When we were asked by Happiness Brussels, Toyota’s Ad Agency in Belgium, to travel to Belgium and bring our Boris and Juri characters with us – we never thought it would go this far. Car Dance Party began as an idea for one of our videos, Car Dance Party Moscow, where we follow Boris and Juri in learning the proper way to have a car dance. From the moves, etiquette and application the two Russian superstars taught thousands of viewers how to do it right.
The creative people at Happiness Brussels saw our video and two weeks later we were in Brussels crafting the idea for Car Dance Party Belgium. We finished shooting a mere ten days later and when all was said an done, the two videos, Car Dance Party Belgium and the Car Dance Party Moves video were instant hits. Generating thousands of car dance uploads from regular people all over Belgium, media attention, so much…well…have a look at the video below.
I saw this pic in a newspaper and had to share it with all of you. These were taken at the premiere of ‘Bruno’, in Spain. Take notice of the gay Spanish Matador’s in the background. All I can say is “freakn’ hilarious!”
There is nothing more irritating to me than to see a picture of a burger or packaged item nicely photoshopped for the maximum effect. In fact, while regulatory bodies don’t see it as such, I call it blatant false advertising…a nice exterior put on top of a mediocre product. Let’s have a peak at some of the items I think fall into this category, and while this is only the tip of the iceberg, it’s a good sampling of a pure rip off as far as I’m concerned.
McDonald’s Big Mac
Here’s a tasty looking Big Mac promotional shot. Mmmmm, two “all beef” patties, special sauce…you get the idea. The nicely browned onions, perfectly seeded bun, juicy beef, leafy-green lettuce, crunchy pickles and delicately melted cheese all coming together to create the most delicious looking burger. It almost makes one want to run out of the house or office right now and get your hands on this delectable item. Of course, the high soon fades when you get through the drive-thru, pop open the box and find this…
Uhhh, what happened to my delicious patties? My crispy lettuce – it looks parse and lacking nutrients – and why aren’t my onions lightly browned? Well for Pete’s sake this doesn’t look anything like the picture above at all? In fact, the beef looks a little suspect to me…
Parmalat’s “Lactantia” Butter
This one made me laugh. I was actually sitting at a Swiss Chalet and noticed little butter packs in a nice cup. I picked up the package, studied it a bit and noticed the lovely looking farm on the cover. Awww, the wholesome farm where the good people at Parmalat’s brand Lactantia make the down-home, country side butter. A small farm house with a few cows, likely named Sue, Bob and Danny, free grazing the plush green grass just bursting with pure milk waiting to be whipped with a dash of salt…
Ehhh, not so much and frankly a little insulting. You see most Parmalat products are made here and in these kinds of conditions for poor Sue, Bob and Danny. Just your run of the mill industrial plant with the machines pumping out as much hormone filled milk you could possibly want! Yay! Good wholesomeness there.
Red Baron Pizza
This one I found on Flickr, because it was ridiculously funny. You got your cheese, stretching out until it just can’t hang on any longer…beautiful pepperoni and lots of it!
First let me say, that if this didn’t give you nightmares as a kid, you are twisted. The Dark Crystal by Jim Henson was perhaps one of the freakiest movies I’d ever seen. Here’s a quick scene from the movie, chock full of imprisoned people, strange crystal lights and scary characters that kept me up in the night…
I found this Green Lantern trailer on YouTube and was absolutely amazed. Why? Because it is completely fake. It was put together using a series of movie clips from Star Trek, Lord of the Rings and Serenity to name a few. The guy then adds his own computer effects and puts in a little movie trailer music (I think it’s from Batman) and PRESTO! You get a kick ass Hollywood movie trailer.
Keep in mind, it’s not 200 million bucks worth of effects here. But, for some guy workin’ on his home computer in his basement…it’s pretty frickn’ inspiring. I wish we could do effects like this guy. Enjoy.
Recently I read a book called “The Aquariums of Pyongyang”, the story of a young North Korean who after moving to Pyongyang from Japan, was sent to Yoduk concentration camp and ultimately escaped the oppressive country.
As a young boy, his grandfather was persecuted by North Korean officials – who charged him with crimes against “The Party.” The family, guilty by association, was sent to Yoduk where they spent ten years enduring beatings, starvation, forced labour, death and disease. The book fascinates while it disturbs, and while North Korea is iffy in the “Axis of Evil”, it is a human rights catastrophe.
I wanted more information on North Korea, the secretive country of which very little is known. I came across one photo of the Yoduk concentration camp…seemingly the only one that exists, grabbed from a video of several prisoners working and guards interacting. Not the most incredible video, but interesting nonetheless.
Looking for more, I came across a 14 part series called the “Vice Guide to North Korea”. Shane Smith, founder of VICE magazine, wrote this about the beginning of the experience…
Getting into North Korea was one of the hardest and weirdest processes VBS has ever dealt with. After we went back and forth with their representatives for months, they finally said they were going to allow 16 journalists into the country to cover the Arirang Mass Games in Pyongyang. Then, ten days before we were supposed to go, they said, “No, nobody can come.” Then they said, “OK, OK, you can come. But only as tourists.” We had no idea what that was supposed to mean. They already knew we were journalists, and over there if you get caught being a journalist when you’re supposed to be a tourist you go to jail. We don’t like jail. And we’re willing to bet we’d hate jail in North Korea….
The mini-series is incredible. I wouldn’t say it was documentary style, but the most in depth visual representation of what life is like in North Korea I could find. Watch the episodes here…it is truly fascinating.
I thought that I might share with you a pastime that Ryan and I have been expending much of our energy forthwith this season and that is the game of tennis. We have formally invited Erik to joins us, but he is petrified of the unusually skimpy attire that goes along with the game’s dress code. Who wears short shorts? Erik doesn’t wear short shorts. No matter, the game is best played with two, and so Ryan and I have been dueling every fortnight along the shores of the reservoir where the nets meet their challengers under the blazing Calgarian sun. The victor is garnished in flowered wreaths and is carried off to the palace of delectable feasts and wine.
I suppose if I had to put it more accurately I would say that we play on the public courts where mosquitos are rampant, the nets have seen a few too many winters, and a run down pub is across the street, but HEY! One man’s trash….you know how it goes.
