Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Last Jedi (Trailer) Has Awakened

The first teaser trailer for Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi is here.

What’s your first reaction?

My reaction can be summarized with three words hyphenated in perfect harmony:

Crazy-awesome-amazing.

The Jedi has to end? Who is Supreme Leader Snoke? Is “Jedi” in the title intended to be singular or plural? Who is Rey related to? Is this Luke Skywalker’s final Star Wars adventure?

While much of the film’s story and crucial details are well under wrap (thankfully), fans have been given a spectacular glimpse into the (potentially) masterful work by director Rian Johnson. The intensity level for The Last Jedi will continue to rise to fever pitch and beyond with 8 months still to go until its theatrical release that will likely make a few more bucks than that Shia LaBeouf’s film Man Down one week ago (sold one ticket in England).

Thank you, 40 Years of Star Wars Celebration. This wonderful event brought together most of the primary cast of the original trilogy, its famed creator George Lucas, a sensational first look at The Last Jedi and a sweet, emotional video tribute to Carrie Fisher.

We’ll always remember Carrie Fisher as a princess.

Romantics say that time makes the heart grow fonder, whereas Star Wars fans say that teasingly mesmerizing questions with answers to be discovered on a definitive cinematic release date makes the heart grow at a rate of 12 parsecs.

Weather’s Wonder Woman

If you want your heart warmed, you’re in the right place. I discovered this story because of a recent tweet by Gal Gadot, the actress currently playing Wonder Woman.

Mélanie Ségard is a 21-year-old with Down Syndrome and she is an inspiring role model for men and women with Down Syndrome. Put more truthfully, Mélanie Ségard is an inspiring role model for all men, women and children. Her dream was to be a weather girl. And, thanks to a French nonprofit, something special was set-up for Ms. Ségard in the middle of last month.

But her lifelong wish was picked up by Unapei, a French nonprofit that advocates for “an inclusive and supportive society.” It asked: Why couldn’t a woman with Down syndrome present the weather on TV?
–Amy B. Wang, The Washington Post   

There are countless variables in the world, yet one of the greatest constants is the surprisingly uplifting spirit and support from people we’ve never met before in our life. Mélanie Ségard’s story is proof of this touching act from strangers.

Not one, but two, television networks invited Ségard to do the weather. She went with the national public network France 2, and trained for four days with the station’s weather team. One presenter, Chloé Nabédian, gave her tips on how to present in front of a green screen.
–Amy B. Wang, The Washington Post

Get ready to have your heart melt while smiling wide.

Magnifique.

United’s PR Has Been Grounded (Sorry, “Re-Accommodated”)

Re-accommodate?

That word should be discussed in every communications class in every college this week. Everybody has seen the shocking video of a passenger, who bought a ticket like you and I would for a flight, aggressively and violently removed from his seat on a United Airlines flight while preparing to take off from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to make room for a United Airlines employee. However, what was almost equally as disturbing as the incident was the response from United Airlines. Among the many curious phrases used, the one that elevated above the rest was “re-accommodate.”

That tone-deaf sentiment, rightly so, sent people’s reactions to this situation to levels of anger they didn’t imagine was even possible.

Re-accommodate!

Once again, a leader of a major institution proves to be detached from reality. Many have said that major institutions are failing. False. People leading major institutions are failing. Institutions have always existed and will always exist in some form or another. Institutions are constants. People are the variables. And United Airlines CEO Oscar Muñoz (and his PR team) are the latest examples of this modern societal problem. What’s more is that people in high positions of authority don’t seem to realize that while their power may remain above ours, the checks and balances on them, through social media and major influencers on TV, is flatter than its ever been.

The outrage from the United Airlines disgraceful act of aggression is actually an extension of the populist rage engulfing the world. No, this populist anger is not directly tied to anything Donald Trump or Nigel Farage. Instead, this populist anger rises above to something very non-partisan. People in all ideological corners are beyond exhausted with leaders in high authority not listening to them, being tone-deaf and, quite frankly, reacting with no elementary sense of right and wrong.

The crisis management by United Airlines perfectly illustrated how everyone (yes, everyone) is fed up with this lack of responsibility nonsense.

Look at that, United Airlines united us after all.

You tell me who won the PR battle here: United Airlines or Jimmy Kimmel/America?

By the Hammer of Thor’s Lore (& YouTube)

Movie trailers (which now include the subset “teaser trailers”) have evolved into an art form.

It’s true.

There’s an argument to be made that the trailer (or collection of trailers) for certain films is quite literally better than the film itself. I know what you’re thinking: 2 1/2 minutes is better than a couple hours of entertainment?

Well, men think so.

Anyways, this is why the release of a movie trailer online and through various social media channels has become such a grand event for movie fans. Sure, there are still special previews during major television events, like the Super Bowl or March Madness. However, given the immediacy, widespread access and viral marketing dynamic of the internet (ie- YouTube), movie production companies continue to take full advantage of this unrivaled digital communicative infrastructure.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the first teaser trailer for Thor: Ragnarok that will premiere in theaters this November.

12.5 million+ voluntary views and counting on Marvel’s YouTube channel in less than 24 hours.

And this ever-increasing metric is just for the teaser trailer…in April.