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Hey, I'm Zachary London, an aspiring filmmaker, sports journalist, political journalist, or anything I can do myself. I love the rush creativity gives me, and anything I can do to further my creative process interest me. Follow me as I grow in my creative journey, strengthening my skills, and learning as I go.

Friday, February 14, 2025

Capitalism breeds the idea for my film open

     I have fallen victim to the venomous fangs of American consumerism :(

 While watching Super Bowl 59, one of the commercials that often pass me by caught my attention. The ad featured Harrison Ford advertising Jeep with a rustic old vibe encouraging viewers to live their lives (a luxury only afforded to those with jeeps, of course) to the fullest and freeest. The first line Ford speaks specifically caught my attention. He delivers quite a profound statement "The longest thing we'll ever do is live our lives". The line stuck with me after the game, and despite my best efforts, I could not get this stupid commercial out of my head. The ad goes on to highlight great American feats. The liberation of France from Nazi rule, chasing Nazis through the forests of Western Europe and down the Rhine. It highlights the triumph of returning from service, hugging your loved ones close as you finally reach safe hands. Ford gives advice to the viewer, pleading not to be boastful or prideful, as pride is a bad driver.  And while, yes, Ford reasons that freedom can only be attained behind the wheel of a Jeep, on a much broader basis he encourages the audience to write their own stories. 

Watch at your own risk of 
being propagandized 


    Now you may ask "Why are you discussing this commercial ad nauseam"? Well, dear reader, I, unfortunately, developed my story because I was inspired by this Super Bowl Ad. 


The day after the Super Bowl, I was still pondering this commercial. I was really bored in my AP US History class and may have been developing a fever, so I felt there was no better time than right then to start writing my open. 

The first words I put on paper were “I’ve started to realize lately that.. the longest thing I’ll do in life… is live. And the shortest thing I’ll do...Is die”

I'd imagine you can see the influence.

I developed my story from there. Along with my group, we set the character as sort of a trailblazing figure in the Old West. She hides the fact that she's a woman from the world to be taken more seriously as a cowboy.

     The story follows as the once fierce outlaw faces her most dire crisis yet: her own morality.

The cowboy we follow is notorious for her efficient work, but one job changes her. She kills a father, only to come in direct contact with his son. With her deadly work staring her right in the face, she must choose to end his life, and her problems, but continue her bloody trail. Or she can make amends, and face punishment, but be secure in her morals.

A stylistic Western is never easy, and one where there's this much contemplation about the nature of human morality won't make it any easier


God I love ethical consequences


It's an ambitious plot, but surely one that is doable by the right people, and I feel like I have just that around me.

So thank you, Harrison Ford, Jeep, The Super Bowl, Capitalism, The American Military Industrial Complex, and my incredibly fried brain for taking this commercial as inspiration. The world is worse for it.  Good night. 


1 comment:

  1. Oh my god I had no idea thats how the plot came to be this is incredible

    ReplyDelete

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