#no one will convince me not to make Robert a giant horse | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sirtravisjacksonoftexas · 4 years

Text

Was Jesus a Mythical Figure based on the Greek Hero Odysseus? Um, NO, and here is why.

Odysseus (Roman Ulysses) was a mythical king of Ithaca who fought in the Trojan War. For 10 years Odysseus and the other Greeks stormed the lands of Troy, soaking its soil with blood and filling its air with the wails of mourning widows and mothers. Despite this, the walls of Troy held, its armies holding its own against the Greek horde. Eventually Odysseus came up with a way to crush Troy once and for all.

The Trojan Horse.

This was a giant hollow wooden horse that was presented to the enemy Trojans as a “peace offering”. Thinking that the Greeks had given up, the Trojans took the horse into Troy, where a massive party was held. However, after almost everyone passed out or went to bed…Greek soldiers poured out of the horse, eventually opening the city gates. The night shook with the collective battle cries of thousands of ferocious Greek warriors, who rushed into the city with murder in their eyes. Arrows and javelins crisscrossed in the air as houses were put to the torch and drunken Trojan soldiers were put to the sword. Civilians fared no better as the city came down, as the Sons of Greece howled in victory.

Odysseus was now a hero, a man admired by all the Greeks. He looked forward to going back home to Ithaca, to his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. Their faces must have been on his mind as his ship sailed away from the Trojan shore, his battles now behind him.

Or so he thought…

On his way home, Odysseus stumbled upon an island that at first seemed just like that of any other in the Mediterranean region. However, after entering a cave filled with food, they soon discovered that the island was inhabited by cyclopes, one eyed giants with more attitude than a Pitbull that’s just been neutered.

One of these, Polyphemus, actually lived in the cave that Odysseus and his men had found. Enraged, Polyphemus kept them prisoner in the cave, eating several of them. Eventually, Odysseus decided to get Polyphemus drunk, where he would be vulnerable. As Polyphemus drank, he asked Odysseus his name. Odysseus lied, saying that his name was “Nobody” or “Noman” (depending on the translation). Once the brute succumbed to the wine, Odysseus and his men rammed a large, freshly made spear into Polyphemus’ eye. Polyphemus roared like a pride of lions, which prompted his oversized brothers to walk towards his cave, asking him what was going on. Remembering the name Odysseus gave him, Polyphemus became to Greek Mythology what Moe the Bartender is to the Simpsons:

“Noman is killing me by fraud;

no man is killing me by force.”

Hearing the term “Noman”, the other Cyclopes concluded that no one was hurting Polyphemus and that he was sick. Realizing that he’d been dumped, Polyphemus removed the stone door and stood at the opening of the cave, feeling around with his hands to make sure that none of the Greeks escaped. However, Odysseus looked at Polyphemus’s sheep, suddenly getting an idea. He and all his men got underneath the sheep, holding onto their fleece for dear life as the beasts crawled under the wrathful cyclops, who didn’t bother to check their undersides. Later, as Polyphemus tore the top of a mountain off and threw both it and a temper tantrum, Odysseus called out to him from his ship, revealing his true name.

Bad move.

You see, Polyphemus wasn’t just some run-of-the-mill fantasy monster; he was the son of Poseidon, wrathful god of the sea.

To avenge his son, Poseidon condemns Odysseus to wander the sea for ten years. During this time Odysseus has many adventures, encountering anything from ghosts and ogres to goddesses and sea monsters. Eventually, he reaches home, where he finds that dangerous men are putting pressure on his wife Penelope to marry one among them. Together with Telemachus, Odysseus slays them, regaining control of his homeland.

The story of Odysseus is one of the greatest tales of Greek Mythology. Odysseus is a thinking hero, one who uses his mind instead of brute force to tackle obstacles of every conceivable kind. He is no son of a god, but a man of mortal parents who braves both beasts and the divine in order to make his way home. But did his story inspire the creation of new gods? Indeed, was he the basis for Jesus Christ? Was Jesus a mythical figure based on this Greek hero?

Let’s see why this isn’t the case.

1. Incarnate God?

No, Odysseus was all mortal.

2. Son of God?

No, both his parents were mortal.

3. Trinity?

No, once again, he was a mortal man. He was not a god, let alone a person within a trinity.

4. Born of a virgin?

No, his parents had sex.

5. Star proclaimed his birth?

No.

6. Visited by wise men after his birth?

No.

7. Someone sought his death after he was born?

No.

8. Taught in a temple as a boy?

No.

9. Baptized?

No.

10. Tempted by the Devil?

No.

11. King?

Yes, Odysseus was a king. Jesus is too, though not of any earthly kingdom (John 18:36-37). He is the true King of the Jews (Isaiah 9:6-7, Matthew 2:2, Luke 23:3, John 1:49-50, 18:36-37) as well as the divine king (Revelation 19:16).

BTW: so, what? Are we going to say that Odysseus was based on Gilgamesh, Minos, Saul or Solomon, because they, like Odysseus, were also kings?

12. Carpenter?

Yes, just like Jesus…and countless other people throughout history, big deal. There were also a lot of kings. Once again… are we going to say that Odysseus was based on Gilgamesh, Minos, Saul or Solomon, because they, like Odysseus, were also kings?

13. Preacher?

No.

14. Prophet?

No.

15. Miracle worker?

No. Odysseus did eat a plant called Moly that made him immune to the Witch Goddess Circe’s powers, but this a far cry from performing a miracle. Was the Dread Pirate Roberts a miracle worker when he swallowed a magic pill that brought him back from being “mostly dead” in the movie “Princess Bride”?

Was Alice of “Alice in Wonderland” a miracle worker when she ate food that made her grow and drank a potion that made her shrink?

Ingesting a magic pill or magic food and potions doesn’t make them miracle workers, anymore than ingesting a real life pill makes a mechanic a doctor.

16. Multiplied bread and fish?

No, see above.

17. Walked on water?

No, see point 15 again.

18. Raised the dead?

No. Once again, point 15.

19. Healed the sick?

No. Once again, Point 15!

20. Cast out demons?

NO! POINT 15!!!!

21: Had supernatural enemies?

Oh wow! Supernatural enemies? That’s very hard to find in stories about heroes from both religious texts and myths!

I mean, that’s got to be so RARE!

Who would have thought?

Okay reader: time to do an eyeroll. Just get it out of your system, it helps when being exposed to Jesus Mythicist stupidity.

22. Had disciples?

No, he had soldiers, and they numbered far more than twelve (he had an army).

23. His “followers” acted Foolishly at times?

Yes, but once again, remember that Odysseus had soldiers, while Jesus had Disciples (meaning “students” in Greek).

24. Debated religious leaders of his day?

No.

25. Betrayed?

Odysseus was no stranger when it came to betrayal.

Once, when his last ship (the others being destroyed) reached the Island of the Sun God Helios, he made his crew swear not to kill any of Helios’ sacred cattle on the island. He had been warned by the ghost of the prophet Tiresias that if they killed them, then a catastrophe would occur. His men swore, but while Odysseus slept, Eurylochus, one of his soldiers, convinced the others to kill the cattle. Facing starvation, the men broke their vow. This ticked off Helios, which in turn ticked off Zeus, and…A storm at sea killed the rest of Odysseus’ men.

Odysseus was also betrayed by the suitors, men who wanted to marry Penelope. Their acts of rape and inhospitality was a stain on his honor. They had also tried to kill his son, and had even led some of his servant women to commit crimes against the state. Later, when he revealed himself to the suitors, Melanthius, one of his own goatherds, supplied them with weapons.

Jesus likewise was betrayed by Judas over thirty pieces of silver. A similarity…but not enough for Jesus Mythicists to make their case.

Indeed, how many people in the world have been betrayed?

26. Betrayer died soon after?

Eurylochus and the rest of Odysseus’ men died soon after killing Helios’ cattle. Likewise, Melanthius died soon after providing the suitors with weapons. However, both the suitors and the servant women carried out their betrayal for years before being stopped by Odysseus. Indeed, Melanthius had been allied with them for a while before the day when he gave them weapons to fight Ulysses.

27. Crucified?

No, Odysseus died of old age. In one version, he died defending his shepherds from Telegonus, his son by Circe. Telegonus afterwards learned that the man he killed was his father, who he had been searching for. In other versions he was exiled, in one dying of old age, in another his fate unknown. In the Odyssey, it indicates that his life will have a happy, fairy tale-style ending.

There is not one version where he is crucified.

Some Jesus Mythicists might state “but the story where he goes to Italy, one where his final fate is not known…he could have been crucified! It’s a possibility!!!”

Actually, no. You see, for one, such an argument would be an Appeal to Possibility, a logical fallacy where one tries to state that something is true because it is possible. Might as well say that he was mauled by a bear, because it’s possible, or hunted down by the Sirens because it is possible, or struck by Zeus’ thunderbolts because it’s possible, or clubbed to death by a prostitute in retaliation for him not paying her adequately enough because hey, its possible.

All of these possibilities hold the same amount of weight.

None.

Two, it’s also an Appeal to Ignorance fallacy, accepting something as true based on lack of evidence that shows otherwise. Imagine if someone not only claimed that a giant clone of Zooey Deschanel is in a secret underground government lab, but that, since this claim is not disproven, therefore it is true!

And three, it’s actually NOT possible, because the story of Odysseus existed before the invention of crucifixion. Crucifixion was invented in Persia in the 6th century BC. Homer’s Odyssey, on the other hand, was written about the 8th-7th century BC. True, Plutarch, who mentions the version of Odysseus going to exile in Italy, wrote in the second century, but let’s remember…he wrote in the second century. When was the New Testament written?

First century AD.

Now, you may be wondering where Jesus Mythicists got the idea that Odysseus was crucified.

Prepare to shake your head.

Odysseus once had to sail pass the isle of Anthemoessa, home of the Sirens. Sirens were singing sea nymphs who had the heads of women and the bodies of birds.

If you can imagine Katy Perry and a young Dolly Parton with the bodies of oversized eagles or hawks, you get an idea of what they would have been like.

However, their singing voices were even better than those of Parton or Perry. Indeed, their voices were enchanted, luring men toward Anthemoessa’s rocky shore. This led to a lot of ships sinking and a lot of men drowning, their bodies consumed by the Sirens. Wanting to avoid the same fate, Odysseus has his men stuff their ears with wax, which rendered them immune to the Siren’s allure. However, Odysseus had his men tie him to his ships mast, so that he could safely hear the sirens. Their song was so beautiful, so hypnotizing, that his men had to put stronger straps on him. After sailing to a safe distance, Odysseus was freed from the mast.

The following is an ancient Greek vase that depicts this mythological story:

Here is a closer look:

This is their proof that Odysseus was crucified.

Um…somebody forgot to tell them that being tied to a ship’s mas doesn’t = crucifixion.

Indeed, he wasn’t even being executed; he was simply being strapped down so that he could safely listen to the siren’s song.

Now, some Jesus Mythicists will try to point out similarities between these two events; Odysseus is strapped to a ship’s mast, which is both made of wood like a cross and with a similar shape to that of a cross (especially so with the sails rolled up), all the while standing straight up. Likewise, Jesus is nailed to a wooden cross, which is lifted straight up, Jesus body being vertical as well. Both are in anguish during this (Jesus due to pain, Odysseus due to not being able to go to the Sirens).

Parallel, right?

Wrong.

Crucifixion not only was a death penalty in Jesus’ time, but, as previously stated, it was being used to execute criminals since the 6th century BC. If the Gospel writers were making the story of Christ’s death up, why would they draw inspiration for the crucifixion from Odysseus being tied to a ship’s mast…instead of crucifixion itself, which was a common form of execution at the time? Remember, Odysseus wasn’t crucified; he was simply tied to a ship’s mast.

He…didn’t…die.

Now, some will counter this by saying that some ancient Christians made comparisons between Odysseus’ being tied to a mast and Jesus being crucified. However, this doesn’t mean that Christians were inspired by Odysseus’ tale to invent the crucifixion of Christ, any more than historians making comparisons between Alexander the Great and Achilles (both of whom share many parallels with each other) means that historians were inspired by Achilles to invent Alexander the Great. Andre the Giant, the late professional wrestler, bore many striking similarities with the mythic Hercules. If I note these similarities(which I did in another article, see the sources section below)...does it mean that I think that Andre the Giant didn’t therefore exist? No, it just means that I noted their similarities. I likewise wrote an article on the fem chatbot Tay, noting its striking similarities with Frankenstein’s monster (as well as with many other similar creatures in cinema, folklore and myth. See sources section below). Does that mean that I therefore think that Tay was a fictional character, not a real computer program? Anybody reading my article on Tay would know that wasn’t the case. Heck, people have compared the sinking of the Mignonette to “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket” by Edgar Allan Poe, due to both also sharing many parallels (Poe’s novel predates it by decades). Does this mean that someone was inspired by Poe’s novel to invent the story of the Mignonette? Likewise, many have compared the Titanic disaster to the novella “Futility/Wreck of the Titan” by Morgan Robertson, both of which also share many parallels (Robertson’s book written 14 years before the Titanic was put to sea). Does this mean that someone was inspired by Robertson’s book to invent a fictitious Titanic?

Then why would Christians making a comparison between Jesus’ crucifixion and Odysseus being tied to a mast be evidence that Christians were inspired by the latter to come up with the former?

Keep in mind; the three examples I’ve cited above have FAR, FAR, FAR, FAR, FAR, FAR more parallels between them than Jesus’ crucifixion and Odysseus’ being tied to a mast have. Indeed, the similarities between Christ’s crucifixion and Odysseus being tied to a mast are far outweighed by the fact that one was a crucifixion and the other is not, one is an execution, the other an attempt to avoid death yet still hear the Siren’s song. One’s nailed to a cross to die for our sins, another is tied to a mast in order to both learn and survive a mystery.

Yep, they’re about as similar as Reese Witherspoon and Alice Cooper.

Folks, there is no crucifixion here, let alone something that inspired it.

28. Went to the Underworld?

Yes, Odysseus did, though he didn’t die in order to go there. He went there while still alive so that he could speak with Tiresias. After Jesus died, he went to the “heart of the earth” (meaning Hades (Old Testament “Sheol”), the abode of the dead) for three days (Matthew 12:40, Acts 2:27-31). One could say that they both went to Hades, due to the fact that the Hebrews borrowed the Greek name for the Underworld, replacing Sheol with it, but the differences in the story are far more startling than the similarities. Odysseus went to the Underworld while alive and left, while Jesus died, went there, and then resurrected.

29. Resurrected?

No, see points 27 and 28

30. Ascended into Heaven?

No.

31. Second coming?

Odysseus did return to Ithaca, just as Jesus will return one day to earth. However, Odysseus returned, while Jesus will return. There is not an enormous amount of theological significance to Odysseus returning to Ithaca as there is with Jesus returning to Earth. Its more akin to Robin Hood’s return from the Crusades than Jesus’ Second Coming.

33. Went in supernatural disguise?

After Odysseus returned to Ithaca, Athena disguised him as an old man, which allowed him to go unrecognized by the suitors. This was done to save his life; the suitors would have killed Odysseus if they saw him returning home. His true identity was later revealed when, out of all the suitors, only he was able to bend his own bow (one that he left in Ithaca before sailing off to the Trojan War) and firing an arrow through the heads of twelve axe handles. After this, both Odysseus and his son slew the suitors. Likewise, after Jesus resurrected, he encountered Mary Magdalene, who didn’t recognize him until he called her name (John 20:11-18). Later, he also encountered two other followers of his on the Road to Emmaus, neither of which recognized him at first, courtesy of divine power (Luke 24:13-16). After striking up a conversation with them, Jesus sat with them at dinner. As he blessed the bread, broke it and gave it to both, the men suddenly recognized who he was...only for Jesus to vanish (Luke 24:17-31). Just as Odysseus showed signs of who he was while disguised (i.e. stringing the bow and firing it through the twelve axes), Jesus showed his unparalled knowledge of the scriptures with the men on the road to Emmaus, who felt their hearts burn as he spoke (Luke 24:25-32).

Admittedly, there is a striking similarity between Odysseus and Jesus in this regard.

However...so what?

