…

A Little, About Archiving

Keeping backups. Making copies. Saving stuff. Online.

You’ll find this a life-saver if (for example) your laptop goes ka-blooey, or the flash drive with all your important files on it falls down a sewer grating (It could happen; you never know).

Your hardware’s gone. What do you do?

Post It: Note

One of the simplest things is to send yourself a note, via email.
Use your Yahoo! or GMail account.

Compose a message with a provocative / memorable title (eg. My Awesome Novel – May 2012), and send the document to yourself, as an attachment.
Paste the raw text into the body of the message, while you’re at it.

Do this regularly – especially if you update your work on a frequent basis.

Yahoo! and Google give you tons of storage space for your email accounts, so use it. Send yourself documents, photographs, MP3 files, YouTube video links, or whatever. Create an online email library, of your favorite stuff.

Email attachments may not be the solution, if you want to save copies of program files (software, presentations, etc.). So…

Try File Sharing

File sharing websites let you store pretty much any kind of file, in your personal accounts with them.

4Shared (www.4shared.com) will let you create a personal archive, for free.
You must provide a valid email address (as your username), and a password.
You will get 15 Gigabytes of storage space, which you can lock as a private library, or share files from, as you want.

Remember to log in to 4Shared at least once, every 60 days, and you’ll have an archive, for life.

So much, for archiving.

Let’s talk productivity.

I’m a writer, so I’ll start with what I know.

Screenwriting: From Reel, To Real

Maybe. But you’ve got to write the screenplay, first.

And you can do that online, by opening a free account at Scripped (www.scripped.com).
You will need a valid email address, and password.

Standard screenplay formatting is done by the online software, and you can download your partial or completed scripts in Portable Document Format (PDF).

By paying a monthly fee, you will also have the option to download your work in Rich Text Format (RTF), or as raw text (TXT).

Mind you, if you just select all the text in your script (Press [CTRL] + [A], on your keyboard) and copy it ([CTRL] + [C]), you can paste it all into a word processor ([CTRL] + [V]), and do that, anyway.

A Novel Experience

One to be had, at Yarny (https://yarny.me), the online novel-writing website.

Membership is free (valid email address, and password), and the software is fast and friendly.

You can compose your manuscript from Snippets – which are just blocks of text (chapters, notes, dialogue, whatever) that you can name and work on, individually.

There is a sidebar for People, Places, and Things, where you can write notes and ramblings on topics related to your novel (like character profiles, or locations) which aren’t necessarily part of the book, itself.

Yarny lets you export as many Snippets as you choose into a single file (ie. the novel), in Rich Text Format (RTF) – which can be read by any MS Word-compatible word processor.

Speaking of which…

Other Words

Here are some options for creating general documents: letters, memos, essays, and the like.

Google Docs (https://docs.google.com) is the free online word processor that can be accessed from within your Google account (GMail, YouTube, etc.). It does pretty much what you would expect a word processor to do.

But if (like me) you find Google Docs slow, temperamental, or somewhat problematic, you could try Shutterborg (http://shutterb.org) – which is also free.

The Shutterborg interface is friendlier than Google’s – and also loads faster, in your browser.
Documents can be opened and saved as HTML (Web page format), PDF, or DOC (MS Word format).

Straightforward software that proves it:

You CAN live, without Microsoft.

Word.

Pictures, Too

FotoFlexer (http://fotoflexer.com) is a free online image editor, with advanced filters and effects for retouching (“PhotoShopping”) your pictures.

Pixlr Photo Editor (http://pixlr.com) does not require you to register with the service – but you must have Adobe Flash Player 10 (or better), to be able to use it.

Some Number Crunching

Stock taking? Inventory sheets? Employee roster?

No problem; there are free online spreadsheets programs, too.

SmartSheet (www.smartsheet.com) requires a valid email address, to create your account. You will get an confirmation email with a link back to the site, where you can then specify your login password.

EditGrid (www.editgrid.com) lets you create a spreadsheet on site, or upload one from MS Excel, OpenDocument, Gnumeric, OpenOffice, Lotus 1-2-3, or CSV file formats.

And if all you want to do is multiply 2012 by 17?
Try Calculate For Free (www.calculateforfree.com)

So, Get Ahead, In The Cloud

Because you can.

Back to Earth, with a bump, now.

I have to go.

Peace.

And, We Have A Winner

Winner, Script Frenzy 2012

Me. And that’s official.

