Five things on Friday #164

Things of note for the week ending Friday February 19th, 2016.

Before we kick off, quite a few of you got in touch to tell me that you couldn’t access the ‘Dumb ass stuff we need to stop saying to Dads’ post from last week’s bonus items.

I’ve no idea why the original author’s website is [now] private, however I did find it republished over on Huffington Post (same author!). So go check it out.

I’m a Dad, and I appreciated this – much.

1. MOBILE, SMARTPHONES, AND HINDSIGHT

Ben Evans is off to Mobile World Congress. As he sets off on his grand adventure, he reflects upon how the conference used to look some ten-fifteen years ago.

My, has it changed.

A good read for myriad reasons but, if you’ve ever worked in or even had a passing interest/sway towards all things mobile – go read Ben’s latest post.

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2. I SAW DEADPOOL

Seen it yet? Yes? What did you think? No? Why not?

Me? I thought it was ace. Definitely worth seeing too; to my mind it’s a pretty good antidote to every superhero film you’ve ever seen ever.

That said, James Gunn, director of the last super amazing comic-book-film-that-everyone-thought-would-fail-because-it-was-so-unlike-everything-else-that-came-before-it (Guardians of the Galaxy), gave a pretty good quote on why he thinks it works.

Clue: it isn’t what Hollywood thinks.

Ahem –

“After every movie smashes records people here in Hollywood love to throw out the definitive reasons why the movie was a hit,” he said. “I saw it happen with Guardians. It ‘wasn’t afraid to be fun’ or it ‘was colorful and funny’ etc etc etc. And next thing I know I hear of a hundred film projects being set up ‘likeGuardians,’ and I start seeing dozens of trailers exactly like the Guardians trailer with a big pop song and a bunch of quips. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

“Deadpool wasn’t that,” he continued. “Deadpool was its own thing. THAT’S what people are reacting to. It’s original, it’s damn good, it was made with love by the filmmakers, and it wasn’t afraid to take risks. For the theatrical experience to survive, spectacle films need to expand their definition of what they can be. They need to be unique and true voices of the filmmakers behind them. They can’t just be copying what came before them.

“So, over the next few months, if you pay attention to the trades, you’ll see Hollywood misunderstanding the lesson they should be learning with Deadpool. They’ll be green lighting films ‘like Deadpool’ — but, by that, they won’t mean ‘good and original’ but ‘a raunchy superhero film’ or ‘it breaks the fourth wall.’ They’ll treat you like you’re stupid, which is the one thing Deadpool didn’t do.

“But hopefully in the midst of all this there will be a studio or two that will take the right lesson from this — like Fox did with Guardians by green-lighting Deadpool — and say, ‘Boy, maybe we can give them something they don’t already have.’ And that’s who is going to succeed.”

Shame Hollywood isn’t listening though.

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3. APPLE VS THE FBI

You’ve probably read the letter already. But what you probably haven’t read is this excellent explanation of the entire sitch via Troy Hunt.

Definitely worth five minutes of your time.

And, when you’re done there, catch up on the latest updates still developing.

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4. STEVE MARTIN DOES STAND UP

Big woop, right? No no, really. It really is.

This is a wonderful article.

Well, it would be. Except, I saw Steve Martin – LIVE – in person at the Montreal Just For Laughs festival in July 2010.

(that’s my actual thumb)

I remember it being a huge deal because a) he hadn’t done stand up in SO long and b) in the history of the show, he had never appeared at the Just For Laughs festival – EVER. So the festival had a lot to celebrate. Anyway, Martin was charming, musical, and very, very funny. I felt so lucky and blessed to have seen it and experienced it.

Just like the author of this article.

Sincerely, do read it – it is an excellent piece.

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5. FRIGHTENED RABBIT

Frightened Rabbit used to be one of my favourite bands. They came out with an incredible debut album, stayed number one of my all time top played Spotify tracks/playlist for like, ever, and then… well, and then I went to see them live and afterwards in the bar the lead singer unsuccessfully attempted to chat up my then girlfriend.

You can kinda go off people sometimes.

THAT SAID… FR have a new album on the way out and you can listen to the new track from said LP right here.

I hold a grudge for no man.

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Bonuses this week are as follows.

• I was supposed to include this ‘How to Snapchat like a pro‘ article in last week’s edition (when it was fresh news). Chances are you’ve read it already. If not? Read it now.
• Some words are great metaphors, ‘Rape’ is not one of them <- I thought long and hard about putting this one in but honestly, it’s an important conversation to have and something to think about, and even call out, when you hear it being thrown around in such a way. The article articulates it far better than I ever could – so go read it.
  
• Agency navel-gazing or genuine industry change? I wrote some words re: ‘digital’ job titles (would love your input).
• ‘Why I walked out of Zoolander 2‘
• In our 2016 Digital Trends, Marshall Manson and I said to lookout for mobile networks moving into the adblocking space. Oh, lookie here.

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And that’s me… now go enjoy your weekend!

Last updated by James Whatley at February 20, 2016.