Great Ideas In Australian Cinema (Brought To You Telstra)
Can we expect a film version of the life of Emperor Nasi Goreng to hit the big screen soon? Not quite. But Telstra have decided to approach funding bodies in order to get enough money to bring the tale of Daniel and Patrick, the father and son who appear in Telstra’a BigPond commercials, to cinemas everywhere.
No, really.
Telstra, one of the nation’s biggest advertisers, plans to seek millions from taxpayers to make a film featuring the father-and-son characters from its BigPond “Rabbits” commercials.
It is understood that ideas for the film script, which would promote Telstra’s BigPond internet brand, include having Daniel, the son in the popular commercial, look on the internet for a suitable wife for Patrick, his father.
An advertising representative for Telstra — which was Australia’s third-biggest advertiser last year, with a budget of more than $130 million — said the telco would approach all the federal and state funding bodies for help to keep its costs down.
A reminder, please.
Hmmm. Fantastic chemistry, amazing comic timing – it’s ripe for big screen adaptation, but who could we trust to take a thirty second commercial and turn it into an Australian film classic?
Telstra yesterday denied it had approved the plan, but it is understood production companies such as Working Dog, which created The Dish and The Castle, have been approached to work on the script.
Quelle surprise.
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Comments
Telstra, who make profits bordering on the billions each year, can’t afford to make a cheesy movie based entirely around their own product placement? While struggling local filmmakers can barely scrape up $20,000 for a short film? WTF?
Much as the look on Daniel’s face as he prepares to give his talk on China is one of my favourite moments in advertising – EVER – this would totally kill the magic. There’s nothing worse than a company belatedly realising their joke has taken on a life of its own and then flogging the joke to death, which is what happened to the G-O-G-G-O dude.
I don’t see how in any way it would be appropriate for the government film bodies to fund a glorified commercial for Telstra.