As of April 25, when final page validation took place, at ScriptFrenzy.org

You may remember that Script Frenzy is the global challenge where contestants have 30 days (the month of April) to complete a full-length movie screenplay of 100 pages.

I didn’t want to tell you until the official tally was in – and I had my nifty Winner’s Badge to show you.
(My nifty Winner’s Certificate is hanging up on my wall).

Truth be told, I actually hit the magic 100, on April 19th.

Wasn’t easy.

Mind you, it wasn’t that hard, either.
Because I didn’t lose my head – as sometimes happened, in previous years.

Script Frenzy, yes.

But I wasn’t frenzied, while doing it.

In fact, I was having fun.
And I think that fun is the key to success, in this endeavour.

Let’s face it. The script you end up with at the 30-day point isn’t going to win any Oscars. But. A couple of years down the line; bit of work? Who knows.

So, it’s important to at least finish the damn thing.

And in order to do that, you have to leave self-doubt, over-analyzing, and dithering behind.

And get a little wacky.

That thigh-slapper joke the guy from Human Resources told at the pub, last night?
Have one of your main characters paraphrase it.

The stunt you saw on DVD, that would look awesome, with your own unique twist?
Twist that puppy, and put it in there.

Heck. Throw the kitchen sink at it, if you have to.
Just finish.

And have fun.

During the Frenzy, it was not uncommon for the neighbors to see me pacing my yard, muttering to myself with a goofy grin.
The fact that clowns play a major role in my script didn’t help.
(Get over it, people; that’s the way I work).

The point is, I finished.
In (for me; so far) record time.

Getting that fact recognized? That was a different matter.

For reasons too complex and numerous to go into, I had to do my entire Frenzy using handwritten notes and cloudware (online software).

In a month when my Internet connection was dodgy, at best.

And in a process which went something like this:

1. Type up daily notes and email them to self, as backup archive.

2. Add daily text to project, at online screenplay editor.

3. Try to save project file. Fail, dismally.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3.

5. Yell, “Sod this!” (Paraphrasing).

6. Continue, till end of screenplay.

That was just the writing part.

Assembling the screenplay file itself, was a little more challenging:

1. Download and organize text files, from daily notes.

2. Laboriously stitch notes together
(Copy, Paste, Copy, Paste, Copy, Zzzzz…..)

3. Wake up, with jolt.

4. Save the patched together, Frankenstein monster file.

5. Upload the file to online service that converts MS Word files to Portable Document Format (PDF).
(I used www.pdfonline.com. You upload your file, give them your email address, and they send the PDF to you, in minutes. 10 minutes, in my case).

6. Upload the PDF screenplay to the validation engine at www.ScriptFrenzy.org.

7. Get validated.

8. Punch sky, in triumph.

9. Yell. “I rule!”, “Yes!! I am The Man!”, etc.

10. Drink glass of something bubbly.

Which is what I’m going to do, after I sign off, here.

But first…

The logline for “SOS: State Of Siege” now reads like this:

“When teenage super-soldiers take possession of a crowded cafeteria, an elite police unit must safely negotiate the release of their hostages – among them, the sister and girlfriend of one of its key members.”

I know; still needs work. As does the screenplay, itself.

And the logo:

Clowns. Remember; there are clowns, involved. Dangerous ones.

I’m off, for that bubbly stuff, now. And maybe some fried chicken.

I’ll see you, when I do.

Peace.

A Quick Question

Or two.

Which of these logos says “Bunch of heavily-armed teens dressed as clowns hold hostages in crowded cafeteria” to you?

This?

Scary enough, for ya?

Or this?

Too cool, for school?

Answers on a postcard, please.

Or, better; leave a Comment.

Oh, and I’ve reworded my logline a little. How’s this grab you?

When a group of heavily-armed youths take possession of a crowded cafeteria, an elite police unit must negotiate the safe release of their hostages – among whom are the sister and girlfriend of one of its key members.

Better?

Back to my Script Frenzy; pages to add.

BTW, it’s Day 7, and I’ve got 36 pages done.
That’s over a third of the movie, people.

I’ll see you, when I see you. If not before.

Peace.

I’m In A Frenzy – Again

But, in a good way.

Each year, the Office of Letters and Light stages Script Frenzy, an international screenwriting challenge.

The objective is to complete a movie script of 100 pages, in the 30 days between April 1st and April 30th.

