Anyone have any experience with the rules or lack of rules when it comes to product placement in films. I have read on other forums that you indeed can have a difficult time getting approval for using a companies product label ie. Coca Cola, Miller Beer etc. However I have heard through some director's commentary specifically Ed Burns that he encourages such shameless plugs in small low budget indie films. As long as you don't ask for money, but instead the actual product to be placed that most companies will bend over backward getting you product. Has anyone had actual experience with product placement in film?
Product Placement
- Thread starter Kidster
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mediamogul
Well-known member
Re: Product Placement
You need them to be cleared. On features you need to send the screenplay in and let them know you would like to use their products. They have to approve it. IE you make a slasher film and the victims are eating McDonalds before they die isnt going to get a thumbs up hehe.
You need them to be cleared. On features you need to send the screenplay in and let them know you would like to use their products. They have to approve it. IE you make a slasher film and the victims are eating McDonalds before they die isnt going to get a thumbs up hehe.
J_Barnes
Veteran
Re: Product Placement
For indie films, most companies won't bother to do anything to help you with product placement, because even lending free samples actually costs the company money. They won’t subsidize your production without significant gain in exposure, and few indie productions can offer that anymore.
People assume that because you're effectively advertising their product for free, that the company will bend over backwards to get you freebies to use in the film. IE- miller beer sending you a palate of beer because you're shooting in a bar, or a clothing company giving free wardrobe for on-camera use.
It’s really unrealistic to expect anything like that to work out. There’s way more indie and student films shooting these days, and most companies have been hit up for things like this before.
Ever tried getting a pizza joint to cater your film for free when you’re near a campus that has a film program?
For indie films, most companies won't bother to do anything to help you with product placement, because even lending free samples actually costs the company money. They won’t subsidize your production without significant gain in exposure, and few indie productions can offer that anymore.
People assume that because you're effectively advertising their product for free, that the company will bend over backwards to get you freebies to use in the film. IE- miller beer sending you a palate of beer because you're shooting in a bar, or a clothing company giving free wardrobe for on-camera use.
It’s really unrealistic to expect anything like that to work out. There’s way more indie and student films shooting these days, and most companies have been hit up for things like this before.
Ever tried getting a pizza joint to cater your film for free when you’re near a campus that has a film program?
J_Barnes
Veteran
Re: Product Placement
To add from experience...
I worked a couple of festivals at the Smithsonian, and in spite of the exposure (1,000,000+ visitors), the educational prestige, and the non-profit “treasure of America” status the Institute has...very few companies were receptive to donating free products for use at the festival.
In the end most of the small-ticket items we received, we had to pay cost for, even in return for advertising the company as a sponsor.
A few notable exceptions: Webber sent us 12 of their top of the line grills to use in a mock tailgate party.
AND…
Both Point Brewery and Leinenkugel Brewing Co. sent us each a palate of beer...specifically for the CREW to drink!
I’ve taken to personally advertising Point and Leinenkugel since then.
To add from experience...
I worked a couple of festivals at the Smithsonian, and in spite of the exposure (1,000,000+ visitors), the educational prestige, and the non-profit “treasure of America” status the Institute has...very few companies were receptive to donating free products for use at the festival.
In the end most of the small-ticket items we received, we had to pay cost for, even in return for advertising the company as a sponsor.
A few notable exceptions: Webber sent us 12 of their top of the line grills to use in a mock tailgate party.
AND…
Both Point Brewery and Leinenkugel Brewing Co. sent us each a palate of beer...specifically for the CREW to drink!
I’ve taken to personally advertising Point and Leinenkugel since then.
Re: Product Placement
My background has been TV and I have never run into any company saying no to free advertising however, TV is an entirely different ball game than an Indie film. So I was curious to some of the experiences of product and Indie film. I think my approach will be, since the budget is small, only approach small companies that may be willing to help out for the sake of saying "My product was in a movie!"
My background has been TV and I have never run into any company saying no to free advertising however, TV is an entirely different ball game than an Indie film. So I was curious to some of the experiences of product and Indie film. I think my approach will be, since the budget is small, only approach small companies that may be willing to help out for the sake of saying "My product was in a movie!"
Wesley_Wong
Active member
Re: Product Placement
did a short on 16mm back in uni and the short was how media was using sex to sell their stuff.
Had to come up with loads of 'acme' products in place of real ones coz noone wanted to touch this topic. the moral of the short isn't a bad one though.
was a nightmare for my art and production designer and with me as the d.o.p, I had to take note not to visibly show the real products amidst the fakes in a mini-mart.
In kind support doesn't come too readily and product placements sometimes are easier to get if you remember to try companies befoer their finanical year-end audits. If I'm not mistaken, in aust, companies get tax rebates if they do support indie/students, educational film shoots.
did a short on 16mm back in uni and the short was how media was using sex to sell their stuff.
Had to come up with loads of 'acme' products in place of real ones coz noone wanted to touch this topic. the moral of the short isn't a bad one though.
was a nightmare for my art and production designer and with me as the d.o.p, I had to take note not to visibly show the real products amidst the fakes in a mini-mart.