As I mentioned in point 27, there have been many occasions in history where a historical figure or event bore numerous striking parallels with myths or fictional tales. This isn’t evidence that the historicity of those individuals or events should be called into question. Whose going to deny the historical existence of the Titanic, Mignonette, Andre the Giant, Tay or Alexander the Great because they were prefigured by mythic or fictional accounts that bore striking similarities with them?

Indeed, with all the mythic characters and stories, with all the historical figures and events that have occurred in the world, one would expect that eventually, some historical figure or event would arise that would bear parallels with mythical figures and tales, or vice versa.

This isn’t evidence of borrowing or inspiration.

Its evidence of math.

And, as we’ve already seen in most of the other points, Odysseus and Jesus really don’t parallel each other that well.

Indeed, they mostly don’t parallel at all.

34. Reign in a future age?

No, he reigned on earth in the remote past.

The connection between Jesus and Odysseus is spurious, and yet people still promote the idea. Indeed, Dennis R. Macdonald, a scholar who wrote “The Homeric Epics and the Gospel of Mark”, not only claims in his book that much of Jesus’ story is derived from that of Odysseus, but also from other elements found in Homer’s works. Indeed, he even claims that the story of Jesus walking on water was derived from Homeric stories of Hermes…flying over water.

I’m not making this up. He actually wrote this.

He also wrote that the story of Jesus death was partially inspired by the death of Hector in the Iliad (who was slain by Achilles in battle, not crucified), and that John the Baptist’s death was inspired by myth of King Agamemnon’s death! Now, let’s look at that last one, shall we? Agamemnon was killed by his wife Queen Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus (some accounts its Aegisthus and twenty other men). In some ancient sources, he was killed while taking a bath. In one version, Clytemnestra threw a net on him and then twisted it, before Aegisthus swung his sword or axe (in the version where her lover has a sword, Clytemnestra strikes Agamemnon with the axe afterwards). In another version of the death-while-bathing myth, Agamemnon is wearing a shirt with sleeves that are sown up, which likewise renders him helpless against the axe). Other sources state that he was killed while sitting at a table. The only similarities between his death and that of John the Baptist is that they were killed by royalty (Aegisthus ruled Mycenae) and they were both beheaded. An interesting parallel…until you realize that beheading was a form of punishment in ancient Greece and Rome and that kings could and did command that some people be beheaded. I could also mention that Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist beheaded, was not actually a king, bur a Tetrarch, a ruler over a quarter of a province or region (the Romans also used it to refer to someone who ruled over any portion of the empire). Though the author of the Gospel of Mark used the term “king” for Herod Antipas, he was either using the word loosely, or being sarcastic. Indeed, his wife Herodias planned to make him a real king. When Herod Antipas appealed for the title of king, he was rewarded by the Romans with exile to Gaul. Thus, he wasn’t royalty.

And yet…Agamemnon’s death was supposed to be the basis for that of John the Baptist…

Just as Odysseus was supposed to be the basis for Jesus…

Can you say “WRONG”?

Folks, Jesus wasn’t based or even inspired by Odysseus, let alone Homer’s Odyssey or Iliad. Jesus is a historical figure, not a mythical figure. Jesus is real, not a figment of Homeric tales.

Jesus is the real deal.

Sources:

“The Odyssey” by Homer (Translated by Samuel Butler), 87-96, 110-111, 122-30, 177-78, 226-35

https://www.theoi.com/Text/HomerOdyssey9.html

https://www.theoi.com/Text/HomerOdyssey22.html

“The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology” by Arthur Cotterell and Rachel Storm, 17, 19-20, 34, 60, 66-67, 74, 76, 78-79, 88

“The Penguin Dictionary of Classical Mythology” by Pierre Grimal, 19-20, 25-27, 300-06

https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_1336.cfm

“Homer's Odyssey and the Near East” By Bruce Louden, 277

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Homer_s_Odyssey_and_the_Near_East/AKDfiWrXAx8C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Suitors%2BBetrayed%2BOdysseus&pg=PA277&printsec=frontcover

“Women, Crime and Punishment in Ancient Law and Society Volume 2: Ancient Greece” By Elisabeth Meier Tetlow, 25

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Women_Crime_and_Punishment_in_Ancient_La/3fnsWhZkq74C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Suitors%2BBetrayed%2BOdysseus&pg=PA25&printsec=frontcover

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Robin-Hood/

https://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Seirenes.html

“Jesus, Paul, and Power Rhetoric, Ritual, and Metaphor in Ancient Mediterranean Christianity” By Rick F. Talbott and S. Scott Bartchy, 143

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Jesus_Paul_and_Power/yxJTAwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Odysseus%2BMast%2BJesus%2Bcrucified&pg=PA143&printsec=frontcover

https://sirtravisjacksonoftexas.tumblr.com/post/628287347439665153/alexander-the-great-and-achilles-examining-the

https://sirtravisjacksonoftexas.tumblr.com/post/628113211750776832/do-supposed-parallels-between-the-gospels-and

https://www.britannica.com/topic/crucifixion-capital-punishment

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Odyssey-epic-by-Homer

https://www.ancient.eu/odysseus/

https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2000/2000.09.16/

https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/Argument-from-Ignorance

https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/Appeal-to-Possibility

“Encyclopedia of Women in the Ancient World” By Joyce E. Salisbury, 66

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Encyclopedia_of_Women_in_the_Ancient_Wor/HF0m3spOebcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Agamemnon%2Bbeheaded&pg=PA66&printsec=frontcover

https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Beheading

https://www.britannica.com/topic/beheading

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Mortal_Republic/P2RPDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Pompey+beheaded&pg=PT206&printsec=frontcover

“The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament” by Craig S. Keener, 85, 150-51.

https://www.livius.org/articles/person/herod-antipas/

“Bible Understanding Made Easy: Volume 3: Mark’s Gospel” By Anthony L. Norwood, 23

https://books.google.com/books?id=g2DkENMbNnoC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA23&dq=tetrarch+roman+empire&hl=en&source=newbks_fb#v=onepage&q=tetrarch%20roman%20empire&f=false

https://www.britannica.com/topic/tetrarch-ancient-Greek-official

“Clash of the Gods” documentary series: “Odysseus: Curse of the Sea” and “Odysseus: Warrior’s Revenge” episodes

“The Portable Seminary: A Master’s Level Overview In One Volume”” by David Horton (General Editor), 281

“Quaestiones Graecae” (The Greek Questions) by Plutarch, section 14

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0215%3Asection%3D14

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0215

https://sirtravisjacksonoftexas.tumblr.com/post/615781564580773888/was-jesus-a-fictional-character-based-on-pagan

https://sirtravisjacksonoftexas.tumblr.com/post/624904287995265024/do-so-called-similarities-between-jesus-and

“The Princess Bride” film

“Alice in Wonderland” Disney cartoon.

0 notes

aion-rsa · 5 years

Text

Watchmen Episode 5 Easter Eggs Explained

https://ift.tt/2QsFTwo

Detective Looking Glass' origin story is revealed, and Adrian Veidt's plan becomes more clear in Watchmen episode 5.

facebook

twitter

tumblr

This episode contains Watchmen episode 5 spoilers.

About halfway through Watchmen episode 5 "Little Fear of Lightning," you should know that we've officially hit and surpassed the midpoint of the series. HBO's Watchmen only consists of nine episodes (not twelve), so it's time for the pieces to start falling into place and for some mysteries to be revealed. In this case, the mystery is why Wade Tillman/Det. Looking Glass is such an odd guy and why he behaves the way he does, while we also take giant steps towards untangling the mystery of Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias and whatever the Rorschach-influenced 7th Kavalry have been getting up to. If you spotted something I missed, let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter, and if it checks out, we'll get this updated.

Now, let's get to work. The clock is ticking...

HOBOKEN

- The episode opens in Hoboken, N.J. minutes before midnight on Nov. 1, 1985. You can hear a radio broadcast announce that the Doomsday Clock has been set to 1 minute to midnight, just as it was by this point in the book.

- Hoboken is located across the Hudson River from Manhattan and lines up almost exactly where the giant squid materialized, died, and detonated a psychic shockwave that killed millions. Hoboken’s proximity to Manhattan means it would be right in the path of that blastwave, just as residents of that city can often see and smell fires on the big island.

read more: Why Does it Rain Squid on HBO's Watchmen?

- Overall, this looks like a reasonable forgery of Hoboken in the 1980s, the buildings are all roughly the same height, and it feels like they’re roughly halfway up Washington St. As the camera pulls back from the carnage at the fair, you can spot Frank Sinatra Drive. Hoboken was the birthplace of Frank Sinatra, and his music features prominently throughout this episode.

- Hoboken was a haven for record shops back in the day, but I’m not sure if ZigZag Records ever existed there. However, the sign for that record shop here bears a strong resemblance to the defunct, departed, but beloved ZigZag Records that used to be located at Brooklyn...two rivers away.

- The pseudo-punks we see in Hoboken (and who terrorize poor young Wade) are the Knot-Tops subculture who featured in the book. One of them is wearing a shirt that says “katies” a reference to the street name for a drug called KT-28 which was used by many members of the gang. I guess they couldn’t get tickets to see Pale Horse at Madison Square Garden that night...not that it did them any good.

- You can spot a poster for the Pink Triangle benefit concert that was also hung on the side of the newsstand in the book.

- The bus that drops off the crew of young Jehovah’s Witnesses, including young Wade Tillman (the future Det. Looking Glass), is #486, but I’m having trouble finding any significance to that number or the numerals it consists of. Similarly there’s a license plate that reads BHS463, but I don’t see any greater significance there.

LOOKING GLASS

- As quickly becomes apparent, this episode is the origin story for Detective Looking Glass. That’s young Wade Tillman (played by Philip Labes) who gets humiliated in the funhouse hall of mirrors right before experiencing an excruciatingly traumatic psychic tragedy. It’s no wonder he’s a little bit off back in the present. His mask is more than just a convenient affectation, it’s made of something apparently called “reflectatine,” a material believed (probably just by crackpots) to protect from psychic blasts. It explains why we’ve seen him eating with his mask on at home. It’s also revealed that he lines his baseball cap with the stuff. It’s basically a “tinfoil hat.”

- Wade’s trauma has informed every aspect of his life, and keeps an alert system from a company called “Extra Dimensional Security.” Incidentally, the fact that they still deliver comprehensive print catalogs is another fun little reminder that the internet isn’t a thing in this world.

- Looking Glass is fond of eating cold baked beans right out of the can with his mask half rolled up, a habit he shares with Rorschach.

- Wade’s ex is named Cynthia Bennett, but she is an original creation for the show. Their relationship lasted seven years, and Wade makes the obvious mirror joke.

- Wade runs a support group for survivors dealing with trauma after the squid attack (there’s a pamphlet called EDA and You, presumably that stands for ExtraDimensional Anxiety). He greets new members by asking if they’re a “friend of Nemo.” Captain Nemo was a creation of seminal science fiction author Jules Verne and appeared in the novels 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island. He was notorious for doing battle with giant squid.

- It sure seems like Wade is probably gonna be taking ye olde dirt nap after this episode, but we’ll have to wait to find out. But we do hear the ominous ticking of a clock during the part of the episode when he’s exploring the warehouse, and we last heard that in the leadup to Judd Crawford’s death. So it might be a tell that if you hear the clock ticking, someone’s gonna die.

- Is anyone able to make out the newspaper headline on the wall of Wade’s bunker? It seems like it has to do with 11/2 and Manhattan, but I can't quite nail the specifics of it.

ADRIAN VEIDT

- On the streets of Hoboken at the start of the episode you can spot someone reading a copy of Tales of the Black Freighter (presumably the same one the kid is reading all through the book), and on the back of it you can see an advertisement for “The Veidt Method.” The Veidt Method was a self-help program “for physical fitness and self-improvement” launched in the ‘80s by Adrian Veidt that was dedicated to “creating a new you” by combining mail away exercise, nutrition, and bodybuilding techniques with philosophy and new age thinking. The letter that greeted applicants contained Veidt’s “all best wishes and encouragement” sign off we heard him use in the letter to the Game Warden in episode three.

- As we see several times throughout the episode, Veidt’s philosophy about getting the world to believe there was a greater threat absolutely worked. It’s brought up in casual conversation, and you can see it in the philosophy espoused at the EDA support group, where they take the squid attack as proof that there are other dimensions.

- Veidt’s “confession” video was recorded on Nov. 1, 1985, minutes or hours before he unleashed the squid attack on New York City (and Hoboken). Redford was shown this video on Jan. 21, 1983, the day after his inauguration (which lines up with the day Bill Clinton was inaugurated in 1993 as well). HBO’s Peteypedia supplemental materials revealed that Veidt was also a major public player in the election of President Robert Redford, although the knowledge of his role in the squid attack never caught on publicly, despite the publication of Rorschach’s Journal.

- Within that video, Veidt refers to using “fear” as a weapon and says “and I am its architect.” This is more than a mere turn of phrase. “The Architects of Fear” was an episode of sci-fi anthology series The Outer Limits. It’s basic story? Scientists decide that the only way to prevent nuclear apocalypse is to convince humanity that we have a common enemy from another world and thus need to put aside our differences. Sound familiar? This story was the source of great friction between Watchmen series editor Len Wein and writer/co-creator Alan Moore, as Wein felt it was too similar to what Moore delivered in the book. The book, however, does reference the intro to The Outer Limits at one point, perhaps as Moore’s way of paying homage to the source.

read more - Watchmen: Jeremy Irons on the Mystery of Adrian Veidt and Ozymandias

Veidt also confesses that he has engineered “additional small scale extradimensional events” to keep up the illusion. In other words, the squid rain we first saw in episode one and that has been referenced throughout the series now has an official explanation.

- Veidt appears to be wearing the hieroglyph for the Eye of Horus on his makeshift spacesuit, a symbol of both protection and power.

- Is Veidt (and his prison) on a moon of Mars or Jupiter? While Mars is the obvious choice, there appears to be ice on the surface of that moon, and neither of Mars' moons (Phobos and Deimos) have them. On the other hand, two of Jupiter's moons, Io and Europa contain both oxygen and water in sufficient quantities that you could imagine Dr. Manhattan successfully synthesizing the environment necessary to create life. The music playing during his little lunar adventure is Claude De Bussy's "Clair de Lune."

- Veidt appears to write “Save Me” or “Save Me D” using the bodies of his servants. “Save Me Dr.” perhaps?

- The “memory pills” are called Nostalgia, which was also the name of a perfume line by Veidt in the 1980s. Are these a later creation by Trieu Industries rather than Veidt?

DR. MANHATTAN

If there’s any doubt lingering in your mind, it almost certainly appears that the bizarre environment Veidt has been imprisoned in is something of Dr. Manhattan’s creation. His outburst (and the Game Warden’s agreement) that “your god has abandoned you” would seem to be a reference to that. Specifically, right before he left Ozymandias (and our plane of existence, seemingly) in the book, Dr. Manhattan speculated on the possibility of creating life of his own.

RORSCHACH AND THE 7TH KAVALRY

- That giant red eye symbol we see painted on the wall of the warehouse that Wade explores will probably be significant later on, but it does also kind of resemble the squid eye in the book, doesn’t it?

- When Senator Joe Keene talks about being taken aside and shown a tape that reveals the truth about the world (in this case Adrian Veidt’s “confession” to President Redford), it feels like a bit that legendary comedian Bill Hicks used to do about the Kennedy assassination. OK, to be fair, Hicks did LOTS of bits about the Kennedy Assassination but this one from his Rant in E-Minor album is the most relevant…

“I have this feeling that whoever is elected president...when you win, you go into this smoke filled room with the 12 industrialist capitalist scumfucks who got you there. And you're in this smokey room, and this little film screen comes down ... and a big guy with a cigar goes, "Roll the film." And it's a shot of the Kennedy assassination from an angle you've never seen before ... that looks suspiciously like it's from the grassy knoll. And then the screen goes up and the lights come up, and they go to the new president, 'Any questions?' 'Uhhh...just what my agenda is.'"