100 pages. 30 days.

That’s roughly 3 and a half pages, per day.

Good pages, mind. Of a story which holds together as an entertaining movie, that makes sense.

There are badges for participating (like the one above), which you can put on your website, blog, or in a forum like this.

Entrants have the option of contributing money to Script Frenzy (which is run on donations; not compulsory).
And, if you win…

There’s the satisfaction of having succeeded.
A nifty certificate, that you can frame for your wall.
And another first draft screenplay, to add to your portfolio.

This year, I’m working on “SOS: State Of Siege”, a thriller with the premise:

“When a group of heavily-armed youths takes possesion of a crowded cafeteria, an elite police unit must safely negotiate the release of their hostages – among whom are members of the unit’s families.”

A little vague, I know. Needs work.

But that’s the way of Script Frenzy. The concept evolves, as the days progress.

I’m cheating a little, in that “SOS: State Of Siege” is a prequel of sorts, occurring a few years before the events of another script of mine. So, I’ve less need to agonize over character development, since I already know who several of the main players are.

Here’s the opening scene, to give you a taste of what I’m up to:

FADE IN

INT. RADFORD COLLEGE CAFETERIA – DAY

It’s Open Day, and the cafeteria has been converted into an exhibition space.
Colorful banners and displays form islands between groups of tables set up with snacks and drinks.

FAMILIES and LOCAL YOUNGSTERS mill around the hall.

In one section a group of SMALL CHILDREN giggle at the antics of several CLOWNS – youths in costumes, with face paint and Radford College badges.

The clowns dispense balloons and toy nicknacks to the little kids, from the large duffel bags they all carry.

All the clowns wear sunglasses – including JUNIOR, a girl of about 17, who stands to one side, arms folded round the straps of her bag. Her blood-red clown smile is distorted by a quirky grin, as she watches.

One of the clowns (RED, age 17) darts round the group, pretending to shoot his clown colleagues with a huge, floppy rubber six-gun.

Red’s hip bumps a table.
And a very real-looking nine-millimeter handgun falls from a pouch in his duffel bag, and slams to the table top.

BLAM!
The pistol goes off, on impact.

And a bullet rips through the throat of a YOUNG MOTHER, across the room.
She drops like a stone, dead before she hits the ground.

It takes a second, before her YOUNG SON finds breath to scream.

And general pandemonium ensues.

Some rush toward the fallen woman, to apply first aid, do CPR. Anything.

Some flap around, and make noise.

Some rush toward the exit doors.
Only to find each exit blocked by a bag-wielding clown.
The frightened people move to protest, and

BRRRUP!!
A chatter of automatic gunfire rips across the ceiling. Surprisingly loud, in the noisy cafeteria.

All eyes turn toward Junior, who holds the assault rifle.

Nothing clown-like in her attitude, or the way she holds the weapon, as she speaks to Red.

JUNIOR
Little early, but what the hell.

With her free hand, Junior takes a digital remote unit from her bag.

Nothing clown-like in her smile, as she addresses the crowd.

JUNIOR
Let’s get this party started.

She presses a sequence of buttons, on the remote.

My own party continues. Well; Frenzy.

If you would like to get involved in Script Frenzy, it’s not too late.

The first few days are always slow. It takes time, to establish a rhythm.

So get over to ScriptFrenzy.org, and sign up.

Or, if you are already a participant, do what I’m going to do.

Get back to work.

Peace.

Rebirth Of A Legend

It’s a process with many names – most of which have ‘re-’, in them.

Reboot. Re-imagining. Re-telling. Re-interpretation.

Many words; one process. And a simple one, at that.

1. Take a cherished old tale (legend, myth, comic strip, whatever).

2. Give it a “new” twist.

3. Re-package (Great. Another ‘re-’) it, as a movie, or TV series.

4. Hype it, to the gills.

5. And…

Boom! Mega-bucks, at the box office. Multiple sequels follow. Millions, in spin-off merchandise. Hopefully.

Hollywood has been at it, for decades. It only feels as if “re-packaging” is all that the movie industry has been capable of, in recent years.

The latest thing is with fairy tales. So, in the months to come, we can look forward to gems such as:

“Snow White and The Huntsman”. Wherein the huntsman in question deviates from his orders to kill the little lady, becoming instead her martial arts mentor.

