Believe it or not, I skip many more video clips than I watch. I've seen this one posted at least four times, I think more, and finally decided to burn the minute it takes to watch. Behold "the oldest trick in the world" super-sized. Flawlessly.
Posts
Is This Your Hat?
10 years ago
9 comments:
That was waay cool.
True? Or some kind of trick?
MB, It's a commercial for BMW motorcycles... on one hand, I suspect BMW would be leery of being caught in a fraud, but on the other hand, it's a commercial. I expect you'd agree with me that commercials are inherently suspect. Bottom line, I don't know, but I'm not in the market for a motorcycle, so I don't really care. Willing suspension of disbelief in matters that don't matter, I guess.
My curiosity is real. No sarcasm was intended. I'd like to know if it was real or some sort of video effect.
Inquiring minds, and all that.
I was responding seriously... I don't know. I'll see if I can track down any info.
Dubious:
http://www.autotribute.com/5079/bmw-motocycle-tablecloth-pull/
Some good discussion pro and con in the comments, but no authoritative statements:
http://www.videosift.com/video/BMW-XXXL-Tablecloth-Pull
Okay, I've been through a number of pages in a google search for "BMW motorcycle tablecloth commercial." It seems probable that this was done by BMW, not some viral marketing group, but even there, I haven't found any firm proof. Most pages I looked at were simple transcripts of the (poorly written) press release. The two main pints raised against the authenticity of the clip are the short tether- meaning the cycle isn't up to speed- and the fact that there was so little movement in the settings. Another person argued that the "shiny" cloth looked fake, but silk is often shiny. On the pro side, one person pointed out that we don't know how many takes were needed. It occurs to me that you could pull some tricks in this setting- like teflon strips and magnets. And once you've overcome static friction, dynamic friction is much lower.
So the long and short of it is still "I don't know." It does look as if the first posting of this was March 5, so this is the first weekday exposure, and it's spreading rapidly. It's the kind of thing that is likely to raise questions, and if my innernetz experience is a guide, I'll bet that in the next week to month, someone will track down real evidence to say one way or the other.
I just assumed it was an early release of a TV commercial... and as I said above, I just assume everything I see in commercials is false- TV overall, actually.
I had assumed it was real (although the short tether did bother me for the stated reason), but that it took more than a few takes to get it just right.
The celebrants who enter frame at the end are way excited, after all.
My assumption was: Real, but probably with a LOT of help/prior research and many takes.
Things like table items carefully selected for their weight and friction qualities (and possibly magnets, as you say), and whatever sort of fabric is most suited to the desired effect...that sort of thing.
I assumed the short tether was part of their point; a "zero to sixty" kind of statement about the bike's acceleration power.
(I listened to it without sound, so if any of the audio belies any of that, I take it back.)
Interesting discussion. I'd assumed it was a video effect... but then I'm a cynical skeptic. Like you, Lockwood, I just assume all advertisements are lying about something.
Post a Comment