By Rama Gaind
Two insightful new documentaries, released on DVD by Madman, witnesses the collision of the world of media and marketing.
Pom Wonderful and Page One are different when it comes to the tone and subject matter, but each excels in peeling back layers of the intrinsically linked worlds of media and advertising.
From Oscar-nominated filmmaker, Morgan Spurlock (Supersize Me), Pom Wonderful: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold is a feature length documentary that was fully financed through product placement, marketing and advertising.
With his trademark wit and insight, Spurlock jumps head first into the covert world of movie marketing, allowing audiences to look into the pitch meetings and product placement presentations that ultimately inform our everyday entertainment decisions.
He has an irresistible offer for the brands involved – for the right price, he will make the entire movie about them. No questions. No catches … but before he can make good on his pitch, he will have to face the everyday trials and legal ramifications of juggling so many brands in one basket.
On the other side of the media fence sits Page One: Inside the New York Times, a timely story of the struggle to maintain the relevance and integrity of newspaper journalism within a world that is increasingly pulling away from the printed word.
Page One gains unprecedented access to The New York Times newsroom and the inner workings of the media desk as the paper’s writers, editors and publishers grapple with existential challenges from players like WikiLeaks, new platforms in Twitter and tablet computers, and readers’ expectations that online news sources should be free.
Page One skillfully paints a nuanced portrait of journalists continuing to produce extraordinary work—under increasingly difficult circumstances. At the heart of the film is the burning question on the minds of everyone who cares about a rigorous press: what will happen if the fast-moving future of media leaves behind the fact-based, original reporting that helps to define our society?
Both films have to be seen to gain some shrewd insight.