“The Seven”. Another take on the Snow White legend, with the dwarves “re-invented” as a Shaolin-style warrior sect.

“Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters.” Some 20-odd years on, the plucky kids have grown up to become leather clad, kick-ass psychic investigators, with mad witch-killing skills.

Hmm. Maybe not.

However, there is one legend who has consistently provided filmmakers with tales of great quality. And – in his many incarnations – produced some memorable performances, as well.

I refer to The Strange Case of Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced the character in the late 19th century. A series of tales in which John H. Watson – a solid medical doctor, invalided out of the British Army after serving in the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880) – described the activities of his friend, Sherlock Holmes.

Consulting detective to the London police, Holmes possessed the remarkable ability to deduce a sequence of events from what looked to be the scantest of physical evidence.

Portrayed as cold, calculating, but ultimately noble, the only woman for whom anything like emotion stirred in Holmes’ dispassionate heart was a criminal – the American born actress, adventurer, and con artist, Irene Adler.

Conan Doyle gave us mind-boggling mysteries. Explosive action. Plus a brilliant and sinister arch-villain.

Hollywood snapped it up. And gave us Basil Rathbone.

In a series of 14 films spanning the years 1939-1946, Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes re-created many of the classic Conan Doyle stories. He also found time to battle the vampire lord, Count Dracula. And take on the forces of Hitler’s Third Reich, during World War II.

Same character. Different settings. Different time-frames.

Fast forward, to 2010. And an offering not from Hollywood, but from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

The TV series, “Sherlock”, to be precise.

Holmes and Watson. Sorry; Sherlock and John.

Created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss (both of whom have worked on the cult Sci-Fi series “Doctor Who”), “Sherlock” stars Benedict Cumberbatch, as Sherlock Holmes, and Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson.

The show is a contemporary re-working (oh dear) of the Conan Doyle legend. Similar, but different. So…

Dr. Watson is retired on a disability pension from the British Army, after serving in Afghanistan. No changes there, then.

Holmes uses the Internet, GPS, cell phone, and other modern technology, to solve crimes. But his powers of deductive reasoning are as keen as ever. And he serves as the world’s only “consulting detective”. The professional investigator the police call upon when their own resources prove inadequate to the task. Even though Sherlock describes himself as “a high-functioning sociopath.”

So Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade of the London Metropolitan Police (played by Rupert Graves) calls on Sherlock’s services reluctantly – but more often than he’d care to admit.

As does Sherlock’s brother Mycroft, a tall, thin, quintessential Englishman (played by series co-creator Mark Gatiss) who bears a striking resemblance to the arch-villain, Prof. James Moriarty – as described in the Conan Doyle literature.

Which makes Andrew Scott’s “Call me Jim” Moriarty such a pleasant surprise. He looks like any average Joe on the street, but this Moriarty is quirky, amoral, dangerous, and totally psychotic. The world’s only “consulting criminal.” The evil mastermind other criminals hire, when the job they want done is too messy, complex, or nasty for them to handle, themselves.

Similar. Different. Incredibly good. This is how to “re-invent” a legend.

An accolade that may not apply to the upcoming US TV series pilot, “Elementary”, which will re-locate Holmes to modern-day America, re-gender Doctor Watson as a woman, and re-…

Well. A story for another time, perhaps.

Until I re-turn, then.

Peace.

Google: Privacy Matters

They're watching you.

On March 1st, 2012 – in case you hadn’t noticed – Google rolled out its new privacy policy. And, deep in cyberspace, much uproar and outrage ensued.

What Have They Done?

Well, Google is merging the individual privacy policies that apply to Google Search, Google +, YouTube, and some sixty-odd other services, into a single policy that covers all of them.

The new policy is intended to be an easy-to-understand statement of what kind of information Google collects about you when you are online – and of what Google does, with it.

Google will combine data it has gathered from your various accounts, and use it to “customize” your experience.

Why Have They Done This?

God only knows.

According to Google? The new policy should make it easier for you to see the kind of content you want on one Google service, based on your activity on other services within the Google network.

What Does THAT Mean? Really?

Individually-tailored content. Targeted advertising. Stuff like that.

Let’s say you’ve been on YouTube, watching horror movie trailers. The next time you go to Gmail, say, you might find your page bordered with ads for upcoming horror film festivals, discount horror DVDs, and so on.

Sounds Pretty Harmless

Not according to the European Union. Or the United States Congress. Or the government of Japan. Or umpteen users, on Twitter.

