02:09 PM CDT on Monday, May 29, 2006

If you listen to the cultural pundits, you might think reading newspapers and watching TV ads are two old-world behaviors that nobody in our new wireless, TiVo-fied world bothers with.

But don't tell that to filmmaker and DMN reader Eric Jewell (right). He took up the challenge thrown down by DirecTV's Jon Gieselman in a story last Sunday about the satellite TV firm's new ad blitz.

When we asked how they'd gotten Bill Paxton in Twister, Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller's Day Off or Mini Me in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me to stop in midscene and start talking to viewers about DirecTV, Mr. Gieselman demurred:

"I'm not going to tell the secret until someone figures it out."

Mr. Jewell did. His guess: "I downloaded the commercials off of the Internet, and studied them. It seems as though there is very little 'digital trickery' involved at all. More like a good costume and prop department, coupled with a good director of photography. Really, all they did was hire the guys to reprise their roles, and edit it in a tricky way."

DirecTV's ad guru confirmed the theory: "Eric is in the business so it's not completely fair, but he is pretty close on all fronts. Please tell him well done."

While the satisfaction of being right is its own reward, Mr. Gieselman took it one step further – offering Mr. Jewell a free year of DirecTV for figuring it out. So remember: Reading a newspaper can pay off in ways beyond informing and entertaining you. Just ask Eric Jewell, if he's not too busy watching all his new free TV.

Tom Maurstad