- It would appear that Judd Crawford was legitimately involved with whatever nonsense was going on with 7th Kavalary based on his relationship with Joe Keene. But neither he nor Keene seem to actually be part of the 7th Kavalry nor their generally racist mission statement. But also note that we learned from HBO’s supplemental materials that the painting in the Crawford home was actually gifted to Judd’s grandfather as a token of esteem within the order (from an ancestor of Senator Keene's it would appear), so it’s still possible that the hood and robe discovered at the conclusion of episode two belonged to his grandfather.

read more: HBO's Watchmen, Rorschach, and the 7th Kavalary Connection

- The Kavalry are experimenting with teleportation, which uses some of the same energy that Dr. Manhattan gives off, hence the blue glow you see when basketballs materialize. They’re using a CX924 Teleportation Window from The Institute for Transdimensional Studies, also referenced in the book.

- Anyone else think our actual real world President thinks it’s called “squid pro quo?”

- Can anyone name the country song in the bar? This isn't trivia, I'm seriously asking.

HOODED JUSTICE

This week’s episode of American Hero Story: Minutemen offers a graphic depiction of the romantic relationship between Hooded Justice and Captain Metropolis. The pair were indeed lovers in the "real" world of Watchmen.

MISCELLANEOUS STUFF

- That’s HBO’s The Sopranos star Michael Imperioli in the New York City tourism company’s “Why We Came Back” commercial. We haven’t heard much about what happened to NYC after a disaster with a body count the size of ten 9/11s (and it’s worth noting that throughout the episode the squid event is referred to as “11/2”). Needless to say, it seems to have not yet recovered, even 30 years later. It does make me wonder how different a show like the New Jersey-set The Sopranos would be in this world.

Within that commercial you can see folks waxing about Broadway shows while holding a Playbill for something called “Oppenheimer.” J. Robert Oppenheimer was a key figure in the development and design of the atomic bomb. I wonder if Oppenheimer is the Watchmen universe’s Hamilton.

- Another product being focus grouped at the company Wade works as cover is a breakfast cereal called “Happy Harry’s Smiley-O’s.” Happy Harry was the proprietor of Happy Harry’s Bar and Grill, a dive by any standards and one frequented by members of the underworld. It was a favorite place for Rorschach to beat information out of suspects and their associates.

- What is the name of the genetics company? Their slogan is something about offering “the splice of life” which is hilarious. And of course, the field of genetic experimentation was greatly advanced by Adrian Veidt in the book, as evidenced by his super-pet, a genetically engineered lynx named Bubastis.

- In this world, Steven Spielberg won Oscars for a movie called Pale Horse, about the tragedy in New York City on 11/2 and its aftermath. The scene described, with the little girl in the bright red coat in a movie that was otherwise filmed in black and white, means that this may have replaced Schindler’s List in Spielberg’s filmography in the Watchmen universe.

- Each episode gives us another little glimpse at what happens when every liberal hobbyhorse policy is enacted. To that end, tobacco is now contraband in this world.

- This isn’t a reference to anything in particular, but it’s worth pointing out that Red Scare eats Cheetos with a fork. On the surface, this may seem ridiculous, but if you don’t want to get orange powder all over your fingers and everything else, it makes perfect sense. I once saw someone eating Doritos out of the bag with a pair of chopsticks on a New York City subway, and that all makes so much more sense now.

- Panda is overheard saying that churches are “basically all the same.” This could be another sign about the low regard religion is held in the Watchmen universe, similar to the casual atheism Cal displayed in episode four.

Mike Cecchini is the Editor in Chief of Den of Geek. You can read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @wayoutstuff.

Read and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2019 Special Edition Magazine right here!

facebook

twitter

tumblr

Feature

Books

Mike Cecchini

Nov 17, 2019

Watchmen

HBO

from Books https://ift.tt/2OpDobD

#aion-rsa #Books

0 notes

hermanwatts · 4 years

Text

Sensor Sweep: Antiheroes, Theodore Sturgeon, A. E. van Vogt, Dreadstar

Popular Culture (Adam Lane Smith): Much has been made about the oft-lamented shift from Hero to Antihero and the modern obsession with romanticizing evil. Most frequently, I’ve heard this complaint directed at modern western media’s fixation on selecting one unyielding human trash fire after another as every main character. There’s a reason modern book sales and movie sales are struggling. To understand the shift over the last hundred years of stories and main characters, one must understand the cultural environments and the mental aspects at play, particularly attachment formation and its impact on society.

Writing (Rawle Nyanzi): With every passing day, it seems that global pop culture disappoints us more. Classic franchises are vandalized into self-parodies to “modernize” them, creative talent increasingly treats fandoms as the enemy, and geek-oriented media champion the intimidation and silencing of creatives who don’t toe a very particular ideological line. The Pulp Mindset is not a book on how to make millions with one simple trick. It is not a book about gaming Amazon’s ever-changing algorithm. It is a book about having the right mentality for storytelling.

Hugo Awards (Dark Herald): This years Hugos went so far beneath my radar I didn’t know they had happened. I think we have finally reached the point where a Hugo Award is actually damaging to an author’s reputation. Certainly, no one who loves Science Fiction will want to buy a book with the words Hugo Award winner on the cover. As you may know by now. George R.R. Martin hosted the 2020 Hugo Awards and he was apparently too old to be Woke.

Fiction (DMR Books): Now I don’t have to wait six months to release my collection! Necromancy in Nilztiria will be available in next month, and the cover illustration (which you can see to the left) is based upon “A Twisted Branch of Yggdrasil.” In this tale, the Norseman Hrolfgar and the Atlantean Deltor have been drawn through the labyrinths of time and space to the world of Nilztiria by a sorceress, who commands them to slay her enemy, Xaarxool the Necromancer. But as you can see this is no easy task, for Xaarxool has giant skeletons to defend him.

Fiction (Marzaat): Like most critics, he regards Sturgeon’s supreme strength as characterization. Sturgeon was allegedly good at seeing the cruelty behind civilization and the ways “conventional morality” (supposedly Sturgeon distinguished that from “fundamental ethical systems”) created anxieties and phobias hence some of his horror stories like “Bianca’s Hands”). Stableford contends Sturgeon never was onboard with John W. Campbell’s enthusiasm for science and technology. He suggests that Sturgeon’s “Killdozer!”, with its bulldozer under the control of a hostile alien force, is a hostile metaphor for that enthusiasm.

Fiction (Wasteland & Sky): Much credit should go author and editor Richard Paolinelli for all the work he has done in the Planetary Anthology series. After Superversive Press shuttered it looked unlikely that the project would ever be completed and was destined to be a what-if, but not only has Tuscany Bay released more volumes than Superversive did (and next month will have re-released all of Superversive’s old volumes), it has also carried the project into a whole new medium. That would be into the burgeoning audio book world.

History (Jon Mollison): The pre-history of the Americas is a true dark age – a time of great uncertainty and filled with mysteries for which we may never have solutions. The most basic of these, who was the first to arrive, remains shrouded in conflicting narratives and contradictory evidence provided by scattered and controversial archaeology sites. The question assumes the Bering Straits Theory is the only one that holds water. A rather sizable assumption given the dearth of evidence. And the possible explanation lies in the stone-age sailing ship piloted by Thor Heyerdahl.

Dragon Awards (Dragoncon): In this three-part series, past Dragon Award recipients talk about their award-winning novels and their Dragon Awards experience. During this time, nothing provides a better escape from the world than diving into the pages of a Dragon Award winning novel. The Dragon Awards, launched in 2016 in tandem with Dragon Con’s 30th anniversary, allows readers, writers, publishers, and editors a way to recognize excellence in all things Science Fiction and Fantasy. These Awards are by the fans, for the fans, and are a chance to reward those who have made real contributions to SF, books, games, comics, and media.

Cinema (Other Master Cylinder): John Saxon was born Carmine Orrico in Brooklyn, the first child of Antonio and Anna Orrico. His mother was born in Caserta, a small city near Naples in Italy. There’s some confusion about John’s age, partly due to his fiddling’ of the dates for his first contract. “I was born on August 5, 1936. Many have it wrong because I made myself a year older to get a Universal contract at the start. If I had been younger it wouldn’t have worked.”

Review (George Kelly): The 9th book in the Harry Dresden series features Dresden in a desperate quest to clear his vampire brother, Thomas, from a cunning plot by powerful Magical Interests. Harry Dresden, professional Wizard and Private Investigator for the City of Chicago, grew up an orphan. His upbringing included a lot of physical and mental abuse which explains his taciturn disposition.

Comic Books (Totally Epic): Finally! After 3400 pages of Epic Illustrated, we’ve (that is, I) have finally arrived at the first thing published by Epic Comics! Er, or, rather not, because first we’re doing Marvel Graphic Novel #3, Dreadstar. I mean, I kinda have to, because it bridges the story started in Epic Illustrated and The Price (over at Eclipse) and the Dreadstar series proper.

Fiction (Amatopia): I’m three-quarters through The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons–sequel to Hyperion and book 2 in the 4 book Hyperion Cantos series–and I can’t stop singing these books’ praises. I think so far I’ve convinced over ten people to give Hyperion a shot. It has been a long time since I’ve found a novel or series that has engrossed me to this degree, particularly a sci-fi novel.

Fiction & RPG (The Other Side): Over the last couple of years, I have been on a quest to find and read all the Raven books by “Richard Kirk” who was, in reality, the pen name of authors Angus Wells and Robert Holdstock. Both wrote Book 1 and then they alternated with Wells on Books 3 and 5 and Holdstock on Books 2 and 4. The story is one that is simple, but close to many FRP gamers. Raven wants to kill Karl Ir Donwayne. How is going to do that? Well, they need to Skull of Quez to appease this ruler to get to Donwayne.

Review (Rough Edges): The Digest Enthusiast, Book Twelve – Richard Krauss, ed. Interviews

Tony Gleeson (Fantastic, Amazing Science Fiction, Mike Shayne, Personal Crimes).

John Shirley (Weirdbook, Fantastic, The Crow, Constantine, Wetbones).

Games (25 Years Later): From the very beginning, you are made readily aware of not only the stakes but the epicness of the tale at the heart of Darksiders. The tale I speak of is at first set in modern-day Earth, and you take up the role of War, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who finds himself in our realm in the midst of a battle between Heaven and Hell. This is where Darksiders gives us a taste of War’s power before stripping it all away when he is killed during the battle. After War’s demise, he is brought in front of the Charred Council, where the blame of the apocalyptic events is placed squarely on his shoulders.

Pulp Fiction (DMR Books): The story starts in the “author as ghostwriter” conceit, as was the fashion of the time ever since its popularisation by Edgar Rice Burroughs in his Sword and Planet tales, and indeed utilised by Merritt himself in other stories such as The Moon Pool. So ubiquitous is this method of acclimatising the reader to tales of death-defying derring-do, it almost lulls the reader into a false sense of security – that this adventure will be just another ripping yarn, good for the mental exercise, but could safely be put down after reading.

RPG (Black Gate): Getting into Conan 2d20, for the casual gamer, or for the merely curious, demands a fair amount of cognitive load. This is because, I believe, the system is so innovative — and those innovations are precisely what makes this a Conan game. I have encountered many anecdotes of gamers and consumers gleefully obtaining this gorgeous hardcover tome (or PDF), riffling through it, saying, “Huh?” then setting it aside with a “Sorry, not for me, but the art is pretty, and this still makes a good resource.” adventures, the pandemic hit, and these two players weren’t interested in online play.

RPG (Silver Key): Ideas are a dime a dozen. It’s all about execution. The title of the post should speak for itself, but a little context. Heard on the intranets recently… “Gary Gygax ripped off Dave Arneson! Dave is D&D’s true creator!” My response: Horse shit. Ideas are like a@#$holes. We’ve all got one, and most stink. I can sit here in the calm quiet of my living room and fire off a dozen. “Weight loss app.” “Online mentoring program for pediatricians.” “Telehealth scheduling interface.” “Dying Earth role-playing game.”

Comic Books (Bleeding Cool): Sylvian Runberg writes: “When I was offered to do an adaptation of Conan, I was immediately thrilled, and for several reasons. The first is that this character was a part of my childhood, especially with the comics drawn by John Buscema and obviously the film with Arnold Scharwzenegger. But the second, and maybe the most important reason, is Patrice Louinet, one of the worldwide best specialist of Robert E. Howard, who could advise us during the making of this adaptation, offered me the possibility to discover an another Conan from the one I had in mind from this childhood, a more complex character living in a more complex world, even if we’re still talking about fantasy, magic spells, epic adventures and monsters.

T.V. (Dark Worlds Quarterly): In 1982, Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Cimmerian was brought to the big screen in a film featuring Arnold Schwartzenegger. The success of Conan the Barbarian spawned a plethora of bad Sword & Sorcery films (including Conan sequels). I will make no comment on those films here but state none was better than average and most were far below the worst of the Ray Harryhausen’s classics. Until 1999’s The Thirteenth Warrior I can’t think of a post-Conan film of a heroic fantasy of any real interest. Since the release of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Fantasy films have been experienceing another renaissance.

Tolkien (The Wert Zone): The Hugo Awards are the premier awards for science fiction and fantasy literature, first given out in 1953 and every year since 1955. One of the more interesting mysteries of the award is that J.R.R. Tolkien, widely regarded as the most prominent fantasy author of the 20th Century, was never given one despite being eligible on multiple occasions.

Science Fiction (Fantasy Literature): This collection of nine short stories, novelettes and novellas originally appeared in hardcover form in 1952, from the publisher Pelligrini & Cudahy, and sold for $3.50. By the time my edition came out, the Berkley Medallion paperback from 1963, with another wonderfully abstract/Surrealist cover by the great Richard Powers, the cover price had dropped to 50 cents but the number of stories in the collection had been reduced to seven. Missing were the novelettes “Vault of the Beast,” from the Aug. ’40 ASF, and “Heir Unapparent,” from that same magazine’s June ’45 issue.

RPG (Grognardia): I bought Mörk Borg solely because of its physical characteristics. A local friend of mine raved about it months ago and then, while perusing Free League’s website recently, I caught a glimpse of it in all its lurid glory. I was so intrigued by its bright yellow cover and black, white, and red artwork that I ordered a copy and anxiously awaited its arrival. I was not disappointed when it appeared at last: the 96-page A5 book is sturdy and well-made, like so many European RPG books these days. Most of the paper in the book has a satin finish, but its last section, presenting an introductory adventure, has a rough, natural feel to it.

Fiction (Adventures Fantastic): Today, July 24, is the birthday of John D. MacDonald (1916-1986). MacDonald wrote for the pulps and transitioned to paperbacks when the pulps died. (I wish someone would collect all his science fiction.) For today’s birthday post, I want to look at One Monday We Killed Them All. Dwight McAran beat a girl to death and went to prison for it. He’s about to get out. Dwight is Fenn Hillyer’s brother-in-law. Fenn is a cop. They don’t get along.

Sensor Sweep: Antiheroes, Theodore Sturgeon, A. E. van Vogt, Dreadstar published first on https://sixchexus.weebly.com/

0 notes

entergamingxp · 4 years

Text

The amazing stories of a man you’ve never heard of • Eurogamer.net

The Godfather

“If he only knew his final script was going to be written by some fat, non-professional Irish guy, I think he would have been fairly pissed off.”

Mention The Godfather game to someone and they might not bat an eyelid, but tell them you were at Marlon Brando’s house two weeks before he died and they’ll sit up straight.

You’d better sit up straight.

Meet Phil Campbell, a guy you’ve probably never heard of. But you’ve probably played his games and you’ll definitely know the people he’s met. He’s got stories for days. This is one of them.

In June 2004, Campbell was in a car with Godfather executive producer David DeMartini, on the way to Marlon Brando’s Hollywood home. Brando couldn’t make it to a recording studio because he wasn’t a well man, but EA had made him an offer he couldn’t refuse so they would go to him instead. The deal was for two recording sessions over two days – one now, one in the future, both around four hours long.

They pulled into to Mulholland Drive and buzzed the gates. In the backseat was a basket of fruits and wines to sweeten Brando up. “He’s quite the connoisseur,” Campbell tells me. But the gates to the house wouldn’t open. Even then, with the deal shaken on, “He tried not to let us in,” Campbell says. Phone calls were made, lawyers talked and eventually the gates clicked open.