In kind support doesn't come too readily and product placements sometimes are easier to get if you remember to try companies befoer their finanical year-end audits. If I'm not mistaken, in aust, companies get tax rebates if they do support indie/students, educational film shoots.
Josh_Boelter
Well-known member
Re: Product Placement
You shouldn't expect freebies, but my understanding is that you can use products in a film as long as you're using them in the way the product is intended. So you could have a character drinking a can of coca cola, because that's what the product is designed for--it's a beverage. However, you couldn't use coca cola as a substitute for battery acid in your film. Likewise, your actor can wear shoes that have the Nike swoosh on them, as long as you're not drawing attention to the logo. It's been a while since I did my research topic on this, so if I'm off base, someone please correct me. But that's my understanding of using products and logos in a feature.
You shouldn't expect freebies, but my understanding is that you can use products in a film as long as you're using them in the way the product is intended. So you could have a character drinking a can of coca cola, because that's what the product is designed for--it's a beverage. However, you couldn't use coca cola as a substitute for battery acid in your film. Likewise, your actor can wear shoes that have the Nike swoosh on them, as long as you're not drawing attention to the logo. It's been a while since I did my research topic on this, so if I'm off base, someone please correct me. But that's my understanding of using products and logos in a feature.
GenJerDan
Veteran
Re: Product Placement
[quote author=mediamogul link=board=MesPhotos;num=1091662700;start=0#1 date=08/04/04 at 18:07:47]IE you make a slasher film and the victims are eating McDonalds before they die isnt going to get a thumbs up hehe.[/quote]
Unless, of course, you're looking for freebies from Burger King.
[quote author=mediamogul link=board=MesPhotos;num=1091662700;start=0#1 date=08/04/04 at 18:07:47]IE you make a slasher film and the victims are eating McDonalds before they die isnt going to get a thumbs up hehe.[/quote]
Unless, of course, you're looking for freebies from Burger King.
Re: Product Placement
My paying job is a prop guy on TV shows so I deal with product placement a lot. The rules for TV are a lot more strict than films, but bearing in mind, if for some reason your film or short is to ever be shown on Network TV you may want to "greek" or manufacture your own labels or products.
But, just in case, a good resource is this site, http://emainc.org/. It lists most of the different product placement companies and who they represent. The worst they can say is no.
Good Luck.
Skip
My paying job is a prop guy on TV shows so I deal with product placement a lot. The rules for TV are a lot more strict than films, but bearing in mind, if for some reason your film or short is to ever be shown on Network TV you may want to "greek" or manufacture your own labels or products.
But, just in case, a good resource is this site, http://emainc.org/. It lists most of the different product placement companies and who they represent. The worst they can say is no.
Good Luck.
Skip
Re: Product Placement
It's a little of both, but mostly it has to do with Network policy and FCC regulations. Some networks are more strict than others in regards to product placement.
For example, you have a person drinking a Miller Genuine Draft in a scene that last 4 mins, so they basically just got all that exposure for free, now the network has to convince Budweiser to spend $175,000 to $500.000 for a :30 second spot that a lot of people will TIVO over or leave the room during that time.
You see the dilemma.
Skip
It's a little of both, but mostly it has to do with Network policy and FCC regulations. Some networks are more strict than others in regards to product placement.
For example, you have a person drinking a Miller Genuine Draft in a scene that last 4 mins, so they basically just got all that exposure for free, now the network has to convince Budweiser to spend $175,000 to $500.000 for a :30 second spot that a lot of people will TIVO over or leave the room during that time.
You see the dilemma.
Skip
Collink
Well-known member
Re: Product Placement
The short I just finished had a couple of places for product placement that we specifically chose to avoid with blocking the product, while in the shot, you never really see the "name" because the actor places it face down or with it's back to the camera. I got some loaner and freebie props by offering credits to a couple of sources that worked really well. But the "name" of their company does not appear in the movie at all, just in the credits. Due to the nature of the story, I specifically recommended against doing that with one company, and they agreed, but still let us use their equipment. Some product placement is just unavoidable, like automobiles. The protagonist drives a shiny blue BMW M3, the antagonist drives a white Ford pickup truck. It's in the script, what can you do? I don't specifically show the company name or logo, but the shape of the vehicle is universally known. Do I expect BMW to pay me for the placement? No. But I'd also hope that they dont send me a "Cease and Desist" letter either.
The short I just finished had a couple of places for product placement that we specifically chose to avoid with blocking the product, while in the shot, you never really see the "name" because the actor places it face down or with it's back to the camera. I got some loaner and freebie props by offering credits to a couple of sources that worked really well. But the "name" of their company does not appear in the movie at all, just in the credits. Due to the nature of the story, I specifically recommended against doing that with one company, and they agreed, but still let us use their equipment. Some product placement is just unavoidable, like automobiles. The protagonist drives a shiny blue BMW M3, the antagonist drives a white Ford pickup truck. It's in the script, what can you do? I don't specifically show the company name or logo, but the shape of the vehicle is universally known. Do I expect BMW to pay me for the placement? No. But I'd also hope that they dont send me a "Cease and Desist" letter either.