Quite a long time ago, I did a review through Mom Central for Bausch+ Lomb Soflens Daily Disposable contact Lens for my daughter. She LOVED the lenses. It was the greatest opportunity of her 7th grade year.
Last month we were sent an offer to do a commercial for the organization.
Monday, the PR rep and a camerman arrived at my house and set up. It was completely exciting.
The first part of the interview was with me. It was boring - not that they were boring, but that I'M boring - although in my frustration at my brain's inability to retain the words Bausch + Lomb Soflens Daily Disposable Contact Lenses I let fly the "F" wrod.
Not that I'm proud of that. It just happened. One of those things.
After I was interviewed, it was Mackenzie's turn.
She looks at the same time very small and very grown up there. If that makes any sense at all.
She was asked lots of questions. How hard was it to get your mom to let you wear contact lenses? What brand of lenses do you wear? (This is where she struggled as well - it's TOUGH to remember the official name! Especially when the lights are on you!) Do your friends wear contact lenses? Did the contact lenses change your ability to participate in sports?
And so on.
They took "B" reel (If you need an explanation of what B reel is, the cameraman shared a HYSTERICAL video that talked about B reel, which was especially relevant being that we were DOING B reel) of us looking at her scrapbook, looking at pictures in frames of her when she had glasses on, and so on.
They took her into the bathroom and took video of her brushing her hair, putting the contacts in, taking them out, throwing them away, and brushing her teeth.
I, uh, didn't know that the cameraman was going to stand IN my tub. The one area of the house that I didn't clean. Whoops. I guess everyone needs a little humility now and then, eh?
They took video of her sitting at the table doing homework. Which is really funny because she has no homework and so we pulled her old math book out and she basically copied down a bunch of problems. Then they took more "B" reel of her explaining how to do the work to me, and I was to point out different problems.
The she went outside. She played soccer for about 15 minutes with her friends and her brother and became totally winded.
And THEN, she went out in the front and ran up and down the street about a zillion and one times. Towards the camera, away from the camera, repeat. It was about 95 degrees yesterday and the humidity was equally high. It was tiring work.
We were finished and she was tired. Then they watched the footage, and her interview was really stilted and forced, and she said a lot of "um's" and so, it was decided to redo her footage.
She was red and sweaty and had to change back into her dressier clothes, and look as if she was calm and cool and collected. It was a sizeable task.
But she did it. It was funny, though, because the B+L rep read her the questions and she didn't do any better. So they asked her friend to read her the questions - and that became a giggly, silly mess. So, finally, the cameraman read the questions to her.
And we were finished. 8:45- about 1:30.
I'm not quite sure when the commercial will appear. It's going to be, as far as I understand, similar in format to an infomercial. They will splice all of the shots together with interview portions with an optometrist and as soon as it's done, they will send it to me.
And I'll let you know. But I'm not watching it, because when I hear my voice on video - I want to vomit.
Loved this post. And, FYI, I never have an excuse for letting an f-bomb drop. Well, maybe once a year I stub my toe or something.
Posted by: Sylvia | June 28, 2011 at 07:49 PM
How fun!!
I did a few news segments last winter and omg, i closed my eyes and covered my ears when watching them with my family. UGH.
Posted by: lissa | June 28, 2011 at 08:39 PM
Actually not cleaning the tub was fine since the cameraman stood in it. :)
Sounds like a neat experience! I hope I can see the commercial and say "I know them" (by which I would, of course, mean that I read your blog!)
Posted by: chris | June 29, 2011 at 03:28 AM
How exciting! And how difficult for you guys. Looing forwad to the commercial.
Posted by: addy | June 29, 2011 at 07:41 AM
Well atleast the tub wasn't going to get "dirty" after spending time cleaning it.
Posted by: kyooty | June 29, 2011 at 12:46 PM
I can't wait for my now nine year old to be able to wear contacts. He is like me and blind as a bat without his glasses on.
I wouldn't worry about the tub, if you'd cleaned it and then he stood in it you'd have gotten mad. *g*
Posted by: Brandy | June 29, 2011 at 01:42 PM
I hate the sound of my voice when I hear it on audio...I think who is that?
Posted by: Mary @ A Simple Twist of Faith | June 29, 2011 at 09:37 PM
i thought I was the only one who hated her voice on video. Sound like Charlie Brown's teacher....
Posted by: Lisa | June 29, 2011 at 09:45 PM
That's so cool! I took acting lessons for one year in elementary school and got to be an extra in some sort of educational film about diabetes. It was a lot like what you describe, and I wasn't in any hurry to do it again.
Is this going to air on TV? (It sounds a little long for a standard commercial.) It would be so cool to turn on my TV and see Mackenzie!
And that b reel video is hysterical!
Posted by: Megan | June 29, 2011 at 10:36 PM
what a fantastic opportunity! I'm so proud of her!
which kind of sounds odd, but I am. I really am. :-)
yay Mackenzie!
Posted by: Stephanie ODea | July 01, 2011 at 09:47 AM