CMA Impressions - Spring 2012 by PAF-KIET College of Media & Arts

CMA JOURNAL | IMPRESSIONS

TESTIMONIALS

Immad Baig

2D Digital Illustrator Game Venture – Singaporean Based Company CMA opened my eyes to the limitless educational and career possibilities offered in the field of Media & Arts. This is where I was first exposed to the great ideas and works that have influenced our culture and teachers who stimulated creative excitement in us. CMA education taught me that ideas matter. Also instilled in me a passion for learning that has stayed with me to this day.

Saba Khan

Director Design & Operation Premier Graphics & Animation Studio College of Media & Arts was truly a life-changing experience for me and revealed a world of unlimited possibilities in media & arts. The core program provided an excellent foundation for higher learning and has defined my personal and professional being. My achievements are a direct reflection of CMA education, and I am eternally grateful for that experience.

Ibad Naqvi

Producer Hum TV Having obtained my degree from CMA my life has radically changed for better, and to me the institute has an incredible and unforgettable history. My experience with CMA, as a digital art student gives me special feelings of pride and euphoria much more than any other one may have.

Faraz Bhatti

Producer Samma TV I wish to express my deep gratitude to the College of Media & Arts. It provided us and is still providing a gateway to greatness, drawing the best and brightest digital artists from across the nation. The skills and the profession I acquired from CMA enabled me to take a leading role from time to time in the media and art industry.

Junaid Baig

Real Image VFX Lighting & Shading Artist Computer Art education imparted at CMA is comprehensive and customized which enables you to discover and learn the most, in a way that works best for. It has played a transformational role in our lives. It began the moment we set foot on campus, and it continues to shape who we are today.

CMA JOURNAL | IMPRESSIONS

THE RUNDOWN The Unit

Messages

Introduction to CMA

Students’ Published Work

CMA's Flood Relief Campaign 2010

Campaigns in Spotlight

Tips and Guides

Unsung Heroes

Appreciating Arts in Pakistan

Through the lens

Youth Arts Festival

Content Department Graphics Department Photography Department Message from President, PAF-KIET Message from Vice President, PAF-KIET Message from Director, City Campus Message from Director, College of Media and Arts Message from Editor-in-Chief News and Events (Achievements) CMA Marketing Event (Potpourri) The Chief speaks Photos Introduction to Media and Skits Society The First Ever Media Event Reload Reload Photos Choudry Arif Saeed Mir Farhad Khalid Photo Collage

XBox Standard Chartered Panasonic

Choudhry Arif's Approaches to better 3D Idea vs. Execution Nomaan Alam’s Effective packaging, affective psychology Nabiha Zeeshan’s Fun with Typography Mr. Immad Baig - Storyboard Artist Mr. Zubairuddin - 3D Artist Feature - The Missing Slate Photo Compilation

THE UNIT | CONTENT DEPARTMENT

THE UNIT

THE UNIT| GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT

TAKING THE FIRST STEPS TOGETHER

CONTENT DEPARTMENT

GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT

Nabiha Zeeshan

Saara Rehan

Fareeya Zia-un-Nabi

Juzer Karbalai

Faryab Shah

Wafa Ashraf

Ghazanfer Jaffery

Editor-in-Chief

Associate Content Editor

Deputy Content Editor

Creative Director

Creative Lead

Nabiha Zeeshan believes that every individual embodies a universe within themselves and she spends her leisure time exploring her own cosmos. When she is not being particular about principles and morals, she likes to read, write, photograph and animate. She is currently pursuing her Bachelors in Computer Arts degree with an aim of becoming an Animator Insha Allah.

Saara Rehan is studying Bachelors in TV and Film Production. Saara believes in making mistakes and learning from them. She is currently unsure of who she wants to become but she never gives up on this quest. At the moment, she is boldly exploring possibilities and winging it as she goes along!

Fareeya Zia –un-Nabi is currently studying Bachelors in Computer Arts in which she aspires to specialise in Graphic Designing. She believes that when it comes to designing, facing your fears and juggling complexities is better than shying away from them. Her motto? Logic is the heart of creativity!

Juzer Karbalai is a creative who knows that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Currently a student of Bachelors in Computer Arts, he stands out for transforming his thoughts seamlessly into stunning visuals. Amalgamate discipline, humour, efficiency and calmness, and you’ve got the formula for this Creative Director!

Faryab Shah is a fun-loving student who is always on the look-out for new opportunities to learn. He is always racing with himself, thus setting a pace for his fellows to catch up to. In his fourth semester of Bachelors in Computer Arts, he has already earned a name as a fine visual artist and performer.

Wafa Ashraf is a self-motivated student of Bachelors in Computer Arts who is extremely dedicated to her work. She drives her passion to work from her ability to convince herself that she can do better. She strongly believes that confidence is one of the key elements necessary for success.

Syed Ghazanfer Jaffrey is probably best defined by his nickname “Jazzy”. He has a calm and cool personality which helps him deal with any kind of situation. As a student of Bachelors in TV and Film, he has learnt how to spark the flame of creative thinking.

THE UNIT | PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT

THE UNIT| PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT

THE UNIT

PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT

Syed Mohiuddin Hali

Abdul Mateen

Hamza Sameen

Izhar Shah

Zaheer Abbas

Danish Kausar

Mubeen-Ul-Haq

Abbas Shabbir

Chief Photographer

Photographer

Asst. Photographer

Syed Mohiuddin Hali is a very soft spoken and cool-minded team leader who knows how to handle stressful situations. He has a clear-minded personality who is ready to learn from his mistakes and share his knowledge. He is studying Bachelors in TV & Film and plans to become a Director.

Abdul Mateen is a bold and philosophical thinker who is not afraid to think out of the box. He strongly believes in expressing thoughts with honesty, commitment and passion. Through his lens, he tries to capture whatever inspires him. Currently a student of Bachelors in TV and Film, he aspires to work as a professional photographer.

Hamza Sameen is a dedicated individual for whom passion and interest matter more than fame, glory or money. He believes in simplicity – sweet, bold, out-there – something that holds your attention and makes you reflect. He is currently a student of Bachelors in TV and Film.

Izhar Shah is a soulful photographer who loves to try new experiments in the field of Photography. He never hesitates to accept new challenges and is always on the look-out for new opportunities to explore the beauty that surrounds us all.

Zaheer Abbas is a passionate photographer who does not lose patience while experimenting. He does not tire trying to capture the “right” image which sets his work apart from the rest.

Danish Kausar is a multi-faceted personality who pays attention to tiny details. He believes that little details hold great value and add to the beauty of an object. He has a creative eye for photography and is currently studying Bachelors in TV & Film aspiring to make a difference.

Mubeen-ul-Haq is an eccentric photographer who dares to challenge before he accepts a truth. For him, possibilities and impossibilities are mere illusions of the mind, for in reality, the man who wins, is the man who thinks he can.

Abbas Shabbir is a happy-go-lucky photographer who aims to live every moment at its fullest. Photography is a skill that comes to him naturally. He is currently a student of Bachelors in TV & Film.

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Air Commodore (retd) Khalid Hussain - President - PAF-KIET

Prof. Dr. Irfan Hyder - Vice President - Dean - PAF-KIET

Message from the President, PAF-KIET

Message from the Vice President, PAF-KIET

On behalf of all members of our community, I welcome you to PAF-KIET College of Media & Arts, a school to train people with a natural talent for art. I believe that everyone with talent should have the chance to develop it. Students should not be denied acceptance to an art education because they do not have an art portfolio. Infact they should have a chance to prove their ability by developing it. Thus we welcome such students to our college with an open admissions policy. After all it’s your talent. It’s your career.