“It was just like a regular house but it had grounds,” Campbell recalls. “I remember when they let us in the security gate we came up through fields and grounds, and there was landscape gardeners and people working.” Jack Nicholson lived next door. “I could have hopped the fence!”

Then, Brando. The actor with a mountain-like presence. The actor who’d defied Oscar awards in the name of activism and turned televised interviews on his hosts. And all of a sudden, the idea of ‘chatting for a bit to get to know each other’ didn’t seem so straightforward. But down they sat, with the recorder on – Campbell recorded everything – and began.

“You know, there’s an incredible self-intimidation factor with Brando,” Campbell says, “and for the first while – you can hear it in our conversation – he’s strong.”

Brando is holding court. He’s making phone calls in “two or three different languages” and regaling the visitors with tales from his decorated past. “At one point,” says Campbell, “he was telling us a story about [Elia] Kazan [director of On the Waterfront] and he actually did the scene from the back of the taxi cab, the contender scene, and we couldn’t believe our ears, our jaws were dropping. He was doing it to make a point about everyone considering it an amazing piece of acting, and he was saying it wasn’t, really, it was his audience that generated that impression.

“He was charming,” he says. “We chatted for so long with him.”

Eventually, it came time for Brando to clear everyone out of the room and get down to business, everyone except Campbell and a sound engineer hidden around the corner. Marlon Brando and Phil Campbell, more or less alone in a room Campbell believes “some stuff had gone down” with Brando’s troubled son. All Campbell had to do was hand over the script he’d written and direct Brando’s performance of it – no biggie.

“And of course, at first, when you’re dealing with Marlon Brando, you tend not to butt in or correct or anything, but over the course of time he made it obvious I could interject and feedback, so I did try to get a performance out of him,” he says.

But there was a problem. They had worn him out. “We chatted for so long with him, it probably tired him out,” Campbell says. He had a breathing tube, Brando, and their one shot at overcoming the audio quality issues with it, was to muster a really big performance. But he hadn’t the energy.

“If it wasn’t for the really bad audio quality, he actually did it really well,” Campbell assures me. “He took us back to the whole Godfather thing.” But they couldn’t use it. And they never got the chance to try again. Two weeks later, on 1st July 2004, Marlon Brando died of heart failure, aged 80 years old. “It was, in fact, the last script he ever performed.”

But all was not lost. Yes, the many grandfatherly talks Campbell had primed Brando for would not be recorded, and an impersonator would have to step in, but some Brando did make it into the game.

Go to the hospital, says Campbell. “If you go and lean in, by [Don Vito Corleone’s] room, you can hear the real Brando.”

Punks in Pleasure Town

Have you ever heard of a place called Portrush? It’s a seaside town in Northern Ireland where Phil Campbell grew up. A place made for holidays. A place of bingo and arcades, dodgems, big dippers and pinball. A place of golf and beautiful beaches, not far from the basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway, and Bushmills Distillery. “It’s where all the troublemakers and terrorists used to go for their day trips,” Campbell says. “Consequently, there was rarely any trouble.”

Campbell’s dad was a well known architect. He made a name for himself designing modern movement-influenced houses in the ’50s. “All of his houses are now listed as of historical significance and you can still see them around the north of Ireland,” Campbell says. “I always dreamed of buying one of them.”

Not sure you’ve quite nailed the punk look, Phil.

But teenage Campbell didn’t want to be an architect, he wanted to be a punk, so in 1976 he joined a band called Pipeline as their singer. You might have heard of them. “We have the honour of being mentioned on the internet once,” he jokes, “when we supported the Undertones at the Portrush Arcadia.”

Being a punk offered an escape from the bloody Troubles in Northern Ireland, which Phil Campbell grew up in. “The great thing about being a punk rocker during The Troubles,” he says, “was that there was no religious divide for us – protestants and catholics hated us alike!

“I suppose it was a bit of an escape. We would go to the seemingly most dangerous places in Belfast and Derry just to see great bands. In Belfast, Stiff Little Fingers, the Outcasts and Rudi were all getting going. In Derry, we took our fear in our hands and ventured to see the Undertones at a tiny pub called the Casbah…”

But the punk rocker dream didn’t last. “This was never a feasible career for me,” he says. “I was a terrible singer.” And the pull of architecture was too strong.

The Godfather, part two

“James Caan never stopped being Sonny. He told us it got him really good seats in restaurants.”

There’s a funny story about James Caan. Unlike Brando, he was happy to be involved in the game, and he was healthy, so EA gave him a lot to do. They made Sonny, the character Caan played in the film, into the player’s friend, made him a kind of big brother to you. Again, Campbell wrote the script.

But again, there was a problem. “I don’t know if this is publishable…” Campbell begins.

“I always remember being called into an executive meeting for The Godfather and they had my script for Sonny in front of them – I used to do these really nice packages with lots of drawings and images.

“They called me into this meeting, these producers, and they said, ‘Look, we’ve gone through your script for Sonny and there’s too many “fucks” per page. I’d like you to take out two “fucks” per page.’ And so, after moaning and whinging about it – basically a creative director’s job – I proceeded to do that.”

Cue James Caan. “He hadn’t changed at all,” Campbell says. He was Sonny Corleone. It was like he never left the role. And when you have an actor so in the moment, you let them improvise, you roll with it – no matter what comes out of their mouth.

And quite a lot did come out of Caan’s mouth, much to the executive’s displeasure and and Campbell’s delight. “He actually added back about four more ‘fucks’ per page,” Campbell says, laughing. “It was very satisfying. It was actually one of my most satisfying moments. He added imaginative swears I never could have written.”

Such as?

“Well,” he answers, “some of them were in Italian and they may have referred to certain parts of a horse’s anatomy…”

He laughs. “It was classic. They’re all in the game.”

youtube

Alongside Caan, EA convinced Robert Duvall and Richard Castellano, and others, to reprise their Godfather roles in the game. Impersonators filled in the blanks. But there was a notable exception, an actor who both refused to be in the game and refused to be impersonated: Al Pacino, who played Michael Corleone.

On the surface, Pacino’s refusal was understandable. “He wasn’t bad about it, he just said he created his legacy with The Godfather and he didn’t want to go back to it, he didn’t want to change it,” Campbell says. “That was hard to take but he was perfectly reasonable.”

But why, then, did Pacino agree to voice a Scarface game for Vivendi released only a few months later? Was he already tied down? Did they offer more money? Or was Scarface not as important to him as The Godfather? Campbell consoled himself with the latter idea. “That’s the way we read it.”

What hurt more than Pacino, however, was what happened with Francis Ford Coppola, who directed The Godfather films. Contrary to popular belief, he was involved, at least to begin with, before he decided to pull out and pillory the game.

“We had Francis Ford Coppola on board until he decided to trash us in the press,” Campbell says. “He came around, with his entourage. We showed him some early cuts and a whole bunch of stuff.”

Coppola even invited the game-makers to his private archives. “I actually got to play with that amazing script he doctored,” says Campbell. “It’s a really legendary movie document where he took the [Mario] Puzo book and cut out the pages and put each one inside a page of his notebook. They’ve now published it, actually, but at the time, us frantically rushing to the photocopier to do 30 pages at a time, was really amazing. It gets to scenes like where Michael kills Sollozzo and the police chief, and Coppola has annotated it and the scene is there in his notes.

“One thing I totally realised by the time I finished writing the script – because I had to basically try and pull more information from the book and then make a load of stuff up – was he seriously did get anything from the book that was any good at all and put it in the movie. There was nothing left. There was the odd scene in the ’30s with Don Vito but really he did an amazing job cutting out all the crap and ending up with a masterpiece.”

Then, something changed. Coppola pulled out and all of a sudden he turned on the game in the press, saying, “They never asked me if I thought it was a good idea.” And, “I had absolutely nothing to do with the game and I disapprove. I think it’s a misuse of the film.”

His beef seems to have been all the action in the game. Action the game needed but the film didn’t have. There are only around 15 minutes of action in the whole Godfather film.”What they do,” Coppola said about the game, “is they use the characters everyone knows and they hire those actors to be there, only to introduce very minor characters, and then for the next hour they shoot and kill each other.”

Campbell sighs. “There are only so many car chases or explosions you can duplicate from The Godfather to serve the purposes of a video game.

“I don’t know. There may be money involved – I have no idea about that. All I know is he was brought in and he gave us full access to all his facilities. I watched all the tapes of the actors auditioning. I just got to sit in his archives and look at everything related to The Godfather. And then along the way, something political happened.”

And it stung. “It matters to me still why Pacino wouldn’t do it, or why Coppola didn’t endorse us.”

Architects in polo necks

“They play softball in Hyde Park and act like they’re Americans. No. I loved the profession of architecture for one main reason: you can still do it when you’re eighty.”

So, Phil Campbell became an architect. He studied in Oxford – Oxford Brookes – and graduated with a first and a masters, then became a registered architect in 1986, working for a company called Rolfe Judd in London.

“I always did the fun stuff,” he says. “I never went on site much, I was terrible on site – I’m terrible at construction – but I always had ideas.” Ideas which turned into bars and restaurants, and led him to a senior designer role on Legoland Windsor.

Campbell even pitched a colour-coordinated car park to Disneyland Paris, which required people in certain-coloured cars to park in certain-coloured lots. “It was like an Impressionist painting on all these slowly undulating car parks,” he says. “Of course, everyone said it was bollocks,” he quickly adds, as he tends to. “And let’s face it, it was.”

His architecture career was going so well he was offered the chance to take over his dad’s firm, Dalzell and Campbell, in Northern Ireland, but Campbell junior had other plans. Phil Campbell and his girlfriend, Julia, who’d go on to become his wife – also an architect – fancied the look of America.

“We were literally sitting on the sofa while I zipped through Teletext – remember that?! I don’t think zipped is the operative word! – and we saw an offer to apply for green cards. We did just that. I entered the Irish Lottery and Julia entered the English Lottery, and we forgot all about it until we heard Julia had got in. We didn’t even talk about it. We just looked at each other and decided to take on the adventure. The move was totally a blind leap of faith.”

They moved to America with nothing but the clothes on their backs and two prized Aalto chairs. And 20,000 comics.

Bowie

“I was in the Bowie fan club when I was eleven. I told him that the first time I met him.”

One day, Campbell received a phone call at home and answered it to discover it was David Bowie. The David Bowie. The two men had been working together so this wasn’t completely out of the blue, but Bowie had never called Campbell at home before.

Campbell was terrifically excited. He was a lifelong fan and could only imagine how impressed his wife would be when she knew who was calling, so as quietly as he could, he called her over. “I was gesticulating to my wife saying, ‘It’s Bowie, it’s Bowie!'”

But how to prove it? He had an idea. “I quietly put him on speakerphone so she could hear the man,” he says, and they gathered around the phone. No sound, however, came out. What had happened to David Bowie?

What they hadn’t realised was David Bowie wasn’t in a good mood. He had actually phoned to give Phil a bit of a telling off. What they also hadn’t realised was everybody knows when they’ve been put on speakerphone.

The silence continued until eventually, Bowie spoke. “Phil, have you put me on speakerphone?”

Oh dear, rumbled by your musical idol. Campbell had no choice but to own up. “Yes, David,” he replied, like a guilty schoolboy. I’m sure his wife was very impressed.

Campbell laughs about it now, of course, it’s one of the stories he tells, and the truth is, he and Bowie got along famously.

They met a long time ago, in the mid-90s, working on Omikron: The Nomad Soul, a David Cage, Quantic Dream game – two relatively unknown names at the time. Campbell was the senior designer and more or less second-in-command, and they needed someone to do the soundtrack to the game.

To Campbell, the answer was obvious: Bowie, obviously. But David Cage disagreed. He wanted Bjork, she was bigger at the time, and usually where David Cage is concerned, Cage gets what Cage wants. “He’s an auteur, you know,” Campbell says, “he’s [Franois] Truffaut. I always wanted to be Hitchcock in that relationship but still.”

Somehow, though, Campbell won out, and the pair set their sights on Bowie. They had an in. Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones, was working in the games industry at the time, so through him they arranged to meet Bowie at Eidos HQ in London. Much to their surprise, he turned up. “He watched everything and came back the next week with Iman [his wife] and Joe [Duncan Jones] and Reeves Gabrels [Bowie’s musical collaborator of many years].” And he agreed to do it.

What followed was a Parisian dream for Campbell: two weeks of working with David Bowie every day. “We rented a flat for the duration and David booked into a fancy hotel under an assumed name. He was writing all this stuff, pitching it to us every day. He would turn up at nine, work practically nine to five. It was an unbelievable phase.”

They laid the groundwork for the album which would become Hours, “smoked too many of my cigarettes to count”, and came up with an entire soundtrack for the game. (“It wasn’t the greatest album in the world but we’ve always loved it because it filled our world with music.”) Anything Campbell put in front of Bowie, he’d sign. He even tried to push a bit of poetry on Bowie, which he “gently rejected”.

“Of course he never told me…” Campbell pauses. “What I really wanted was – you know he was famous for doing that cut-up technique, the [William S.] Burroughs thing, where you cut and paste words together to create sentences? He had a computer program for that which I desperately wanted to get hold of but he refused.”

Nevertheless, Campbell, once a boy in the Bowie Fan Club, was now a close friend of the man himself. There was a lovely moment at the Omikron wrap party, at a tiny French restaurant, where Bowie beckoned Campbell over to sit next to him. “Seconds before,” Campbell says, “all the Eidos big-wigs had been jostling for the spot. But David simply beckoned me over, patted the seat and said, ‘Phil, mate…'”. It’s fondly referred to as ‘awesome Bowie moment number two’.

youtube

Bowie really threw himself at Omikron – it wasn’t a fleeting involvement. He played two characters in the game and motion-captured “some classic Bowie moves” for in-game concerts. He believed in the game and medium so much he saw it as a platform to reinvent himself.

“He wanted to take Bowie into Omikron and leave him there and come out the other side as David Jones,” Campbell says. “He wanted to take his life back and leave Bowie. Bowie would be gone forever.”

Think of the two characters he played in the game. One was an omnipresent half-man half-robot called Boz, the sort of character you’d expect Bowie to be, whereas the other character was an 18-year-old starving street singer called… David Jones.

“Of course, that didn’t happen,” Campbell says. “In the end, Omikron itself could not stand up to the rigors of being the place where Bowie ended. If we’d have sold more copies I wonder if that whole scenario would have played out, but it just wasn’t important enough.”

Bowie and Campbell worked together for two years on Omikron in total, and even after the game wrapped, they continued to see each other. Campbell would travel up to Bowie’s office in New York to pitch him ideas. “Crazy ones.”

There was one idea which had come to Campbell after seeing something on the news about space junk – old decommissioned satellites circling Earth forever. “And you could buy these,” he says. “So I suggested to David he could buy these satellites and launch Ziggy from there again. Well it’s obvious, right, that’s roughly where he was from!”

Bowie didn’t go for it.

There was another idea to make a giant character in Times Square called, wait for it, Bill Board. Campbell can’t even remember what Bowie said about that. But he does remember using interviews with Bowie as a platform to promote some of these ideas, and he does remember an email Bowie sent to him at the time about it. “He simply stated, in his most Warholian fashion, ‘How are you enjoying your fifteen minutes, Phil?’ I wasn’t sure if I should be pleased or not!”

Guest list tickets continued for years afterwards but the two men drifted apart. Then, in January 2016, while Campbell was watching the movie Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, the news broke about Bowie’s death. “I still find it hard to believe he’s gone,” he says.

Today, he has a pile of signed memorabilia to remember Bowie by, his “prized possessions”, he calls them, and of course he has treasured memories. Which brings us neatly around to ‘awesome Bowie moment number one’.

Taking him up the opportunity of guest list entry years later, Campbell decided to try again to introduce his wife to David Bowie. They went to see him play at the Roseland Ballroom in New York, sitting at the VIP table with Iman “and, man, really lapping it up”. Then they went backstage afterwards to see if they could find him. But they couldn’t.

It wasn’t until Bowie’s managers Coco Schwab and Bill Zysblat pointed the Campbells in the right direction they found the room Bowie was schmoozing press in. “We walked into this big room and all the press photographers were there taking photographs, and he was there, meeting and greeting people, and he turned around and saw me coming into the room.”

