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#BehindThisDoor – Tony Stark Comment – Get Over It!

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BehindThisDoor Tony Stark Comment

If you follow social media channels you may have seen these hashtags this week regarding a line from the movie Spider-Man: Homecoming – #BehindThisDoor – #WhatTheFeige.

Bloggers are up in arms over a comment in this new movie – the comment goes like this:

“Behind this door lies a room full of reporters, real ones, not bloggers.” – Tony Stark

There were many, many posts by many, many bloggers over this one line, but one post really had me screaming #GetOverIt at my computer. Disclaimer: I do not know this blogger personally nor do I mean this as an attack on another blogger, so I apologize in advance if I offend her. I actually really like her site. I simply and strongly disagree with her opinion on this topic. Think how boring the world would be if we all had the same opinion 🙂

The post included this:

“That was a big fat hairy slap in the face that came at me right at about thirty minutes before the ending of Spider-Man: Homecoming. A personal attack on bloggers which did nothing for the plot. An attack approved by MARVEL Studios President Kevin Feige and about to be seen my millions. As in, in just a few days, bloggers around the country are going to be dissed in MARVEL sized capacity. Now I’d like to say for the record that I am aware that Sony owns this film however, MARVEL put their name on it and approved it. Did we do something wrong?”

Did you do something wrong? Well, yes you did. You took to social media acting like the kid in the school yard complaining that people are picking on them. You write how you want to be treated like a professional but then act like a child being picked on when a FICTIONAL character in a FICTIONAL movie makes a statement. What is professional about that behavior?

An attack? Really? An attack approved by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige – because we all know the head of Marvel Studios has nothing more important to do than sit around and come up with a way to attack bloggers. An attack that “in just a few days, bloggers around the country are going to be dissed in Marvel sized capacity.”  Again – Really? Do you honestly think true Spider-Man fans around the country are going to come out of the movie talking about that one line instead of the plot and the characters. #GetOverIt!

The same post went on to say:

“This dig is made after countless unpaid hours have been spent (by myself and many of my own friends and colleagues) on MARVEL junkets with Disney, tweeting from premieres until our thumbs fly off, wading our way through 30+ pages of transcripts from interviews (interviews which include Kevin Feige himself). A job we do because we love MARVEL and we are fans as well as bloggers. A job that many think is a walk in the park, but is actually quite vigorous and demanding as we leave our families for days, suffer jet lag, and manage collectively over 30 MILLION impressions for premieres and talent interviews. A job which we love.”

This dig? A bit dramatic don’t you think? Do you honestly think that when the script was written (or even ad libbed) any thought was given into how to put a dig against bloggers into their many millions of dollars production. How many meetings do you think they held trying to come up with a one line dig to attack bloggers? 

You have a choice when you are invited to junkets by Disney and other venues/companies where you tweet until your thumbs fly off, have to wade through 30+ pages of transcripts and leave your family for a couple of days – decline the invitation. 

Unpaid hours? You may not get paid for your time at a press junket but hasn’t someone paid large costs for your flights, your food, your very nice hotel room and the events you attend while there? In exchange for those costs they ask you to tweet, to write blog posts, to promote their movie or function. It’s business. If this isn’t how you want to run your business – decline the invitation. 

I’m a blogger. I make a nice income through blogging. I’ve been invited by Disney to attend press junkets. Was I insulted by this one line in a FICTIONAL story by a FICTIONAL character – NO. Never gave it a thought. My advice to the many bloggers who wrote about this one line – #GetOverIt! I feel certain that no one at Marvel held meetings to come up with a way to get in a dig at bloggers. And on the extremely unlikely chance they did – so what! Even if it was ad libbed by the character – so what! Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Did you ever consider that all those talented actors that are told they have to meet with a roomful of bloggers may not want to be there. But because they are professionals, they are there – smiling, being pleasant, even joking around and posing for photos. As professionals they know it is part of their job to promote their movie. Be grateful that Disney, and others that invite you, understand your worth. They understand that a group of bloggers have the ability to reach millions of people. Because they understand that, they are willing to pay for your flights, your food, your nice hotel and events for you to attend. Because they understand that, they give you the opportunity to network and to make other connections that benefit your business and your blog.

Gee as bloggers, let’s think like a social media/PR professional – as silly as it seems – how do we get millions of people to talk about our film? Let’s insult the one group of people that reach millions of people regularly so they start tweeting and posting all over social media about it. If you give that some thought you would have to admit it’s a genius plan. I guess it’s possible, but in reality seems like a bit of stretch to me. I honestly don’t think that much thought went into that one line in the film. Whether planned or not, the reaction of so many bloggers had the same outcome. In your quest to share your outrage, you had millions of people talking about their film. They totally get what you do.

If you want to be treated as a professional, act like a professional. Others may not understand what you do – so what! How much validation do you need from others? If you are happy with what you do – that’s all that matters. You are in control of your own happiness and your own destiny. Everyone blogs for different reasons. If you do it as your only source of income and you are struggling to support yourself through blogging – do something else. Be positive and perhaps you will be treated in a positive manner. #BehindThisDoor – Be Positive.

