Ive been watching "the big bang theory" since it started, a very hilarious show, and the show has been known to show the 4 guys playing either settlers of catan, or WOW, or something else. But i was wondering, Have the good folks at paizo ever thought of trying to buy some on-screen time through the show for product placement of pathfinder? I know the tv show "community" had an episode where the group all played AD&D (an entire episode) and it was hilarious!! My friends and i were laughing so hard at the episode that it took us 90 min to watch a 30 min show.
Granted, im not saying that paizo should push for that kind of screen time, cuz that is rediculously expensive, but a 90 second shot of the guys throwing some 20 siders and sheldon talking about the "historical start" of roleplaying games in general and Raj paying homage to Gygax would be cool.
I didn't like that show when I saw it, and I consider product placement in general to be degrading.
I think I read someone commenting that the product placement worked the other way around. I.e., a prop person from the show found one of his t-shirt designs and then asked for permission to use it on camera.
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I consider product placement in general to be degrading.I don't know that I'd say product placement is degrading. If there's already a scene where a character is, say, going to drink a cola, why not make it a Pepsi cola? And if Pepsi is willing to pay you to make that cola you were already going to include into a cola as opposed to some other, less popular brand of cola, who does it harm? It's not like is paying you to bust out a ten-minute monologue about the fact that is a better-tasting cola with fewer calories that, oh, by the way, is coming out with a newer, hipper can.
I feel thirsty all of a sudden.
Perhaps I need a Coke.
Not sure if Paizo could afford it... approaching a massive corporation and asking for product placement is likely to raise eyebrows and then expectations that Paizo can pay for such a thing.
I think half the reason they have the "Warlords of Ka'ah" is to avoid issues and questions on this.
From what I know of Hollywood, they generally try to avoid product placement unless it is actual product placement, like the endless Twizzlers showing up in Warehouse 13 and so on. That said, less obvious product placement but general genre savviness can be done by the set designers and props people. Example: A recent episode of Chuck had Chuck reading "A Game of Thrones," because Chuck is a fanboy and it's exactly the sort of book he would be reading. Back in the 80s, one of the daughters on Roseanne had the ENDLESS poster from Gaiman's Sandman on her bedroom wall.
If Paizo puts out something that "all the cool kids" are reading/wearing/hanging on their bedroom walls, that raises the chance that a props or wardrobe person will grab it as a quick bit of character shorthand.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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From what I know of Hollywood, they generally try to avoid product placement unless it is actual product placement, like the endless Twizzlers showing up in Warehouse 13 and so on. That said, less obvious product placement but general genre savviness can be done by the set designers and props people.
on that note... Do you know which catagory the Mage Tarot on, I think it was Felicity, fell in?
I remember the D&D minis in Terminator:SCC was deliberate (and I believe the show approached WotC, not the other way 'round)
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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I also remember reading (no link, sorry) that the product placement revenue was making Star Trek/Star Wars/Battlestar Galactica type shows more expensive compared to current stuff.
Spock doesn't drink Coke, Luke doesn't bullseye wamp rats from his trusty Ford F-150, and Vipers with Dodge logos on them wouldn't have looked right.
...Spock doesn't drink Coke, Luke doesn't bullseye wamp rats from his trusty Ford F-150, and Vipers with Dodge logos on them wouldn't have looked right.
hmmm...idk, if i can hit 5 birds with my truck, im sure luke can bullseye wamp rats with a viper...
From what I know of Hollywood, they generally try to avoid product placement unless it is actual product placement, like the endless Twizzlers showing up in Warehouse 13 and so on. That said, less obvious product placement but general genre savviness can be done by the set designers and props people.on that note... Do you know which catagory the Mage Tarot on, I think it was Felicity, fell in?
I remember the D&D minis in Terminator:SCC was deliberate (and I believe the show approached WotC, not the other way 'round)
My suspicion is that there are a lot of gamers in Hollywood, and the script called for a Tarot deck with some strong visual appeal and modern flavor. Someone on the crew probably owned that deck and lent it for the shoot.
I've heard that for the D&D episode of Community, the milk crate full of D&D books used as a prop belong to the show's creator.