PAF-KIET College of Media & Arts is the best choice for starting your professional career in the field of media & arts. I say “starting” because you’ll be in a professional atmosphere and will be expected to have a professional attitude from day one. We are a comprehensive university that combines excellence in teaching, research and creative practices. Also we are committed to build stronger communities, to treat all people with respect and dignity, and to address society’s pressing needs.

Air Commodore (Retd.) Khalid Hussain, President, PAF-KIET

Prof. Dr. Irfan Hyder, Vice President, Dean, PAF-KIET

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | DIRECTOR CMA’S MESSAGE

Group Captain Mirza Sikandar Taj - Director - PAF KIET City Campus

Jamshed Butt - Director - College of Media & Arts

Message from the Director, PAF-KIET City Campus

Message from the Director, College of Media & Arts

Nothing stays for very long without a solid foundation. That is particularly true in the professions of art and design. Classics are forever. That is why, regardless of major, you’ll be taught foundations based on principles of media and art. This is what we consider the secret of a successful professional -a background that you’ll need for getting and keeping a job.

I am honoured to be a part of PAF-KIET College of Media & Arts. I get more impressed every day with the bulk of art education provided by the professional artists and the quality of life in this campus. Here at our college, all art classes are taught by people who make their living from one form of art or another: professional artists, photographers, illustrators, graphic designers, directors and advertisers.

Group Captain Mirza Sikandar Taj, Director, PAF-KIET - City Campus

Jamshed Butt, Director, PAF-KIET College of Media and Arts

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

Nabiha Zeeshan - Editor-in-Chief - Impressions

Artwork by Bilal Khan

Message from the Impression’s Editor-in-Chief Dear readers, It is an honour for me to introduce to you the first issue of “Impressions”. Impressions continues the legacy of College of Media and Arts of providing a platform to the students to voice their opinions and exhibit their talents. Keeping status quo in mind, the Impressions team has tried to highlight the better side of Pakistan; to inculcate hope and motivation for a brighter tomorrow, for which we are the building blocks. We open new vistas of creativity and expression so we can make our mark, our impression on the world.

WAKE YOUR MUSE WELCOME TO CMA

On behalf of the Impressions team, I hope you enjoy reading this journal. We would welcome your feedback: impressions.cma@gmail.com Nabiha Zeeshan, Editor-in-Chief, Impressions

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | PARTICIPATIONS

Details CMA Participations add interest to your visuals.

CMA

in the Limelight College of Media & Arts shining in all their glory College of Media & Arts is a joint venture of PAF-KIET and Premier Graphics & Animation Association. The college currently offers Bachelors in Computer Arts, TV & Film Production & Fine Arts.

CMA Participations

FiLUMS

FILM-MAKING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE 2010

The aim of FiLUMS is to promote the art of cinema and film making in Pakistan. Of the 300 entries received last year, two from PAF-KIET were short-listed among the top 5! Faraz Bhatti’s short film won two 1st prizes for “Best Short Film” and “Best Direction”. The joint efforts of Fahmeed Ahmed Khan and Noman Khawaja in the short-film titled “Qismat” were also greatly appreciated and short-listed among the top-5.

Filmmaking for Social Change is a project of the British High Commission, Pakistan in association with the London International Documentary Festival (LIDF) and Eckova Productions. 30 students were selected from Karachi and Lahore of which three comrades are representing PAF-KIET City Campus. These three are namely Ali Brohi, Ali Ahad and Ali Changezi.

BCA AWARENESS SEMINAR BY PAF-KIET On the 16th of February, 2010, some of our finest students including Saba Khan, Hammad-ul-Haq, Juzer Karbalai and Neha Yousuf, headed to the City School (PAF Chapter) and delivered a seminar on the topic of “Media and Arts” discussing its scope, benefits, and course outline of BCA offered at PAF-KIET.

ESUP INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION 2010 The English Speaking Union of Pakistan (ESUP), a branch of ESU International, organised regional and national heats on the 8th and 9th March respectively. BCA student, Nabiha Zeeshan, participated from PAF-KIET City Campus. The theme for the contest was “Speculation on ur Future”.

ZIAUDDIN UNIVERSITY DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIP 2010

LUMS DELEGATION

ZUDC 2010 was held on the 26th and 28th of February. Three students from CMA, Mutaiyaba Riaz, Saara Rehan and Nabiha Zeeshan won 3 out of 4 rounds and the team ranked no. 7 out of 26 teams and Nabiha Zeeshan ranked no. 6 best speaker among 78 participants. Students were awarded certificates of participation.

PAF-KIET City Campus has regularly participated and won laurels in LUMS Olympiad. This year, the team, led by Hafiz Ahmed, consisted of Bilal Baig, Adil, Abdul Mateen, Syed MohiuddinHali, Hamza Sameen, Abbas Shabbir, Fahmeed Khan, Mahir Saleem, Adnan Bilgrami, Noman Khwaja, Danish Hashmi, Iftikhar Butt, Ayesha Azfar and Zara Jauhar. They boycotted the competition for lack of discipline, rule-following and justice.

ALL-KARACHI DECLAMATION CONTEST AT D.C.W.-VIII

JINNAH UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN DEBATE COMPETITION 2010

The Defence Authority College for Women (Ph. VIII) organised its annual Bilingual Declamation Contest on the 4th of February this year. From PAF-KIET College of Media and Arts, Nabiha Zeeshan of second semester participated in the contest speaking on "We are ruled by the media" and clinched the 1st position in English. Mr. Jawed Jabbar was chief guest.

CMA students and members of the Debates Society, Abdul Rafay and Danish Kausar, participated in the Jinnah University for Women Debate Competition, 2010. The debate was conducted in Urdu on the topic “Pakistan kamustaqbilroshun hay” with Abdul Rafay speaking for and Danish Kausar speaking against the topic.

OATH-TAKING CEREMONY (MSS): Syed Moiuddin Hali, the new team leader of the MSS, took over the responsibility from Muna Aftab. He welcomed the new chief coordinators after which Sir Jamshed gave his opening remarks. Rameez Jalali was elected as Head of Student Council.

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | PARTICIPATIONS

CMA Participations

USA FILMING COMPETITION CMA students, Syed Izhar Shah, M. Arsalan Aslam and Faraz Siddiqui participated in the USA Filming Competition by State Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) called "Democracy - You Voice, Your Video". The competition aims to create a short video that completes the phrase "Democracy is...”. Out of 1000s of entries from around the world, CMAians made their mark with a 3-minute video. YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZadsvMMGQgY

CMA Participations

of London and Mr. Shahpur Kabraji who holds the honour of being the first Pakistani President of Cambridge University’s debates society.

PACC SHORT FILMS FESTIVAL

Faraz Bhatti Rajput has been offered the job of Assistant Producer on SAMAA Television network. We hope that he will produce great films and dramas keeping his social responsibilities in mind and play a role in revolutionising Pakistani films and dramas.

PACC organized a Short-film Festival for enthusiasts to come ahead and show their talent. Students of College of Media and Arts: Danish Hashmi, Fahmeed Ahmed Khan, Noman Khawaja and Mahir Saleem also participated. Their selected works were screened on October 22, 2010 at the Pakistan American Cultural Center. Their short films were titled Kismat, Unrest Soul, Eik Mauqa, Bahaar Main Khizan, Jaal and Main Nay Uss Say Yeh Kaha.

