Michael Bay Dot Com now has a Facebook page. About time, right? Please keep in mind that it’s a page for the web site and not Michael Bay’s personal page.
Be sure to “Like” us over on Facebook.
PLANO, Texas, Sept. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — In one of the most highly anticipated Super Bowl announcements of the year, Doritos — one of the marquee brands from PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division — today revealed the details for this year’s Crash the Super Bowl contest. Following six previous contests, $5 million in prize money awarded and three No. 1 USA TODAY Ad Meter rankings, the Doritos brand is doing the unthinkable for the seventh anniversary of the program — raising the stakes higher than ever before. In a message direct to fans via webcast yesterday evening, acclaimed Hollywood film director Michael Bay and the Doritos brand announced the biggest, boldest contest grand prize to date: an opportunity to work with Bay on the next installment of the “Transformers” movie franchise, along with a shot at a $1 million bonus. From Paramount Pictures and Hasbro, the next installment in the hit series will be released on June 27, 2014. The webcast is now archived on the Doritos Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/DoritosUSA) — the main hub of this year’s contest.
As one of Hollywood’s boldest and most bankable feature film directors, Bay’s repertoire includes such blockbuster hits as the “Transformers” franchise, “Armageddon,” “Pearl Harbor,” “Bad Boys” and “The Rock.” Bay’s films combined have grossed $5.4 billion in worldwide ticket sales, and his most recent hit, “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” ranks as the fifth-highest grossing movie of all time, earning $1.2 billion at the box office. Bay began his career as a creative force in the advertising world, winning many of the industry’s top accolades, including being honored as “Commercial Director of the Year” by the Directors Guild of America at the young age of 27.
“Having started my career in the advertising business, creating television spots and trying to make a name for myself, I can definitely relate to those who enter the Crash the Super Bowl contest,” said Bay, who began directing commercials and music videos one week out of film school in 1989. “I know firsthand how challenging it can be to succeed in such a competitive industry, so I’m excited to help someone else truly make a name of their own.”
As in previous years, the Crash the Super Bowl contest invites consumers to create homemade ads for the Doritos brand, with two finalist consumer-created spots ultimately airing during the Super Bowl broadcast. One of those ads will be selected by America’s votes; the other by the Doritos brand team. The finalist whose ad scores highest on the USA TODAY Ad Meter rankings will be awarded the grand prize-career opportunity working with Bay. In addition, if a consumer-generated Doritos ad scores No. 1 on the USA TODAY Ad Meter, the Doritos brand will award its creator a $1 million bonus. The Super Bowl XLVII broadcast is set for Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, on CBS.
“Over the past six years, our fans have created thousands of Doritos ads, dominating the USA TODAY Ad Meter year after year and making Doritos the brand to watch on Super Bowl Sunday,” said Ram Krishnan, vice president of marketing, Frito-Lay North America. “Every year, our fans deliver for us, so this year we’re bringing them a contest grand prize that we know will be a true game changer. The opportunity to work on a blockbuster film like ‘Transformers 4′ is an experience we know will help catapult our lucky winner to the big time.”
For the first time in Crash the Super Bowl history, the contest will be run from a Crash the Super Bowl-branded app on the Doritos Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/DoritosUSA). There, participants can upload their :30 homemade commercials from Oct. 8, 2012 to Nov. 16, 2012, but the app is designed to engage and socialize with consumers in a much broader way than ever before. New to this year’s contest, the app will feature a “Pitch In” collaboration tool that allows fans from all walks of life to interact with each other and assist with the creation of Crash the Super Bowl entries by requesting or offering up props, talent and other items contestants need to create their potentially winning ads. Now, anyone from any background can play a role in the creation of the next great Doritos masterpiece. The app will also house the traditional toolbox where Doritos logos, product shots, music and animations are available for download and use, as well as the gallery of all contest submissions where fans can view submissions and weigh in on their personal favorites.
Five finalist ads will be announced in January 2013. Then it will be up to fans to vote for their favorite consumer-created ad. Each of the five finalists will win $25,000 and a trip to New Orleans to attend Super Bowl XLVII in a private luxury suite at the game, where they will tune in to learn for the first time which consumer ads will compete for the top spot in the USA TODAY Ad Meter before a worldwide audience. Bonus prizing will be awarded, based on how each ad ranks on the USA TODAY Ad Meter:
Created in 1989, USA TODAY’s Ad Meter has been regarded as the most influential Super Bowl ad rating in the advertising industry. USA TODAY Ad Meter does not sponsor and is not affiliated with the contest.
Welcome to the new and improved Michael Bay Dot Com!
As you can see there have been some cosmetic and structural changes.
A little bit of backstory from my end. For the past six years or so the web site was maintain using Rapidweaver—which was so awesome—but after a while, this site grew too big. Updates where taking a bit longer than usual due the fact that each time there was some sort of a change—and depending which kind of change—it would sometimes take up to ten minutes to update the entire web site. Even though there are thousand of files, it might not seem much, but it’s an eternity in web site maintenance. The site is now based and structured on Word Press.
What this all means for you:
In the next couple of days we’ll be adding more to the web site. Questions, feedback or comments, please visit our forums.
Thank you for your patience.
Nelson
It’s a little strange to listen to Michael Bay complain about how difficult it was to get his next feature film, “Pain & Gain,” financed and produced. Especially when you consider that Bay’s last three films — all installments in the “Transformers” franchise — have earned more than $2.7 billion worldwide. Oh, and that the budget for “Pain and Gain” — starring Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson as two Miami bodybuilders who become involved in a kidnapping plot that’s much too bizarre to sum up in a few words — is only $25 million. Again, remember, this is Michael Bay we’re talking about. No matter what you think of his movies, you can’t deny that they make heaps of money.