Gulp – would this be another speakerphone moment?

“Phil!” Bowie shouted. “And he ran over and he planted a big kiss on my lips, right in front of my wife.”

He laughs loudly. “Best moment of my life, mate, I tell you!”

A pack of wolves

They landed in San Francisco. They quickly established themselves as architects but something gnawed at Campbell, an itch he couldn’t ignore. “I was always playing games.” It began with the Spectrum and never stopped. “I played everything. I loved the Commodore 64; we used to have these massive parties where we’d all play the Track & Field games.”

So, he volunteered. He went to places like EA and Domark (which would be bought by Eidos, which would be bought by Square Enix) and tested games, and every time, he left a calling card. Literally – he left a resume designed like collectible trading cards. “And somebody fell for it.”

Domark fell for it, and he started his own game there called Blackwater. “Here,” Domark told him, “use these new tools, they’ve been developed at Core.” As in, Core Design. As in, Tomb Raider. But Tomb Raider hadn’t been made yet so, for a while, things were peachy. But as Tomb Raider’s star began to rise, things began to change.

Suddenly, the tools weren’t for anything but Tomb Raider. “We’re never going to use these tools for anything other than Tomb Raider,” Domark announced, “so we can’t do your project.” The Blackwater team was “trashed” and the project cancelled. But Campbell’s aptitude with the tools wouldn’t go to waste. He was sent to work at Core Design in Derby. “It was like punishment!”

But Core Design didn’t want him. Core Design really didn’t want him.

“They got me to come over and the first day I was in Derby, the original Tomb Raider team – the game hadn’t shipped yet – they circled me like wolves,” he says. “They refused to let me sit down or go to work because it was theirs – we’re not having anyone else come in. They literally circled me and said, ‘You can’t work here. Nobody else is working on this. It’s ours.'”

It wasn’t until operations director Adrian [Smith] stepped in and “saved my life”, Campbell was allowed in. “Adrian calmed them down so I decided to start coming into the office,” he says.

“I would go into Core’s offices and work late and build levels, and just build, build, build. And slowly – it’s one of those movie scenes – one by one, they’d look in and show they’re curious. And then they’d play it and say, ‘Oh this sucks,’ and then they’d play it a bit more and go, ‘Oh that’s a good idea.’ And so by the end of it I got nothing but support from them – that was the amazing thing at the end of it – but it was like trial by fire.”

Five years, he worked on Tomb Raider, creating, writing and designing expansions and fleshing out Lara Croft as a character and collaborating on comics. However rocky his start at Core Design, working there “taught me almost everything I needed to know”.

What pulled him away was the ambitious young French studio Quantic Dream, also under the Eidos umbrella (Domark was bought by Eidos in 1995). Campbell was still technically an Eidos employee while he worked on Omikron: The Nomad Soul, “But I had so much faith in Quantic Dream at that time that I left Eidos to go work with David [Cage],” he says, “because the allure of what he was trying to do was just too interesting.”

Best and worst

“Me and David Cage together in the same room? It’s an unbearable idea for some people.”

“Oof.”

I’ve just asked Phil Campbell a tricky question and he’s at a loss for words, and that’s a rare thing. But it’s a tough question: “What’s the best idea you’ve ever had?” It’s like knocking on the door of London’s National History Museum and asking for their best dinosaur bone – Campbell’s had thousands of ideas.

I can almost hear him flicking through them in his mind, yep-noping them as they pop up. Then he pauses. “Do you remember a game called Fear Effect?” he asks. I pretend I do. “I singularly remember standing on the phone talking to [the game’s makers] and coming up with the notion that the health and all the other systems in the game should be like a fear effect.”

But no, that’s not it, he goes back to looking.

“I churned out so many ideas into Tomb Raider in the early days,” he suggests. “Every possible level-design trick I could summon. The rolling ball thing, the classic Indy thing they stole and made a Lara thing: I thought ‘Why do we have to limit it to one rolling ball? Why can’t we have a ceiling full of them dropping on you in a weird chess puzzle game?’ And I did that. I always challenged all of the assumptions.”

But no, that’s not doing it either.

Then, suddenly: “My worst design decision ever? I can tell you that for sure.”

The idea is in another Quantic Dream game: Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in America), the game Quantic Dream made after Omikron. Again, Campbell was instrumental in the design, but this time he wouldn’t see the game through by virtue of it taking three years, apparently, to find a publisher. “We couldn’t sell the damn game!” he says.

It wasn’t until Fahrenheit came out, Campbell realised his worst piece of design. It dawned on him after Godfather senior designer Mike Olsen returned one morning to give his verdict of the game. “Play it, you’ll love it!” Campbell had told him.

Olsen’s reaction, however, didn’t tally. “He came in the next day and he was so angry and frustrated,” Campbell says. “And he said, ‘I played this game and it was so shit. I got completely stuck.’ I couldn’t understand why Mike was so upset.”

Then it clicked. Olsen had gotten stuck at the place you had to stand still and do nothing – the place with the giant flying bugs. Oh dear. “This was my clever-clever design idea,” Campbell says. “It was supposed to show that you were mad – you were swatting at things that weren’t there.”

But doing nothing wasn’t as easy as it sounds. “You’ve got to remember, Mike Olsen is a hardcore gamer. Hardcore,” Campbell emphasises. “He did the whole hand-to-hand system for The Godfather. And of course a hardcore gamer like Mike, there’s only one thing in games he can’t do…”

He pauses for a bit of dramatic effect.

“…do nothing.”

Campbell learned his lesson. “I realised at that time you can be too clever for your own good.”

Our conversation meanders after this, while Campbell’s search for his elusive best idea goes on. At one point, we’re talking about The Untouchables film, the one with Kevin Costner in, the really long one. We’re talking about it because Campbell pitched an Untouchables game idea to Paramount.

“I’d been so pissed off,” he says. “Every single time I was writing something, it was the hero’s journey, it was rags to riches, it was Ray Liotta pushing through the crowd in Goodfellas and becoming a made man. I wanted to do something where, like with the Scarface game I designed at the time-“

Oh, by the way, he made a Scarface mobile game.

“You’re Al Pacino, you’re on a mountain of cocaine – not literally – and you’re trying to cling on. I loved that narrative where you’re at the top already. I wanted to be Brando, you know? I wanted to be Robert De Niro playing Al Capone, hitting the guy with the baseball bat in The Untouchables.”

The Untouchables game would let you do that, play as characters other than the hero. He’s really proud he got this into Quantic Dream games, he tells me, and as he does, it finally hits him: “The best bit of design I ever did. I’ll tell you know, I remember – have you time for it?

“For me, probably the best piece of work I’ve ever done is…” would you believe it? Also in Fahrenheit. “I was responsible for doing the diner scene at the start of Fahrenheit which became the demo. For me, the demo was the perfect little game.”

Do you remember it? The game opens with you, the player, murdering a man in a toilet. You weren’t in control when you did it but now you are in control, you have a body to deal with, and you know, because of a split-screen view (“unashamedly” stolen from the TV series 24) there’s a cop in the diner and he’s going to need the toilet real soon (Campbell calls him “living timer”). Sure enough, the cop gets up and walks towards the crime scene. You have to get out…

Then the game spins and you’re a detective on your way to the crime scene. But of course, as the player, you already know what’s gone down, even where the murder weapon was thrown. It means you waltz in acting like a proper detective, not some rookie, bumbling around. “There’s nothing worse than a player coming into scene, playing a policeman, and not acting like a policeman,” Campbell says. “Once you stop doing appropriate things, you break the immersion.”

In other words, it’s a Bond moment – a term Campbell picked up working on 007. “Bond always had to be Bond,” he says. “The minute he trips on a curb because you built it badly, or he slides off a roof, that breaks the Bond spell.”

The spell in the Fahrenheit demo held. It had tension, it had pace, it had immersion and different points of view. “It summed up everything I wanted to do.”

Where things take a turn

At one point, Campbell was the chief creative officer of Quantic Dream, running a small office in San Francisco, creating an episodic story idea which became Fahenheit. But Campbell would leave long before the game was released because in 2001, “EA made me an offer I couldn’t refuse…”

Yet, Cage and Campbell went on to work together for many years, Campbell as contracted help. They worked together right up until recently, through Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls.

“I did the adaptation,” Campbell explains. “Basically, David would send me wadges of French, translated by a student, and ask me to create all the voices for the characters. It worked really well in Heavy Rain; notwithstanding some of the very bad acting, the good actors’ roles really came across. I got some great write-ups in press on that.

“In Beyond: Two Souls…” He pauses, probably because the game wasn’t well received. “It’s funny,” he goes on. “Beyond: Two Souls was supposed to be David Cage’s game-game and it was a beautiful game, great characters, but what neither of us really realised at the time was it had no agency […] you couldn’t die or anything, whereas Heavy Rain had hit that sweet spot where you could lose your main characters and the story could go all over the place.”

Evidently, Campbell didn’t mind Cage’s domineering way of working and the two men forged a strong working relationship. “I think I’m one of the only people who’s been able to work well with David over many, many years,” Campbell says. “I did a few more things with David but I lost contact with him around Detroit.”

Campbell was brought into EA on the James Bond licence, where he was the creative director on Agent Under Fire (2001) and Everything or Nothing (2003). They weren’t brilliant but they did try to be more than movie tie-ins, bringing original stories to the series.

The Godfather, though, was Campbell’s all-consuming work at EA. “The Godfather was and always will be my baby, for better or worse,” he says. “Just going through a four-year process, which is a really long time, hearing that theme music on loop in the studio – I never want to hear it again, forever. But creating a world, creating every single building in that world, every single mission, every single word, was an incredible experience.”

But living and breathing The Godfather for four years wore him out. He had mafia coming out of his eyeballs and needed a change. It led to a fateful decision. “I made the stupid mistake at EA of saying, after Godfather, I’m not working on Godfather 2,” he says. “I couldn’t. I just couldn’t face any more Godfather.”

He asked to be put back on the Bond team and EA obliged. “So I went back to Bond for about two weeks and then they sold the bloody licence to Activision and I was out of a job, just like that after six years. That was the hardest part.”

Walking away

“That’s the way the luck goes sometimes.”

Picture this: Campbell, alone, surrounded by his ideas. Ideas on the walls on tables, on paper and whiteboard, mapped out in charts and storyboards and flow diagrams. Ideas conveyed in board game dioramas with explanation paperwork surrounding them. But no sound, everything still, like a museum of ideas, their curator waiting idly among them. This was Campbell’s last year at Zynga. His last in the business.

Nothing had quite landed for him after EA. He suggested a Virtual Me idea to EA while working as a consultant. “It was an idea I had that we could consolidate all of EA’s avatar systems, company-wide,” he says. Imagine having one avatar you used for FIFA and Madden, Battlefield and Apex. “You had a single avatar that had all these guises and shared qualities,” he says. “It was a good idea. It’s just, EA’s a very big organisation…”

They worked on Virtual Me for six months, soft-launched it in Poland, “But it really didn’t work,” he says. “It didn’t make it.”

Augmented reality and virtual reality came next, through a company Campbell co-created with Irish animation heavyweight Greg Maguire, who’d worked on blockbusters like Harry Potter and Avatar. They, as Inlifesize, had all kinds of ideas.

There was an idea for wellness pods. “Imagine the Tardis,” Capbell says, “a Tardis for wellness.” You, surrounded by your medical data. It didn’t catch on.

There was an Evil Dead idea Campbell created a gorgeous interactive art book for, to pitch American filmmaker Sam Raimi. It’s got these amazing drawings with cut-out sections that act as windows to the page below, then transform when you flip the page. It’s hard to describe so I’ve included a video to do the job for me. “We never really got the project going the way we wanted,” Campbell says, “but we did ship as a kind of endless runner.”

youtube

This video was shot in portrait – oh Phil! If it doesn’t display properly, click through to YouTube and watch it there.

Their biggest bet was on a game called Fairy Magic, an iOS game which used your phone’s GPS and camera to overlay magical creatures in the real world. Sound familiar? “It was totally Pokemon Go without the Pokemon and the monetisation,” Campbell says – and it was released three years earlier. But it didn’t catch on. “We hit too early,” he says. “We ended up making about two bucks a day.”

If that wasn’t painful enough, Fairy Magic had once been conceived as a Game of Thrones game, and the licence was a very real possibility in 2011, as Inlifesize was funded by Northern Ireland Screen, the company bringing Game of Thrones to Northern Ireland (a now historic move which transformed the region – “We take it very seriously, our gold and our Game of Thrones.”). But Campbell ditched dragons in favour of faeries and the more family-friendly age rating which came with it. “We turned down Game of Thrones early in the GOT process, which was probably our worst ever mistake.”

But what brought Inlifesize to its knees was Doctor Who. “We pitched Doctor Who – we’re all big fans – and what I thought was an awesome AR [augmented reality] Doctor Who game,” Campbell says. “It started in the Tardis and ended up with the Weeping Angels and the Daleks and everything you would expect, and we pitched it for about eight months. We built everything, we did demos, and basically we were told, at the end of the line, that this AR thing, it’s never going to work. ‘Would someone want to do that on the bus?'”

Even now, in 2020, people still aren’t convinced about virtual and augmented reality, and Campbell was banging the drum in 2014, when Oculus Rift was still a development kit two years from commercial release. The ideas fell flat and Inlifesize was wound down.

youtube

It’s at times like these we turn to those we love and so Campbell turned to his wife, who had some motivational words for him. “Go and get a job for fuck’s sake!” she said (Campbell exaggerates for effect) and that’s how he ended up at Zynga.

It wasn’t all bad. In fact, for a while, it was brilliant. He was unleashed on all the brands he loved – The Walking Dead, Ghostbusters, Justice League and Batman – and ideas poured from him, earning him the cheesily named Design Rockstar of the Year Award in 2015. “For one year it was glorious,” he says. “But the other two years…”

You have to remember, this was Zynga in decline, with three CEOs in three years and a rapidly depleting workforce. One by one, the people around him disappeared. “At one point, I had a whole wing,” he says. “I had a floor at Zynga because they’d been firing so many people I ended up sitting on my own.”

But he didn’t sit idly. ‘I know what I’ll do,’ he thought to himself. ‘I’ll decorate.’ So he got out his Sharpie and plastered any surface in sight – and Zynga loved it. “Everybody who visited Zynga would be brought round,” he says, to be impressed by the overt display of creativity before them.

But Phil Campbell’s way of working began to fall from favour at Zynga. A more methodical approach was desired. Micro-managers moved in, “and I’m a very hard person to micro-manage”. “The final year put me off the business forever.” So in 2016, fed up, Phil Campbell walked away.

youtube

This video was shot in portrait – oh Phil! If it doesn’t display properly, click through to YouTube and watch it there.

The man you’ve never heard of

The whole time we talk, which is quite a long time, one thought keeps bouncing around my head: ‘How have I never heard of you before, Phil Campbell?’ The things he’s done, the people he’s met, games he’s made. The stories he tells. How come I’ve never heard of him before?

But such is the nature of success, I suppose. We don’t hear about the runners up because history celebrates the winners, and for all it promised, Omikron didn’t quite come together, and The Godfather never measured up to the film. But everything Campbell was involved in tried something new. It had new ideas, ambition, guts. The second Godfather game, without him, was empty.

To lose that relentless creativity and energy: it’s a great shame. It’s our loss.

Unless.

Unless Phil Campbell ended up somewhere he was always meant to be.

Something new

“It’s a terrible thing, enthusiasm – you can’t get rid of it.”

“It’s going to kill me!” he says.

“I run about in my classes and I’m jumping on tables, demonstrating mechanics, doing a lot of shouting and drawing on the wall. For old men like me, just raising your arms above your head is dangerous, but I can’t help it.”

Today, Campbell teaches. Four days a week, he’s leaping on tables at either Berkeley City College in San Francisco, or Cogswell in San Jose, inspiring the minds of tomorrow. And he loves it. “I wish I’d started 10 years ago,” he says.

And they love him.

He has the highest retention rate of any class at Berkeley City College. “Every semester I have one hundred and fifty new names to learn – at my age!” he says.