RASHIDABAD DOCUMENTARY

CMA SPORTS CLUB TOURNAMENT

PROJECT: CULTIVATING HOPE

CMA’s students also participate in free-lance social work. Rashidabad, the city of hope, where a dream is coming true spreads over 86 acres of beautiful fertile land. The project was launched on 13th December 1998. The city provides boarding and education facilities to selected children. Zara Jauhar, Aisha Azfar, Danish Hashmi, Mohammad Raza and Noman Khwaja lent their talents by making a freelance documentary for Rashidabad.

CMA students were given a chance to exhibit their sports skills in a tournament organised by the CMA Sports Club. The tournament provided a competitive platform to students in the arenas of tug-of-war, badminton and table tennis. Winners were awarded cash prizes. Further competitions will be held over the course of the semester.

AKU PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES WORKSHOP

Farhad Aspy Fatakia, in collaboration with Nayel Noorani’s Rotaract Karachi, organised a parliamentary debate championship titled “ROTATE” from the 4th to 7th of November, 2010. Students of CMA actively participated in the competition by sending two teams of three speakers each. Anam Baig, Fatema Abbas, Mutaiyaba Riaz, Nabiha Zeeshan, Neha Yousuf & Noman Alam debated against 20 other universities and colleges.

Pakistan´s first National Interuniversity documentary competition titled “Cultivating Hope” was held at the Higher Education Commission Auditorium on June 22, 2010 to distribute award amongst participating students across Pakistan for their creative contribution in curbing extremism in Pakistan.The Cultivating Hope project, a joint initiative of SAMAA TV and HEC, aims at engaging the youth on the vital subject of extremism in Pakistan. “Cultivating Hope” was launched amongst 600,000 students across the country to create a nationwide youth engagement on the subject as well as carry out healthy interactive debate. Faraz Siddiqui, Syed Izhar Shah and Arsalan Aslam baggedthe first position in the competition receiving a grand cash prize of Rs. 1,000,000 with a one year job contract at SAMAA TV.

CMA Debates Society (CMADS) members participated in the workshop held at AKUH on 20th March, 2010. The workshop was conducted by Mr. Sofyan Sultan who has been awarded President’s lifetime achievement award for his services in public speaking. He was joined by Mr. Shehrayar Kabraji, master’s graduate from University

SAMAA TELEVISION FILM COMPETITION

ROTATE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE CHAMPIONSHIP 2010

YOUTH ART EXHIBITION 2010 College of Media Arts (CMA) rocked again at the ‘Youth Art Exhibition 2010' held at Arts Council, Karachi. CMA students secured 1st position in all categories including Graphic Designing, Photography and Drama Theater (Performing Arts) beating all other arts schools, universities and institutes. The theme of the event was “I Can Change”. YOUTH ART FESTIVAL 2010 CMA student Mubeen-ul-Haq secured 3rd position in "Youth Art Festival" in the category of Digital Photography. His work was selected out of 242 entries all over Karachi. He won a cash prize worth PKR 10,000, which he received from the Governor of Sindh at Arts Council Karachi. ZIAUDDIN UNIVERSITY DEBATE CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 After ZUDC 2010, Ziauddin University hosted a sequel in the series of parliamentary debate championships from 25th to 28th of February, 2011. Nabiha Zeeshan, Nomaan Alam and Saara Rehan participated in the event representing College of Media and Arts. Out of the 90 participants, Nabiha Zeeshan was awarded “The Most Promising Speaker” award.

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | PARTICIPATIONS

CMA Participations

YOUTH OPTIMISING PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION, UNITED KINGDOM College of Media & Arts student Mir Farhad Khalid shone at the “Youth Optimizing Photography Competition” held in the United Kingdom. He secured 3rd Position out of more than 500 entries all over Asia. He was awarded scholarship in "Specialisation for Photography" program for 1 year in Indonesia. Farhad worked on the concept of "strength” and “rebuilding of hope”. Apart from the award, a more rewarding gesture was the feedback from the United Kingdom which was mailed with the announcement of the semi-final results. The organising team of Youth Optimizing Photography Competition said: “It’s really hard to think of a student who has such extra ordinary skills to optimize the art of photography in a limited time, where others get baffled. We wish you best of luck!” We are proud of our students for making a good image of our country worldwide. EXPOSURE – DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION College of Media & Arts joined hands with Russian Centre of Science & Culture and organised a four-day digital photography exhibition. The exhibition was inaugurated by the Consulate General of Russia. The exhibition showcased work of CMA photographers along with the famous Russian photographer, Mr.Pakhomov. Dignitaries

CMA Participations

like Russian journalists, photography critics and renowned Pakistani fiction & play writer Dr.Enver Sajjad attended the opening ceremony. The event was witnessed by hundreds of visitors and was covered by multiple newspapers, TV and radio channels. All photographs showcased were untreated, raw entries. INTERNATIONAL 3D CONTEST Choudry Arif Saeed, a student of College of Media & Arts (CMA) secured 1st position in an International 3D Contest at Deviantart.com. It was a tough competition till the last moment between the winner and the runner-up. ChoudryArif’s work is going to be featured in the community section in 3D Hobby Magazine’s December issue.

CMA DEBATES SOCIETY (CMADS) On the 18th of February, 2010 Sir Jamshed Butt, Dean of CMA, finalised the drafts for the CMA Debates Society. The society aims to provide a learning platform for budding debaters of CMA and to participate in and hold elocution and oratory competitions. The society can be contacted at their official e-mail address: kietcmads@gmail.com

chess, scrabble, ludo, fooseball etc. have been made available. Students can register easily and become a member.

MEDIA AND SKITS SOCIETY (MSS) The CMA Media and Skits Society organises functions, concerts and programmes throughout the year at PAF-KIET City Campus. Students can become members of the society through democratic elections held every semester. The MSS is the most active student body of PAF-KIET.

SCRAMBLED EGGS (CMA NEWSLETTER) CMA publishes its monthly newsletter titled “Scrambled Eggs” containing all news related to CMA’s students, activities and election details. Students can even contribute their creative pieces of writing to the newsletter via e-mails to news.cma@gmail.com

CMA SPORTS CLUB PAF-KIET CMA achieved yet another milestone by introducing the CMA Sports Club. Facilities for various sports in the campus such as table tennis, badminton,

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | POTPOURRI MARKETING EVENT

Details interest -toThe your visuals. LOOKadd GARMENTS most revenue generating stall

CMA Potpourri Marketing Event Mr. Bilal Hasan

The Chief speaks - a word from Sir Bilal "Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice."

WHATEVER DRINKS - Refreshments for all

Sir Bilal Hasan is a visiting faculty at College of Media and Arts. Recently, he assigned his Marketing students a task of organising a marketing event. The students were required to create their own brands, create a hype and finally, become sales persons on the day of the event. The activity was not only a great step towards learning and understanding about the practicalities of the field but also provided great entertainment to both organisers and visitors. This is what Sir Bilal had to say:

I think the event was extremely successful as every student did his or her best. The event was covered by TV and radio channels; the students earned profits through their sales; the management appreciated the efforts and most importantly, I was content.I’m proud of my students for making such a good effort! I wish them all the best for their careers.”

“I’m glad that you asked me to give my comments on the event. While marketing an event, there are a few key tactics that can be employed to ensure that the event gains maximum response and that it is managed in the minimum cost possible. Event marketing has only recently been pioneered. The purpose of organizing CMA Potpourri was to teach CMA students these tactics. They learnt thathosting an event is not a huge task, but, in fact,pulling it off with minimum expenditureand maximum exposure is the real achievement.