I won’t lie: Bay is making the rounds to promote not a movie but a corn-chip contest. For the last few years, Doritos has run a contest giving aspiring filmmakers the chance to direct the company’s Super Bowl ad. This year, as an added bonus, the winner will also get to “work with” Bay on “Transformers 4.” Bay admits that it’s unclear what kind of “work” this person will do, but he promises it won’t be too menial. Ahead, Bay explains why he wants to work on “Transformers 4″ after so adamantly declaring that “Dark of the Moon” would be his last chapter. He also confirms that the series will pick up where the last one left off in Chicago — with Peter Cullen back as the voice of Optimus Prime — and describes just how hard it is for even a multi-billion-dollar director to get a $25 million dollar movie off the ground these days.
Yes it’s coming in April!
It’s my $26 million dollar film that I’ve had for many years, finally I had a moment to shoot it, and it that was a blast! I filmed it in Miami. Pain & Gain is still in the cutting room.
But what I can say this film is a funny, twisted, true crime story. The people who have seen it say to me it’s totally original in its style. But you guys will be the judges. One thing I do know is studios are now a days so shy to make these type of movies, but I know audiences love to still see them.
What I really like about the film are the quirky and rich characters. Why was it fun? Because, simply, my amazing cast. Marc Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, and Anthony Mackie were a great trio together. But also working with Ed Harris, who I loved working with in The Rock. Also Tony Shalhoub, not only the greatest guy but an amazing actor. Rebel Wilson, Rob Cordry, Ken Jeoung, and Michael Rispoli round out the cast. And also a new find, Bar Paly.
But I must say Wahlberg and Johnson play totally fresh characters and that’s why it’s so fun to watch them on screen. The editing process is a bit slower on this one because I’m in the middle of launching my three TV shows and prepping Transformers 4–which is going in a total new direction and in a way to really broaden the franchise to give it lasting legs.
As for the teaser poster, we just wanted to create a bit of curiosity for the title, so don’t take it too seriously.
Michael
From USAToday:
The next Transformers movie could have an unlikely film credit: yours.
Doritos, the Frito-Lay brand that has embraced the Super Bowl as the salty snack’s sweet spot for consumer-generated commercials, on Wednesday will announce plans to seriously boost the booty in its seventh annual Crash the Super Bowl contest.
Doritos will link up with one of Hollywood’s most successful directors, Michael Bay, whose Transformers films have created a movie empire.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon, ranks as the fifth-highest-grossing movie of all time by raking in $1.2 billion at the box office. Bay also directed Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys and The Rock.
The consumer who creates the top-ranked Doritos commercial aired during the Super Bowl — as determined by USA TODAY’S Ad Meter consumer poll of best-liked Super Bowl commercials — wins the chance to work with Bay on the next installment of the Transformers movie franchise, to be filmed in 2013.
In an age of social-media hype and online overload, marketers are increasingly looking for ways to stand out. With this PR-seeking promo, Doritos aims to not only break through the Super Bowl clutter but to add another notch to its recent history of generating some of the Super Bowl’s top commercials.
If a Doritos spot tops the USA TODAY Ad Meter, the creator also wins $1 million.
For those people and press asking: I stopped being an officer or director of the company over three years ago, and have not owned stock in the company for some time. I have remained a loyal client and supporter of the company however. It has amazing people and talent, and it still can be a great company! During this difficult time, my thoughts are with the great people I’ve had the pleasure to work with at DD.
Michael Bay
I’m really bummed at losing such a great guy in my life today, Michael Clarke Duncan.
I gave him his first big movie role in Armageddon as Bear. We found him in a gym. He cried at the first audition because he was so proud to audition for a “Michael and Jerry movie”, he just wanted to make his mom proud. We gave him the role in the room.
His first day on Armageddon he sucked. I remember looking to Ben Affleck and thinking we might need to fire him. But I told him “Mike, I hired you for you, I want the sweet, Mr Clarke Duncan I met in that room”. I said, “the audience is going to fall in love with you”.
He looked and smiled with deep voice and said “Ok”.
From then on out he became the most improved actor on the set. That was the award he got at the end of the film. Everyone loved him, his infectious spirit and great belly laugh.
It was a great time I will always remember, how proud I was to watch him grow into an actor. Watching him study all the guys from Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck to Steve Buscemi, and Owen Wilson. When he said in the movie he ” wanted to stay in the White House for the summer” he killed it. In his N.A.S.A. evaluation I told him to cry like a baby. He looked at me with his macho Duncan eyes and said “Mike I can’t do that” I said “yes you can” and it became the biggest laugh in the movie.
I’m really sad to lose him. Rest in peace buddy.
Michael Bay
The leaked script for Ninja Turtles that different sites continue to comment on was written well before I, or anyone at Platinum Dunes, was involved with the project.
That script saw the shredder a long time ago.
This is tired, old news — Wait for the movie!
P.S. To end this stupid merry go round and explain the math. Yes we signed on two years ago to Turtles, but with no deal in place. Deal completed towards end of last year. And yes, thats how long deals sometimes take. So no work was done on the script. Blame Paramount, not us for the first draft.
Thanks to Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Bay had a spectacular year financially. The 3-D movie (the third in the Transformers series) was panned by the critics but audiences around the world flocked to see it, spending $1.1 billion on tickets. Bay has a great deal on the films that gives him a healthy share of the profits and money from Transformer toys. We estimate Bay earned $160 million between May 2011 and May 2012.
Michael Bay Dot Com