Orange 210
Many people have asked about the great significance of the color Orange
and the number 210, and especially the association between the two. Well,
here, for the first time is recorded this epic story, which has been carried
down over several years and many cheeseburgers.
Way back when I was a junior in high school, one of my senior friends (Joe)
made a video for French class using camcorders and the video editing equipment
in our media center. The video incorporated many of my friends into it,
with Joe doing the overdub of French voices for them. When the movie was
finished, it was great. However, it lacked one important thing: A name.
So, being a bit on the odd side as Joe and his friend Andy are apt to be,
they picked the color "orange" and the number "210"
and called the movie, "Orange 210".
Well, the movie then became a big legacy over the summer. People in our
tight-knit group of friends began referring to everything that was either
orange or had the number 210 in it. It became a constant thing among us,
and all you had to do was just say "210" and everyone knew what
you meant. It was a mantra, of sorts.
The next school year (my senior year) we lost Andy and Joe to the traps
of college. But Orange 210 wasn't over. It was to reappear slowly, again
in the form of movies.
Early in the year, for Mass Media class, a group of my friends created
a commercial about paintball guns, using the editing equipment. Little
did they know what they would eventually end up making. The teacher liked
the commercial so much that she gave permission to make a full-length movie
for a project.
The script was written by Carl, and it was LOOOOOONG! He called the movie
"When Communism Comes Knocking..." and we started making it.
My friends taped the movie, and I assisted in helping them edit the movie
out to the final specifications set by Carl. The group of friends called
themselves "The Rouges" and therefore it was "A Rouges Production".
It was a smash hit and a great classic among us all.
Next is was time for Josh and I to make a commercial together. We had to
do a project for Spanish class, so we decided to do a commercial about
a new fictional drug, called "PolloRojo", or "Red Chicken"
in Spanish. I wrote the script and we taped the commerical and edited it
out. We decided to call ourselves "Orange 210 Productions" after
Orange 210, obviously.
Semester finals time came around. Again we decided to do a movie for our
Spanish semester final. I wrote the script to "El Dia Del Muerte",
or "Day of the Death", and we started making the movie. But when
it came time to edit it, the Rouges helped tremendously, and so we consolidated
into one solid group, ORANGE 210 PRODUCTIONS.
ORANGE 210 PRODUCTIONS completed the movie and turned it in, which got
Josh and I an "A" and became another classic from ORANGE 210
PRODUCTIONS.
The way life goes, ORANGE 210 PRODUCTIONS is no longer in operation, although many
wish it was. Due to people breaking up and going to college and such, we never
got any of it back together, and so it lives on in our memories and daily lives.
There is another, unfinished movie, "Beyond All Reality" which has never been
filmed or produced, which maybe some day we'll finish...who knows. :)
Now the old Orange 210 mantra has developed into a type of
religion, of sorts. Mostly the "Orange" part is saved for special occasions,
but the "210" is everywhere. I collect things that have 210 written
or typed or printed on them, such as reciepts, cards, papers, door signs,
etc. Also, 210 has different meanings among my friends. For one friend,
it means, "What are you thinking?", or the eqivalent of "A
penny for your thoughts."
Orange 210 is not just a fad, or a fun thing to do, it's more than that: It's a whole
philosophy. It's the philosophy of looking at life in a unique way...of not letting
the ordinary things become things taken for granted. Of not letting fun be defined by
things the media and society deem as fun, but defined by the spirit of those who want
to have fun, fueled by the spirit and enthusiasm of those who are going to have fun.
A good follower of Orange 210 will try to look for the fun in every
situation in life, and always keep their eyes open for 210s that might be around.
Now you know. 210 Forever!
This page and all content (C)2002-2004 Nathan E. Pralle.
www.nathanpralle.com
Unauthorized distribution is prohibited except with written permission of the author.