Fifty shades of grey fever boils over in local parody video
A South Roscommon company is hoping the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon comes to the boil - causing their tea-inspired parody video to go viral.
The hilarious 'Fifty Shades of Tae’ video made by Athleague-based Mimar Media has been gaining hundreds of views since the clip was first uploaded on You Tube Monday night.
It pokes fun at the erotic film in the most Irish of ways, substituting the S&M and submission element of the hit books and films for tea!
“I think people have found it quite funny, the fun element, tea being the Irishness of it. In the week that in it, everyone is getting a good giggle out of it,” Martina Larkin, who runs Mimar Media with her husband Mike Hourigan in Athleague, joked yesterday (Tuesday).
In between projects, she came with the idea for the parody one and half minute video as the hype started to build for the film and within two weeks, the husband and wife team had cast, produced and shot the video themselves in Athlone.
It features local actor Ernie Draper as Christian Grey and Fiona Walsh, who is originally from Roscommon, but now living in Galway as the Anastasia Steele character.
“We’re really delighted with the feedback so far. It’s getting a lot of views and shares since Monday,” added Martina, who previously worked for RTE, thanking Lily’s Tea Shop in Termonfeckin for providing the specialist tea-related props for the film which even features a blindfolded Anastasia doing a tea tasting and lots of tae-related witty puns and references.
First established in Cork by Mike Hourigan in 2004, Mimar Media relocated to Roscommon in 2006, where they produce high quality video for a variety for creative agencies and corporate clients.
Their recent documentary 'Mote Park, a Time and a Place’ sold out at its premiere screening in Roscommon Arts Centre and it continues to sell well on DVD.
Meanwhile, a local hardware chain is also preparing for the much anticipated film release by advising one staff to read the erotic fiction and prepare for a surge in demand for cable ties, rope and tape. A leaked memo has advised B&Q staff, which has a local outlet in Arcadia, to get ready for a peak in demand as a scene in the movie features the couple visiting a hardware store to buy the items.
The memo reportedly reads: “When the book was released in 2012 DIY and hardware stores in the UK and US reported increased demand of certain products and queries from customers as they tried to recreate their own Fifty Shades experiences. We need to be prepared for the same effect when the film is released this month”.
You can watch 'Fifty Shades of Tae’ at http://youtu.be/UwbK1w1jOVU