luna

I thought I would pass this article along as a tribute to Mason and his class...A Brave New World for TV? Virtually

Eddie Ueahara – Dance to Express, not to impress

Quotes and different rants
Seth Godin talks about the fact that Amazon spent millions of dollars on an innovation that allows the user to search their books for content. The reason, because “funtionality is the new marketing”. They are so successful because they are catering to and providing a service that is customized for the user. They are interacting with people. “Interactions are a million times more powerful than interruptions.” I think that time is very valuable and we want and are starting to demand that our experiences be as efficient and talored to our specific needs as possible.

When discussing Flickr, Godin says that, “By making it easy for people to use pictures, you allow a massively parallel publishing operation to take place, spreading the word in ways you could never execute on your own”. I think that this is only enhancing our ability to have mass communication and it is something that people can really enjoy and have fun with. I think that the idea that the Beastie Boys had of giving out fifty video cameras to fans and having them video tape the same concert and then editing the footage into one film is great. It’s communication, interpretation, entertainment, and creativity.

“As we enter the broadband world, with better browsers and all sorts of tools to improve the Web experience, is everyone going to be stuck emulating what succeeded in 1999?” I think that we may get stuck in a repeat mode because of a reliance on what functions best and is most effective, but there will still be a need to stand out and deferentiate from everything else and this may come in the form of making the experience constantly improve for the user.

Networking and knowing people can greatly accelerate your road to success; we see it all the time. But you may think that “It just doesn’t seem fair or right that all too often access is determined based in relationships or past glories, not some other measure of quality.” Well, I think that Seth points out that you don’t necessarily need this or to use it as an excuse for your lack of success. “In a world where things are viral, you’re more likely to succeed with passive networking (strangers recommending you) than the old-school, active kind. In other words, make great stuff, do your homework, build your audience, and when you’ve got something worth talking, people will talk about it.” I think that we are communicating with each other more and more and we’re able to share and spread other people’s ideas.

I think that one thing to take away from all of Seth’s insights is a need and a wilingness to constantly adapt and embrace change. The rules keep changing and the same standards don’t maintain themselves. “Today’s Purple Cow is tomorrow’s mad cow.” Point being that there is a lot of competition and it is hard to stay remarkable. “It won’t just happen for you. Learn to evolve or watch it go away.”

One of Sylvia’s recommendations to us first quarter was to do new things, to seek new experiences, and to try to approach things differently. As designers and as individuals, I think that this is important for personal growth. By practicing this behavior we open ourselves up to new perspectives which offer new insights and solutions. If we were to do the same things, in the same way, over and over, we would never learn anything new. It can be used as a tool to invent a new Purple Cow. “Figure out what the always is. Then do something else.” “Figure out what the always is, then do exactly the opposite. Do the never.”

I think that change in general usually makes most people uncomfortable because it provides an unknown. So, maybe we can change the way we view it so that it is less intimidating to us, and we can give it a cool name, like “zooming”. “Instead of spending time thinking about change, let’s all sign up for zooming lessons.” This lesson is invaluable to us in this day and age in order to keep up with everything going on and developing so quickly around us. “Zooming is about stretching your limits without threatening your foundation. It’s about handling new ideas, new opportunities, and new challenges without triggering the change avoidance reflex.”

I think that considering brand success and failure is interesting. What makes one more successful than the other and why. Why do we make the choices that we do? Why is Mac the cool, creative kid and PC the dork who can’t keep up? Why does the car we drive become so important and so much a representation of who we are or a reflection of our personality? When addressing these thoughts, Seth points out that when marketers can create a self-esteem value with the brand, that is what makes it a success. “A true brand is something where the self-esteem value far exceeds the utility”.

What is free pizza?
Free pizza is the prize that we receive. It can be an unexpected or unnecessary side benefit. It is something that enhances the experience and makes it that much better for us. The thing that makes something remarkable isn’t usually directly related to the original purpose of the product or service.” It’s the FREE PRIZE INSIDE, the extra stuff, the stylish bonus, the design or the remarkable service or pricing that makes people talk about it and spread the word.” The ice and water function on the outside of a refrigerator door is Free Pizza enough, but you get a second helping when you notice that you can also illuminate it for night-time use.

Why is it important to be a purple cow?
It is important to be a purple cow because it is what sets you apart from the main stream, it makes you stand out, it makes you remarkable. In a world of sensory overload we need to constantly find new ways to get people’s attention. And even when something works initially if it doesn’t eventually change than ceases to remain effective or remarkable.

