2010 "Tweet me a Story" Contenst Entries Round 1

, Writing , C. David Dent ,

The first round of the 2010 “Tweet me a Story” writing contest from NYCmidnight was last night. Entrants were assigned a word at 7 p.m. and had 5 hours to come up with up to 3 stories, under 140 characters each, including that word in proper usage.

My group got the word “TRAP.” Here’s what I wrote. The ones in red I submitted. Let me know if I should have submitted different ones in the comments.

• "If I had opposable thumbs and a grappling hook I'll bet I could trap 4 or 5 of you a day," thought the lion from the comfort of his cage
  
  
• Smell this, Dad said. That's a trap, I said, If I don't you mock me, if I do it'll be vile. Suit yourself, he said sniffing it himself.
  
  
• "You have farren into my tlap!" the Yellow Peril said. "Fallen. Trap," Captain Obvious stated, helpfully.
  
  
• "Nobody wants to place blame here," she said. I looked at her with hatred. She did it. I knew it and so did she. "Shut your trap," I said.
  
  
• Stalk. Snatch. Grab. Drop in trap. Crabbing is the back beat behind the summertime music of steam, Old Bay, butter, and beer.
  
  
• Trap your errors, my programming instructor had said. I remembered the lesson with irony because who guessed that a rogue AI was an error.
  
  
• Mexican standoff. Yankee armed with gun & Afghani with knife at his throat both in Iraq. Together in a cosmopolitan trap of mutual capture.
  
  
• A cage is not a trap, the raccoon mused, only the end result. He also mused that he was still stuck. He never could resist peanut butter.
  
  
• Leon never suspected he would fall in love again.Last time he barely escaped the trap with his life. He was prepared to run this time around
  
  
• Doc Octopus stared into the empty cell filled with robotic minions. Electrodes sparked and webbing hung from the bars. The trap was empty.
  
  
• Ackbar swiveled to view the screen. It was obvious they'd played into the Emperor's hands. "It's a trap!" he cried.

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Joss Whedon to produce commercials

, Humor , C. David Dent ,

HOLLYWOOD, CA - Joss Whedon announced through his Mutant Enemy production office that he was giving up on producing television and movie projects and was going to concentrate on 30 and 60 second commercials from now on.

"I seem to be able to draw a fanatical group for everything I do, so why not cash in on that?" Joss said when asked about this bold move. "The industry complains about how people fast-forward through their commercials. But I feel certain that my fans will rewind and rewatch my commercials dozens of times."

Fans of other short-lived programs by Whedon such as Dollhouse, Firefly and Dr. Horrible were thrilled. "I can watch something by Joss that won't get canceled. Who cares if it is only 30 seconds long," said James, a self-admitted Whedonite.

Early indications prove that Joss' fanbase are adept at discovering, and watching their favorite creator even when they are unannounced and moved around the schedule. Mutant Enemy's first commercial, a 60-second short for Dodge Ram trucks aired during Dancing with the Stars. The 15-minute segment of that program featuring the commercial had ratings significantly higher than the rest of the program. A similar phenomenon occurred when the ad was re-aired at 11:17pm but only in a select broadcast market. TIVO has said that that commercial was on their top replay list for the week.

The 60-second spot features Nathan Fillion as a truck-drivin' man who isn't satisfied with the trucks he has driven and begins a quest for the perfect truck. He falls in love with a Dodge Ram Pickup driven by Summer Glau and is conflicted about how he feels about the truck and her.

Lifejournal blogger "JossismyGod" has started her own fanfic of the life of the truck driver and how he is seeking redemption for wrecking a truck in the past in an accident that killed the love of his life. Online forums are speculating about the symbolism of Summer Glaus's character representing redemption for Fillion's character.

Joss Whedon isn't sharing any details about whether the commercial will spawn any additional episodes, but assures viewers that it can be viewed on Hulu.com and that a musical commercial for another product may be in the future.

The next product to receive the Mutant Enemy treatment is Verizon Wireless in a 30-second spot starring Felicia Day as a woman who is crying out to be heard in a wilderness of indifference. Joss has said that portion of the proceeds from the commercial will benefit Equality Now.

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