Monday 17 May 2010

Design by Day

I was really impressed with 'Design by Days' website completely dis-regarding e-mails now I decided to ring them but kept getting no answer so thought maybe they were out on buisness 

Portfolio Visit, Contrast Creative




My portfolio visit with contrast creative was very useful and insightful. I was taken into their studio which was laid back and not so intimidating as the studio consisted of three males. The man I had my visit with was called Ed.
I showed two pieces to begin with, my Vogue title sequence and my Ted Baker window display. I talked through the briefs and he liked the rotation of the imagery within my title sequence how it gave a 3-D feel and loved the ideas that went with my Ted Baker window display after I had explained the idea of connecting autumn with the idea of layers then relating that to layers in a cake. He said he could imagine that within a shop window though suggesting improvements he said I could have taken photographs of real shop windows then dropped my image behind it to give that window- reflection feel, including some reflections of people passing by would deliver a sense of reality. He also said looking from a fashion perspective fashion stores like to show the shapes of their garments and in my window display they are all folded up to form the cake. I thought this was really interesting as this had never come to my attention and I will definitely consider this if I get a similar brief. To keep my idea strong but to still resolve this problem he suggested a mannequin could wear the garments in a way which looked like sweets or cake, she could also be positioned in a way looking as if she is eating herself which I thought was quite quirky. With this idea of I thought the tag line placed on the window could then be 'Indulge Yourself'. He suggested I take a look at a website named 'cyana trend land' which I took two of the above images from. A woman indulging herself with sweets and accessorising herself with them also chanel's own cupcakes.
I decided to show my Disney Cinemagic T.V channel ident as it was very different to the other pieces I showed and got talking about software. He suggested to experiment with the program Flash as people with good understanding of the program are in high demand.
I also showed my Doritos stop-motion advert which he said the concepts needed to be explained a little more as it was hard to understand where the Doritos were supposed to be. He also said maybe it could have been shot elsewhere besides a desk to get the hot feeling of the hot tub the scene could have been shot at a cafe outside on a hot day.
Earlier on the visit I'd picked up on that at the current moment he was working on poster campaigns and had done in the past. For the brief JDO I have decided to create a poster campaign so I asked if he could give me some guidelines. He said never use more than 10 words on a poster as if they are used on billboards they have to catch citizens attention within the first few seconds. Most people don't have the time to read lines of writing. It has to be instantly eye-catching as a company hiring a billboard for a week costs a few thousand and one for a week on the underground in London can cost 10s of thousands, which shocked me so is a serious matter. He said to me the key is to gather as much research as possible and gave me another website 'ads of the world' which I grabbed my third image, below the other two. It reads at the bottom 'In Switzerland, more people are injured each year in tripping accidents than in car accidents.' The image places to visuals together of the shoe but all crumpled and bashed in at the front looking like a car accident but representing a tripping accident.
Ed also gave me some advice on interviews I may have in the future stating I should always have the brief on me for each piece of work I show which I unfortunately forgot today.
At the end of the visit Ed suggested I give a woman called Jess a call who worked in the same building for icitymedia who was a video producer as I'm on a moving image course which I though was encouraging so I think I will give the number a ring.

Wednesday 12 May 2010

JDO

New Summer new brief. The company JDO design are 'looking for inspiring representation of the brand that can be reproduced in 3D digital format or conventional poster campaign'. To go into production of a 3D design doesn't excite me in the least though the poster campaign did. I will begin to elaborate on ideas doodling and sketching and produce some visuals in photoshop.
JDO looking at their website seemed very clean cut, high standard and very professional. My ideas need to reflect this but also the idea of innovation I think aswell as I think any design company would want to promote themselves as professional but also the best imaginative company out there. 

Sunday 9 May 2010

Daylight Moving Image




Last thursday one of the design studios I rang up were Daylight Moving Image. I explained who I was and that I would like it if I could organise a portfolio visit. The woman I spoke to suggested I sent my C.V to them then maybe we could arrange a visit. So I constructed a new C.V. I elaborated on aspects that I thought a design studio would be interested in, explaining how I'd had work experience at a graphics studio based in Manchester and giving detail about my professional and personal development I've been through so far on the Design and Visual Arts Degree. Also to get as much possible from my C.V I mentioned after working in retail for 3 years this has improved my customer relation skills and team working. As i thought these points could also relate to a design studio working with clients and fellow designers. 