Their main concern is that – once you are signed in – Google will use your Web browsing history as part of a profile it builds on you. There is a fear that Google will have too much access to personal information, if they are allowed to gather so much data about you, in one place.

Furthermore, users are left with little choice, about how their data is handled.

Opting out of the new privacy policy is not really an option.

So, What ARE Your Options?

1. Well, you could opt out of Google, entirely.
Use (for example) Ask.com, for searches, Yahoo! for mail, Vimeo, for video, etc.

A bit fiddly. And all those separate services have terms and conditions, of their own. Not to mention all those user names and passwords.

2. Use Google, but don’t sign in.
Google doesn’t collate any information from users who aren’t signed in.

This, incidentally, is the option recommended by Google, itself.

Fine, as long as you don’t forget to sign out of one service, before using another.

3. Limit the extent to which Google can track you.
Like this:

* Sign into your Google service account.
Access the ‘Account Settings’ menu. Typically, this will be in a drop-down menu under your name, in the upper right-hand corner.

* Click on ‘Account Settings’.

* Find the section called ‘Services’.
You will see a link to ‘View, Enable, or Disable Web history’, in a red box. Click on it.

* Remove all of your search details by clicking on ‘Remove Web History’, in the red box.
Your viewing history will remain disabled, until you turn it back on.

Note that disabling your Web history won’t prevent Google from gathering and keeping this information, for internal use.

It will prevent “customized” search results.

And it will oblige Google to “anonymize” your data, in 18 months.

Good luck.

And, let’s be careful, out there.

Peace.

Damage Limitation: For How Long?

Hmm. He's still got a job, though.

So, James Murdoch – son of media magnate Rupert Murdoch – has stepped down as Executive Chairman of the beleaguered News International arm of the family’s media empire.

This is the culminating act of a sequence of events:

* The closure of The News of the World, the British Sunday tabloid newspaper which was News International’s flagship product.

* A number of high-profile court cases in which alleged victims (celebrities and everyday citizens alike) sought damages for the alleged phone-hacking and /or phone-tapping practices of journalists working for The News of the World.

* The arrest and / or resignation of several key figures of News International’s corporate structure.

* An ongoing investigation into alleged corrupt practices by employees of New International’s daily tabloid, The Sun – which may have involved serving members of the police force.

* The launch last Sunday by Rupert Murdoch of The Sun On Sunday (The SOS? How desperate is that?), a tabloid which may fill the gap left by the defunct News of the World.

And now, James Murdoch has stepped down. And out of the media spotlight.

Hmm.

Am I being cynical, or does this look like a damage limitation exercise?

I mean, James Murdoch is still assured of a senior position at News Corp, the main US arm of the Murdoch empire.

And – by reducing the heat on News International – the success of the new Sun On Sunday may also be assured.

I don’t know.

Cynical ploy? Or genuine reaction to the course of events?

What do you think?

I Checked This Out: Honest

Remember all that stuff I said last time, about the dangers of the advertorial / infomercial?

And the need for those who write them (like me) to establish that there’s actually some merit to the product or service they’re endorsing?

To make inquiries? Do research? Due diligence?

Well, I’ve done diligence, on a bunch of folks who approached me to do a blog for them.

And I’m pleased to confirm that what I’ve seen, is good.

So, get on over to Nuzcom, and check out their story.

It concerns an outfit co-founded by a lady you might recognize.

Jessica Alba, Co-Founder of The Honest Company - with daughters Honor and Haven

And it goes by the title, “The Honest Company: A Sponsored Post”.

See you later.

Peace.

The Truth. Brought To You By…

Some manufacturer, who wants you to buy their product.
Or some politician, who wants you to buy into their message.
Or some government department, that wants you to think a certain way.
Or…

I’m talking advertorials and infomercials, here.

Advert– Wha–??

An advertorial is an advertisement, presented in the form of an editorial.
In print, (newspaper, magazine, Web page) it is usually tailored to resemble a legitimate and independent news story. Often, the advertorial is designed to look just like the other articles  which appear in the publication. Subtle differences may be added, to meet legal requirements – such as the inclusion of a disclaimer, like “special promotional feature”. Often in tiny print.

Infomercials are direct response television commercials, and often include an associated phone number or website. They are also known as paid programming, or teleshopping (in Europe).