In any case, I expect some bit of Pathfinder material, or something from the GameMastery line, will sooner or later show up in some episode of some show when a script calls for "gamers" and the set dressers have Pathfinder stuff on hand.
Does anyone know what season and episode this was or have a ling to it? I LOVE BBT
The show hasn't actually featured any explicit tabletop gaming product mentions yet, I'm afraid.
Give it time, though - with that group of geeks, I could easily see an Edition Wars slap fight breaking out! =]
Product Placement you say? I shy away from the very thought of it, what with the terrible taste from the episode titled Hero from Smallville's 7th Season still lingering in my mind.
Anyone remember it? The gigantic, one hour long Stride chewing gum commercial?
I swore I would never chew a piece of Stride gum after that episode. (I know we were in the middle of a writer's strike, but I don't care! It was too shameless!)
I also hate Sprint for all their stinking yellow logos popping up all over the bloody place in Fringe.
Not sure if Paizo could afford it... approaching a massive corporation and asking for product placement is likely to raise eyebrows and then expectations that Paizo can pay for such a thing.
I think half the reason they have the "Warlords of Ka'ah" is to avoid issues and questions on this.
From what I know of Hollywood, they generally try to avoid product placement unless it is actual product placement, like the endless Twizzlers showing up in Warehouse 13 and so on. That said, less obvious product placement but general genre savviness can be done by the set designers and props people. Example: A recent episode of Chuck had Chuck reading "A Game of Thrones," because Chuck is a fanboy and it's exactly the sort of book he would be reading. Back in the 80s, one of the daughters on Roseanne had the ENDLESS poster from Gaiman's Sandman on her bedroom wall.
If Paizo puts out something that "all the cool kids" are reading/wearing/hanging on their bedroom walls, that raises the chance that a props or wardrobe person will grab it as a quick bit of character shorthand.
If memory serves me right regarding Warehouse 13, the Twizzlers started showing up on that show as a prop without any reference to the brandname of the candy. It was simply red twisty candy, ie red licorice. It was a few episode then before Twizzlers were mentioned, showed up on screen and became a sponsor.
Also, Jeff Probst, executive producer and host of survivor has been saying for the last several seasons of his Survivor blog: that product placement for TV shows is the only thing that will keep TV shows on the air. It is the present and expect more of it in the future, especially with people watching more TV on DVD.
Remember product placement is not a new concept. It powered television in the 50s and 60s. It only went out of vogue. What is old is new again.
That said, if Pathfinder were to show up in a cameo on Big Bang it would more likely be a freebie provided by fans of the game in the writer's room than Paizo cutting a check to CBS.
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Does anyone know what season and episode this was or have a ling to it? I LOVE BBTThe show hasn't actually featured any explicit tabletop gaming product mentions yet, I'm afraid.
I'd swear blind that I'd seen 4th ed books on the table in front of the sofa at one point, because I remember being grumpy that it wasn't Pathfinder.
Hmm, vague confirmation.
Does anyone know what season and episode this was or have a ling to it? I LOVE BBTThe show hasn't actually featured any explicit tabletop gaming product mentions yet, I'm afraid.
I'd swear blind that I'd seen 4th ed books on the table in front of the sofa at one point, because I remember being grumpy that it wasn't Pathfinder.
Hmm, vague confirmation.
I can't imagine Sheldon tolerating 4th Ed. He'd find it too simplified and bland. I can see the group playing 3.5 and arguing over obscure rules, how splat book material interacts with core rules, and the like.
Now an episode where they disagree over the wording of Pathfinder magic item creations rules, particularly "when is a creator level prerequisite not a prerequisite" - that would be entertaining! Though pity the poor scriptwriter trying to get their head around all sides of that argument.
I can't imagine Sheldon tolerating 4th Ed. He'd find it too simplified and bland.
That's okay. Leonard would be a fan, they're probably his books anyway.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Personally I think it would be funny if:
Personally I think it would be funny if:
** spoiler omitted **
Muwahahahahahaha! I would totally watch that episode! I disagree with your assignment of systems in that scenario, though - Wheaton has played 4E with Chris Perkins and the Penny Arcade crew many times at cons. His character's bad-boy image on BBT fits more with 4E's branding, too - I think Sheldon & Co. would be the more likely ones to be edition grognards in this situation. (And Raj would probably just bring something totally out of left field to the table, rulebook wise, like BESM.)