What are the major differences between print and interactive?
A major difference between print and interactive is that interactive creates a conversation and print can be seen as talking. Interactive illicits a response. Interactive is more dynamic and in it’s nature is able to change and morph into different things, where as print is always going to provide the same experience at least in itself if not in the interpretation. Interactive puts the user in control of how the story gets told and the experience is left up to them to determine. Interactive is a customization of what it is that the user needs or wants, it is geared more to catering to specific individual needs. Interactive can be seen to provide a richer experience because of the ability to encorporate sound and movement. Print can be just as beautiful or as well done, but it lacks these engaging tools that more directly reflect the world we live in and how we experience it.

List videos you feel students next quarter should watch.
http://www.scjag.com/mp3/sc/theowl.mov
http://www.zefrank.com/theshow/archives/2006/11/112706.html
http://www.hillmancurtis.com/hc_web/film_video.shtml
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_sEDyFVIg6Y&mode=related&search=

A list of articles and sites to pass on…
I think that it can be a little overwhelming at times because there is so much imformation available to us. The positive side of this is that we can satisfy our cravings very easily. Whatever it is we are thinking about or want to see can usually be accessed. Here is a list of some stuff that I have been exposed to recently. I really enjoy Debbie Millman’s blog, I think it has a great wealth of imformation and links.
http://debbiemillman.blogspot.com/
http://www.strudel.org.uk/blog/astro/index.shtml
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/
http://www.inhabitat.com/
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate//index.html
http://reddit.com/
http://digg.com/design
http://www.wired.com/
http://designsponge.blogspot.com/
http://www.noristudios.com/sketchbook/sketchbook
http://www.howdesign.com/links/index.asp

What is your perspective on digital publishing?
My perspective on digital publishing is that it is a great resource in the way of communicating, networking, and self-promoting.
I was definitely a little resistant at first because I am usually more of a reserved type of person and to be honest, I find some of it a little intimidating. I realize that it is just a matter of becoming part of a bigger picture and using it to your advantage.
With blogs and with Flickr you have self-expressions, ideas, and questions that are basically just thrown out there to the masses to see if anyone will bite. As we reach out and try to communicate with more people, the world becomes smaller and smaller, but also more interesting.

Themes for photo streams.
I like the self-portraits because they help you get to know people. I also think it could be fun to pick a quote or maybe even one word and have people respond with digital images. I like the idea of taking pictures of things that are obviously outside or their normal surrounding. Pictures of self-made or existing sculptures. Or maybe even have the class decide as a group what the themes should be.

Ideas for next quarter.
I think the collage book would be really cool. I like the idea of a collaboration of thoughts and perspectives. I think organizing another show like the one at Octane or having the students make a video for the data blitz could also be fun.

The major tags for a web page.
html
head
title
style
body

The value of CSS.
CSS are the cascading style sheets that can be used to change the attributes of the major components. The value of CSS is that you can go in and easily make stylistic changes while maintaining the core structure.

Questions for next quarter?
Why is all of this important, what impact does it have on us? How does it affect us- how does it change the way we live and perceive the world? What are the positive and the negative consequences? What are the best ways to use it to our advantage?

Link to Flickr

Talking with Bob Pettitt

Throughout this quarter I think that there has been a real emphasis on and attention given to the importance of networking. I met a guy a few years ago by the name of Bob Pettitt and it turns out further down the road, that I’m offering to buy him lunch in exchange for the opportunity to sit down and ask him a few questions about what he does and how he got there.
Another very interesting multi-talented individual who as a creative person is constantly changing, growing, and using his knowledge and experience to better himself. He began his career as a freelance illustrator and did oil paintings, CD and VHS covers, and posters among other things.
In the early 90’s he started doing freelance design work for Turner. By the mid 90’s he began to see a shift and he recognized that computers were taking away the need for illustrators. With the new technology it became easier for anyone to create and he decided to make the jump into television- as he says he saw many other illustrators do at the time.
He had a history and a relationship already established with Turner so they hired him as a Senior Designer. He eventually became Art Director and held that position for about six years. He now has a yearly contract with the Cartoon Network where he has been working on the Aqua Teen Hunger Force television show as well as the movie.
Throughout the course of the discussion it came up several times how important it is to network, make connections with people, and learn how to communicate and work well with others. Most of the work that is done is because of a collaborative effort. It’s people bringing their different strengths and talents together.
We talked about how the world of marketing and mass communication is changing and growing into all of these alternate platforms that didn’t exist previously. We also discussed the difference between creating something and getting paid for it once versus creating something that you can get paid for over and over again. There are obvious examples like authors and musicians, but he also brought up House Industries and their fonts and how they want to take a percentage from their use. Typography is another huge topic in itself, but he believes it to be one of the most valuable aspects of his education.
I really enjoyed the excuse to sit down and talk with Bob and he thought it was such a great idea to have us do these interviews. He was very encouraging and offered to possibly set up studio tours at Turner or The Cartoon Network in the fall. I think that would be a great opportunity for anyone interested to get a behind the scenes view of what goes on.