Eating out at Potpourri food court

Any event is meant to market a certain product so it is necessary the purchase decision-maker attends the event. If you have to attract your target audience, you have to do enough research about the profile of the attendees. The main reason for which I asked my students to host an event was to give them a taste of practical life. The activity also helped them gauge their capabilities as a team player.

"Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice."

Potpourri - the most virally marketed stall

Salesman customer interaction

MSS HISTORY| RELOAD - NIGHT OF GURU’S AND DIVA’S

MSS HISTORY| RELOAD - NIGHT OF GURUS AND DIVAS

“Paintalis dandiyon ki your kahani, Alina ki zubani” - A fantastic dandia performance Details add interest to visuals.

RELOAD -

Night of Guru’s

and Diva’s

by Nabiha Zeeshan

“Tonight’s gonna be a good night!”

Finally, after lots of SMSes and MMSes, MSS’s (Media & Skit Society) efforts paid off! CMA hosted the mind-blowing annual function titled “Reload – Night of Gurus and Divas 2010” to commemorate the graduation of the first-ever CMA batch. All ladies adorned red, while gentlemen wore black. The function kicked off with a guitar solo of the national anthem by Shahzeb Khan. Students of 1st semester quickly paced the tempo of the evening with their skit. Ali Zahidi and Midah Najmi handed out titles to the first graduating batch of CMA.

A fantastic performance by the then first semester students

An instrumental concert by a band of CMAians rocked the night after which 90 degrees gave a thundering performance wrapping up the show and making it truly “a night to remember”! Hats off to Muna Aftab and the MSS!

The process of “tafreeh” titles carried on intermittently throughout the show. The cracker of the show was “Paintalis dandiyon ki kahani, Alina ki zubani” after which Shehryar Sarkar’s hysterical parodies were all the rage. Clips from LUMS winning videos were shortly followed by another skit named “Sawaal” with hilarious dialogues and performances. Muna Aftab made an entrance and introduced the esteemed chief guest, Ms. Naheed Raza. Sir Jamshed Butt presented the chief guest a shield and addressed the students regarding Pakistan Day motivating them to exhibit their “Pakistaniat” in their respective fields.

Award distribution by Mr. Jamshed Butt

A video compilation of the same context fuelled the patriotism among the students. Sir Jamshed also handed out recognition awards to the management. The show-stealer was the fashion show fantastically choreographed by Masooma Batool and Aarish Ali Khan.

Guitar solo of the national anthem by Shahzeb Khan

Part of the team that made the event a smashing success

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | STUDENTS PUBLISHED WORK

MIR FARHAD KHALID - PORTFOLIO

MIR FARHAD KHALID

I am a creative and multimedia artist professionally who loves to work on visualising his concepts. I am currently studying at PAF-KIET College of Media & Arts with a flair for photography. I am intrigued by the language of symbols and I like to work on projects that offer deep thinking and diversification. I deal life like a pact. My philosophy is: "Do or die, but it's better to do!"

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | STUDENTS PUBLISHED WORK

CHOUDHRY ARIF SAEED - PORTFOLIO

CHOUDHRY ARIF SAEED I have been a Graphic Designer for the past six years. I have developed an interest for conceptual thinking and visual image development. I make graphical dishes, adding my own creativity and individual personality to them. I have worked at Medialine Advertising, Global.pk and as a freelance 3D artist and graphic designer. Find me at www.arifsaeed.com Portfolio: www.pafkiet.edu.pk/cma | www.publicitycentre.net | www.medialine-advertising.com | global.pk

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | FLOOD RELIEF CAMPAIGN - 2010

CMA Flood Relief Campaign - 2010 College of Media and Arts students launched a campaign to collect funds for the flood victims all over Pakistan. After the funds had been collected, the students bought aid and delivered to the Pakistan Air Force from where it was distributed throughout Pakistan amongst needy individuals. We salute the youth for their generous spirit and we are proud of these bright futures of Pakistan!

INTRODUCTION TO CMA | FLOOD RELIEF CAMPAIGN - 2010

CMA Flood Relief Campaign - 2010

CAMPAIGNS IN SPOTLIGHT | XBOX 360

CAMPAIGNS IN SPOTLIGHT | PANASONIC

Microsoft XBOX 360

Panasonic 3D camcoder

Campaigns in spotlight: XBOX 360 Reviewed by Ayesha Saleem Ghazanfar Jaffery Hasan Afaq Kurt Menzes Saara Rehan

Company: Microsoft Product: XBox 360 Campaign: Our Colony Advertising Agency: 42 Entertainment

“Our Colony” launched by Microsoft is a search opera type alternate reality game which was used as a marketing tool for the successor of Microsoft Xbox 360. The game asked players to form colonies and earn points by completing various tasks. The game was spread anonymously via e-mails. 42 Entertainment is an American company based in Pasadena which specializes in creating and producing alternate reality games (ARGs). The company was founded in 2003 as an independently-owned, creative content and interactive agency under the name 4orty 2wo Entertainment. The company started with a nine-person management team and was originally based in Emeryville, California. It produces alternate reality games, including campaigns for Xbox 360 and PS3 titles, the movie The Dark Knight, and the Nine Inch Nails Year Zero album. Xbox 360’s advertisers spent A LOT of money on the promotional campaign, but all in all it seemed to be working. Interest was being created in the audience and potential buyers were increasing. The free games being given away by the advertisers were basically acting like a drug, creating a want and a desire to have more and more. It may have been expensive to create these special games and distributing them for free just for the promotion of a gaming device, but it was working. The winners had a chance to win the new Xbox 360, games & free tickets to the exclusive launch party of Xbox 360.

Campaigns in spotlight: Panasonic 3D Camcorder Reviewed by Amna Asad Danyal Vasty Mansoor Shah Mutaiyaba Riaz Zubair Awan

Company: Panasonic Product: HDC-SDT750 - Consumer 3D Camcorder Campaign: Launch/ Awareness Advertising Agency: The Campaign Palace, Sydney

The campaign that launched Panasonic's HDC-SDT750 consumer 3D camcorder immediately caught our attention. It was not just an extremely unique product, but Panasonic conveyed the message and helped its customers understand it so easily, it seemed effortless. Campaigning a complicated electronic device can be tricky - technicalities need to be featured, and on the same hand the consumer should quickly and easily understand the purpose of the device. The campaign presents the 3D camcorder technology as something very special as compared to other technologies. The ads focus on the "3D" aspect very well and viewers feel that they are involved in it because of the 3D effect. It creates a visual effect in which the viewer can feel "inside" the advertisement. The second aspect that the campaign caters to is making it accessible and understandable to an ordinary man. It removes the concept of 3D camcorders being used only in Hollywood - now an ordinary person can capture his moments in high definition 3D. Overall, the campaign handles it smoothly with hands-on-experience provided to customers as part of BTL activities.

CAMPAIGNS IN SPOTLIGHT | STANDARD CHARTERED

CAMPAIGNS IN SPOTLIGHT | OLPERS

Standard Chartered Bank Advertising Campaign - Here for Good

Campaigns in spotlight: Standard Chartered Reviewed by Asmaa Awan Faizan Wadera Nabiha Zeeshan Saba Sarwar

Company: Standard Chartered Bank Campaign: Here For Good Advertising Agency: TBWA Worldwide - a unit of Omnicom Group

Olper’s Ramadan Campaign

The campaign for Standard Chartered’s 150th anniversary was one that was extremely creative and unique. Not following the traditional advertising trends of banks, Standard Chartered positioned itself as a bank that not only manages people’s money responsibly but also serves the people in various ways. The tag-line “Here for Good” has dual meanings. First, it suggests that even during economic recession, the bank stands firm on its principles and that it is here to last forever. Second, it establishes that Standard Chartered believes in doing good. The campaign amalgamates typography, film making, documentary making, symbolism and art into a creatively conveyed message for its audience. Simply by doing good, can a bank in fact be great? In the many places we call home, our purpose remains the same. To be here for people. Here for progress. Here for the long run. Here for good.