Maybe it’s to do with his lenient marking. “I can’t be bad cop ever,” he says, “it’s ruined my career actually.” Or maybe it’s because he throws comics at students to inspire them. It’s not as though he’s going to run out, he has 25,000 comics at home.

Or maybe it’s because having ideas isn’t as easy as it sounds. How many have you had today? I imagine you’ve had at least one idea while reading this piece (it’s long enough). But what did you do with it – swallow it? What good is it to anyone then?

“I’ve been known in my time, variously, as a great gushing waterfall and a rusty, leaky tap,” Campbell says. “You get both because what you do is you decide to commit. A lot of people will have these ideas in their head and they’ll never emerge. I say get it out. Seventy per cent of the time it will be OK, thirty per cent, people will think you’re stupid, but, you know.”

And he’s developed a few methods over the years to help.

Bodystorming

“Bodystorming is basically brainstorming using your bodies,” Campbell says. “You have a situation and you all play a character and you bodystorm it – you move around, you communicate, you act, and it helps you sort out problems. It’s really brilliant for level design.”

Campbell learnt bodystorming from a guy called Sean Cooper, who used to swear a lot. “When I used to go over and work with Core on Tomb Raider, swearing is just, you know, a casual thing in Britain.” He laughs. “Cooper would come over with a lot of big nasty swears and get everybody’s attention and annoy everybody, but you’d be sitting in a meeting and he would, not angrily [but to demonstrate], flip a chair over and duck behind a desk. He would climb over, he would show what Bond would do physically in any given situation.

“It was the best example of bodystorming I’ve ever seen. He’s an incredible guy. It’s like this legacy of game stuff that gets passed down from the earliest games.”

Hidden narratives

“A hidden narrative is what I had to use many, many times in Tomb Raider because I was churning out levels so quickly over a short period of time I had to find a way of not ever being stuck,” he says.

“A hidden narrative is taking an established piece of media – it could be a song, a poem, a book, almost anything – and you take that classic structure and set out a beginning, middle and end of a narrative for whatever your designing, let’s say a level, and basically insert Lara Croft into that scenario and keep working it and working it until the hidden narrative disappears.

“I based some of Lara’s levels in Egypt on Alice in Wonderland. Right at the end, she’s at the Tea Party, only I created a tea party with all the Egyptian Gods instead of the ones in Alice, and that led me to some more ideas. Or, she goes through the rabbit hole, so I had Lara diving down into…

“I based level designs on my back garden. Anything that triggers you and keeps you going,” he says, “because the worst thing to do is to stop.”

Half-remembering

This is his favourite, and it’s remarkably easy to do. Why, I feel like something of an expert already!

The idea of half-remembering struck Campbell while giving a talk he had completely forgotten he had to give. He was just leaving the hotel to go to the airport when an organiser spotted him and said, “Oh, Phil, the room’s over there. If you could just-“

Phil interrupted: “What for?”

“You’re the keynote speaker,” he was told.

“So I walked out and quickly whipped up my slideshow and I had no idea what to say, and the room was packed – they were practically coming out the doors and windows.

“So I just started the usual chat and showed a few slides and talked about what, you know, we talked about, in a way, and then I couldn’t remember something and I started talking about fuzzy memory, and I just came up with the phrase ‘half-remember things’. And the place erupted.

“It was like one of those moments where you go, ‘I came, I saw…’ and everybody just goes ‘yeahhhhhh’. And it was completely spontaneous. It wasn’t deserved! It just was the way the room was, the atmosphere. Whatever the way it was I said ‘half-remembered’ made people go ‘yeahhhh’. It was like scoring a goal!”

Half-remembering is when you can’t quite remember a plot from a film, say, and end up confusing it with another one. By stitching them together, you create something new. It’s the sort of thing we do all the time in dreams, hopping unquestioningly from one thought to another. So get fuzzy, let yourself forget.

“Don’t become a Wikipedia,” instructs Campbell. “If you can keep your thinking a little bit fuzzy and you can create links between dreams and reality, just let it roll. It doesn’t matter if it’s real or imagined. It’s stuff, It’s content, it’s ideas.”

We snap back to talking about teaching.

“I’ve been called the c-word a lot,” he says.

I laugh.

“That one too, yes,” he goes on, satisfied, “but ‘catalyst’ is the word people use for me. I put ideas together, I get things to work, I share.”

He triggers imaginations, it’s what he’s always done. He throws up thoughts for other people to jump in on, pulls people in, bounces off them. And he does it now, coaxing his students into a place where they have no fear sharing their ideas. They rarely sit down. He tries to get them up on their feet, away from books, playing, sharing, collaborating.

That’s key, working together. If he’s learned anything in his time in the industry, it’s to crack collaboration early on. “I don’t falter,” he says. “I don’t let people go off and work on their own.”

It makes him happy, teaching. He’s content. He’s finally found somewhere his methods and way of working really click. And though he’s not directly in the games development industry, who knows? His effect upon it now may be greater for those he equips to join it. He feels good about that.

“It’s a bit of a legacy thing,” he says. “I get paid very little – luckily my wife has a real job. I’ll just keep teaching until I drop, probably. I just love passing it on.”

A beautiful morning

“This is a real test for me – it’s an exam – trying to not half-remember things.”

It didn’t quite pan out the way Campbell expected. He once expected every game to pay royalties like Tomb Raider did. “They set me up for some dream industry which never quite evolved for me. But hey,” he says, “valuing stuff like meeting Brando and Bowie, it enriches your life forever.”

If he has a regret, it’s not taking any pictures with Brando. He couldn’t, he wasn’t allowed, nor would Brando sign anything. But he has his memories of Brando, Bowie and more. How many people can wheel out the kind of stories he can? “I just look back on a ton of memories and think how lucky I was to be in the right room at the right time,” he says.

There’s still architecture – he picked it because he could do it when he was 80, remember – and it never really left him. It’s why, when he was making The Godfather, his virtual New York had a ludicrous 200 landmarks. He knew them all but how many can you name? The Rockefeller Center, The Empire State Building, Central Park, um, the Friends apartment?

It wasn’t until an EA executive came to ask members of the team the same question in order to prove a point – they averaged around five or six – Campbell finally conceded.

He still plays The Godfather with his students, you know, and finds unexpected pleasure in it. “What was great about playing The Godfather was not playing the missions,” he says. “The joy of Godfather was just starting a rumble in the middle of town. Not in the design plan, not intended, but a true joy to play. That’s what I look for in games.”

He dabbles in a bit of architectural work too. “I still consult,” he says. “I consulted on the Titanic museum in Belfast. But it’s all very casual. My wife is a real architect.”

They collaborated recently (he credits her with all the work) on a very personal project. It’s the reason he suddenly breaks off during our conversation to talk to an engineer. I hear the word “elevator” and I’m just about to ask when he beats me to it.

“Sorry about that, Bertie,” he says, “we just built a new house, finally, after all these years, and I’m standing here looking at the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s certainly beautiful here this morning.”

More specifically, he’s standing in his rooftop garden overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, and he has a six-story bookcase running up the stairs. Downstairs, on the bottom two floors, there’s an apartment stuffed with “everything my wife didn’t want in the house”, all his gaming paraphernalia, and they rent it out on Airbnb. “We just started,” he says. “It’s like a pop culture museum.”

It might not have panned out the way he expected, then, but it panned out pretty nicely in the end. “It’s Retirement House,” he says. Then he changes his mind. “That sounds bad.”

He thinks for a moment longer and with a laugh hits upon something better. He says,

“This is a house to befit someone who’s not quite famous.”

The view from his rooftop garden.

The greatest honour

I feel good about how I leave Phil Campbell, there on his rooftop, looking at the bridge, and as I hang up, I can’t help thinking about all the ways I feel a little bit like him. I’m not Irish, though I do a terrible accent, but my thoughts fire around like his, hopping all over the place, and I can’t resist an opportunity to make someone laugh.

I have ideas, too. No, really! They pop up all the time. But I am in no way as disciplined and determined in getting them down. That’s his mastery. No doubt he’s already off concocting an idea to delight or torment his students with. That’s nice. I’d like him as my teacher. I think of it as his final form. But he wouldn’t be there had he not gone round the houses learning his trade, and as the cliched old saying goes, we learn more from our mistakes than we do our successes.

It’s changed my mind about what this story is. Someone asked me this last night and I struggled to answer – never a good sign when you’ve spent so long on something, let me tell you! It was once, simply, the amazing stories of a man I’d never heard about, and maybe it still is. I hope you’ve enjoyed them. But that feels a bit disingenuous, too, a bit thin. It implies, I think, he’s never found success, and I don’t think that’s right.

Success irks me, because what does it actually mean? Does success mean you’ve attained the highest honour in our society? If it does, what is that – fame and fortune? Is that really all it is? I don’t like to think so.

It reminds me of when I used to take my son to ninja lessons, because that’s what parents in Brighton do, and of something they taught there. It always stuck in my head. They taught that the highest honour you can attain is to teach. Not to become a great warrior, famed and acclaimed, but to learn so much you will one day have the great honour of passing it on. That, I like. Phil Campbell, grandmaster, talking at a hundred miles an hour and cracking jokes. Passing it on.

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/01/the-amazing-stories-of-a-man-youve-never-heard-of-%e2%80%a2-eurogamer-net/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-amazing-stories-of-a-man-youve-never-heard-of-%25e2%2580%25a2-eurogamer-net

0 notes

trippinglynet · 5 years

Text

Burning Man Grows Up

Can the nation's premier underground event survive its success?

by Brian Doherty

It's the week before Labor Day, and you're on your way to a party held in the widest expanse of pure nothing in the lower United States--150 square miles of dry, cracked clay in Nevada's Black Rock Desert near the tumbleweed town of Gerlach. Since the event is taking place on land owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), your hosts have had to pay for an official environmental assessment that objectively describes your destination: "The environment for the proposed action contains no true soils; surface or ground water; vegetation; wildlife; threatened or endangered species; wild horses; paleontology; solid or hazardous waste material; wilderness; or cultural resources." The most prominent words on your admission ticket read, "You voluntarily assume the risk of seriousinjury or death by attending."

WAVE OF BURNING MAN-RELATED DRUG ARRESTS WON'T GO TO TRIAL

Brian Doherty|10.31.18

BURNING MAN ATTORNEY THREATENS BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS OVER TRAFFIC STOPS

Brian Doherty|8.27.18

HOW A SAN FRANCISCO BEACH BURN SET THE WORLD AFLAME

Brian Doherty|5.03.18

Other articles of interest

Game of Thrones S7 Ep1: Winter has been a long time coming

Game of Thrones S7 Ep2 Stormborn : Where is Ghost?

Game of Thrones S7 Ep3 The Queen’s Justice: Ice meets Fire

Game of Thrones S7 Ep 4 The Spoils of War: Stark Family Reunion

#misc #Game of Thrones #Jon Snow #Dany Targaryen #Khaleesis #dragons #Tyrion Lannister #Jaime Lannister #Cersei Lannister

0 notes

everettwilkinson · 7 years

Text

TRUMP TEAM: investigating the investigators, discussing potential pardons — KASOWITZ, CORALLO OUT — BANNON’S DISAPPEARING ACT — Scaramucci up for WH comms job — B’DAY: Mick Mulvaney is 5-0

Good Friday morning. WHAT YOUR WHITE HOUSE IS UP TO — “Trump Aides, Seeking Leverage, Investigate Mueller’s Investigators,” by NYT’s Mike Schmidt, Maggie Haberman and Matt Apuzzo: “President Trump’s lawyers and aides are scouring the professional and political backgrounds of investigators hired by the special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, looking for conflicts of interest they could use to discredit the investigation — or even build a case to fire Mr. Mueller or get some members of his team recused, according to three people with knowledge of the research effort. The search for potential conflicts is wide-ranging. It includes scrutinizing donations to Democratic candidates, investigators’ past clients and Mr. Mueller’s relationship with James B. Comey, whose firing as F.B.I. director is part of the special counsel’s investigation.” http://nyti.ms/2tM6iWQ

AP’S JULIE PACE: “Attorney Jay Sekulow, a member of the president’s external legal team, told The Associated Press that the lawyers ‘will consistently evaluate the issue of conflicts and raise them in the appropriate venue.’” http://bit.ly/2tw2xtk

Story Continued Below

FOUR BYLINES — CAROL LEONNIG, ASHLEY PARKER, ROZ HELDERMAN and TOM HAMBURGER: “Trump team seeks to control, block Mueller’s Russia investigation”: “Some of President Trump’s lawyers are exploring ways to limit or undercut special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s Russia investigation, building a case against what they allege are his conflicts of interest and discussing the president’s authority to grant pardons, according to people familiar with the effort. Trump has asked his advisers about his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself in connection with the probe, according to one of those people. A second person said Trump’s lawyers have been discussing the president’s pardoning powers among themselves. Trump’s legal team declined to comment on the issue. But one adviser said the president has simply expressed a curiosity in understanding the reach of his pardoning authority, as well as the limits of Mueller’s investigation.

“Further adding to the challenges facing Trump’s outside lawyers, the team’s spokesman, Mark Corallo, resigned on Thursday, according to two people familiar with his departure. Corallo did not respond to immediate requests for comment.” http://wapo.st/2uHVmxP

— @EricHolder: “There is NO basis to question the integrity of Mueller or those serving with him in the special counsel’s office. And no conflicts either”.

**SUBSCRIBE to Playbook: http://politi.co/2lQswbh

CLIP AND SAVE — @MajorCBS: “Via @JaySekulow ‘Pardons are not being discussed and are not on the table.’ @realDonaldTrump #legalteam”.

— “Special Counsel Investigating Possible Money Laundering by Paul Manafort,” by WSJ’s Erica Orden: “The inquiry into the issue by Mr. Mueller, a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and his team began several weeks ago.” http://on.wsj.com/2tvOYu2

REAL WORLD IMPLICATIONS — “Trump’s public Russia comments could cause legal headaches for him-and his kids,” by Darren Samuelsohn and Josh Dawsey: “President Donald Trump’s decision to talk off the cuff about the Russia probe to reporters allowed him to put out his version of events-but increased the legal risks to him, as well as to his children and the growing number of associates who have been pulled into the expanding investigation. Every public statement by the president or others involved opens a line of questioning for special counsel Robert Mueller or lawmakers exploring the contacts between Trump associates and Russia during the 2016 election. Like the president’s tweets, his interviews can be used to establish facts or intent, offering investigators a gold mine of information but potentially creating conflicts for others that can lead to headaches for their various lawyers-or to criminal charges including perjury or obstruction of justice.” http://politi.co/2voOgMk

REMEMBER HIM? — “Steve Bannon’s disappearing act,” by Eliana Johnson and Annie Karni: “Steve Bannon has largely disappeared from the White House’s most sensitive policy debates — a dramatic about-face for an operative once characterized as the most powerful man in Washington. Bannon, chastened by internal rivalries and by President Donald Trump’s growing suspicion that he is looking out for his own interests, is in a self-imposed exile, having chosen to step back from Trump’s inner circle for the sake of self-preservation, according to several White House advisers who spoke to POLITICO on the condition of anonymity to avoid angering a colleague.

“He was absent from Trump’s recent trips to Europe for the G-20 summit and from his visit French president Emmanuel Macron. Bannon’s non-attendance is all the more noteworthy given his interest in European history and politics, particularly his antipathy to the European Union. And while Trump’s rousing call in Warsaw for the defense of Western civilization echoed the populist ideology Bannon promoted as chief of the right-wing website Breitbart News, two senior White House aides said that Bannon had no hand in crafting Trump’s populist address. He did not participate in administration conference calls planning the remarks, they say, which were largely written by chief speechwriter Stephen Miller, national security adviser H.R. McMaster and NSC communications aide Michael Anton.” http://politi.co/2uPmA6v

W.H. REVOLVING DOOR — “Scaramucci under consideration for White House communications post,” by Josh Dawsey (who wrote seven separate stories yesterday!): “Anthony Scaramucci, a Wall Street financier and longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, has been engaged in talks to join the White House communications shop, two White House officials said. Scaramucci, who is a frequent TV surrogate for Trump, is liked by the president. Trump ‘thinks he is really good at making the case for him,’ one of these people said. ‘He loves him on TV.’

