Helping Newt “Rebuild the America We Love” for $64 in Royalties
When I woke up today it was morning in America, but it wasn’t until the afternoon before I realized I helped create the dawn. That’s when I saw Newt Gingrich’s “Rebuilding the America We Love” ad and noticed those images that all political pundits where dissecting where in part created by me.
Turns out Newt used part of his Tiffany-esque $250,000 ad budget to pay me $64 in royalties for the right to use one of my Stock Videos as a main component in his spot that some are calling “Morning in America 2.0.”
Now my work is being compared to everyone one from David Lynch to Michael Bay. I hope that isn’t what they consider “fair and balanced.”
You may remember this image I posted in a review of the Sony AX2000 back in April of 2010.
Ignoring the bizarre lighting on Newt’s talking-head shot (looks like he’s trying out for “Best Tan” on Jersey Shore) and the fact that its reminiscent of Ronald Regan’s “Its Morning Again in America”, see if you Eagle-Eyed Filmmaker IQ followers can spot it in Newt’s ad:
That’s right, there it is at 0:04.
I also featured the exact same clip in the video review:
Here is the classic Ronald Reagan TV Ad: “Its Morning in America” from 1984.
Now unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your political stance), my small contribution to Newt’s Campaign has not had a positive effect. Since posting the ad on December 5th, Newt’s numbers have been steadily declining…
Perhaps it was because like Newt’s smile that white picket fence is made out of plastic.
Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond dared ask in this article: “Can you identify all the Iowa landmarks?”
Well Mr. Hammond, the location is Harveston, a man-made lake just under 5 years old in the City of Temecula, CA. The flag from the stock shot is down and winter has stripped the trees of their former lusciousness.
Here is a quick image of myself in the historic spot captured from an iPad. I rushed out to grab this before the sun went down and I left the CF card for my DSLR at home.
How did a clip from a camera review end up in a highly contested Republican Primary?
Well being a starving filmmaker with a healthy appetite, I recycled that footage to microstock website iStockphoto.com – selling it for anyone to purchase and download. (Hint, you should purchase and download as well)
In the year and a half it’s been there the file has done very well. It was nominated and placed in their premiere Vetta Category (translation: Most Expensive) and has brought in about $700 in Royalties.
iStockphoto doesn’t show you who purchased the file, only when, so I’m forced to guess the agency that created the ad purchased it on October 14th, 2011 for which I received a handsome royalty of $64.40.
From a quick shot grabbed with an unfamiliar camera to a brief 2 second highlight in a national political campaign, this little clip has sparked considerable internet commentary.
It was first brought to my attention while browsing Cracked.com in an attempt to avoid doing anything productive when I saw this:
Some more on what the media is saying about the ad.
The ad begins, almost David Lynch-like, with scenes of small-town America, panning in slow motion at times, most effectively, when a large hand is shown in close-up gently sweeping over a wheat field, suggesting a wise farmer — or perhaps the hand of the Almighty himself? — tending to his precious crop. You may not realize it when you watch this unusually evocative image — one of several in the ad — but that’s very likely Newt’s own hand on camera, and the wind-blown golden harvest beneath it is the proverbial “amber wave of grain” meant to symbolize the resurgence of the American heartland, overseen, of course, by the very white-haired shepherd who once angrily shut the entire federal government down.
It’s an upbeat spot themed on a slice of Americana — some of the shots are reminiscent of the movie “Armageddon”
Politico
Some people say the America we know and love is a thing of the past. I don’t believe that because working together I know we can rebuild America,” Gingrich says in the ad, over video of a landscape and the American flag hanging from a front porch, blowing in the wind.
The campaign confirms to CNN that it will spend $250,000 to run the spot state-wide in Iowa, which holds the first contest in the presidential caucus and primary calendar.
CNN
His one-minute commercial will be seen on cable and broadcast networks in Iowa, said a campaign spokesman, R.C. Hammond. The upbeat and positive ad features strong patriotic themes, with Mr. Gingrich speaking directly into the camera.
Newt Gingrich began this week by releasing a minute-long campaign ad titled “Rebuilding the America We Love,” in which the veteran Republican insists that the wholesome, idyllic, small-town America that we all recognize from movies and advertising still exists. The ad is not terribly convincing, partly because it’s a rather uninspired retread of Ronald Reagan’s famous “Morning in America” spot from 1984, and partly because, while Reagan was talking up the good times, Gingrich is talking down the bad.
Newt Gingrich has a new ad up, and it’s clear what he’s trying to do. He’s trying to get elected as Richard Milhous Reagan.
Gingrich’s ad feels eerily similar to “Morning in America,” the iconic ad President Ronald Reagan aired in his 1984 reelection campaign. Set to an almost identical soft soundtrack, it blends footage of a suburban porch and humming factory, a mountain sunrise and main-street flower shop, as well as a couple of quintessential Iowa scenes: the State House in Des Moines and fields of grain.
He delivers his rosy message over images literally lifted from “America the Beautiful” — predawn scenes of “amber waves of grain” and “purple mountains majesties.
The spot is being supported by a near Tiffany-esque $250,000 ad buy in Iowa.
Mediaite
The ad itself is well-produced, and captures some of that elusive Reaganian “Morning in America” quality, very obviously the intent of his campaign team.
It sounds like Newt is promising “Morning in America” again
Where this starts to get weird.
They say imitation is the greatest flattery, but I don’t think that is what these parody and remix creators where thinking. I guess they each owe me $64 now. Oh well, it’s the Holidays I guess I won’t sue. Plus that last guy scares the shit out of me.
Parodies aside, it’s a good thing Newt paid me that $64 and didn’t steal that stock video. Not only because now I can afford healthcare. But because… Don’t Cross Us. Ever. Seriously. Just Don’t.
Mr. Hess
My apologies for using some of your video in my Newt Gingrich ad parody “Newt Gingrich Rebuilding the America We Loooove”. I figured if I received any grief it would be from the Gingrich campaign itself. I’m going to be honest and tell you that paying $64 for the royalties just isn’t in my budget right now. I’ve already given you credit for the part of the video you created. Or, if you wish, I will remove it from YouTube.
Before posting it I considered removing the beginning and replacing it with some video of my own small town, but I didn’t. I’m not a professional film/video maker, just a guy playing around with my windows movie maker. All the best . Jeff
Relax…
Honestly don’t sweat it.
As long as it’s a Gingrich parody you’re covered under fair use. Just don’t start using that same footage to make a Romney ad.
Loved your article about the Newt video. Very humorous. Thanks.