I spoke with Kris Kinlin and the interview turned into more of a conversation than a formal Q and A.
He talked about his background and showed me some of the things that he has been working on. In high school he started working for a company that did video and that was what initially sparked his interest in media arts. He went on to study 3-D animation in college, worked at Media Lab in Fort Lauderdale, worked as a graphic designer for American Express, and then got hired on as a graphic designer with Kodak Dental systems.
He was hired to design icons for their software and when that task was completed he created a new position for himself based on a necessity or usefulness that creative, interactive, and conceptual prototypes could bring to the company. He now has the title of User Experience Analyst and he works with developing the interface and determining how the interworkings affect the user experience.
We talked about the changes and benefits that Flash provided and how it made it possible to broadcast content to the world in an animated and interactive way, where as before it had been very static. He describes Flash as marrying art with function and sees it as a design tool which makes it easier for the artist.
He uses Flash and Vista which are both vector based and therefore faster and provide a better experience for the client. Vista accepts 3-D data and 3 point vectors and allows a separation between the the developer and the designer. Now you can create and define 3-D design native in the interface and have it interact with other content. There can be a designer and a developer where before the developers were the ones who would draw the interface. This allows for better design decisions and creates a more positive interactivity with the users.
We talked briefly about different interfaces and their effectiveness (i.e. Google, Yahoo, Itunes) and he brought up WPF or Windows Presentation Foundation. He is really excited about it and thinks it’s one of the new big things. He thinks that the interface is designed well and especially likes the usefulness of the results orientated gallery that they have built into it.
It was really interesting to talk to Kris because his background covers quite a spectrum. And although his true passion is for 3-design, he has been able to adapt and wear many different hats. He recognizes that at times artists and designers are not adequately compensated for their work and this has prompted him to learn more about the programming side of things.

I came across this Bjork video which was done by M/M design after seeing an article about the design duo.

Who do you work for and how would you describe what you do?

I work for ECG productions in Marietta GA. My job title is production manager but because the company was just started this past December and I am one of its founders I wear many different hats.
I start by talking with my production team about the budget and schedule of a project. Once that is locked I put together the personnel and gear for the shoot. I will call rental houses and reserve the gear for the shoot. Also if freelancer help is needed I search through my freelance database and contact them. I make sure all the stuff that people worry about on set is taken care of: freelancers and talent showing up, transportation, props, gear, lunch, you name it.
Along with this I will work a second camera, act as grip, monitor sound, work boom, and any other job that needs to get done on set. After the
shoot I follow up with all parties and make sure they are happy- equipment and personnel is all in one piece and paid. While the project is in post I
can help log, capture and do an edit if need be. So I get to do everything which is awesome.

What got you interested in film?
I saw a lot of movies in the theater at a young age so that is certainly part of the addiction- Ghostbusters, Return of the Jedi, Gremlins, Field of
Dreams are some of my early movie going experiences that made me a fan.
But, I didn’t really think about film as a career until I was about 11 and started to pick and choose the movies I wanted to see. At this point I
became interested in the people who made the films and would see movies based upon that. I would read interviews and watch the movies that had
influenced directors who I liked. I watched a lot of crime movies, westerns and horror movies (I was in junior high) at that time so I gravitated to
Raimi, Hitchcock, Kubrick, Coen brothers, Stone.
And from then on I have always thought about my life in terms of cinema. I stopped collecting baseball
cards and comic books and started collecting ideas. And those ideas I would use to build something someday for the big screen.

What is your favorite film and why?
Paths of Glory has always been my go-to answer to this question. Just because it strikes me as a movie that is simple hybrid of two genres
war and court room drama and by doing so changes a lot of the conventions in both.
It is a movie with complex ideas about character, duty, and power while still delivering solid entertainment. It has a nice mathematical
structure and Kubrick directs so it is immediately epic.

What is the purpose of film?
I believe that the purpose of all art is to give the audience a glimpse of the sublime.
To me when the intangible feelings, that creep between the larger motivations, fears and desires of humans, are given to medium
then we have touched the sublime. The artist expresses him or herself and their medium attempts to capture those moments of vivid clarity inside the otherwise ethereal world of personal emotion. This is art at it’s highest pitch. Take it down a notch and it is something that motivates or
provokes thought. Take it down a little more and we are into entertainment- the escape. Take it down more and we are in the realm of obvious
communication-advertising. Bellow this point I think is into the oblivion of the overt- a medium which communicates merely to illicit a specific response from the audience without subtlety or irony. This is pornography.

If you could do anything, what would it be?
Own a production house….that would be so bad ass. I was just watching the DVD extras on Le Samourai and Jean Pierre Melville does an interview in his own studio and hearing him talk about having his own studio and spending all his time there makes me want one. He describes it as his imagination workshop.

Another idea for a blog theme could be to use the moon cycles, playing off of the Luna title. I think that it could be kept really clean and probably done in black and white.