(Why is Wil Wheaton constantly being typecast as a villain these days, anyway? Too many years of playing the part of apple-polishing Wesley Crusher? He's getting quite the rep, what with his roles on BBT and The Guild.)
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Personally I think it would be funny if:
** spoiler omitted **Muwahahahahahaha! I would totally watch that episode! I disagree with your assignment of systems in that scenario, though - Wheaton has played 4E with Chris Perkins and the Penny Arcade crew many times at cons. His character's bad-boy image on BBT fits more with 4E's branding, too - I think Sheldon & Co. would be the more likely ones to be edition grognards in this situation. (And Raj would probably just bring something totally out of left field to the table, rulebook wise, like BESM.)
(Why is Wil Wheaton constantly being typecast as a villain these days, anyway? Too many years of playing the part of apple-polishing Wesley Crusher? He's getting quite the rep, what with his roles on BBT and The Guild.)
Well either way would be funny (and I think Raj should bring Cortex or BSG after doing the 'I'm frakking you' video).
As to doing the villian roles? Dunno, though I've heard many actors say the bad guys are more fun. It's been attributed to Ricardo Montabaln (sp?) that he'd never play another good guy until people forgot Fantasy Island ever existed.
As to doing the villian roles? Dunno, though I've heard many actors say the bad guys are more fun. It's been attributed to Ricardo Montabaln (sp?) that he'd never play another good guy until people forgot Fantasy Island ever existed.Personally I think it would be funny if:
** spoiler omitted **[Derail] Yeah, but Mr. Roarke could be a real bastard to show people they didn't really want what they thought they did. Once in a while there'd be an episode where he'd give the old "Welcome to Fantasy Island" and after taking a drink throw out this really creepy, "Welcome Indeed." Its kind of like Gene Wilder's portrayal of Willy Wonka. [/derail]
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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[Derail] Yeah, but Mr. Roarke could be a real bastard to show people they didn't really want what they thought they did. Once in a while there'd be an episode where he'd give the old "Welcome to Fantasy Island" and after taking a drink throw out this really creepy, "Welcome Indeed." Its kind of like Gene Wilder's portrayal of Willy Wonka. [/derail]
You know... if I thought I could pull it off, you just gave me the perfect voice for Mengkare. Full of warmth and cheer, with just the slightest hint of menace.
Personally I think it would be funny if:
** spoiler omitted **Muwahahahahahaha! I would totally watch that episode! I disagree with your assignment of systems in that scenario, though - Wheaton has played 4E with Chris Perkins and the Penny Arcade crew many times at cons. His character's bad-boy image on BBT fits more with 4E's branding, too - I think Sheldon & Co. would be the more likely ones to be edition grognards in this situation. (And Raj would probably just bring something totally out of left field to the table, rulebook wise, like BESM.)
(Why is Wil Wheaton constantly being typecast as a villain these days, anyway? Too many years of playing the part of apple-polishing Wesley Crusher? He's getting quite the rep, what with his roles on BBT and The Guild.)
Well either way would be funny (and I think Raj should bring Cortex or BSG after doing the 'I'm frakking you' video).
As to doing the villian roles? Dunno, though I've heard many actors say the bad guys are more fun. It's been attributed to Ricardo Montabaln (sp?) that he'd never play another good guy until people forgot Fantasy Island ever existed.
It should also be pointed out (warning: extreme tv geek moment) that the original pilot movie for Fantasy Island had Mr. Rourke doing "the most dangerous game" and he was the villain of the piece. It was only later that he was retooled as the hero.
Also, in the original story, his assistant was a giant which they swapped to a little person for the movie, but then that's Spelling.
Personally I think it would be funny if:
** spoiler omitted **
Yeah, Wil's actually a pretty huge 4e fan in real life. Given that he plays Evil Wil Wheaton on BBT, though, it would be kind of hilarious to have them all show up for a 4e game and find Wil ready to run an old 1e/2e Tomb of Horrors-style meat grinder. Cue Wil killing off Sheldon's characters mercilessly in game while Sheldon tries comically - and in vain - to keep at least one of his precious characters alive.
