Product Placement Assignment
Read through http://money.howstuffworks.com/product-placement.htm
Complete handout:
Product Placement Overview (http://money.howstuffworks.com/product-placement.htm.)
As you read the chapters in the online article, write key ideas and phrases in the spaces below.
1. Introduction to How Product Placement Works
2. What is Product Placement?
3. Realistic Product Placement
4. Arranged Product Placement
5. Product Placement in the Movies
6. The "I, Robot" Movie Car: Audi RSQ
7. Product Placement on TV
8. Product Placement in Books and Video Games
9. Product Placement in Songs
Now, in the space below, write a reflection (3/4 to one page) on what you read. Questions to
consider: Have you ever noticed product placement? Where? What do you think of product
placement? Is it right? Is it wrong? Is there something new and interesting you learned? What was
eye-opening for you?
Watch product placement montage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ5uztI9EvI&feature=related
AND Youtube clip about product placement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wACBAu9coUU
“Josie and the Pussycats trailer” (watch several times and list the number of products seen):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvVhTHJWFr0
List:
.
Read this article and then list the big winners (or losers) for product placement in 2013.
http://www.brandchannel.com/home/category/brandcameo.aspx
List the brands in order and in which movies they appeared according to the article:
PRINT OUT THE ABOVE PORTION AND HAND IN
THEN MOVE ON TO BELOW
Product placement/screenplay Project
You are writing a new adaptation of a famous fairy tale. There’s only one problem: you don’t
have the money to shoot the film.
But you have an idea. The plan is to get a bunch of companies to fund your film by promising
product placement. As you are writing your screenplay, you’ll mention products in dialogue and
use products as props.
You need to decide which products you’ll have the actors reference or hold, which logos may
pop up on billboards or in restroom stalls, what facilities may be named after products.
Reference the readings we did in class to get some ideas.
Your plan is to go overboard with product placement in order to fund your film. And you need
to be creative – use a bunch of different product placement methods so the product placement
doesn’t get too obvious and monotonous.
It’s time to get started! Your assignment is to write a screenplay for _______________________
(fairy tale of your choice)
Requirements:
 12 pt. TNR
 See screenplay format example and notes on following pages. You must follow the
guidelines set forth here.
 At least 10 products
 At least five pages
Screenplay Writing Format:
Scene Headings: Each time your characters move to a different setting, a new scene heading is
required. Describes where and when. Use all CAPS
Names of Characters: Names are displayed in all capital letters the first time they are used in a
description, and these names always use all capital letters in a dialogue heading.
Products: Products are displayed in italicized, capital letters every time they are used in a
description or in dialogue. Be sure that you write the script so that the sight/sound of the
product is obvious. Writing that someone uses a KLEENEX will only work if the
KLEENEX box, with the logo, is visible. Simply saying, she used a KLEENEX will not
work. How could we know?
Sounds: Sounds the audience will hear are capitalized (eg, ROAR or WHISTLE).
Dialogue: Dialogue is centered on the page under the character's name, which is always in all
capital letters when used as a dialogue heading.
Descriptions of Characters While Speaking: If you describe the way a character looks or speaks
before the dialogue begins or as it begins, this is typed below the character's name in
parentheses.
Below is an example of a complete scene in the screenplay format (Courtesy Elaine Radford).
For more info go to www.scriptologist.com/Magazine/Formatting/formatting.html
INT. HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM – NIGHT
A crowded hospital emergency waiting room. Clean but cheerless.
Sick and injured people sit in plastic chairs lined up in rows. A TV mounted near the
ceiling BLARES the sitcom TWO AND A HALF MEN. No one is watching.
A man MOANS softly as he sips a COKE and presses a bloody gauze pad against
his forehead. A woman cradles a listless infant in her arms; a VERA BRADLEY baby bag
sits the floor beside her.
CATHY sits at the end of the first row of plastic chairs. Her head is bent over, and she
stares intently at the floor.
She raises her head slowly, brushes her long, silky hair away from her face.
We see fear in her eyes as they focus on a clock that hangs above the front desk. She holds a
box of KLEENEX, twists a tissue between her fingers and is unaware that bits of it are
falling on the floor.
The door to the emergency treatment room opens, and a middle-aged DOCTOR dressed in
hospital green walks through the door toward Cathy, who bolts out of the chair and
hurries toward him.
DOCTOR
(apologetically)
We did everything possible.
CATHY
(gasps)
What are you saying?
DOCTOR
I’m sorry
CATHY
(screaming)
No!
All eyes in the waiting room are riveted on Cathy and the Doctor. Cathy lunges at the
Doctor, beating her fists against his chest. The Doctor holds up his hand, a LANCE
ARMSTRONG WRISTBAND around his wrist, to fend off her attack.
CATHY (CONT)
(shouting)
You killed him!