Time-Travelling Lawyer (video)

***Time-Travelling Lawyer*** is a short video released on the Oliver B. Productions YouTube channel on June 15th, 2022. The video is an infomercial advertising the services of Lou Gehrig, a lawyer that can travel through time to solve cases.

## Outline

The commercial opens with a VHS tape beginning to play, then cutting to a backyard, where a cardboard box labelled "Time Machine" appears, with Lou Gehrig inside. Lou gets out of the box then tries to get the viewer's attention by yelling at them. The video then cuts to Lou talking to the viewer, introducing himself, then explaining that if the viewer is experiencing harassment, pain, or just doesn't like someone, they should consider filing a civil suit. He then threatens the viewer, trying to get them to pay attention once again. Lou then shows off his "time machine", explaining that he is the world's first time-travelling lawyer and no matter when or where the viewer lives, he can be of service to them, as he has studied every legal system throughout the known universe at any given time in history. Lou talks about how he was born and raised in Queens, NY, and due to his patriotic American nature is the best choice for any legal case. He then lists off several examples of reasons why the viewer could sue someone. The commercial then cuts to several testimonials from historical figures (John Proctor, Hamlet and Volodymyr Zelenskyy) who have all had their well-known problems solved by Lou, seemingly in alternate timelines of their respective stories (Lou got the victims of the Salem Witch Trials acquitted due to lack of evidence, convicted Claudius of the murder of Hamlet's father, and threatened Vladimir Putin into calling off the invasion of Ukraine). Lou then explains that all his clients, or rather, the three he cherry-picked for the commercial, end up completely satisfied. He informs the viewer that due to an ongoing malpractice case against himself, he is unable to provide information as to how to obtain his services, but he will find the viewer if they really need him. He ends the commercial by informing the viewer that they owe him $15 simply by watching the commercial, and repeating his catchphrase, "Just Sue 'Em!"

## Project Background

The video was created as part of Oliver Beckwith's grade 12 English class. The final performance task in the class was to create and advertise a product or service that would help solve the problems of characters the class studied previously. Naturally, Oliver decided to turn the project into a video. The video was written, directed and edited by Oliver, and filmed at his and Tyler Bruce's homes, as well as at Abbey Park High School.

## Full Credits

### People

**Oliver Beckwith -** As Lou Gehrig & Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Writer, director, editor

**Tyler Bruce -** As John Proctor

**Thomas Kucher -** As Hamlet

### Music

* **"Motivation" -** Plays throughout most of the commercial. (Andy Clark)
* **"The Star-Spangled Banner" -** Plays during the clip of Lou talking about his American heritage. (John Stafford Smith)

## Trivia

* When Lou Gehrig says "the answer is three words away", he puts up four fingers before quickly correcting himself.
* Lou's phone number is visible for a single frame before the "[REDACTED]" text appears over it.
* The large block of text that quickly scrolls by at the very end states that the viewer must forfeit all their assets to Lou, before revealing that Lou is the author of the text. Lou then goes on a tangent, discussing things such as the fact that he may be either God or Satan.