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Underground > Film, TV & Theatre >

The whiff of Chris Morris

10:53 / 26.01.05

I was thinking about the media houpla surrounding the terrorist VW ad and was thinking: "What sort of twat would make that?" My answer: "Only a complete Nathan Barley". and then stopped. The sense of humour is very Chris Morris. It was supposedly made by a couple of untraceable meeja types called Lee and Dan. There is to be a character called Dan in Nathan Barley, who works with Nathan. I realise I'm stretching a leetle, but it's conceivable that to disguise the fact that it's supposed to be NB they just took "Lee" from the end of Barley.... Anyone else think this smells odd?
**Late breaking news, the director supposedly works for "Harry Monk Productions". Rhyming slang dictionaries out, kids. There's no way that company exists. He's supposedly also worked on promos for Rick Waller and Woolworths.

11:24 / 26.01.05

oh yes. that ad made it to channel 4 news last night - he can sucker near anyone it seems.

Phex: Dorset Doom

11:31 / 26.01.05

From 'Arena' magazine:
"Chris Morris's first TV project for three years will be a 'sort of sit-com' written in conjunction with Guardian columnist Charlie Brooker, and directed by Morris. The central character, Nathan Barley, will already be known to readers of Brooker's website TV Go Home, where he is described as a "a fuck-hiared swaggering cock-about-town whose very existence indelibly tarnishes the world's already questionable track record."

11:31 / 26.01.05

Definitely not Chris Morris- here's the creatives website

TWARTS

they look like they're gonna go down- can't believe VW are saying they can't find them- should be pretty simple? website- a record of ads- etc.

The £40,000 price tag is rubbish i'd be supprised if it cost more than 4 grand- even if it is shot on film- you get people in to work for free on Test spots and blag gear- if it did cost £40,000 maybe VW did pay for it but are backtracking for fear of reprisals?? The director has been named as Stuart Fryer- who seems to work for a company called stunning- google his name in and other commercials credits come up for him- again making me think not Chris Morris. Especially as Chris Morris has managed to avoid legal battles with corperations in the past.

Test ads are a normal thing in advertising (i'm working on two at the moment to direct) normally however you seek the approval of the client/ agency before spending money and making them- I'm pretty sure the only way this got on the web is by setting it up themselves- to try and boost they're profile- I can't wait to see what the legal out come is- and what the right wing tabloids make of the 'LaDs' (as they seem to call themselves)...

11:34 / 26.01.05

I think you could very well be right there cube.

The director's comments in particular seem a bit suspicious -

" I don't want to offend people, I just want to make advertisements. I wanted to show it to the Saatchis and BBHs of this world. " indeed.

11:46 / 26.01.05

link's bust copey. they call themselves 'LaDs' - and it's not a pisstake? then i'm even happier - the world needs chris morris no longer, his mind is OUT THERE now, in the world, hungry and alive.

11:47 / 26.01.05

Harry Monk Productions does exist, cube.

Google results

Stuart Fryer exists, too.

Google results 2

12:21 / 26.01.05

Aghh i've just put a bit of a puzzle together as the name sounded familiar- I once worked with Stuart Fryer on a corporate job with Tom Baker presenting- Harry Monk definitely exists they were the production company (they have a dreadful reputation as poor payers)- it was about 4 years ago- not even Chris Morris is that meticulous with his planning is he!

I've now just spoken to another couple of people about it at work (I work for a rival Commercials/ Music Video company) Its not a Chris Morris hoax- they've supposedly met the mysterious LaDs.
The mysterious costs would have been met by the production company (normal for a test without an agency attached)- Harry Monk - who must be shitting it now as they will have legals coming after them.... ooops!

12:24 / 26.01.05

this should be the link

12:25 / 26.01.05

Well, that wraps it up nicely. Thanks for stopping me looking like an arse should the story hit our paper (unlikely).
Interesting. COULD have been him, though.

12:50 / 26.01.05

ad virals are a strange thing- this one is a genuine VW one- the idea is that you have no regulations on what you can do- and I assume the creatives thought since this one was such a success lets try the suicide bomber thing.

VW Bollocks

or this website for trojan condoms

probably not work friendly so be careful what you watch!!

It would be rather interesting what people on the liths view on the suicide bomber- assuming that its not an elaborite hoax but a misguided venture into career suicide- is it really that offensive?

