“Golly gee, I really think your phone is neato!”
Hmmmm. Can you tell which one is me? (Click on the photo for a closer look.)
And no, this is not an April Fools joke. [UPDATE: And now I have proof — the television version of the ad (1.54MB QuickTime movie file). Can’t Photoshop that.]
Special thanks to Even at Workhouse Film for hooking me up with a copy of the ad. [UPDATE: And special thanks to Hung at Washabi for providing the video.]
[UPDATE II: I totally forgot to direct you to the photos from the shoot for this ad. They start at the bottom of the page … after the photos of me with amazingly big, bad hair.]
13 Comments
you should think about performing in chinese movies, i am serious.
the guy in black suit looks like an old movie star in (shan shan de hong xing).
u are a typical american in terms of ur appearance. when i first saw u, i had got that thought. :)
Now I’ve seen it all. Can I officially say that I know a Chinese TV Star?
Hah, wait till my friend who’s distantly related to Jet Li hears about this!
p.s. That guy whos on the phone looks SOOOO metrosexual.
Great white suit!
But it is a little weird to see you look at a mobile smiling with some grandpa and grandma behind you…
That is one tough question….;-)
you must be the laowai.
Just wanna to give all my cumpliments for your fantastic blog, such a complete one about Shanghai life ( my home town )
About this tv spot..Kinda interesting. And I don’t think it’s weird to see some grandpa and grandma behind you, it’s such warm to see it also. Maybe in china we used to definite warm life like it.
And everybody look so happy in it.^^
Ah, yes — the white suit. It’s actaully a linen jacket, and we filmed this in December in a deserted train car that obviously did not have have heating. It was damn cold. They told me not to shave before the shoot for some reason, so I have this five o’clock shadow that — together with my linen blazer — really makes me look like a problem gambler. (You’re lucky you can’t see the tight black pants they put me in — they never have clothes that fit me.)
Funny you should mention “grandma” and “grandpa.” The director of the shoot was Korean and spoke perfect English, but no Chinese. And he kept referring to the older man and woman as “grandpa” and “grandma.” He said this in English, so they likely didn’t understand what he was saying, but I remember at the time thinking it was rude for him to refer to them as “grandpa” and “grandma.” I don’t think that would go over too well in the United States. But now that two people called them “grandma” and “grandpa” in the comments, I wonder if it is just a cultural thing. Maybe it’s OK in Asia?
Something I found interesting/amusing and, at the time, rather confusing was the fact that “grandma” and “grandpa” in the print ad are totally different people than the “grandma” and “grandpa” in the TV spot. Same goes for all the other “talent” — except for me and the metrosexual. When we were done filming the TV commercial, I left the set. Then I was told to go back in for the print shots — I had never done those before. And walking back into that train car was like entering Bizarro World. There were two old people, a younger couple, and a woman in a business suit … just like there was before. And they were wearing exactly the same clothing that the actors wore for the TV ad. But they weren’t the same people. Really weird and, I think, amazing inefficient. But hey, that’s the Chinese way.
Watch the TV ad again and compare the people in it to the print ad. Kind of the same … but different.
And yes, Qing, we do look “so happy” to see that phone. Would you believe that there are other versions where I look even happier to see it? The rule of thumb for working in Chinese ads: The cheesier the better. Subtle does not sell here. Anything I think would be amazingly corny in America, I assume is commerical gold in China. So, for auditions or during shoots I generally up the cheese factor 10 notches or so. I was actually told to tone down my fake excitement by the print ad people. I think it is because they were from Hong Kong.
So, I was flipping through the channels on my television hoping I could find The Masters golf tournament. Instead, I saw my face. Yep, the NEC commerical was on. First time I’ve ever seen one of my ads on TV.
Ever since I was little boy, it was always my dream to appear on CCTV-8.
I really have nothing left to accomplish in life.
Dude, I thought the white guy was Richard Gere. Does this mean you’ll be making movies States side?
I c…Indeed, I was reluctant to refer to this old couple…OK, I know they are probably not a real couple. What is the problem with “grandpa”, “grandma”? If it implies “not young anymore” in the U.S., I’m sorry. No offensive, guys~ I didn’t mean it. My teacher didn’t advise me use “old gentleman/lady ”,”senior citizen” etc..
Anyway, it shows respect if we call someone “grandpa”, “grandma” in China. Have no idea whether it works in Korea.
But I kind of get it. I’m still used to calling strange females who are older than me as “AUNT” when I ask my way in the city, and, I feel uneasy when children call me “AUNT”! Um, in this respect, it is offensive~
you look good Dan.
btw: for the ‘grandma’question.. yeah..it’s cultual thing. =)
tin*
You look so handsome and happy. Your girlfriend is extremely lucky. (BTW - I think they don’t want you to shave, because it might make your face look too shiny and oily.)