Dew or don't.

Tan Lines takes place in the world of tennis pros in a small southern town. One of the hilarious--and true--recurring gags in the story is the consumption of Mt. Dew, the tennis ball-colored soda pop that (allegedly) contains the most caffeine. According to the screenwriter, James Markert, tennis pros all over chug the Dew with abandon. It makes sense to me, but even if it didn't, it's very funny.

But it might not happen.

Product placement is a delicate piece of this filmmaking puzzle. As much as people bemoan the obvious positioning of labels and brands, both visually and through dialogue, I think it's worse when a film that supposedly takes place in the U.S. in 2011 completely avoids product names. It makes the world of the story feel less authentic when someone orders, say, "A beer." (Full disclosure: I did that in one of my films. It still rings false.) People drink Amstel Light. Corona. Bud. They like Pepsi. Gatorade. Woodford Reserve. We are a nation of brands and tastes.

So, here's hoping PepsiCo, the makers of Mt. Dew, agree to let us use their yellowgreen liquid product in the film.