The PR machine for Leaving Neverland

[La74]

Tweets from TSCM it explains a lot and I thought it deserved a thread of it’s own. The keywords they used were always very obvious imo. People who express their own opinion do not all use the same language like that.

MEGATHREAD: If you've ever felt that all of the "rave" reviews, media stories & general publicity surrounding Leaving Neverland was canned, contrived & orchestrated, here's why.

All of the PR & publicity has been spearheaded by the increasingly powerful Kew Media Distribution.

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

KMD and its 14 entities are behind the global distribution of Leaving Neverland and sale to all other territories.

They are responsible for the mass-distributed media press releases w/ preloaded buzz-words, starting on Jan. 17th & continuing behind-the-scenes through this week.

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

On Jan. 17th, KMD pushed out a press release to detail Leaving Neverland & how they had already secured international distribution rights beyond US/UK. Their original 7 paragraph presser soon splashed across many media waves around the globe (w/ keywords like "gut-wrenching.") pic.twitter.com/PZ6iX0y5zG

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

KMD's supplied summary of the film was plastered on the majority of media sites leading up to Sundance's premiere.

Sundance used a paraphrased version for their own site and "Special Events" announcement, along with the supplied Reed bio & more keywords ("powerful, disarming.") pic.twitter.com/0y8Jnnrtji

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

"Gut-wrenching" became the de-facto term that every person & outlet decided to use when referring to Leaving Neverland—a term taken straight from the PR (not an independent thought or review).

- Verbatim quotes in more than 2,000 articles.
- Used to describe the debut trailer. pic.twitter.com/cfAre0mD0t

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

"Gut-wrenching" also became a favorite among the blue ticks and general commentators on Twitter and other social media outlets.

As a predisposition, by the time it premiered it had already been referred to for months by media as "gut-wrenching" thanks to the PR put out by KMD. pic.twitter.com/RuqlEbzJG2

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

In many instances, news sites were directly claiming that "Leaving Neverland has been described as 'gut-wrenching'" but beyond the headlines, the actual source to this claim was the direct-from-producer press-release that they all linked to—sent direct from KDM / HBO / Channel 4. pic.twitter.com/Fy3Yus1eRk

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

Following its Sundance premiere and all of the buzz behind that (which included endless stories quoting verbatim from the synopsis), they sent out a much more detailed 11-page media kit. This document made its way to notable outlets, media networks and so-called influencers. pic.twitter.com/U8delIpXlx

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

This media kit was formally packaged for distribution by Marguerite Gaudin, the sidekick to Dan Reed during filming who also operated a second camera and microphone (credited in the film as assistant producer).

Marguerite also supplied press photos to media sites like Buzz Feed. pic.twitter.com/zNThZWdd16

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

The media kit included a 14-paragraph, 933 word press release that expanded on the original and added many new catch phrases and keywords for the media to disseminate.

"ripples of sexual abuse," "trauma," "fractured," "complicated feelings," "isolating," "painful," "harrowing." pic.twitter.com/0aJM81c2qO

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

The extended press release contained Sundance quotes from RS and Hollywood Reporter that regurgitated the same verbiage already pushed out by the original press releases. Those quotes were then re-published in 100s of stories, quoting from the fresh PR (also used on the poster). pic.twitter.com/aJ4Q240T4g

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

Also included in the media kit was a 110 word short synopsis, 225 word long synopsis, 119 word E1 synopsis, 139 word E2 synopsis, 1300 word Q&A interview with Dan Reed, and embellished biography calling Reed's films an "exhaustive investigation with character-led storytelling..." pic.twitter.com/1WEtXlznO9

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

Blurbs and excerpts from the 11-page presser continued spreading across media networks at the promotional hands of Kew Media Group for weeks until the film eventually premiered in March 2019.

Reed's PR interview was included as content for stories featured on numerous sites. pic.twitter.com/oNRV3Ql4uB

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

On Mar. 4 (E2 premiere in U.S.) KDM pushed out another grandstanding & rehashed press release to add momentum. That one claimed "unprecedented global broadcaster interest" in buying rights to Leaving Neverland.

