Rian Johnson has joked that he may be the subject of his own murder-mystery storyline after he gave away a crucial trade secret during an interview with Vanity Fair.
The director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Looper was dissecting an early scene from his latest big-screen outing, the old-school whodunnit Knives Out, for the US magazine's YouTube channel when he revealed: "Apple; they let you use iPhones in movies, but, and this is pivotal if you're ever watching a mystery movie, bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera" – a bombshell he said, also on camera, would probably leave him in trouble (to put it politely) with the next mystery movie he writes.
Product placement is nothing new in film. It dates back to, at the very latest, Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle's 1920 comedy The Garage, which featured sponsor Red Crown Gasoline's logo prominently in several scenes.
The iPhone question seems a little more interesting, however, as Johnson rightly notes. Not only has he given away a secret of Magic Circle proportions, leading him to surmise that "every single filmmaker who has a bad guy in their movie that's supposed to be a secret wants to kill me right now," but he's also revealed an impressive level of subconscious on-screen manipulation that, while long suspected, may never have been articulated quite so loudly.
The "no iPhones for baddies" rule seems to take us to a level beyond product placement. It is, after all, technically product non-placement, which seems to lead us down a whole new road in terms of the lengths to which companies will go to project their brands positively in movies. Or, in this case, not project their brands negatively.
Product placement, or as 21st century marketers prefer to term it, "brand integration", is everywhere. When it's done well, or at least unobtrusively, it can be fine. Who hasn't wanted to drive an Aston Martin after seeing James Bond see off the latest threat to world peace? Who didn't want a Nokia flip phone after watching Neo bring down the reign of humanity's computerised oppressors in The Matrix?
These films manage to be simultaneously aspirational in terms of the shiny objects being displayed before us, and non-didactic in to-camera monologues about the hand-stitched leather seats, and that's kind of innocuous enough.
Bond would drive a car whatever it happened to be, and Neo would need a phone to connect to his dial-up modem. They might as well be an Aston Martin and a Nokia, especially if the brands are prepared to hand out a significant proportion of the film's production budget before a single ticket is sold. In the 2012 Bond film Skyfall, for example, the Dutch brewer Heineken paid $45 million (Dh165.2m) up front – almost a quarter of the film's budget – to place its offering in the super-spy's hands.
That's before we move on to sponsorship deals with Aston Martin, Omega watches and many, many more, especially as the huge franchise's producers have enough clout to keep the advertisers well away from editorial control.
Then, of course, there are the less subtle attempts at audience manipulation – the ones that surrender all pretence of editorial control for the sake of a few dollars, and I’m looking at you, Will Smith.
The 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot, in which Smith starred, featured some of the most cringeworthy, unnatural dialogue to make it to the screen. A genuine example of its shocking lines runs thus: "What is that on your feet?"
"Converse All Stars, vintage 2004. Don't turn your face up like that. I know you want some." A later scene features the utterly unnecessary line "nice shoes". That is when product placement has definitely gone too far.
But the phenomenon is by no means entirely negative.
We've already seen how even big-budget blockbusters can benefit from it financially, while seemingly keeping control of their own script, and indie budget films perhaps benefit even more. I could write pages on the number of UAE filmmakers who have told me they could never have made their film without the help of a car dealership that lent them its vehicles, or the hotel that allowed shooting on its grounds or accommodated cast and crew, in return for a prominent shot of its branding. That's not so bad.
The relationship is also a two-way one – for every can of Dr Pepper that appears in your film, the movie is advertised on a Dr Pepper can, and this works for the smaller guys, too. In a delightfully meta piece of filmmaking, Morgan Spurlock found himself directing the in-flight safety video for JetBlue Airways as part of the deal struck for his 2011 documentary The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, ironically a film about the documentarian trying – and succeeding – to make a film funded entirely by product placement. That kind of advertising is gold dust to an independent documentary maker, but it can't hurt the latest Marvel or DC epic, either, when the film is leaping out at you from every fast food carton on the planet at lunchtime.
As for the Apple versus bad guys scenario, I must admit, I'm left a little bit flummoxed, and for one simple reason. When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, it was a truly groundbreaking product, both in terms of technology and design. Since then, every other tech company on the planet has followed the template to the letter, to the extent that people can't even tell the difference.
If Apple really wants to subtly set itself apart from the bad guys in movies, maybe it should have them simply sitting with a fully charged phone and a straightforward USB lead, while the rest of the cast hunt not for a murderer, but for those white Thunderbolt charging cables that are nowhere to be found when you're outside of your own Apple-dedicated flat.
Results
5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last 16, second leg
Liverpool (0) v Atletico Madrid (1)
Venue: Anfield
Kick-off: Thursday, March 12, midnight
Live: On beIN Sports HD
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
Rooney's club record
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte
Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000
Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque 650Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
Profile
Company name: Jaib
Started: January 2018
Co-founders: Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour
Based: Jordan
Sector: FinTech
Total transactions: over $800,000 since January, 2018
Investors in Jaib's mother company Alpha Apps: Aramex and 500 Startups
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
