TV's "Monk" and hidden BNSF logos

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Product placement.
They actual have people that work on shows and movies that do nothing but place brand name products in the right places to get in the shot. These are usually paid for by the maker of the product for a small fee. Sometimes, the maker of the product will pay for a "subliminal" shot, for a partial fee to having the full name of their products showcased in a scene. Thats why you see soda cans marked "Cola", but that are obviously a Pepsi or Diet Coke can.

As far as the scene with the BNSF, I'm sure the producers went to BNSF asn said they would like to film in one of thier yards, and for a fee, we would keep all your markings intact. The railroad probably said "No Thanks", so all their markings, either had to be changed, or covered in some manner. Thats probably why BNSF, became BNVF. I don't know why, the only ones who would probably get excited would be us Modelers and Railfans.

There is a funny back story to the filming of ET. Spielburg went to Mars and told him that he wanted to use their Mars bar in the movie. They flat refused. When Reces heard of this, they contacted Spielburg and told him that they were going to release a new candy called Reces Pieces, and that he could use them in the movie. The rest is history.
I've always wondered if the guy that refused Spielburg still worked at Mars after that...........

I also imagine this scene at a big publishing house tha refused J.K. Rowling's book. Some young exec in a meeting room.
"I just finished reading a manuscript about a kid that goes to a school for wizardry....."
"Nope...Not our style"

Ooops

............. And think of all the Record companies that turned away recording artists only to have them make millions with another company. Taylor Swift is the latest to do this.

Movies too... Lucas "Hit the bricks" with a few studios before Universal thought that THX 1138 was good enough to produce, which led to Warner Brothers doing American Graffiti but neither company wanted anything to do with Star Wars ...so 20th century Fox finally agreed, after George lucas funded it with his own money.....

Same thing though - you have to wonder if the original decision makers were still working there after the movies were a hit