Rian Johnson, director of films like ‘Star Wars: the last Jedi’ or ‘Daggers in the back’, has unveiled one of those secrets that just bothers you the next movie you see: Apple does not want its iPhone to appear on the screen in hands of the villain on duty. Welcome to the world of product placement.
You won’t see the bad guy using an iPhone
In a video interview recently published by Vanity Fair, the well-known film director Rian Johnson – responsible for films like Star Wars: the last Jedi or the most recent Daggers in the back – made some statements that attracted attention, even if they are nothing really new
As he said, and at the risk of loading the surprise of future mystery and murder movies that we see, the bad guy will not usually appear on the screen using an iPhone . Because Apple does not allow it. It is one of the requirements that the company that runs Tim Cook seems to demand when it comes to using their products in movies and series. What’s more, Apple’s brand and product usage guides refer to what should always be used
“I don’t know if I should say this or not. Apple allows you to use iPhones in movies but, and this is very important, the bad guys never come out with an iPhone in front of the camera.”
With these words he explained and detailed how in one of the scenes of Daggers in the back (Knives Out) Jamie Lee Curtis is seen holding an iPhone, where you can clearly see the time. That, known these restrictions by Apple, is indicating that it is not the bad one of the movie.
How about? It is striking that Johnson has made this comment, because normally the agreements when making product placement are confidential. At least when there are payments involved. Although, without a doubt, the worst is that it may have annoyed the next films to all those who look at the gadgets used by the actors. Because we will already know who has or not ballots to be unmasked as the bad evil.
Product Placement, an advertising strategy already established
When we talk about advertising there are many types and ways of doing it. The product placement is one that has been used for some time, it was created at the beginning of the 30s in the United States , and is already very well established. Both by the industry and by the user, who admits the use and even sees it as normal, forgetting that behind the brand would be paying to appear.
The product placement basically consists of using a certain product or brand in the audiovisual space in question. This can be done in many ways:
- Passively where they are simply there and there is neither interaction nor allusion
- Actively, mentioning
- Active by action, where what happens in the scene is an important part
Depending on the type it is more or less visible, but what they usually share all these ways of advertising the product is that brands usually put specific conditions . These, as a rule, remain within a confidential contract and are not usually disclosed. Although there have been cases like those of the soda brands that admitted that they did not let the cans of their drinks be seen in the trash.
Anyway, things about advertising. Anyway, if used respectfully, the truth is that advertising helps certain projects to get ahead, grow and improve the quality of their productions, as well as continue to offer everything they create for free.
Source> Vanity Fair
