08-06-2021, 01:19 AM
Speaking of libraries- about 30 years ago I produced the following PSA for a library system. It was story boarded, and rough cut as a 30 second song (sung by kids) to promote summer reading. It went through the heirarchy in VA, all the way through to the ALA in Chicago, but was ultimately rejected for the pronunciation of "library", as "liberry". Thay also objected to staging a kid on a low branch, as it was deemed "too dangerous." Humorless ALA brass just stripped the fun right outta this one. Anywho, here it is, with in line notes:
The Liberry Tree
(Fade up)
The liberry tree, (kid 1 singing)
oh, the liberry tree- (Cut to kid 1 & 2 singing)
when I wanna read (Cut to 7 kids singing, with tree in background, with soft focus of books hanging like fruit)
I just pick what I need (Cut to 7 kids singing, with tree in background, with rack focus to books hanging like fruit)
from the liberry tree. (Cut to wide shot of 7 kids singing, with tree in background, with books hanging like fruit)
L-I-B-R-A-R- (Cut to each of 6 kids singing each letter)
why? (Cut to 7th kid singing "why?")
Because I love to read ! (Cut to wide shot of all kids singing)
C’mon, (Shot opens out to reveal kid on low tree branch, holding an open book)
I know there’s a branch near you… (Cut to close up of kid on low tree branch speaking the tag line)
(Fade to black)
The shot of the kid on the low branch was modified to have her stand under the branch, holding an open book (other books dangling like fruit from the tree). No luck- still rejected for the "liberry" pronunciation, even though the kids actually sing it out loudly, letter by letter, correctly. It was a really fun piece to produce. Too bad it never aired...
The Liberry Tree
(Fade up)
The liberry tree, (kid 1 singing)
oh, the liberry tree- (Cut to kid 1 & 2 singing)
when I wanna read (Cut to 7 kids singing, with tree in background, with soft focus of books hanging like fruit)
I just pick what I need (Cut to 7 kids singing, with tree in background, with rack focus to books hanging like fruit)
from the liberry tree. (Cut to wide shot of 7 kids singing, with tree in background, with books hanging like fruit)
L-I-B-R-A-R- (Cut to each of 6 kids singing each letter)
why? (Cut to 7th kid singing "why?")
Because I love to read ! (Cut to wide shot of all kids singing)
C’mon, (Shot opens out to reveal kid on low tree branch, holding an open book)
I know there’s a branch near you… (Cut to close up of kid on low tree branch speaking the tag line)
(Fade to black)
The shot of the kid on the low branch was modified to have her stand under the branch, holding an open book (other books dangling like fruit from the tree). No luck- still rejected for the "liberry" pronunciation, even though the kids actually sing it out loudly, letter by letter, correctly. It was a really fun piece to produce. Too bad it never aired...