Apple documentary
Was watching "American Chopper" tonight on Discovery and it struck me how absolutely cool it would be had there been a film crew present during the development of various Apple gear. For instance, the iPod or the G5.
Of course, WHILE the product is being developed, nothing would/could be shown. But afterwards, when the product is out and popular and there's no "ooh...mystery" vibe to it, why not? Just a documentary/video crew - sworn to absolute secrecy under penalty of death and dismemberment, of course - simply following the process along in anticpation of a final edited, watchable 1-2 hour documentary when all is said and done.
They do it for movies all the time (E!'s "Behind the Scenes" stuff), NASA and presidents have people filming and documenting them all the time, so it's not a far-out, wacky or unheard-of notion.
Those little promo videos they show to accompany a products release merely scratch the surface, but that's what I'm talking about: sketches, schematics, talking with Ive, Schiller, Rubenstein, whoever. Just more in-depth and detailed. Warts and all, and not so "PR and market-y" as those promo vids.
I'd love to see see: interviews along the way with Jobs, Ive, the various other people contributing to the product. Show the process of designs and prototypes, show the involved parties "debating" certain issue. The film crew could be present at - and wrap the show up - the public rollout (with Jobs at the Flint Center when he unveiled the iPod nearly three years ago, or this past summer for the G5 announcement).
I know it'll probably never happen - Apple seems to keep itself under tight wraps - but man, if there's ever been a company that it would be cool to get an "inside peek" at, it would be Apple.
And for those saying "ah, it's too limited appeal...not enought Mac people..." I say you're all wet.
There ain't that many bikers and Harley riders around either, yet "American Chopper" is one of the most popular, and highest rated, shows on Discovery. Or cable period. Hell, I don't miss it and I've never even SAT on a motorcycle.
I'm not "into" tons of things, but I'll still sit and watch and entire hour-long documentary or "behind the scenes" feature on it, so I think many non-Mac people would watch just for the cool technology angle of it.
Not to mention what a cool little "back-end" marketing tool a documentary or segment like this could serve as. Hell, better than a commercial in many ways.
I would kill to see this type of documentary on the development of the iMac: the initial meetings, the first sketches and prototypes, interviews with Jobs and Ive, interviews with the marketing people and how they were proceeding with their various related tasks, footage and interviews with the various people on the hardware side (engineers, designers, etc.). Show them coming off the assembly line, being boxed, the first public unveiling, etc.
Hey, I can dream.
Of course, WHILE the product is being developed, nothing would/could be shown. But afterwards, when the product is out and popular and there's no "ooh...mystery" vibe to it, why not? Just a documentary/video crew - sworn to absolute secrecy under penalty of death and dismemberment, of course - simply following the process along in anticpation of a final edited, watchable 1-2 hour documentary when all is said and done.
They do it for movies all the time (E!'s "Behind the Scenes" stuff), NASA and presidents have people filming and documenting them all the time, so it's not a far-out, wacky or unheard-of notion.
Those little promo videos they show to accompany a products release merely scratch the surface, but that's what I'm talking about: sketches, schematics, talking with Ive, Schiller, Rubenstein, whoever. Just more in-depth and detailed. Warts and all, and not so "PR and market-y" as those promo vids.
I'd love to see see: interviews along the way with Jobs, Ive, the various other people contributing to the product. Show the process of designs and prototypes, show the involved parties "debating" certain issue. The film crew could be present at - and wrap the show up - the public rollout (with Jobs at the Flint Center when he unveiled the iPod nearly three years ago, or this past summer for the G5 announcement).
I know it'll probably never happen - Apple seems to keep itself under tight wraps - but man, if there's ever been a company that it would be cool to get an "inside peek" at, it would be Apple.
And for those saying "ah, it's too limited appeal...not enought Mac people..." I say you're all wet.
There ain't that many bikers and Harley riders around either, yet "American Chopper" is one of the most popular, and highest rated, shows on Discovery. Or cable period. Hell, I don't miss it and I've never even SAT on a motorcycle.
I'm not "into" tons of things, but I'll still sit and watch and entire hour-long documentary or "behind the scenes" feature on it, so I think many non-Mac people would watch just for the cool technology angle of it.
Not to mention what a cool little "back-end" marketing tool a documentary or segment like this could serve as. Hell, better than a commercial in many ways.
I would kill to see this type of documentary on the development of the iMac: the initial meetings, the first sketches and prototypes, interviews with Jobs and Ive, interviews with the marketing people and how they were proceeding with their various related tasks, footage and interviews with the various people on the hardware side (engineers, designers, etc.). Show them coming off the assembly line, being boxed, the first public unveiling, etc.
Hey, I can dream.
Comments
WHY? It would devulge everything that makes an Apple product an Apple product. Why give the inside scoup to your competitors on how to make a great product from start to finish, even though for regular people it would be really cool.
I know it'll probably never happen.
...
Hey, I can dream.
All us Mac geeks wouldn't miss it, right? Hell, we track down VHS copies of "Pirates of Silicon Valley", wake up at 4am to catch a Paris-based keynote address, seek out old commercials and keynote webcast like crazy, etc. (a month doesn't go by here at AI that someone doesn't post a "MWSF 2001 keynote...where can I get it?" thread.
How would this NOT be a ratings winner? The, of course, all the non-Mac people who would probably tune in a) just to dig on the tech, b) see what all this fuss and stir over Apple is or c) there was nothing else worth a crap on and this looked interesting.
I'll just quietly file this away in my little box of other neat ideas that'll never come to pass, but that people would absolutely eat up and go nuts over if actually done. Sigh...
Originally posted by pscates
[B]All us Mac geeks wouldn't miss it, right? Hell, we track down VHS copies of "Pirates of Silicon Valley"
Guilty, I paid my local video store to BUY one of their two copies. Of course I wouldnt have bought it were it the only copy, everyone has to see it!
One of my dreams is to see a Pirates of Silicon Valley type movie but one done much more accurately and better. I thought Wyle was over the top as Jobs, and I think there are many people better than him to portray Steve.---Tom Cruise being one, hehe...we gotta get Spielberg interested in an Apple movie, he'd have any budget he wanted.
8)
Originally posted by pscates
I would kill to see this type of documentary on the development of the iMac: the initial meetings, the first sketches and prototypes
and they would have to kill anybody with this kind of access
the dozens of failed sketches alone would be priceless design work for lazy PC firms
and why spoil the magical mystique of Apple as design visionaries?
that perception by some may add critical prestige/cachet/value to the Apple meme
Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Curtain! ...
but it would be awesome if such tapes were found about the original mac
something like this, perhaps
Originally posted by pscates
Was watching "American Chopper" tonight on Discovery
Can I just say that American Chopper, Monster House and Monster Garage are the BEST shows on tv right now
...and mythbusters are hanging in there
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
we gotta get Spielberg interested in an Apple movie, he'd have any budget he wanted.
what about Ridley Scott, the obvious choice.
but we wouldn't notice