Babu Saffy

Hullabaloo is proud to introduce a segment on each newsletter from Babu Saffy.  Babu is on work experience from Mumbai.  He is an aspiring Bollywood producer/director.  In his first article, Babu wants to talk about overseas commercials.  Take it away Babu...

Hello!

Please to be welcoming me. My name is Babu Ganush Safad Maharashna.  But you can call me Babu Saffy for short! I am here from Bollywood on work experience with these two crazy dudes Glenn and Geoff at Hooolabulu (or something like that).

It is wonderful being in this country and learning all the ropes of how to make programs from these two dudes. You see, it is my dream to one day, be the greatest Bollywood movie producer of all time. A regular Babu Saffy Speilberg!

So, at the moment, am I like a sponge. Actually, these two buggers make me use the sponge... apparently cleaning studios is an integral process in film making!

I am to be soaking up all the knowledge I can get. But still, there are things I don't understand...

Why is it, that I come to this wonderful country and yet I am bombarded with commercials on the television that appear to be from the United States of Yankees?

The other night, while catching up on Indian music clips on Channel 31, I switched to one of your 'Big 3' networks. Why are they big? Where I come from, the whole population of your country lived in my cousins apartment!

Anyway, I'm watching the program when on comes an American black dude playing basketball with a Holden Barina motor car. I did not quite understand, until the strangely sounding American voice over man told me I should be buying this car. Who was he talking to? Am I, the average aussie the target market for a vehicle promoted on American rooftops by Americans, playing a hugely American game?

Surely not. After all, 'Football, meatpies, kangaroos and Holden cars' as the song goes - surely an aussie car like the Holden Barina should be advertised with Aussies??

So, I am asking these two dudes..."Dudes", I say, "Why is this so"?

And they say to me..."AAHHH, Babu Saffy, that's because it's cheaper to do it this way. Now get back to your cleaning".

They are right after all. What would I know? There I was thinking that for the sake of a few dollars, the commercial could have had an aussie, you beaut voice over, thus giving the product an Australian connection, thus possibly selling more cars.

This simple act may even encourage other advertisers to do the same, thus keeping some dollars flowing through the local production industry on many levels. But what would I know?

I will be doing you the honour of keeping you updated on my progress with these dudes. In fact, this recording stuff is quite good here, I may even sneak in one night and be doing myself one of those new podcast contraptions.

Until then. Your new friend,

Babu Saffy