how movies can inspire copywriting

Since the 1920’s, movies have inspired us and elicited the most powerful emotions in the human gamut of experience. They have horrified us; made us weep; overjoyed us, and allowed us to escape from the humdrum of everyday life. Movies, like any other art form, are subjective to the viewer and can be interpreted in any number of ways. Writing is much the same way. The truth of the matter, though, is that both art forms are eerily similar in how they evoke emotion and thought in the audience. Copywriting needs to follow this same form, except rather than a fictional movie or the great novels of the past, it needs to inform and persuade. Yet, inspiration and comparisons can be drawn from books that have been adapted for the film format. An increasingly popular way of bringing literature to a mass audience, the two most recent quality examples of this specialized fusion of styles is The Hobbit and The Hunger Games. Both of these adaptations hail from franchises that are beloved all over the world, bringing in millions of dollars in worldwide ticket sales and enjoying massive popularity. With the latest trailers for the third Hobbit movie, “The Battle of Five Armies,” and the next installment of The Hunger Games, “Mockingjay pt. 1,” generating millions upon millions of views on YouTube, it is clear that these holiday blockbusters are shooting for the big ones. Trailers are an excellent form of marketing, especially in the age of Internet news and entertainment (check out the YouTube leaderboards to see more awesome trailers that are huge hits), but this article is going to go over about the specific inspirations our writers can claim from different quotes in the previous two films from both franchises and how they are relevant to copywriting. The Hobbit and Copywriting One of the earliest exchanges between Gandalf, the moral center of The Hobbit and The Lord of Rings, and Bilbo, the film’s protagonist, is not only one of the most hilarious but also one of the best things to remember about copywriting. The Wisdom of Gandalf -Bilbo: Good morning. -Gandalf: What do you mean? Do you mean to wish me a good morning or do you mean it is a good morning whether I want it or not? Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning. Or are you simply stating this is a morning to be good on? -Bilbo: All of them at once, I suppose. This exchange is really quite poignant. It should remind every writer out there that the real gift with the word is to say something familiar in an unfamiliar way. Text can mean more than one thing and this is something that should be kept in mind. Whether it is a detriment or a helpful asset is entirely up to the individual. Gandalf continues to provide wise advice to our copywriters in the most memorable line of “An Unexpected Journey” when he is talking to Bilbo outside of the troll cave after he has been given Sting, his trademark blue-glowing sword. Gandalf: […] true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one. This line rings remarkably throughout the world of Middle-Earth and sets the foundation for the pivotal riddle game against Gollum later in the film as well as the ultimate victory over Sauron at the end of The Lord of the Rings. But it is also quite palpable to many writers, as well. Over time, a writer can become too comfortable with the same routine day in and day out until it gets to the point that their quality begins to degrade and they can no longer keep contracts. This line is good for the writer in that it reminds them to take the chance and do something different, to break the traditional mold and take the calculated risk. Don’t just hack off an idea just because it looks weird. Stirring the pot is essential to a successful writing career. So do it every so often. You just might enjoy it. The Terror of Smaug The second Hobbit film, in contrast to the first, is far more action-oriented. With character development finished, it is time to throw them into a dangerous situation and see how it turns out. In the case of “The Desolation of Smaug,” it is Bilbo’s first encounter with the eponymous dragon in the great treasure horde of Erebor. Their exchange is packed with clever lines that test Bilbo’s ingenuity against a monstrous threat. Pieces of their word game can be taken to heart by copywriters as well. Take this set of lines, for example. Bilbo: I am he who walks unseen. Smaug: Impressive titles. What else do you claim to be? Bilbo: Luck-Wearer. Ring-Winner. Smaug: Lovely titles… Bilbo: Barrel-Rider. Smaug: Barrels! Now that is interesting! This exchange should remind any writer of the power of titles. They can make or break a piece before a reader can even get to the content. The more intriguing a title is the better off your piece will be. This is even more important in the formation of meta titles, which is how people will see what the article is about and decide if they want to click it or not. Never ever underestimate the power of the headline. But headlines alone are not enough. The content beyond carries equally as much weight. Never is this made clearer than in this exchange, again between Bilbo and Smaug. Smaug: Do you think flattery will keep you alive? Bilbo: No, no. Smaug: No, indeed! While content needs to be eloquent and proper, it also needs to be correct. Making claims that are not true will not only destroy the relationship between writer/agency and the client, but it could potentially harm them as well as reader’s look over the page, see all sorts of promises attached to it, and then expect the website to deliver. Genuineness is essential in … Read more