“Scaramucci would enter the communications operation in a high-level role, but the specifics have not been determined — nor when he would begin. One of the White House officials cautioned the talks could still fall part. The other person said Scaramucci would be involved heavily in the TV part of the operation. Scaramucci didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment.” http://politi.co/2gPfmJw

— SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS ADMINISTRATION, Scaramucci has been floated for the following roles: a Valerie Jarrett-like liaison role with the business community, ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at the Export-Import Bank and now communications director at the White House.

****** A message from the National Retail Federation: {Video} From front-line cashier to running a company, America’s Retail Champion Trudy Trombley knows the opportunity that lies within retail. So do her fellow Vermont retailers. Watch their story. ******

OUT — CBS’S MAJOR GARRETT: “Marc Kasowitz and Mark Corallo depart Trump’s legal team”: “Marc Kasowitz is out as Mr. Trump’s personal attorney, CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett reports. And Kasowitz’s spokesman, Mark Corallo, has resigned, Garrett says. The reasons for the moves were not immediately known. Kasowitz has represented Mr. Trump since the early 2000s, and led his defense in the Trump University fraud case.” http://cbsn.ws/2tNieYw

FOR YOUR RADAR — “U.S. general says allies worry Russian war game may be ‘Trojan horse’,” by Reuters’ Andrea Shalal in Berlin: “U.S. allies in eastern Europe and Ukraine are worried that Russia’s planned war games in September could be a ‘Trojan horse’ aimed at leaving behind military equipment brought into Belarus, the U.S. Army’s top general in Europe said on Thursday. Russia has sought to reassure NATO that the military exercises will respect international limits on size, but NATO and U.S. official remain wary about their scale and scope.” http://reut.rs/2uPfOO2

SENATE WATCH — “Under fire for opposing health bill, Mike Lee hits back,” by Burgess Everett and Jen Haberkorn: “Mike Lee hears the chorus of critics, with blame from the establishment wing of the GOP cascading on the Utah senator for being the Republican that stopped Obamacare repeal. And he’s ready to respond. In an interview in his Capitol Hill office Thursday, Lee said he was willing to be the lone senator to bring down his party’s health care bill because it did not do much to stop Obamacare in its tracks. ‘I’m not being an absolutist,’ he said, adding that he didn’t need 100 percent of the law to be repealed. ‘I’m a little frustrated by some who are eager and willing to call me out for saying this doesn’t go far enough in doing what we promised to do for seven years.’

“A second-term conservative senator from the party’s libertarian-leaning wing, Lee has always been somewhat of an outlier in the conference. But he’s not going to keep quiet as the criticism flies his way. A cohort of Republicans from the center-right are bearing down on Lee as the main cause of the GOP’s recent dysfunction — even though Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) jumped with Lee on Monday in coming out against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plan to repeal and replace the health law.” http://politi.co/2uHYRUK

— “McCain’s absence leaves big hole in Senate,” by John Bresnahan and Seung Min Kim: “McCain’s sudden departure leaves a giant hole in the middle of Republican conference. On defense and foreign policy issues, McCain is among the loudest GOP voices, largely based on his own experience as a Vietnam War hero and prisoner of war. A hawkish interventionist utterly convinced of America’s undisputed place as the world’s leader, McCain has pushed to expand the U.S.’s presence overseas, not withdraw from it, which often put him in collision with the Trumpian-Bannon worldview.

“From Syria to ISIS to Iran to North Korea, McCain has pushed for hardline U.S. policies, including military strikes if necessary. On other controversial topics — Trump’s behavior, immigration, treatment of terrorism detainees, torture — McCain has been one of the few Republicans willing to speak out. Due to his own stature, McCain has been able to say what others Republicans can’t or won’t.” http://politi.co/2uNDzGd

NYT’S CARL HULSE: “The circumstances are eerily similar. In the middle of contentious health care deliberations, a larger-than-life figure in the Senate learns he has a very serious form of brain cancer. A leading voice goes quiet and the Senate suffers for it. Such was the case in 2008 when Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, learned he had brain cancer and again this week when it was announced that John McCain, Republican of Arizona, had the exact condition that claimed his colleague — a man who shared Mr. McCain’s zest for a good argument and for cutting a deal.” http://nyti.ms/2tMldQU

— @chrisjohnson82: “.@kwelkernbc asks Sarah Sanders if POTUS regrets denying McCain is a war hero. Reply: ‘I’m not sure about that,’ adds POTUS has well wishes.”

TRUMP INC. — BUZZFEED’S JEREMY SINGER-VINE, JESSICA GARRISON and KEN BENSINGER: “Mar-A-Lago, Donald Trump’s private club that he calls the Winter White House, is asking the government for permission to hire 70 temporary foreign workers as cooks, servers, and housekeepers, according to records posted by the Department of Labor on Thursday. The nearby Trump National Golf Club, Jupiter, has requested permission to hire an additional six foreign cooks.

“Trump has frequently urged US companies to hire American workers — a theme highlighted this week in what the Trump administration has dubbed ‘Made in America’ week. But for his own Mar-A-Lago club, he has also defended hiring foreign workers by saying that it is ‘very, very hard to get help’ during the Florida tourist season.” http://bzfd.it/2uG2gny

HMM — “Interior Dept. ordered Glacier park chief, other climate expert pulled from Zuckerberg tour,” by WaPo’s Lisa Rein: “Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg flew to Glacier National Park on Saturday to tour the melting ice fields that have become the poster child for climate change’s effects on Montana’s northern Rockies. But days before the tech tycoon’s visit, the Trump administration abruptly removed two of the park’s top climate experts from a delegation scheduled to show him around, telling a research ecologist and the park superintendent that they were no longer going to participate in the tour. … It capped days of internal discussions — including conference calls and multiple emails — among top Interior Department and Park Service officials about how much the park should roll out the welcome mat for Zuckerberg, who with the broader tech community in Silicon Valley has positioned himself as a vocal critic of President Trump, particularly of his withdrawal from the Paris climate accord.” http://wapo.st/2tlBzR5

BIG DEAL — “Israel limits Muslim access to Jerusalem site amid tensions,” by AP’s Ian Deitch and Mohammed Daraghmeh in Jerusalem: “Israel banned Muslim men under the age of 50 from a contested Jerusalem shrine Friday and deployed about 3,000 police nearby, ahead of expected Muslim protests over the installation of metal detectors at the holy site. The age restrictions and police deployment came hours after Israel’s security Cabinet decided not to overrule an earlier police decision to install metal detectors at the gates to the walled compound. The volatile Jerusalem shrine, revered by Muslims and Jews, sits at the center of rival Israeli and Palestinian national narratives and has triggered major confrontations in the past.” http://bit.ly/2tlEgCj

THE JUICE …

— SPOTTED LAST NIGHT AT TRUMP HOTEL: Lara Trump celebrating Trump campaign spokeswoman Katrina Pierson’s birthday with several former other campaign staffers and Trump loyalists, including Kelly Love, Victoria Barton, Scott Mason and Tommy Hicks.

— THE DOUGH: THE RNC raised $13 million in June. PAUL SINGER gave $71,100 to the NRCC.

PHOTO DU JOUR: President Donald Trump uses a machine to attempt to crush a newly designed pharmaceutical glass bottle alongside Corning Chairman and CEO Wendell Weeks during a “Made in America Week” event in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on July 20. | Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

WHAT BEN CARSON IS SAYING THESE DAYS – per the Washington Examiner’s Sarah Westwood and Al Weaver: “‘Let me put it this way,’ Carson told the Washington Examiner in an interview on Wednesday, ‘I’m glad that Trump is drawing all the fire so I can get stuff done.’” http://washex.am/2uI4x15

PAUL RYAN on TAX REFORM, per the Boston Globe’s Jim O’Sullivan: “‘As Republicans, we are wired the same way on tax reform,’ Ryan told reporters. ‘Obviously, we’ve seen in the Senate there are a difference of opinions on how to do health care reform. We are so much more unified on tax reform, on what it looks like, and how to do it, and the need to do it.’ …

“[R]yan waved off ‘the cynical talk in Washington,’ arguing, ‘Despite everything we’ve seen in Washington, don’t fall for it.’” http://bit.ly/2gPwwql

MAIN JUSTICE — “Sessions won’t resign for now, but gets Trump’s message,” by Josh Gerstein, Josh Dawsey and Eliana Johnson: A “senior administration official said Trump has rarely spoken to Sessions in recent months and had no immediate plan to see him — and added that Sessions is not as often in the West Wing huddling with Trump or other top aides, like Stephen Miller, who worked for Sessions in the Senate before joining the Trump campaign. Sessions still talks to Miller, chief White House lawyer Don McGahn and Rick Dearborn, a longtime Senate aide who joined the administration. Having the tensions with the president of the United States spill out in public as they did Wednesday created the prospect of a zombie attorney general—going through the motions of the office, while lacking any real connection to or support from the president and the White House. …

“One former official said Trump’s effort to undercut Sessions may have actually strengthened his hand in the department. ‘Actually, I believe that Sessions determination to stay on as attorney general in the face of Trump’s criticisms has likely enhanced his reputation within the Department of Justice,’ said former acting Solicitor General Walter Dellinger. ‘This is a strange world in which criticism by this particular president is not damaging.’” http://politi.co/2vqBk8M

— @SariHorwitz: “Fun fact: Sessions arrives at DOJ every day at 6 a.m., heats a bowl of oatmeal in a microwave & works out on a treadmill before 1st meeting.”

— Rick Dearborn’s wife Gina posted this picture and message on Facebook yesterday “THE MAN with the man. What a privilege to have the U.S. Attorney General in our home for dinner. We are lucky to call him friend and the country is lucky to have him as AG. Missed Mary Sessions.” Rick worked for Sessions in the Senate. Pic http://bit.ly/2gPoIEW

FIGHT! — “U.S. and Exxon Spar Over Russia Sanctions Violation: Treasury cites energy giant’s dealings with Russian oil executive in notice for $2 million fine; the company says it will challenge findings,” by WSJ’s Samuel Rubenfeld, Lynn Cook and Ian Talley: “The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday imposed a $2 million fine on Exxon Mobil Corp. for what it called a ‘reckless disregard’ of U.S. sanctions on Russia while Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was the oil giant’s chief executive, a finding the company immediately said it would challenge.

“Exxon, under Mr. Tillerson, in early 2014 deepened the company’s longstanding partnership with the Kremlin despite Washington levying sanctions against Russia for annexing Crimea and supporting pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine. In May of that year, the Treasury Department said the company signed eight documents relating to oil and gas projects in Russia that were also signed by Igor Sechin, chief executive of the state oil giant PAO Rosneft. The Treasury said Thursday those deals violated U.S. sanctions against Mr. Sechin, a former Russian intelligence officer and ally to President Vladimir Putin.” http://on.wsj.com/2uG4enX

BLAST FROM THE PAST — “O.J.’s last defender — F. Lee Bailey — is broke, disbarred and working above a hair salon,” by WaPo’s Michael Rosenwald: “Johnnie Cochran is dead. Marcia Clark writes murder mysteries. Judge Lance Ito is retired. Kato Kaelin tweets a lot. And F. Lee Bailey, the famed criminal defense attorney, is flat broke…. Last year, Bailey filed for bankruptcy after a string of scandals inside and outside the courtroom left him disbarred and shamed. He was accused of misappropriating funds from his defense of an alleged drug dealer.” http://wapo.st/2uPcK4D

POLITICO MAGAZINE’s “WHAT WORKS”: “How San Francisco Saved Its Public Housing By Getting Rid of It,” by Ethan Epstein. http://politi.co/2tvYyNk

****** A message from the National Retail Federation: The overwhelming majority of retailers are small businesses, with more than 98% of all retail companies employing fewer than 50 people. While small in size, their voices are loud and clear when fighting to be heard on decisions and policies that impact their businesses and the customers they serve every day. Hear more industry stories on NRF’s Retail Gets Real podcast. ******

MEDIAWATCH — “Fox News turns to Hillary Clinton amid negative news for Trump,” by CNN’s Oliver Darcy: “As a cloud of negative news hangs over President Donald Trump and his administration, a familiar face has been all over the airwaves on Fox News: Hillary Clinton. The former Democratic presidential candidate, a favorite villain of the right, has been featured prominently across Fox News’ programming this week. In many cases, instead of the network’s hosts applying pressure to the current President, who is grappling with the fallout from a federal investigation related to Russian election meddling, Fox News’ personalities have deflected and turned their attention to Clinton.” http://cnnmon.ie/2vqAXuU

— “Is Everyone in Politics Writing a Tell-all? Yes,” by Concepcion De Leon in the NYT — featuring details about what to expect from upcoming books from Hillary Clinton Eric Holder, Valerie Jarrett, John Kerry, David Litt, Jeremy Bernard and Lea Berman, Arne Duncan, Pete Souza, Amanda Lucidon, Beck Dorey-Stein, Pat Cunnane, James Clapper, Corey Lewandowski, Donna Brazile, Ivana Trump, Katy Tur, Amy Chozick, Laura Ingraham, Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, Edward Klein, Keith Olbermann, Ben Bradlee Jr., E.J. Dionne, Norman Ornstein and Thomas Mann, James Poniewozik, Kayleigh McEnany, Naomi Klein, David Frum: http://nyti.ms/2uFsh6k

– NEW PODCAST from The Atlantic: “Today The Atlantic premieres ‘Radio Atlantic,’ the flagship show on its new podcast platform. Co-hosted by editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg, executive editor Matt Thompson, and contributing editor Alex Wagner, the new weekly show will draw upon The Atlantic’s 160 years of history, combined with the perspective of today’s sharpest journalists, to interpret the news as it happens. Each episode will hone in on a theme and incorporate a revolving cast of voices from The Atlantic’s masthead and beyond.” http://theatln.tc/2vHxE1K

HOLLYWOOLDLAND – “She’s Back?! Nikki Finke Poised to Return to Deadline Hollywood as Columnist,” by TheWrap’s Tony Maglio and Matt Donnelly: “Nikki Finke is poised to return to Deadline Hollywood as a columnist as soon as September, TheWrap has learned exclusively. Over the last few weeks, Finke has been telling executives around Hollywood that she is coming back to the entertainment trade website that she founded in March 2006 and from which she was notoriously fired in 2013.” http://bit.ly/2tvQfRC

SPOTTED: Angus King on the American flight from DCA to Portland Thursday night … EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt in first class on the last Delta flight from Atlanta to DCA. A tipster writes: “A woman sitting behind him gave him a respectful earful of her opinion about him and the Trump administration’s environmental policy. He responded with a polite smile, small talk and thank you.”

OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED last night at the Newseum for the launch of Alisyn Camerota’s book, “Amanda Wakes Up”: party hosts Dana Bash, Juleanna Glover, Tammy Haddad, Daniella Landau, Megan Murphy, Ana Navarro and Hilary Rosen, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and his son, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Valerie Jarrett, Chris Cillizza, Steve Hilton, Carol Melton, Tom Forrest, Carl Hulse, Katie Hinson, Rachel Pearson, Rob Flynn, Robin Goldman, Gloria Borger, Victoria Espinel, David Chalian, David Gelles, Betsy Klein, Kevin Cirilli, Ashley Killough, Laura Jarrett, Craig Gordon, Jeff Zeleny, Robert Draper and Kirsten Powers, Kate Bennett, Katie Hinman, Lauren Pratapas, Jackie Kucinich, Proceeds from the book go to the Committee to Protect Journalists — $17.68 on Amazon http://amzn.to/2vqB3Tr

SPOTTED at Targeted Victory’s party last night at Stanton & Greene celebrating Alex Schriver and Alberto Martinez: Lenny Alcivar, Zac Moffatt, Ryan Meerstein, Abe Adams, Connie Partoyan, Chris Hansen, Molly Donilon, Brendon DelToro, Billy McBeath, Zeke Miller, Jonathan Swan, Eli Yokley, Daniel Kroese, Chad Carlough, Ben Falkowski, Megan Cummings, Matt Hoekstra, Billy Godoy, Amos Snead, Gina Rigby, Warren Tryon, Matt Weinstein, Mike House, Dean Hingson, Sam Marchio, Fritz Brogan, Rosario Palmieri, Alex Burgos.