13:47 / 26.01.05

Well it's a bit difficult to see why Volkswagen feel they need to take legal action anyway. If they're worried about adverse publicity, taking the LaDs to court probably isn't the best way of alleviating the damage.

But there's apparently been a series of teaser trailers for Nathan Barley on Channel 4 recently, in two second bursts after The Simpsons, etc - It all sounds a bit similar to whatever that soap about the dotcom start-up on BBC2 was called a few years ago, with added Hoxton medja touches, but if they really go for the jugular that shouldn't be a problem. Anyway it's due on next month, and there's a lot more information on the Cooked And Bombed website, which I would provide a link for, except I don't know how.

14:21 / 26.01.05

can't believe VW are saying they can't find them- should be pretty simple? website- a record of ads- etc.

True. I just did a simple whois on the domain and got a name, fax number and address.

17:24 / 26.01.05

lucky your not on the VW legal team...

the company privately admitted that it cannot locate Lee and Dan, the London based advertising creative partnership who dreamed up the film (from the guardian article)

unless we wanna talk conspiracies- what if they never "find" Lee and Dan... vindicated their name and achieved a shit load of publicity. Its the £40,000 price tag that smells weird to me- thats a budget for a commisioned job- not a test- as I said before test work is done for free/ cost...

- i'm pretty sure we'll find out that there was no budget and there isn't a conspiracy- but this has got me intrigued cos its quite close to home...

miss wonderstarr

21:15 / 26.01.05

It all sounds a bit similar to whatever that soap about the dotcom start-up on BBC2 was called a few years ago

That was Attachments I think, which had www.seethru.co.uk as its fictional simulatory website -- which evolved into www.themoononline.com, whose community I've been involved with for maybe four years now.

17:46 / 27.01.05

on the 40k -- people don't always like to admit how cheap they could shoot for, for fear of never getting a good budget. possibly they were worried that if they copped to the 400 it really cost, they'd always just be the cheep guys.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

18:08 / 01.02.05

You've probably all seen this already (at least anyone who takes the Tube will have), but just in case.. Hoot your trap off.

It's well weapon.

Scrambled Password Bogus Email

18:31 / 01.02.05

Hah! I saw those guys shooting that Terrorist ad...It was down Exmouth Market near where I work (Kings X), and me and my mate wondered what naughtiness they were up to...It was all quite cloak & dagger, so I doubt they had filming permission either.

'Test'? My arse. (Note the critical use of punctuation to render intent to that sentence).

22:10 / 01.02.05

God... ! I'm going to cut my thought hole !!

Right... off

miss wonderstarr

22:13 / 01.02.05

I examined that Well Weapon advert on the Tube today, Stoatie. Made me laugh. "Extra Large 5".

For a few minutes I was able to think of myself as one of the "coool" who explain adverts to the "cool", who explain it to the "uncool", who explain it to their parents.

09:39 / 02.02.05

I’m pleased to report that on Monday I saw a young person staring at one of the Wasptool T12 adverts with a look of longing in his eyes. And I don’t think it was because he was a Brooker or Morris fan.

12:06 / 02.02.05

quimper, do not think that if you copy and paste somebody else's work and try and pass it off as your own you won't be found out straight away. And, to cap it all, that post is off topic. Both of which are good reasons for putting it up for deletion, which is kjust what's going to happen now.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

16:57 / 02.02.05

My totally favourite thing about the T12 ad is the url... "co.ck"... what is that, Czech Republic? As always, Morris has got it right down to the details...

18:48 / 02.02.05

"Real timeweight
Phone instantly detectable on pick up"

*cries*

It's well president

07:31 / 03.02.05

Oh, that's so beautiful. Extra big 5. I love the magazine covers as well. How hard is it going to be to resist saying "weapon" all the time, now?

08:30 / 03.02.05

it's about half way down the page. this is why duncan is the best.

15:45 / 03.02.05

Stoatie - It's the Cook Islands, apparently. Full list here, first level domain name fans!

Did anyone see much of the TvGoHome series Channel 4 ran a couple of years ago? I only saw one, having limited access to a TV at the time -who was involved in that? as I don't think it was Chris Morris.

cube, I've already given in to using the phrase well weapon for at least the next six months...

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

17:00 / 03.02.05

'Twas Charlie Brooker, I believe. Now writes for the Guardian, as well as collaborating with Morris on Nathan Barley.

Yes, "well weapon" is well and truly esconced in my vocabulary now. DAMN YOU, MORRIS!!!