AVATAR: Publicity Wanted!

[glockgal]

AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER
It's the publicity post!

As with everything else in our modern world, publicity is the way to get noticed. I've started with the most obvious venues - online new sites and newsblogs, specifically those that enjoy a good Entertainment-related story.

So, as with the aang-aint-white letter-writing campaign, please help me with getting

Comments

[ali_wildgoose]

You might want to add On The Media as well, an NPR show based out of WNYC. They talk about the media itself in a more meta sense, and I'm sure they'd have some words to say about the resounding silence that usually follows this kind of casting decision. See also: Ursula Le Guin having to write an article for Slate HERSELF to get the whitewashing of her own series noticed.

[glockgal]

Bam, done! Thanks for the link, bebe!

Man, if only Bryke had the non-contractual ability to leak their opinions on the matter, as Le Guin got to vent regarding her destroyed series. Yikes.

[ali_wildgoose]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y_c4e2p4Nw

;_;

oh, fandom

[glockgal]

Oh man. Oh.

It's been a tough day, and this. This. I just. Thank you for sharing, bb.

*gonna go cry now*

[melisus]

I was going to click on that link to see the image essay but... all of this has actually made me want to sit down and watch Avatar... and now I'm afraid of spoilers!

[glockgal]

Click away! I forgot to mention that the image essay is gloriously spoiler-free. Which is kinda awesome that they thought to consider that when making the essay, heee!!

I'm fairly confident it'll just make you wanna watched the series more. XD

[ani_bester]

Thank you for this ^__^

For whatever reason, the promo art I see everywhere really does make me think the kids are caucasion (who knows maybe that was deliberate too). Like I said, I've never seen 3 seconds of the show so when my f'list exploded with OMG the cast Caucasions!! I was like huh wha?

I never doubted y'all, but this really shows just how stupid the casting is to us non fans.

PS: Their have gotta be bigger things to hit. Poke the ACLU or something, See if there are some watchdog groups for things like this with some clout. I know some group scared Disney and got them to change the name of the girl in this Frog Princess. I'd poke for you but I'm at work.

[bzzinglikeneon]

This was me, as well. I knew pretty much zip about Avatar aside from occasionally seeing icons of the characters on my flist -- But even then, I wouldn't really have known what they were from. I think it's really, really beneficial to have something so immediately visual for people like us who otherwise would have had no idea of the culture involved. I just thought it was a fantasy thing.

And I still think Jackson's too old. >.>

[glockgal]

Thank goodness for that visual essay, man. It just drives the point home even to me, and I've watched the entire series!

Ohhhh Jackson. So old, so white...so wrong.

[glockgal]

Hooray! I wanted to tell you that it's true - based off of cursory glances at the promo stuff *tries not to get all conspiracy theory about that, LOL*, the initial reaction of "Er, any actor can play them" is reasonable. The amazing (read WTFery) happens when someone who has watched the whole series still tries to say "Yeah, I know it's all Asian-influenced, but Aang looks white".

I just. It's still so hard for me to comprehend that mentality, really it is!

Oooooh! I totally want to look into this Frog Princess name thing. Thanks for that! *looks it up* It's too bad - they talk about the name change, but not who or how it was pioneered.

Still, it kinda gives me hope I mean. If DISNEY can change, why not Paramount, right? Right? XD XD

[akoya]

Dude. If you wanna hit Canada, hit the Canwest Publishing. They have the major newspapers in the major cities!

You can e-mail them (feedback@canada.com)... but that may take a while. I suggest phoning the newspapers.

Heck, here's the link.

If you want, I'll give you some e-mails from the usual contributors to The Edmonton Journal's Culture section, too!

[glockgal]

Oooh ooh, yes please to Edmonton's Journal Culture section!

Oh, I should also hit up The Metro newspaper as well. Sometimes, the morning commute free news rag can get news across faster than the Globe and Mail. *hee*

[akoya]

I'll pick up some Edmonton Metros and give you them e-mails too.

About the Journal....
Sandra Sperounes (her specialty is music, but I feel she's an internet fan too. She spotlighted Dr. Horrible): ssperounes@thejournal.canwest.com
Todd Babiak (he's kinda the culture expert here. He also published a few serialized novels featured in the journal): tbabiak@thejournal.canwest.com

IMO these two would be the most responsive, from the culture aspect of things. If you want, you can always submit to a letter to the editor. I'll look more into that, if need be.

[glockgal]

SWEET. Done! Thank you again! *MWAH*

[glockgal]

It is stunning, innit? Man, now I wanna watch it all over again! *hee*

Besides it's ANIMATION, sillies... why am I even writing this, you know it all anyway.

For real. People seem to be so against racial diversity, they are completely ignoring blatant stylistic cues all because Aang has pale skin. THE MIND. IT BOGGLES.