Kinbote writes \”On July 4, the Ad Council launched its eerily-titled Campaign For Freedom, a collection of 30-second tv spots to reassure Americans that they are Free. Their formula is to depict a fictitious dystopian scenario followed by the question, \”What if America wasn\’t America?\” to make the viewer appreciate that s/he lives in a land of True Freedom. The 30-second spot entitled \”Library\” shows a patron requesting materials which have been removed from circulation, whereupon he is detained for questioning by two shadowy men. The obvious and staggering irony here appears wholly unintended. God doubleplusBless America!
Here\’s a transcript I typed up:
Kinbote writes \”On July 4, the Ad Council launched its eerily-titled Campaign For Freedom, a collection of 30-second tv spots to reassure Americans that they are Free. Their formula is to depict a fictitious dystopian scenario followed by the question, \”What if America wasn\’t America?\” to make the viewer appreciate that s/he lives in a land of True Freedom. The 30-second spot entitled \”Library\” shows a patron requesting materials which have been removed from circulation, whereupon he is detained for questioning by two shadowy men. The obvious and staggering irony here appears wholly unintended. God doubleplusBless America!
Here\’s a transcript I typed up:
\”Library\” — 30 second TV spot produced by the Ad Council. Part of the \”Campaign for Freedom,\” released on 4 July 2002.
We are in a library furnished with a wooden, many-drawered card catalog. A patron approaches a librarian (elderly, female, glasses, no visible cats) at a desk.
Patron: Excuse me, I can\’t seem to find these anywhere.
Patron hands the librarian a list.
Librarian: Huh.
She types, looks up. Begin tense music as she intones chillingly:
Librarian: These books are no longer available.
Patron (uncomfortable): I didn\’t know.
Librarian (smiling): May I have your name, please.
Patron (nervous, smiles uneasily): Why?
Long shot of long, narrow room. Patron and librarian are at far end. There is only one long, narrow path to the exit.
Back to ref desk shot. Patron turns away to leave, looking back at desk. He fails to see two men arise to intercept him. Second librarian joins the first. They crane their necks to watch.
Shot from librarians\’ perspective. Patron is about halfway down path to door. He is apprehended by the two men.
Patron: What did I do?
Men: We just have a couple of questions.
Shot of concerned librarians over unintelligible grunts of distress from
patron.
Fade to white.
Text appears: What if America wasn\’t America?
Fade text. Fade in washed-out flag, waving.
Text appears, one sentence at a time:
Freedom.
Appreciate it. Cherish it. Protect it.
\”
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