Campaigns in Spotlight: Olpers

The Campaign: This year’s campaign revolved around the concept of a Momin which resulted to be very thought provoking for the Muslims across the board.” Overall feel of the ad will be sophisticated and sober. The concept will be designed and developed by the “The vision factory” ad agency which is run by Mr. Ahsan Rahim. Success Reasons:

Reviewed by Fareeya Zia Rida Aasim Wafa Ashraf Neha Yousuf

Company Name: Engro foods Product name : Olper’s milk Advertising Agency Name: Adcom Pvt. Ltd. Campaign Title: Her lehza hai momin

The new ad campaign captures the essence of Islam through its basic roots, children. The background theme is Iqbal’s poetry and has been taken from the legendary Noor Jehan’s, “har lehza hai Momin”, which has been recorded beautifully in the vocals of children. The song divulges into deep thoughtful lyrics, explaining the idea of being a Muslim. It proved to be a great step in diverting people’s greater attention towards helping the victims of flood as it was launched in Ramadan at the time when a major part of Pakistan was flooded. The campaign had a lot of emotional appeal.

TIPS & GUIDES| APPROACHES TO BETTER 3D DESIGN

Optimized Quality Render. Details addHigh interest to your visuals.

A studio lighting setup

Approaches to better 3D Design

1. Lower Quality Settings While you are in test rendering phase, I would highly recommend that you turn to low settings to save valuable time and to avoid losing interest in the project. The following things can be turned down to save render time. Resolution For test render you don’t need to render at gigantic resolutions, scale down to the lowest resolution you are comfortable with. I usually test render at 640 x 480. Final Gather Turn off or reduce Final Gather Accuracy to lower settings e.g. 10. This will make final gather result smoky but will cut short render time.

by Arif Saeed

Make your 3D pop : this tutorial is intended for Intermediate users of Autodesk Maya, on how to cut down rendering time on projects as well as to avoid irritation due to time consuming techniques.

Anti Aliasing Reduce Raytrace max sample level to 0 (-1 or more will cut render time but are very jaggy). Raytrace Shadows Lights with raytrace shadows can be very time consuming while rendering, So use the shadow settings very carefully. When not using caustics / refractions / glass or other transparent / translucent material, keep the: Light Radius to 0 (no soft shadow) Shadow Rays to 5 (less rays to calculate for shadows) Ray Depth Limit to 1 (only one time to calculate shadow)

Use IPR Just imagine, you changed light intensity by one figure and redered it in 1 minute. If the result is over bright, you would render it again with lower light setting, and so on. Sounds quite tiresome and irritating, right? Use IPR option present in Autodesk Maya. Throughout you will be able to see live changes in light and camera settings, thus saving a lot of time. 2. Studio setup Set the studio setup at the start of project. This way you will be able to render quickly, which will help keep you motivated and will give you an insight of on the end result. This includes: Render Camera: Select an angle and set other camera settings and rename it like RENDER CAM, so you don’t have to set angle in perspective again and again. Now you have your Perspective Camera to roam around and work and when you think of taking a quick render, just switch to Render Cam and you are good to go. Base Plane: Make sure that the Ground/Base on which the object is placed has appropriate texture according to your scene. This way you wont render your model in black empty space.

3. Getting Things Done! Sometimes you have an idea but you not sure how to execute it technically. For that you can thank the internet, which has made our lives easier and has provided all the information we need. For references and help 1. Search Google 2. Search Youtube (tutorial videos makes it more easy to learn) 3. Search Tutorial Sites 4. Seek help in Communities 4. Tricks If you have to improvise here are some tricks to help handle such situations. Read and learn the foundations of 3D world. When you know how things are done and what the science behind it is, you can develop your own tricks and use them in new and efficient ways according to your situation. This is a very small thing and therefore a lot of people tend to ignore it. Don’t expect to absorb all knowledge in one day: move according to your speed. For example, if you are wondering ‘”How can I make Fog light” and you read a tutorial, don’t just follow it but also try to read what different settings play what role.

TIPS & GUIDES | PACKAGING PSYCHOLOGY

Oh my god what a package

Effective Packaging, Affective Psychology

Do we buy things because we need or want them? Or do we buy them just because we find them attractive? In my point of view, packaging psychology does affect the buying behavior and somehow we all are greatly affected by the “Oh my God! What a package!” factor. I recently went through a report which says that packaging industry is the third largest in the U.S. Ironically, here in Pakistan, packaging is not given the importance it deserves. International markets call it “the power player in global society” while we just think of it as a protective covering of our products.

by Nomaan Alam

Talking about international markets, packaging is the most potent marketing tool to glamourise a product in order to attract maximum consumer eyeballs. Sometimes the packaging costs even more than the product itself. This is the packaging psychology I’ve been talking about – still not applicable in Pakistan!

Packaging psychology does affect the buying behavior and somehow we all are greatly affected by the “OH MY GOD WHAT A PACKAGE!” factor.

A product’s packaging reflects the quality of the product inside. Most consumers, consciously and unconsciously, judge a product by its packaging and therefore, it is logical to say that a new product must have an attractive packaging.The quality of the product helps it garner repeated sales. The first step towards trying a new product is crushed if the packaging is ugly. Packaging is a tactic of increasing profitability. Innovative packaging is an eye opener that creates the 1st impression. It is the only communicator with the consumer and one of the best way of handling product

differentiation. It is a short path to portray a brand’s or any product’s identity. Converting first time buyers into loyal customers is the main goal of any business and packaging is the door to it. Ms.BabitaDawani is helping CMAiansopen this door -a graduate from Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture, and the current faculty member appointed for the “Packaging Graphics” course at College of Media & Arts. The final project that we were assigned was to create 25 Packages and a set design complementing the packages. We learnt how to make practical, functional packages that define our theme and thought process, properly branded, tamper proof, easy to open and protective.

Packaging design at its best

TIPS & GUIDES| TYPOGRAPHY

Typographic excellence from all over the world.

Fun with Typography

In this article, we’ll share with you what we’ve learnt from experience, reference images and other people – stuff that can help you design bigger and better in typography. So read on and get typing! 1. Use legible fonts in readable layouts: Legibility and readability are two terms that define the clarity of the “letters/alphabets” in the typeface and the overall easiness with which the viewer can read the text respectively. Legibility is the responsibility of the typface (font) artist whereas readability is achieved through layout, colour schemes, font size and many other factors by the layout (or graphic) designer. 2. First and last letters:

by Nabiha Zeeshan

Typography is a subject you can easily fall in love with. It is an art of its own and if played cleverly with doesn’t need accompanying visuals.

Check the rhythm and harmony between the first and last letters of the word. In the following image see that the two “L”s and “s”s in “letters” and “simple” balance each other’s weight.

3. You’ve got to mean it: Having a command over the language of the words gives you bonus points. The more you understand the word, the better will it be for you to choose an appropriate font for it according to its “feel” and “meaning”.