There's comedy to be had here.
and we have jumped the shark with this posting. was hoping to get enough people to show interest in seeing this on bbt that lisa would take notice and at least go "hmmmmmm".
ahh well, here's to wishful thinking, lol!
side note, ricardo is AWESOME as Khan!
KAHN!!!!!
I consider product placement in general to be degrading.I don't know that I'd say product placement is degrading. If there's already a scene where a character is, say, going to drink a cola, why not make it a Pepsi cola? And if Pepsi is willing to pay you to make that cola you were already going to include into a cola as opposed to some other, less popular brand of cola, who does it harm? It's not like is paying you to bust out a ten-minute monologue about the fact that is a better-tasting cola with fewer calories that, oh, by the way, is coming out with a newer, hipper can.
Unless you're in I, Robot.
and we have jumped the shark with this posting. was hoping to get enough people to show interest in seeing this on bbt that lisa would take notice and at least go "hmmmmmm".
I don't think you understand the magnitude of difference between Paizo's advertising budget and your typical product placement purchase.
On the other hand, I am fairly certain Big Bang Theory puts in things that the writers think are cool. Since I know FFG didn't pay them to play Talisman. So a better idea would be to send some complimentary Beginner's Boxes to the cast and crew of BBT. And then hope they like it. ;)
and we have jumped the shark with this posting. was hoping to get enough people to show interest in seeing this on bbt that lisa would take notice and at least go "hmmmmmm".
I don't think you understand the magnitude of difference between Paizo's advertising budget and your typical product placement purchase.
On the other hand, I am fairly certain Big Bang Theory puts in things that the writers think are cool. Since I know FFG didn't pay them to play Talisman. So a better idea would be to send some complimentary Beginner's Boxes to the cast and crew of BBT. And then hope they like it. ;)
actually, i have a good grasp of the advertising budget for a small/medium gaming company. Studied business finance and economics back in college. Really boring...
But i do like your other idea of just sending the cast and crew some "freebies". a couple beginner boxes and some adventures, heck, ill volunteer to go and DM for them til they can do it on their own, LMAO!!!
I like the commercials in the film "The Invention of Lying"
Coke...it's very famous...please continue buying Coke.
Pepsi...when they don't have Coke.
I liked the Pepsi ad in that movie, too! :)
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guy 1: my necromancer suffered damage?! how is this possible, considering he is a being with a supra intelligence and a horde of undead, and human [points at guy 2], thralls, with the specific life mandate of protecting his precious, and painfully still mortal, shell?
guy 2: my priestess of Sarenrae shoots a beam of searing light at your necromancer!
I can totally see Raj and Sheldon arguing over Vudrani culture. And Indian culture.
And Leonard cutting in with character advice for Raj "Look, your monk can have this trait called 'Rich Parents' - it gives you a bonus to the Gynaecologist skill!". All with a huge grin.
It might even work in the show, as long as they don't go too much into detail with the game rules.
Howard would probably cut in with some call centre allusion, how in Vudra, divination spells are relegated to these temples where you are put on hold and then get to commune with a priest that sits in a big temple hall with hundreds of other priests.
I can totally see Raj and Sheldon arguing over Vudrani culture. And Indian culture.
And Leonard cutting in with character advice for Raj "Look, your monk can have this trait called 'Rich Parents' - it gives you a bonus to the Gynaecologist skill!". All with a huge grin.
It might even work in the show, as long as they don't go too much into detail with the game rules.
Howard would probably cut in with some call centre allusion, how in Vudra, divination spells are relegated to these temples where you are put on hold and then get to commune with a priest that sits in a big temple hall with hundreds of other priests.
LOL! Oh no, you dit'nt!
LOL! Oh no, you dit'nt!I can totally see Raj and Sheldon arguing over Vudrani culture. And Indian culture.
And Leonard cutting in with character advice for Raj "Look, your monk can have this trait called 'Rich Parents' - it gives you a bonus to the Gynaecologist skill!". All with a huge grin.
It might even work in the show, as long as they don't go too much into detail with the game rules.
Howard would probably cut in with some call centre allusion, how in Vudra, divination spells are relegated to these temples where you are put on hold and then get to commune with a priest that sits in a big temple hall with hundreds of other priests.
Totally did. Felt very BBT.