— MIKE MEMOLI celebrated his move from the L.A. Times to NBC last night. SPOTTED: Nick Kalman, Zeke Miller, Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Abby Livingston, Hallie Jackson, Scott Mulhauser, Sasha Issenberg, Liz Allen and Ben Finkenbinder.

— Columbia Books and Information Services and the Almanac of American Politics hosted a dinner at the University Club last night honoring Bridget Kendall, ex-BBC Washington correspondent and first Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge College. SPOTTED: Rich Cohen, Paul Kane, Michael Barone, Charlie Mahtesian, Lou Jacobson, Aaron Zitner, Matthew Barnes, Bob Merry and Joel Poznansky.

TRANSITIONS – TOM LOPACH, former executive director of the DSCC most recently at Subject Matter, is moving back to Helena, Montana, to be the chief of staff to Montana Gov. Steve Bullock. http://bit.ly/2vqCZLq … Smoot Tewes Group has added three new partners and a new CFO. Dan Kanninen, Shoren Brown, and Aaron Wells are joining co-founders Julianna Smoot and Paul Tewes as partners in the firm, and Sabrina Neal has been named the firm’s CFO. http://bit.ly/2twajUb

SUNDAY SO FAR — “Fox News Sunday”: Sen. John Thune (R-SD). Panel: Jason Chaffetz, Julie Pace, Gillian Turner, Juan Williams

— CBS’ “Face the Nation”: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) … Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) Political panel: Dan Balz, Jamelle Bouie, Megan McArdle, and Amy Walter

— ABC’s “This Week”: Eric Bolling, Joshua Green, Sara Fagen, Maggie Haberman, Roland Martin

— NBC’s “Meet the Press” is not on due to The Open Championship

— CNN’s “State of the Union”: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) … Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.). Panel: Mary Katharine Ham, former Gov. Jennifer Granholm, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), Karine Jean-Pierre

— CNN’s “Inside Politics”: Michael Shear, Molly Ball, Nia-Malika Henderson, Julie Hirschfeld Davis

WELCOME TO THE WORLD – Aaron Renn, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and a contributing editor at its quarterly magazine City Journal, and Katy J. Renn, former executive director of Renew Indianapolis, the land bank of the city of Indianapolis, email friends and family: “Alexander Marcus Renn (aka AMR2) was born [Wednesday] @ 3:29 p.m., 7lbs 8oz. Katy and baby are doing great. Baby Alex was apparently in a hurry to get here, as he was born exactly nine months and one day after Katy and I were married.” Pic http://politi.co/2uI7wqn

BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Nation multimedia editor Frank Reynolds, who celebrated with the publication of a new animated short that juxtaposes life under social democracy vs. free market capitalism: “People in Denmark Are a Lot Happier Than People in the United States. Here’s Why”: http://bit.ly/2uPoKTA (hat tip: Caitlin Graf)

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Mark Preston, executive director of CNN political programming and senior political analyst. How he’s celebrating: “Breaking News: I don’t enjoy celebrating my birthday (For those who know me, this shouldn’t be a surprise). But my children enjoy a good birthday party, ice cream and chocolate cake – so I will be ‘celebrating’ this historic day with my family on a little island just off the East Coast … far, far away from DC.” Read his Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2gP8Zpx

BIRTHDAYS: OMB director Mick Mulvaney is 5-0 (hat tip: Sean Spicer) … Bob Shrum … Google’s Ali-jae Henke … CT Gov. Dan Malloy … Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), EPW and RPC Chairman (h/t Arjun Mody) … Michelle Young … Ford Motor Company’s Christin Tinsworth Baker … Billy Schuette … Steve Lerch … Nancy LeaMond of AARP (hat tip: son Colin) … Blaire Luciano Constable … Dale “Duke” Schuurman … Gary Crider … Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) … Rep. John Duncan (R-Tenn.) … Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) … former Rep. Ed Towns (D-N.Y.) … John Negroponte … CNN’s Teddy Davis … Rachel Davis … Obama WH alum Jessica Menter … Stacey Moreau Tank, chief comms officer at Home Depot … Phyllis Rubin … Dave Noble … Pip Deely … Fox News’ Peter Doocy … Amanda K. Ruisi … Garrett Ventry of CRC Public Relations … Katie Gillen in Rep. Julia Brownley’s office (h/t Sam Greene) … Michael Sessums, managing director for public affairs and crisis at Burson-Marsteller, former Foreign Service officer, the pride of Tampa, and a huge Nats fan (h/t Ben Chang) …

… Jahan Wilcox, strategic comms adviser at EPA (h/ts Colin Reed and Caitlin Conant) … Jen Corey Baca (h/ts Joshua Baca and Patrick Garrigan) … Matt Tully … Ron Colburn … Otto Heck … Adam Kroczaleski, who works in Rep. John Moolenaar’s Midland, Mich. office (h/t Aaron Baylis) … Amanda Carey … Jen Bluestein … Doug Mellgren … Amanda Elliott … Democratic operative Greg Richardson … Patty Morneault Richter … Trita Parsi, founder and president of the National Iranian American Council … Theresa Vawter … Gen. Dick Tubb … Carrie Simms … Travis Thomas … Wendy Wilkinson … Meaghan Wolff … David Stacy … Lisa Neubauer (h/ts Teresa Vilmain)

SUBSCRIBE to the Playbook family: POLITICO Playbook http://politi.co/1M75UbX … New York Playbook http://politi.co/1ON8bqW … Florida Playbook http://politi.co/1OypFe9 … New Jersey Playbook http://politi.co/1HLKltF … Massachusetts Playbook http://politi.co/1Nhtq5v … Illinois Playbook http://politi.co/1N7u5sb … California Playbook http://politi.co/2bLvcPl … Brussels Playbook http://politi.co/1FZeLcw … All our political and policy tipsheets http://politi.co/1M75UbX

Source link

from CapitalistHQ.com https://capitalisthq.com/trump-team-investigating-the-investigators-discussing-potential-pardons-kasowitz-corallo-out-bannons-disappearing-act-scaramucci-up-for-wh-comms-job-bday-mick-mulvane/

#TrumpNews #CapitalistHQ.com

0 notes

sublimedeal · 7 years

Text

Dan Kennedy – Nuts & Bolts of Running A Successful Copywriting Business

Attention Copywriters: Turbo Charge Your Income With This Insider Information! “Becoming a Wildly Successful Copywriter Is No Accident…In Just 4 Hours, Dan Kennedy Reveals His Proven Tactics to Make MORE MONEY and Get MORE CLIENTS for Your Copywriting Business” DATE: Saturday, 10:12 a.m. FROM: Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero

Dear Fellow Copywriter…

Imagine sitting at lunch with one of the most expensive, in-demand freelance copywriters in the world. He is a self-made millionaire. You are a copywriter. You know there are secrets he could share, guaranteed to explode your profits. You get to ask ANY business question that’s on your mind. No interruptions. No distractions. What would you ask?

Well in January of this year, I had that opportunity. Dan Kennedy is probably the HIGHEST paid copywriter alive. So when he offered to consult with two copywriters (me and another copywriter) over lunch while at his $10,000 a head Sales Letter Workshop in icy Cleveland, Ohio, I jumped at it!

Now I’ve been making a darn good living as a copywriter since 2002. But sitting at that lunch table listening to Dan, I quickly realized what a rookie I have been when it comes to the business side of copywriting.

Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero

Most Copywriters Stink at Business The nuggets of wisdom he threw out were jaw-dropping. He casually mentioned most copywriters don’t have the first idea of how to make the most of a job. (Guilty as charged.)

Then he reeled off how copywriters should…

be paid on performance retain rights to copy outside the market automatically look to expand the assignment be able to ask for the fee without flinching know how to ask for front end money AND back end money and so much more! I was dumbstruck.

Here I thought I was operating a successful copywriting business, but the truth is…

…I Was Leaving a Ton of Money on the Table! First I felt sick. Then exhilarated. I’m already doing the hard work! All I needed to do was change the way I approached the BUSINESS of copywriting. And I would be making A LOT MORE MONEY for the SAME AMOUNT OF WORK! I was biting at the bit for more, MORE, MORE information from Dan. If only I could get him to keep talking for hours…

Right then and there, I started scheming. How could I get Dan to give up that information over more time than just an hour’s lunch? Then it hit me! What if I could interview him in an exclusive teleseminar explaining the business side of copywriting!

Brilliant! But there were several strikes against me.

First, Dan rarely gives interviews. He enjoys his free time and his more than a dozen racehorses. Plus he gets over $1 million for copywriting each year (and doesn’t even consider copywriting his “full- time occupation”!). Why would he consider divulging his closely-guarded secrets to little ole me?

Well I didn’t give up. I thought of every angle to convince him. Maybe it would make him feel good that he was giving back; helping other copywriters cut their learning curve. Also, he’s is close to retirement. Since he won’t be competing in the marketplace soon, why not pass on his legacy to those of us who would appreciate it.

I mean, there is NO OTHER PLACE for us to go learn this information.

Well, it took several months of pleading, begging and cajoling, but finally Dan caved in! For one-time only, Dan has agreed to be grilled for this very special 2 part teleseminar…

Here is just some of what Dan will cover: The Anatomy of Big Money Copywriting Projects and Client Relationships. Actual examples…where they came from, how they developed, work done, results – in cases where fees plus royalties exceed $100,000.00 per job. (This is a behind-the-scenes look at Dan’s multi-year relationships with clients who repeatedly pay him over $100,000.00 per assignment.) Contracts.Dan shares key items all copywriters should include in their contracts. (Missing just one of these can be hazardous to your income). Secrets to Prolific Output.Most copywriters are way, way, way too s-l-o-w to make any real money! (Dan did over 40 major projects in 2004, at an average fee of $50,000.00+, plus royalties – all part-time.) Quick Fixes.How to quickly beat controls…rewrite and boost results of his clients’ prior campaigns…turn one-step into multi-step direct mail campaigns…his “tricks” for dramatically increasing response that actually has little to do with ‘copywriting’ but should be used by every copywriter. (You’ll be stunned when your understand how simple, yet powerful these techniques are!) How to THINK and Grow Rich Writing Copy. Frankly Dan believes most copywriters’ own thinking about themselves, their clients, the way they “should” conduct business, how they get paid, and so on is ALL wrong and limiting. (Rich people DO think differently. Shift your thinking and you shift your bank account.) Publish or Perish. Why and how to promote yourself by writing articles, books, and contributing to others’ books. Surprise: why your “ezine” may be crippling your fees. The one thing you should definitely publish and disseminate. (And how to get paid well to shamelessly promote yourself.) Speak and Be Sought. You do NOT have to be Tony Robbins or some other Charismatic Dynamo to speak effectively and persuasively about copy to get speaking opportunities that yield clients. One of the fastest ways to attract the clients you want (and who will want YOU) is by speaking. Kennedy’s #1 Rule of Business. Every minute you’re not adopting this philosophy, you are losing money. (This philosophy has served Dan well for over 25 years. He has raised his base fee every year for the past seven years.) Capitalist Economics #101. The economic law you must have working for you rather than against you. (It’s amazing how many copywriters simply overlook this critical key.) Big Lessons from Giants of the Copywriting and Advertising Worlds.‘Gems’ that influenced Dan enormously from John Francis Tighe, Gary Halbert, David Ogilvy, Robert Collier, and many others. (These tried and true facts have a high return.) Should You Be Your Own Client? With the power of information marketing, the highest fees you’ll ever get might just come from writing copy to sell your own information. (John Lennon understood this wealth secret…now you can too.) How to Get a “Milk Cow” Account Or Two. Dan shows you how to effortlessly pay the light bill each month while building your copywriting career. (No ‘starving artists’ allowed in copywriting.) How to Leap Frog to Big Income Fast. Be part of a “parasite-host” joint venture that’s already in place. (When you can write copy, you can write your own ticket.) Get Paid Handsomely for “Precursor Steps”. How to sell things besides copywriting to the new, virgin client (especially those not accustomed to paying for copy.) Avoid the “Work for Free” Trap. Dan shows you how to stop getting beat up and abused, going to prospecting lunches, spending hours on the phone, doing free critiques, cold calling and getting your brain sucked dry for free. (Dan stopped the madness after his first three months in 1974.) Where to Get More Clients. Dan has NEVER gotten a copywriting assignment through an agent…NEVER advertised….NEVER done anything free to get clients (not even taken them to lunch) in nearly 10 years. You don’t have to either. Dan will tell you how to get all the clients you could possibly want. (This year alone, he has turned away over $200,000.00 worth of copywriting work.) Master Client Management. Learn to stop wasting time with potential clients who can’t (or won’t pay) you large sums of money. Keep dysfunctional clients from screwing up the implementation. And put the kibosh on ‘copy by committee’ (keep the client’s spouse, brother-in-law, employees, neighbor from interfering.) Plus You’ll Learn These Priceless “How To’s”… How to go from ‘zero to 60’ and get those first clients, fast How to get to a 6-figure income…even if you’re a rank beginner…in 12 months or LESS How to double your income OVERNIGHT if you’re already an established pro What specific criteria you should use to choose which clients you spend your valuable time with How to handle the client who wants to “stay awake during the operation” and change what you’ve written (ugh!) How to handle client queasiness about strong copy, objections to long copy and other ignorant, meddling and bad behavior How to effortlessly overcome a client’s resistance to your ideas How to write sizzling hot copy for dull, boring, ordinary products or businesses How to banish your own biases and buying patterns when it comes to writing winning copy for your clients How to overcome shyness and develop the assertive sales mentality you need to write exceptionally effective direct-response copy How to avoid ever doing “proposals” and break free of competitive comparison to other writers willing to work for peanuts How to juggle multiple priorities, clients, projects, even a “day job” and still be a prolific, effective copywriter (Remember Dan himself works with 30-40 clients, multiple copywriting jobs, writes one to several books a year, 3 newsletters a month, runs high-end coaching programs, consults, speaks and races horses. In fact, he literally wrote the book on this subject – “NO B.S. TIME MANAGEMENT FOR ENTREPRENEURS”.) If You Are Serious About Creating a Full-Time Career As a Copywriter, This Is The One Event You Must NOT Miss! But how do you know if “Insider’s Guide to the Nuts and Bolts of Running a SUCCESSFUL Copywriting Business” is right for you? Well, first you have to be brutally honest with yourself, your skill level and (most importantly) your MINDSET. This event is for you if you are:

An established pro able to check your ego at the door and consider new and radically different (but PROVEN) approaches to optimizing income as a copywriter. ¨ A relative beginner with solid writing skills who struggles from job to job and is finally ready to take a big leap up in earnings. ¨ Rank beginner who knows virtually nothing about the business but believes he or she has what it takes to be a skilled copywriter and is looking for a head start.

Dan asked me to be VERY CLEAR to you about what “Insider’s Guide to the Nuts and Bolts of Running a SUCCESSFUL Copywriting Business” so you know what you’re getting yourself into.

Dan Kennedy – Nuts & Bolts of Running A Successful Copywriting Business published first on http://ift.tt/2qxBbOD

0 notes

endorsereviews · 7 years

Text

Dan Kennedy – Nuts & Bolts of Running A Successful Copywriting Business

Attention Copywriters: Turbo Charge Your Income With This Insider Information! “Becoming a Wildly Successful Copywriter Is No Accident. . .In Just 4 Hours, Dan Kennedy Reveals His Proven Tactics to Make MORE MONEY and Get MORE CLIENTS for Your Copywriting Business” DATE: Saturday, 10:12 a.m. FROM: Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero

Dear Fellow Copywriter…

Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero

Then he reeled off how copywriters should…

Here I thought I was operating a successful copywriting business, but the truth is…

Brilliant! But there were several strikes against me.

I mean, there is NO OTHER PLACE for us to go learn this information.

Well, it took several months of pleading, begging and cajoling, but finally Dan caved in! For one-time only, Dan has agreed to be grilled for this very special 2 part teleseminar…

Dan asked me to be VERY CLEAR to you about what “Insider’s Guide to the Nuts and Bolts of Running a SUCCESSFUL Copywriting Business” so you know what you’re getting yourself into.

Dan Kennedy – Nuts & Bolts of Running A Successful Copywriting Business posted first on premiumwarezstore.blogspot.com

0 notes