4. Number of letters: Count the letters in the word. Sometimes, even and odd numbers of letters can be played around with for interesting results. 5. Use your serifs wisely: Serif fonts are usually used to represent classic works and old scripts. Use sans serif fonts to depict new age, modernism and advancement. 6. Caution! Vertical type ahead: When using vertical types make sure they are arranged in a manner that doesn’t lead the eye out of the design. You can flip the vertical letters to face the rest of the text in the design to make sure that the eye is led into the design rather than following the text out of it. 7. Make it a part of the design: Text should be embedded into the design in such a way that the end result should look natural. For example, if text is being pasted on a wall, it should look as if soemone painted it there. This makes the design believable and awes the viewer.

the top left corner of the layout. It moves around the layout, guided by the design elements, and generally leaves at the bottom if not guided otherwise. 9. Don’t make it a clutter: Use font families to differentiate between headings and other body copy. When using font combinations, look out for fonts that gel with each other or fonts that compliment each other. 10. Create a font library of your own: Make folders titled “bold”, “curly”, “straight”, “script”, “ancient” etc. and save fonts in these folders. This way it will be easier for you to browse through your library and pick an appropriate font for logo making or other designing. Frederick Goudy said, “Of all the achievements of the human mind, the birth of the alphabet is the most momentous.” So let’s use this great achievement and take it to a whole new level! See these websites to download amazing free fonts: www.dafont.com, www.fontsquirrel.com, Fontex.org

8. Guide the eye: Remember that the human eye enters any design from

TIPS & GUIDES| IDEA VS EXECUTION

Idea oradd Execution Details interest to your visuals.

Idea Vs. Execution by Arif Saeed

Rearranging the building blocks of creative thinking.

It started as a simple quest to figure out which one is more important. Along the way, I realized the complexity of the situation. Idea and execution are the building blocks of everything we see around us. We cannot neglect completely any one of them. But, which one of them is more important?

were students and 13% were businessmen. A majority (33%) had been in the field for four to six years while 14% had also been working for more than 10 years.

As defined by Wikipedia “in the most narrow sense, an idea is just whatever is before the mind when one thinks. Very often, ideas are construed as representational images.” The dictionary says that execution is “the act of performing; of doing something successfully.” I conducted a survey on-line (www.arifsaeed.com) and then analysed the results. Here is what people had to say.

“A weak, simple or common idea is acceptable…if executed well,” said Mr. Yawar Abbas, a very experienced teacher and Fellow of Higher Education Academy UK. “Idea is a chain reaction and this chain reaction is only possible when one starts the execution. A very unique idea will be dead if the execution is poor. Just like science every idea needs to be proved through a series of experiments… and that is execution. An idea on paper is nothing; one has to give proof.”

Q. In idea and execution which one is more important? Idea (20%) Execution (13%) More idea and acceptable execution (33%) More execution and acceptable idea (34%)

Mr. Jamshed Butt, CEO of Premier Graphics and Animation Studios and Director of College of Media & Arts said, “It depends on your target market. Both idea and execution must be brilliant. For ideas that change the world a visionary mind is an absolute necessity.”

Q. How an idea must be thought? Think wild (No limits) (27%) Follow the trends (7%) Think of an idea and then find ways to execute (47%) Think of ideas but reject those you cannot execute (19%)

Mr. Ahsan Jabbar, entrepreneur and CEO at Global.pk, said, “Execution is more important and it should be need based. Also it’s not what you do; it’s how you do it. Ideas mostly exist, but innovation can always be introduced. For example, if we observe that Middle Eastern culture is more popular in our city and decide to open a restaurant on that theme, the idea of opening a restaurant is not new in this case, but the execution can

A majority (47%) of the people who took the survey were designers or related to the field of media and arts. 40%

Artists and professionals working in the field had this to say:

be.” Omer Tariq, a graphic designer with an experience of over 8 years, explained beautifully: “I believe in ‘great Idea, flawless execution’. I’m speaking in terms of advertising and graphic design. A design with no idea and amazing execution is just an eye candy: it will grab attention but will not be memorable. A design with a great idea and terrible execution is just a waste as only a few people will be attracted towards the clever thought. In some forms of art, like in entertainment, idea becomes more important. If you have a great idea in a movie, audience is willing to overlook the flawed execution.” Every aspect of human life is trial based, you will always have to try and figure out what is best for you. So if you have some different experiences, do share your thoughts with us. I would like to specially thank all the participants and professionals, who spent their valuable time giving their feedback.

UNSUNG HEROES | IMMAD BAIG

Storyboard of Signature Music video.

Interview Immad Baig Storyboard Artist

Most definitely I believe that story board is essential for clean editing. A visual presentation is a necessity for a good video to be executed. 70 or 80 percent of the story board is executed in a video.

What are the most enjoyable and the most annoying aspects of story boarding? I guess it’s the fun in drawing that’s enjoyable. I can use my imagination and share my ideas of composition and shots for the video and share it with my friend NomanKhanzada who directed the video. Andmostly,you don’t really need a paper and a pencil to draw; I usually draw my storyboard in Adobe Photoshop using a pen tablet, which is easier, quicker and cleaner than drawing on paper.The annoying aspect is when you hit a dead end during sketching, as in, you run out of ideas. How long have you been in this field? I’ve worked in the field for nearly 3 to 4 months, when my friend Noman came to me and asked me to make some story boards for a couple of music videos he was working on. I agreed and joined his group. Some of the boards were readied, while others were recycled for the next project. Tell us a little about your involvement in the production of Signature's Music Video? I was mostly involved in making storyboards, but apart from that, I’ve travelled to different locations with Nomanand the others to see some suitable places for shooting. We were also involved in interviewing and hiring actors and actresses and we also had to visit a tailor to design the outfits for the video.

How can we depict emotions (and facial expressions) through storyboards? We can draw out the expressions and the body language of the characters.Alternatively, emotions can also be written down with the storyboard. Most preferably, I believe emotionsshould be written down so that the director and anyone else in the film crew can easily understand what visual message is being conveyed in your storyboard. How can storyboards be challenging? The main challenge that I faced was the short deadline!Somehow,mine always turned out to be yesterday!Then, of course, there’s artist’s block - that’s when I can’t draw because I can’t think of any ideas. I try to overcome it by doing some research like watching movies, or by trying to relax myselfby indulging in other activities. It is said the storyboards are important for clean editing, how much do you agree with it? Most definitely I believe that storyboards are essential for clean editing. A visual presentation is a necessity for a good video to be executed. 70 to 80 percent of the storyboard is executed in a video. With story boards, the director and the crew have a clear idea of what kind of shots are to be taken during the shoot. Any current project you're working on? No, not right now.I have taken a break from music videos and storyboarding and am working in another company

as an illustrator. The most challenging or enjoyable project you've worked on... I guess the most challenging project that I worked on was the first music video, which is still in post-production phase. Noman, his team and I had to think of another story for the video. Thus the previous storyboards had to be put aside and we had to begin from scratch. Apart from that, finding the location for the shoot was also a big challenge, considering that it was a low budget video. What future projects are you looking forward to? You can say that I would love to work on any project that involves illustrations. I always want to get stronger and better in my drawing and illustration skills. So if I get any projects which are related to drawing in future, I would be happy to do it. In the end what would you want students to know about the process of storyboarding? I would say that in my experience, storyboarding is fun but can be hectic at times. As long as you and the director have a good understanding about the story and the shots, the storyboards will come out nicely. I would encourage the students to watch a lot of movies. Watching good movies for the sake of analyzing shots and composition can help generate new ideas for the video you are working on.