The "130 countries" + "highly successful" bits spread through media. pic.twitter.com/Xh0C2naELR

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

KDM has continued promoting itself and Leaving Neverland to stakeholders etc. including on the day of MJ's 10th anniversary in passing.

To investor groups, they define their solid relationship with HBO and describe LN as "the Sundance smash hit," taking full credit for the PR. pic.twitter.com/vUJBRbwmEc

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

On June 25—the 10th anniversary of Michael Jackson's passing—Television Business International published KMD interview in a story: "Beyond 'Neverland'."

It starts with: "there’s little doubt about the most impactful documentary of the year [LN]...sold around the world by KDM." pic.twitter.com/0judjTra8L

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

In the 6/25 interview, the KDM president stated:

"A couple of other companies had shied away from LN because they were concerned about the risks...we saw there was a story there we had to get out into the market."

He adds they "basically sold out in every country in the world." pic.twitter.com/NGqdDleI2A

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

Which brings me back to the original extended press release concocted by Reed and Gaudin, which Kew Media Group mass-distributed as build-up for the premiere.

That press release naturally contains an immense amount of factual errors and falsehoods, even comparing to LN itself. pic.twitter.com/HXmhlNnqFg

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

PR: The separate but parallel experiences of 2 young boys..befriended by MJ..entranced.

FACT: WR+JS shared same sets of lawyers since '14, met as adults w/ lawyers. WR amended complaint based on JS claims, vice versa. Nothing "separate" about it. It was JR/WR who 1st pursued MJ. pic.twitter.com/2V1nj2WtJu

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

PR: Complicated feelings that led both men to confront their experiences after both had a young son of their own.

FACT: Their kids have no baring on their timeline at all. WR was broke and w/out work and blamed it on everything (including his son). JS worked a year w/ WR attys. pic.twitter.com/YmFff5ZOJy

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

PR: In 1990, Joy followed up with Jackson, who invited the whole family to his home for the weekend.

FACT: Joy tried for 2 years to reach MJ by sending letters & tapes; MJ did not respond. In more desperation, she then contacted media outlets & sources to be put in touch w/ MJ. pic.twitter.com/XoqMKmpeca

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

PR: Their most salient memories during this time involved visits to NL...filled w/ games, rides, animals...

FACT: In 1988-1990 ("during this time") very few of the described structures, rides or attractions actually existed at Neverland (including the train station - 1994). pic.twitter.com/q6xhIfLTCa

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

PR: Both Robson and Safechuck describe how what began as innocent sleepovers led to intimate contact.

FACT: Wade Robson actually claims that the graphic sexual abuse began the very first time they ever were over, on that first weekend. No pattern at all, no "grooming." pic.twitter.com/zx7p8mC93H

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

PR: Soon, as Safechuck recalls painfully, nearly every "special" place at Neverland was marked by a sexual encounter.

FACT: Safechuck is giggling and chuckling while describing these acts, also describing it as if it were a game. He also alleges abuse at non-existent places. pic.twitter.com/uAyDL8Jf1a

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

PR: In 1991, with Jackson's encouragement, Robson's mother moved her son and daughter to LA.

FACT: JR confirmed in media interviews from the 90s that the most MJ said about it was "follow your heart." All of the Robson's acknowledge that upon moving to LA, MJ was rarely around. pic.twitter.com/rLaTO1szww

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

[La74]

PR: Robson recalls believing Jackson when he told him they would both "go to jail for the rest of our lives" if anyone found out.

FACT: Wade would had been keenly aware this was not the case in 93-94 when interviewed at length by investigators, and especially in court at age 22! pic.twitter.com/D2ZpCcoJbX

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019

PR: As both boys reached adolescence, they found they were no longer in the same "privileged" position.

FACT: JS had paid gigs & traveled w/ MJ well into late teen years. Became distant after going to college & adult priorities took over. WR rarely ever saw MJ as child OR adult. pic.twitter.com/9xtNRqqlJe

— TSCM (@MJJRepository) June 29, 2019