By Ray Pride Pride@moviecitynews.com
Apple juices Errol
At Think Secret, which keeps its eyes on all things Apple, Ryan Katz rumors that Apple dumped its pricey new iPod campaign shot by Errol Morris, “before the first ads even hit television… Apple had selected 60 individuals for the campaign out of thousands who had responded to the company’s call on its Web site for iPod-catalyst Switch stories. Those 60, which ranged in age from about 18 to 35 and spanned a diverse number of cultures and professions, were flown to Los Angeles in early May to shoot the ads with Moxie Pictures and Errol Morris… Of the 60 flown to L.A., Moxie and Morris settled on 30 who would be the new faces of the Switch campaign. Switchers were interviewed from ten minutes to over an hour by Morris, who asked them a wide variety of questions. According to sources, that’s where problems started to arise. “So few people could speak into the camera,” one source said, adding that — almost with a sense of futility — those too nervous ended up being spoon-fed lines…. With members of Apple corporate overseeing the filming, it became apparent to a number on set that tension between Morris and Apple over the direction and execution of the campaign was building…. “An unbelievable amount of money was invested in this campaign, you wouldn’t believe it…” Like the original campaign, the new Switch ads were destined for television, print, billboards, and buses. Switchers were paid $3,100 for their day’s work.” At Morris’ site, he’s posted another in a series of clever if doomed ads, for a Quaker “weight control” oatmeal.