UNSUNG HEROES | SIR ZUBAIRUDDIN

3d Art Portfolio of Mr. Zubairuddin

Interview Mr. Zubairuddin 3D Artist

3d Art Portfolio of Mr. Zubairuddin

Why did you choose 3D art? I wanted to be in the field of entertainment. So, just before finishing my Fine Arts diploma in 2000, I joined a team of some talented people who were producing some programs for England. I was Assistant Director then. There, I discovered 3D. After finishing the production of our project I joined a multimedia school and when I started learning 3D I came to realize the intensity of 3D: the potential was enormous. I did it with all my heart, and in the middle of my diploma, Indus vision saw my work and gave me the opportunity to work with them as a 3D artist in 2002. Since when have you been working in this field? 2002.

Don’t learn the tool. Learn the art of 3D.

What is the scope of 3D Art in Pakistan? Like any industry in Pakistan I don’t see a good future of 3D if conditions in the country remain the same. Another issue is training; because 3D is a field of specialization and there is Asset development (including modelling, unwrapping, texturing, rigging and skinning), Lighting and Rendering, Dynamics (cloth, fur, hair, fluids, particles, muscle system, effects etc.) and finally animation. There are many schools which are offering specialization in 3D Animation all over the world. There are online schools like Animation mentor and Animschool.com concentrating only on animation. Gnomon is another name that offers different specialized courses for 3D. But here, in Pakistan, we don’t have such institutes.

Students who have interest in 3D get basic training as 3D generalist, and later, if he wants to learn more, he has to either go abroad for studies or (long live piracy) buy an illegal account of data storage servers and start downloading the endless treasure of knowledge. I read that Sharp Images (a well-known post production house in Karachi) is planning to offer animation and special FX. Now that’s a very good move indeed! Where are you currently employed? I am currently employed in Dunya TV Network (Lahore) as Team Lead Character Animator. One project that you learnt most from… Milkateer (Sharp Images) It took about a year to complete from storyboard to artwork to the final broadcast.Just an 18-minuteanimation took a year!I was Lead animator then and I vividly remember that we spent 37 days straight in Sharp Images. No one was allowed to go home!But, finally, all of that hard work, paid off when we saw our animation on air. There were constant observations andchanges - Boy! Did we hate changes! Because if you want to incorporate changes in 3D, you have to do it all over again!

First and foremost, your art work speaks for itself.Secondly, you have to be very clever and should have an artistic approach in thinking. According to you, some prominent 3D studios in Pakistan are... Sharp Images with no doubt. ICE and H2O are also trying. I wish them good luck. Your advice to young 3D artists... Patience, consistency and hard work. Don’t learn the tool, learn the art of 3D. You should study Fine Arts or Graphic Designing which will help you establish a strong base. I’m not using the word “must” because I have seen 3D artists who have no training in Fine Arts and still shine, but not everyone is gifted.

Over all it was a fantastic experience. What are some unique qualities that set a good 3D artist apart from the crowd?

APPRECIATING ART IN PAKISTAN | SPECIAL FEATURE - THE MISSING SLATE

Maryam Piracha, Editor-in-Chief, The Missing Slate

FEATURE

THE MISSING SLATE

During the summer vacations of my first year at College of Media and Arts, I came to know about "The Missing Slate" - a literary and art journal currently available for its readers at www.themissingslate.com I was lucky enough to be offered the job as an Illustrator and have never looked back since. It fascinates me how The Missing Slate (TMS) has brought together people from over the globe most of whom have never met each other in person. Yet, with on-line communication tools, this group of individuals has become a team which is steadily growing and has already set a pace with two issues already on-line. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a one-on-one with the brains and the creatives of "The Missing Slate". Maryam Piracha - Editor in Chief

Interviewed by Nabiha Zeeshan

The Missing Slate (TMS) has brought together people from over the globe most of whom have never met each other in person.

Who is Maryam Piracha? Writer. Thinker. Creative Writing MA grad student. There’s not much to say here; I’ve been writing for the past 14 years serving as the Editor-in-Chief of PaperCuts, an online literary journal for sub continental writers run by the Desi Writers Lounge. I was there for six years before taking some time off to focus my attention and ambitions elsewhere. I’ve held creative writing workshops at LUMS in 2009 and FAST (Islamabad) in 2010 and held varying jobs from a Project Manager, to a Technical Consultant to a Manager of Marketing & Sales. Suffice to say, I’ve experimented!

What are your views about the current scenario of literature and art in Pakistan?

the level of dedication and output is by definition, a lot higher.

While I can’t speak for the artistic scene, the current literary scene in Pakistan is alarmingly narrow. There are a handful of writers writing in English in Pakistan and the ones that do write, do so under the narrow bracket of political repression. To deny politics in this country is futile, I realize, but denying the various other cultural and spiritual qualifiers is just as negligent.

Internationally, artists tend to expand the reach of their work, to experiment. I’m not sure how much experimentation is encouraged, locally.

Younger generational writers write about material that is just as insignificant to storytelling, at least the young writers who’re published. Competitions like the Young Writers Competition in 2007 and the Life’s Too Short competitions have been few and far between, but have been encouraging with regards to the unspoken for talent that lies hidden in Pakistan. There have to be more activities like these to get them out into the spotlight, to get their voices heard, their stories and visions read. How do you compare the art in Pakistan to that abroad? Young writers (writing comes under the arts) from an international perspective, write about a much larger umbrella of subjects, with greater ambitions than local artists. It’s not just about politics; there’s that and then there’s so much more. Artists and writers in other countries are also given a lot more freedom to pursue their visions than local artists, and when given an environment to thrive in which is so often required for the creative arts,

How did the concept of TMS shape? The concept of TMS took shape long before its name did, interestingly. For a long time, I felt the absence of a platform for the arts, but more than just that, there was an absence of a place which really catered to honesty, freedom of creativity, freedom of creative expression, freedom of speech. So many of my generation and the generations succeeding me just weren’t interested in what was going on in the world around them, the subjects under literary consideration had become so narrow, it was surprising. A platform was needed that could bring all of that together and be artistic and true and honest all at the same time, reach outside cultural and national divides into the heart of art and literature itself. And so, The Missing Slate was born, christened, and the editorial and creative teams assembled. What were and are your expectations for the scope of TMS? There was a growing need to give voice to not just the literary world (I had done this before with PaperCuts), but the art world. A platform that would help local artists

APPRECIATING ART IN PAKISTAN | SPECIAL FEATURE - THE MISSING SLATE

Moeed Tariq, Creative Director, The Missing Slate

and writers see what other people their age were up to, to present a kind of united front for the art and literary worlds. A chance to see what else was out there; the kinds of stuff other people were up to. You don’t really have that kind of environment originating from Pakistan. So the scope of TMS is a wide one; there’s a lot to change in the country and we’re hoping bringing out a platform that encourages it, is a step in the right direction. My expectations for the future include building a network of artists and writers that can work with us; encouraging cross cultural dialog and support and creating a true journalistic platform that encourages serious reporting. Beyond citizen journalism to real, honest, gut wrenching, brutal truths. I’d also like to see TMS helping to promote new filmmakers, artists, writers and poets to a wide audience, and maybe hold a couple of interesting and informative competitions along the way. Beyond that, I’d like to see it move further into the publishing world and maybe serve as a publication house one day. Always seeking to promote indie artists, filmmakers, photographers, writers and poets of the future, looking to make a difference through their myriad voices. What, in your opinion, makes “The Missing Slate” stand out from other literary and art journals in Pakistan? There are no other art and literary journals in Pakistan. Focus seems to be on the wrong things; spend more

money on the paper and the covers, etc and less on the content. You can never sustain that sort of enterprise. What defines TMS from the others is simple: we provide a platform that is missing, hence the name. But above that, we bring in content from international amateur writers promoting cross cultural understanding and creating a space for open dialog. What we’re concerned about is art in any of its forms (visual and text), so where it’s coming from isn’t as much of a political statement. We want our audience to see what else is out there, what people like themselves, their age group in different countries are producing. That simply isn’t done here. Moeed Tariq - Creative Director: Who is Moeed Tariq? To make this as brief as possible, I'm a creative being through and through. And I do think I'm becoming increasingly adept at multi-tasking. What was your first impression of TMS? That's like asking a parent what they think of their new born child. The first time I had the final e-copy of issue 1 before me there was the definite rush of love, relief and whopping big exclamation of "Thank God!" deep down inside. The Missing Slate is and always will be a work in progress the way I see it. There's always more to learn, more to absorb and implement. And as we all get better at what we do, hopefully it'll show tenfold in each consecutive issue.

