PrintHow to Build a TV Burger
Everytime I see a Burger King ad showing a flame-broiled burger on a sesame seed bun my mouth starts to water. Then I haul ass to the closest BK and buy a Whopper, only to have the whole episode end in heartache. The burger is small and sad-looking, the bun is whithered and the vegetables may not even be actual food. With a burger this crappy, how was I tricked into leaving my warm, cozy womb of an apartment? The short answer: food stylists.
While browsing Slashfood, I happened upon a reference to building a yummy tv burger. This page explains how to make a fast food burger look appetizing in ten steps. It seems to stop short a bit, but it's an interesting read.
Step 1. Fry for 20 seconds on each side. The burger's still raw inside — and not safe to eat — but it looks cooked on camera. And that's what counts, says food stylists (make-up artists who specializes [sic] in food). A fully cooked burger would shrink some, and look too dark.
Step 3. Brush with brown food dye, vegetable oil, or petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline). The burger will have a juicy shine.
Step 5. Spread out the burger so it doesn't look so scrawny. Remember, the camera shoots only the burger's "best side" (the front). You'd never know the burger's not really as big as it seems on TV — until now!
Reading this reminds me of a potential art project I dreamed up. I want to take fast food advertising around the city and copy it exactly, except put a photo of the actual product where the styled product was. It would be great to see everyone do a second take and I'd only feel like I'd accomplished something if I witnessed someone gag just a little bit. That would make my day.
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5 Comments:
Thomas Hilland made a funny commercial for Norwegian Airlines that spoofs fake TV burgers.
I like that art project idea!
Hamburger Robyn at 7:40PM on 12/09/05
TV ice cream is really Crisco and the milk that is poured on cereal is really Elmer's white glue thinned with water. Real food doesn't photograph well.
Hamburger Angel Elf at 1:08PM on 12/10/05
That commercial is great! Do you have any idea what they're saying?
capndesign at 2:47PM on 12/10/05
Fascinating stuff! No wonder food on tv always looks so freakin' different.
Taco Bell commercials are a total hoot - As freakin' if their tacos are that loaded! -Joi
Hamburger Joi at 1:11PM on 01/11/06
I find it sad that alot of stylists resort to faking it. Food is beautiful on it's own. I am a professional food stylist and photographer, just recently I shot a grilled burger employing none of the "tricks" of the trade. I take alot of pride in the fact that everything that comes off my set you could munch down right after it has been snapped... although you might want to heat it up a bit hahaha.
Also, FDA rules apply to alot of styling, but fakey stylists find their ways around them. If you are shooting ice cream as the product you must use real ice cream, but you can use fake toppings and vice versa. If you are shooting syrup for panackes you must use the real deal, alternately if you are shooting the pancake as the product then you can pour on some chilled new motor oil for that syrup look.
I do laugh at most of the fast food commercials, being in the business has taken alot of the *ahem* magic *cough* out of what you see on TV and in ads. ;)
It's really a shame. Food is a beautiful thing on it's own without all the tampering.
Hamburger Kelly at 9:13PM on 01/15/06