Saturday 8 May 2010

PORTFOLIO VISIT - 17TH MAY AT CONTRAST CREATIVE

Friday 7 May 2010

Contrast Creative



After admitting e-mails weren't getting me anywhere I decided to call some companies. And here is my successful one. I have a portfolio visit at Contrast Creative on the 17th May which was the earliest they could fit me in. I took an interest in this company as they work in areas which include fashion and retail areas I'm very interested in and would like to form a career in one of these areas. It will be very interesting hearing what they think.

Wednesday 5 May 2010

Request to Mainframe Studios



After e-mailing this company unfortunately I got an automated response stating they were out of town.

Request to Green Room Retail


This is another e-mail I sent off to Green Room Retail. After having so much fun creating my Ted Baker window display for the competiton brief I realised I would love to work for a retail design company. Designing windows in a new unique way and to produce ideas for the visual inside is something I'd be very interested in. So i sent off this e-mail for a portfolio visit and hopefully a link into my preffered area in the industry to look into for next year.

Love Request

This is an e-mail I sent off to Love Creative, a design studio in Manchester. I'd love to get a portfolio visit here. Their worked seemed driven more by good ideas instead of applying so much pressure on the technical side of things. Their ideas were so fresh and original and sometimes didn't even include a computer even though they are primarily a moving image design based studio.
After recieving no reply I decided to ring though the woman I spoke to said we can only arrange visits through e-mail. I guess it's a waiting game then.

Whatever you DO, DO it well





Our first idea for the DO brief was to show a girl getting ready for supposedly a night on the town. Applying her make-up, checking her self out and putting on her high heels heading out the door. Then the next shot would be her casually doing her weekly shop in the supermarket. I would want this shot to shock people, for it to be totally unpredictable. The two situations need to clash completely to get that shock factor and to represent the idea that this girl is applying so much effort into a simple food shop insinuating whatever you do do it well, live for every day and treat every day as your last day.

The image above are the exact shots i had in my head of the female character getting ready. The lipstick colours are rich and is applied carefully signifying the character wants to look the best she ever has on a night out. As us girls know we always try to out-do the last time we went out.

Monday 3 May 2010

Inspirational tunes which is SOLANGE

Many people in the UK haven't heard of the singer who is Solange (Beyonce Knowles sister) she is less commercial than her sister and think her songs say more which is probably why as the World has become so fickle. Her beats are fresh and soulful and relaxing. Many of her songs could match a summers day. They are inspirational which is why she stands on my blog! 

DO




After looking at some DO lectures I think I understand more fully what do is all about. Its not specifically about designing or moving image, though about achieving ones dream, maybe beneficial for themselves or society.

The above images I have are from the DO website from some of the lectures I had a look at. The top image is from a speaker Adam Lowry. He spoke of starting his buisness called Method which is a line of cleaning products how it started off so small but after persistance he now sells his products too many supermarkets. He began by simply walking up to managers in stores and asking could they shelf his product which sounds insane without organising a sit down meeting. With constant informal approaches of store managers he finally got his share of a shelf and thats how his DO is now doing.
The image below is of Alice Taylor who believes that any game whether its a board game or a video game is essential to our up-bringing, how they teach us while growing up. Which I believe, as so many kids today sit in-doors glued to their video games including my brother. When he's playing you're invisible and can be on it for hours at a time. So it only makes sense to make these games beneficial whether it be educational or helping with their development of hand eye co-ordination. Her lecture definitely got me thinking and found interesting.

It puts life into perspective for me as I don't really know what I want to do for the rest of my life. The big things like design, dance, writing, music, fashion, retail and sometimes even politics inspire me then at times it can be the little things such as a breeze that catches my legs when I'm in-doors, or taking the bus when I could easily drive my car, as when you're on the bus you can take in what's going on outside rather than concentrating on the road. I feel I am an ambitous person though sometimes it can be hard deciding where to place all this ambition. Its like you have the force to do something but you don't know what it is.

So instead of analysing everything, I decided to just go with the flow for the ideas generation aspect of the DO brief we were set which was to create a title sequence for the DO lectures. I didn't want to go too deep and meaningful, I think I spend too much of my time trying to do this but don't suceed. So Liz and I just brain stormed some crazy ideas and decided to go with one that included a guy and a girl, dressed to impress, sat at a candle lit table a proper wine and dine ensemble. Then the camera zooms out slowly only to reveal this couple are situated in a greasy cafe in one of the rough areas in town. The tagline reveals 'Whatever you do, do it well' insinuating whatever you do and wherever it is always try your best. Its simple and fun and didn't have to go too meaningful. It should be fun shooting this, the end result may not be the most professional but it definitely reflects the idea of the DO lectures which is the objective.