How do you think TMS differs from other projects you've worked on? I've worked in groups before and that's one way TMS is so utterly different from anywhere else - we all get along. Not forgetting the fact that Maryam Piracha has been able to put together a team from several continents and most of us were strangers to each other only a few months ago, almost all of us work in a close proximity even though it's entirely online. The seamless transition from every day life to TMS-ville online and back again can be tricky for even the most unabashed multi-tasking individuals among us but it helps that everyone is dependable, responsible and are the undisputed rulers of their respective niche. What, in your opinion can be TMS' role in shaping the future of art and literature in Pakistan? We are part of a movement. I'd be lying if I said we were utterly alone in doing what we're doing in this part of the world. But I can say with complete confidence that we are the ONLY people doing what we're doing the way we're doing it in these neck of the woods. The essence of each issue's content is going beyond all that which is usually glossed over by others. We are not the readers' appetizer, we're not the dessert either. We make it a point to neither lightly touch on a subject once undertaken nor sugar coat it. Each issue is an entrée and we expect our readers to come with an appetite. Sparking debates, creating awareness, encouraging acknowledgment of

all things taboo and communally moving towards a solution oriented way of thinking would make our day. Hassan Sagheer - Creative Lead: What was your first opinion about “The Missing Slate”? The name of the journal itself is captivating. What is it that’s “missing”? At first, I assumed it’s just another journal, which focuses on current affairs, politics and media in Pakistan. It wasn’t! It was something different – literature and art oriented, something unique and exclusive. It had a WOW! factor. How is TMS different from other projects you’ve worked on? Click! Click! TMS is the first project that I’ve worked on remotely. Normally, when I work on a website, I have to attend a few meetings, and there is a lot paper work involved with numerous post-its stuck around my computer screen and desk. With TMS, it’s a whole different story. The journal is based in Pakistan and at the time when the first issue was launched, I was sitting all the way in Paris so the entire working domain was (and still is) on-line, which I think saves time, resources and is much more efficient. Moreover, TMS, being a journal, is dynamic. All the other projects I have worked on, so far, have been static where information does not need to be updated frequently.

MSS HISTORY| RELOAD - NIGHT OF GURUS AND DIVAS

Hassan Sagheer, Creative Lead, The Missing Slate

How do you see TMS in the future? TMS has the potential, because it takes a distinct approach on the hidden literary skill and talent present in our society. The team comprises of some very talented, hardworking and devoted writers, poets, editors and artists. Our fan base is building up and I see this journal establishing itself up in the near future. It’s a long journey down the road, but we’ll get there, InshAllah.

The Missing Slate Cover - Typography

The Missing Slate Cover - Winter 2011

The Missing Slate Cover - Fall 2010

THROUGH THE LENS | PHOTO COMPILATION

CONTRIBUTORS

THROUGH

THE LENS

With photography a new language has been created. Now for the first time it is possible to express reality by reality. We can look at an impression as long as we wish, we can delve into it and, so to speak, renew past experiences at will." - Ernst Haas

Muna Aftab

Shane Batool

Abbas Shabbir

Noman Alam

Zohaib Zahid

Midah Najmi

THROUGH THE LENS | PHOTO COMPILATION

Shane Batool Faraz Bhatti Rajput

Zahra Johar

Farhad Khalid

Umair Ali Hashmi

Muna Aftab

Farhad Khalid

Abbas Shabbir

THROUGH THE LENS | PHOTO COMPILATION

Abbas Shabbir

Izhar Shah

Hamza Sameen

Ali Ahadullah

THROUGH THE LENS | PHOTO COMPILATION

Izhar Shah

Shehryar Sarkar

Mubeen-Ul-Haq

Umair Ali Khan

Abdul Mateen

Ali Ahadullah

Murtaza Yousuf

Sahil Momin

Murtaza Yousuf

Zaheer Abbas

Umair Ali Hashmi

Zahra Johar

Abdul Mateen

Farhad Khalid

Juzer Karbalai

Umair Ali Hashmi

Talha Hasan Jaffery

Umair Ali Hashmi

Farhad Kashif

Syed Moiuddin Hali

Mohammad Raza

MSS HISTORY| YOUTH ART FESTIVAL

Filmi Nagar Ki Pyaasi Dagar - A smashing success at the Youth Festival at Arts Council

Youth Art Festival at Arts Council by Noman Alam

"Filmi Nagar Ki PyaasiDagar", started with the audience screaming their throats out and the auditorium echoing and re-echoing with applause.

After entertaining Karachites for three consecutive days during the "I CAN CHANGE Youth Art Exhibition", CMAians performed their hilariously gripping play at "Youth Art Festival 2010" amid high expectations from the audience. The curtains opened and CMA's most waited Magnum Opus, "Filmi Nagar Ki PyaasiDagar", started with the audience screaming their throats out and the auditorium echoing and re-echoing with applause. The track of this hilarious rollercoaster goes somewhat like this: The fate of an Aspiring Filmmaker(Alina Anwar) has made her land on the sets of a "Typical-Pakistani-Film". Astonished to see the weird techniques of filming, which she was never taught during her years at the film school, she challenges the Director(Rameez Jalali) and the Producer (Rafay Farooq) along with the whole industry and delivers the biggest hit in the history of Pakistani Cinema. The play was a complete visual treat with magnificent lighting, great comic timing and characters drilled to excellence. Other prominent figures of the play were: the Cameraman(Shehryar Sarkar), Hero(Hammad ul Haq), Heroine (Anam Baig), Replaced Heroine (Madiha Tariq), Spot Boy(Noman Alam), Boom Man(Farhad Khalid), Light Man(Faryab Shah), Makeup Man(Rai Zohaib) and the Reporter(Juzer Saifuddin). The highlight of the play was its exaggeratingly doodled characters which took all my attention and after a point I stopped caring about the main plot. It was so much fun

sitting back and watching them perform, with every character adding equal value to the play. Projecting the good, the bad and the ugly side of the Pakistani Film Industry, CMAians succeeded in putting up the same play again and again, though shorter and wittier than the previous ones. The repetitions never seemed like repetitions and it was entertaining watching the same scenes all over again. The plot was clean and the new and improved ending was more thought-provoking, convincing and to-the-point. Another highlight of the play was that there were moments when the stage had 8 to 9 characters on-stage but still it didn't look overcrowded. The transition of a "Paki-Daggar" hero to a "sophisticated" hero was perfect!

A hilarious scene from the play

With brilliant comic timing and showcasing modern contemporary theater, CMAians garnered all the limelight and portrayed an on-stage live cinematic experience like never before!

Good clean comedy

CMA JOURNAL | IMPRESSIONS

“

whatever

m kes

IMPRESSION on the

HEART seems

lovely on the EYE

”