Long-form infomercials range from 15 to 30 minutes in length, while short-form infomercials are typically half a minute to 2 minutes long.

The practice of showing infomercials began in the US, where they were often broadcast overnight (2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.), as an alternative to signing off.

The term infomercial is now also used to refer to any presentation giving out information intended to promote a specific point of view.

You Say Potato…

I say “King Edward’s”. Or “spud.”

Different words. Same product. Different emphasis.

Depends on how you look at it.

On 9th January 2012, headlines emerged about a scientific study which suggests that carbon dioxide emissions from global warming might prevent or delay the onset of the next Ice Age, due in a few thousand years.

Here’s how the British newspaper, The Daily Telegraph pounced on the good news.
In an article entitled “Carbon emissions to block next ice age”, The Telegraph interpreted the findings with such gems as:

“Carbon dioxide emissions will delay the arrival of the next ice age,
according to a new study.

Researchers from Cambridge University who examined variations in the
Earth’s orbit and global climate patterns calculated that the next ice
age should begin within the next 1,500 years.

But the impact of carbon dioxide emissions on the environment means
that the global freeze which should be on its way will not be able to
take hold, they said.”

“The temperate stretch in between global freezes can be longer or
shorter depending on a number of factors, but with the last ice age
having ended 11,600 years ago the arrival of another already appears
overdue.”

“Dr Luke Skinner, who led the new study with colleagues from University
College London, the University of Florida and Bergen University in
Norway, said: “From 8,000 years ago, as human civilisation flourished,
CO2 reversed its initial downward trend and drifted upwards,
accelerating sharply with the industrial revolution.”

“The Global Warming Policy Foundation said the study demonstrated that
man-made carbon dioxide emissions were preventing a “global disaster”.

The think tank, set up by Lord Lawson, cited a controversial theory
proposed by Sir Fred Hoyle and Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe in
1999 which said we “must look to a sustained greenhouse effect to
maintain the present advantageous world climate.”

In the spirit of open-mindedness, the article did include this proviso:

“Dr Skinner told the BBC such an argument would be “missing the point”
that man-made climate change will heat the planet much more than
current temperatures, and that failing to slow the rate of carbon
emissions could have “huge consequences.”

A view more in keeping with the tone of the research itself, as originally reported on BBC television.

(http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9673000/9673997.stm)

Hmm.

And then, there are the (product) promotions.

Some of which are… well. Terrible.

Or for products that don’t actually work.
The Good Housekeeping website has a page dedicated entirely to a review of non-performing infomercial products.

(http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/video/infomercial-products-that-dont-work-video-42474344001)

Many of which are just plain dumb.

Actually, that last video was a parody. But, still.

Diss Information

And, yes. I did spell that correctly. At least, in the current context. When the advertorial goes adversarial.

I mean mud-slinging. Disrespect.

Political campaigns.

Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign set up an Obama Channel on satellite TV networks, to promote his views through a series of infomercial broadcasts. A week before the polls, Mr. Obama bought a 30-minute slot during primetime, on seven major networks – drawing a peak audience of some 33 million viewers.

Fast forward, to 2012.

With no clear front runner emerging for the Republican Party presidential nomination, the candidates have taken up the infomercial cudgel, in earnest. To beat each other over the head, with. So…

An ex-Romney aide disses Mitt Romney:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/01/06/new-anti-romney-video-attacks-bain-capital-work.html

Newt Gingrich disses Mitt Romney:

Mitt Romney disses Newt Gingrich:

And so it goes on.

And on. And on. And…

Look. All I’m saying is – what with election campaigns, sitting governments trying to sell painful austerity measures, and corporations looking to make a fast buck – you’re likely to be seeing a lot of this advertorial / infomercial stuff.

And, when you do, you should take it all with a hefty pinch of salt. Saxa, preferably. Or a similar name brand.

And, yes.

I am a professional writer. It’s how I make my living. So, if some wealthy client rolled up to me with a proposal to write an advertorial for them, I would seriously consider taking their money. Man’s gotta eat, after all.

BUT. I’d have to check them out, first.

Let The Reader / Viewer Beware…

Keep an open mind, when you read or view this stuff. But, not TOO open.

And look into the background. Read around the subject.

Due diligence, they call it. That’s what Google Search is for. Sorry. I mean Yahoo! Search. Or Ask.com. Or…

And keep a firm grip on your wallet.

Now, go forth and be skeptical.

Peace.