Society For The Promotion Of His Dark Materials

[kyrabelacqua]

This is just an idea, but;
I was watching the news the other day, and at the end they said 'If you have an idea for a story please email us'. So that got me thinking. Maybe I could get them to put on a story about all the controversy between Narnia and His Dark Materials, cause it would give HDM a bit of (hopefully good) publicity, and in this day and age, people love controversy, and controversy = cash. I just want people to see both sides of the story, and to go and read the books. Is that an okay idea?
I'm not really sure how it'll work out, or if they'll even do it.

[Ian]

Well the controversy between Narnia and HDM was and is widely covered in the press here. In the run up to the release there were interviews with Pullman where he totally ripped apart Narnia, and then others who ripped apart Pullman. The Archbishop of Canterbury had a lot to say on the issue. So yes, you could propose the idea, but it is in essence old news I think. Others agree with me or am I being presumptuous?

[kyrabelacqua]

Well, over here in Australia, it hasn't really been covered, apart from like one newspaper article that mentioned Pullman's name once.
But, as I said, it's just an idea. HDM isn't really big over here.

[DutchCrunch]

Well, over here in Australia, it hasn't really been covered, apart from like one newspaper article that mentioned Pullman's name once.
But, as I said, it's just an idea. HDM isn't really big over here.

Same thing here...the controversy surrounding Narnia and HDM wasn't covered in the least around here, and when I talk to people about it I get blank glances and weird comments...

[bethanwy]

I think there should just be a news report on HDM in general. I'm the only one out of my friends that has even heard of Phillip Pullman or HDM, and thats not right. And the movies need more publicity too.





In fact I might send an e-mail to Newsround...

[DutchCrunch]

We could set up some action group, like Greenpeace. Maybe run around capturing movie theatres and demanding New Line hurry up. Or hijack bookstores and make them feature Pullman all through their store, with a HDM poster on every wall.
We could also climb up really tall buildings in armored bear costumes...

[bethanwy]

T-shirts and decoder rings, anyone?







The Suffragette Sraffies

[Alewyn]

DARNIT! I should've bought an HDM play poster and donated it to my library! Grrrrr

[manda]

Actually, here in Sydney I recently read an article that talked a little about the anti-Narnianess in HDM. I read it just after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe came out here in Australia. I should know, I tried to use it to convince my sister to read HDM, because it said that PP was a great writer. Plan backfired though, because it also said that Rowling was a great writer...

[kyrabelacqua]

Well, as I said, publicity is good, so if anyone has ANY ideas for a good story, feel free to tell me about it.

By the way, I too am having a HDM advertising phase. I even considered buying some NICE copies of HDM for our school library, as all the other copies are crappy and I'm surprised anyone reads them, but I realized how much that would set me back, so I decided on some nice posters instead. I wonder if I could get the librarian to have a HDM week at school or something. I'll also see if I can get a hold of one of those HDM movie posters and put it up in my local library or at school.
I don't blame my friends for calling me mad! But seriously, I'll occasionaly check the shelves to see if anyone's borrowed them, and about 90% of the time, at least 2 copies are gone, so that's good.

[manda]

Ha, my school librarian is mean, stupid and fat. The school library is small and has no good quality books and NO HDM ones! The public library I borrow from is crap as well. Why am I surrounded by crappy libraries?

I haven't gone into such a big advertising phase as Kyra, I just encourage every new person I meet to read it. I doubt they do.

[Jaya]

We don't even have a school librarian. That's how bad our school library is.

But I think we have HDM.

Unless someone's stolen it, it's not like anyone keeps an eye on it. And who's going to bother to properly take a book out when nobody checks anyway? It's far too much bother scanning our thumbprints when we can just walk out the door carrying the book.

[Enitharmon]

I think there should just be a news report on HDM in general. I'm the only one out of my friends that has even heard of Phillip Pullman or HDM, and thats not right. And the movies need more publicity too.

It's five year old news! There was a lot of publicity five years ago when The Amber Spyglass won the overall Whitbread Prize. Since then PP has never been far from the headlines.

[Alewyn]

I think there should just be a news report on HDM in general. I'm the only one out of my friends that has even heard of Phillip Pullman or HDM, and thats not right. And the movies need more publicity too.

It's five year old news! There was a lot of publicity five years ago when The Amber Spyglass won the overall Whitbread Prize. Since then PP has never been far from the headlines.

Actually, there was an ad in the NYTimes Arts Section on September 25, 2005 for HDM. (I have it taped to my wall...) So there's 5 year old news for 'ya.

We're about to get a TV Studio at my school with news stories and such. Maybe I can get involved and do stuff about upcoming movies (everyone knows that I'm the movie person of the school) and I'll have updates on HDM! Hahahaa, people who don't know me will LOVE that...

[kyrabelacqua]

Actually, that's not a bad idea, Alewyn. You should do that.
I think we should start a 'Society For The Promotion Of His Dark Materials' thing. It could be fun - and perhaps dangerous.
I recently wrote a letter to the Herald Sun newspaper's movie section, asking about the progress of the HDM movies (I already knew, but sent it so other people would read it, and hopefully check it out). They published it, and I cut it out, but now I lost it somewhere...

[Alewyn]

oh NYTi-imes! Think you'll actually publish me this time?

Trying your plan, Kyra

[DutchCrunch]

Actually, that's not a bad idea, Alewyn. You should do that.
I think we should start a 'Society For The Promotion Of His Dark Materials' thing. It could be fun - and perhaps dangerous.

Exactly! Get a Volkswagen Van, paint all sorts of creatures on it (witches, armoured bears, will and lyra's)in bright colors then drive around the country putting up tents on university campusses and talk about how we are helping the world.
Or like the Fathers for Justice, PETA, Greenpeace...they could pose as great examples to the SPHDM.

[kyrabelacqua]

Yes, and as Siren said, we will be known as the Suffragette Sraffies. All in favour? And where shall the SPHDM be based? Oh, wait, that's the same initials as the Society For Protection Of His Dark Materials! Oops!

But seriously, I went onto National Theatre's website to buy some HDM posters to stick around everywhere, but they cost like 15 dollars each, and the picture on them is scary, so would probably do the opposite of what we want them to do - scare people away from reading them!

I encourage you all to write to newspapers, and stick up posters, and recommend the books to random people on the street, using scare tactics where possible. Our aim is to educate the minds of the simpler people.

Now, we need a slogan...[/code]

[bethanwy]

Well I'm all for chaining myself to Buckingham Palace...

[DutchCrunch]

After running a fair distance, I ended up here. I again profess my love for the cause and am gathering chains to chain myself to the White House. (We need to spread our chances...)