  • #BehindThisDoor is a professional.
  • #BehindThisDoor is a professional that behaves as a professional should behave.
  • #BehindThisDoor is a professional that doesn’t miss deadlines
  • #BehindThisDoor is a professional that is always on time for an event
  • #BehindThisDoor is a professional that doesn’t drink alcohol during press junkets because what professional working in an office sits at their desk drinking?
  • #BehindThisDoor is a professional that dresses appropriately and in a professional manner when attending press junkets.
  • #BehindThisDoor is a professional that knows her worth and isn’t offended or threatened by one sentence.
  • #BehindThisDoor is a business. A blog that is run like a business with daily business hours, just like any other business – which means it doesn’t interfere with my daily family life or family functions.
  • #BehindThisDoor is someone who is her own boss and makes her own decisions based on what works for me and my family.
  • #BehindThisDoor is a blogger-a professional-a business that doesn’t really care if the entire world understands what I do. Doesn’t really care if anyone pats me on the back for what I do. Doesn’t really care if a FICTIONAL character passes a comment about what I do. I am happy with what I do which is all that matters.
  • #BehindThisDoor is someone that appreciates businesses like Disney that get it. They understand my worth. They understand the worth of a group of bloggers working together to promote something.

#GetOverIt

Addition to original post (7/7/17):

As you can see in the comments for this post, there are a few that feel I am attacking another blogger, not “standing with the cause,” I’m a bitch, looking for page views, and a whole range of other insults. Comments (and replies) to my posts are made public because I am a professional who believes in my right – and yours – to say what you want to say. My overall response to it all is this – How can you be taken seriously, as a professional, when this is how you behave when someone says something you don’t like. I did not attack anyone personally. I said nothing about a person. I stated my opinion regarding something she wrote. When something is put out in a public forum, you should be prepared for public criticism.

7/9/17: The last couple of days have been interesting to say the least. I have been accused of personally attacking someone for strongly disagreeing with her post that was written in a public forum. I have re-read my post multiple times and find not one instance of a personal attack on anyone. The definition of a personal attack according to the dictionary is: Making of an abusive remark on or relating to one’s person – There is no personal attack in my post. I have been accused of cyber bullying. The definition of cyber bullying according to the dictionary is: The use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature – One post expressing disagreement is not cyber bullying. I have posted nothing on anyone’s personal or blog related Facebook, Twitter or any other social media outlet. I have not posted anything other than this one post.

The same people accusing me of personally attacking someone have personally attacked me on their Facebook pages. People who don’t even know me are voicing an opinion of me, calling me names and making untrue statements. Not of my blog post – of me. The same people accusing me of cyber bullying have done just that. Not through nasty comments on my blog (because I believe if you put yourself out publicly you must be prepared for public criticism), but in nasty comments on their personal Facebook pages.

I have been called names that I won’t even repeat. Amusing at best since these are the people who want to be taken seriously as writers but the best they can come up with are foul and nasty insults.

I have received many private messages of support. Sadly most are afraid to support me publicly because they are afraid of being attacked by these same people. What a statement that makes – you can be one of us, but only if you agree with us. Unfortunate to say the least.

The same people accusing me of doing these things – are doing exactly what they have accused me of doing. 

And they all wonder why they aren’t taken seriously.

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Dear Marvel, | TheMrsTee

Wednesday 12th of July 2017

[…] Janice from An Open Suitcase says this: […]

Alex

Tuesday 11th of July 2017

I've only been blogging since 2009 but since then I've grown a thick skin as nobody manages hate as well as a blogger manages hate if they think they've been slighted :/

I'm sorry you've had plenty of abuse for what is a perfectly reasonable post and I think you're right on pretty much all of it.

The barrier to entry as a blogger is virtually zero- you need access to a computer & an internet connection. Journalists; they tend to have training and qualifications. Even movie critics/reviewers tend to have studied film theory.

Janice Brady

Tuesday 11th of July 2017

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Fortunately, I have also developed thick skin over my years of blogging since there are always some that take issue with something you may write.

Sadie

Saturday 8th of July 2017

I agree with everything you said. Some people just seem to want to see offense everywhere. I doubt seriously the president of marvel actually reads and approves every single line of every single script. It's all so dumb, petty and incredibly childish. I honestly didn't even notice the line when I watched the movie today. Yes, I thought it was great. I don't think you're you attacked anyone. If anything you're now being attacked for having an opinion everyone else doesn't agree with. Go figure huh?

Janice Brady

Saturday 8th of July 2017

Thanks Sadie. I actually stopped approving comments because they are so nasty and I won't have some of the foul language posted on my site. Fortunately I don't offend easily. As far as I'm concerned they are just proving my point. I didn't call anyone any names nor did I cyber-bully anyone. They are doing exactly what they have accused me of doing.

AJ

Friday 7th of July 2017

Well said, Janice. Well said.

Janice Brady

Friday 7th of July 2017

Posting your thoughts on a public blog - leaves your thoughts open to criticism. I understand that. Sadly it's obvious that many other bloggers do not. Sadly others can not express themselves without name calling and nastiness. I find it amusing that many of these comments are doing exactly what they are accusing me of. I won't bother responding to any additional comments.