DESIGNTIMES south africa’s monthly creative resource
www.designtimes.co.za
INTERVIEW
BEST CREATIVE?
Erik has won every creative award and has been called many things, but his friends simply refer to him as the best art director in the world.
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SCOOTERHEADS
Dan Bergeron well known for his photography, has been very busy this past month plastering Canada with 324 seven-foot-tall Vespa Squareheads.
/10 BOOK
HEROES & VILLAINS
Tatiana and Roman are the photographic duo responsible for Heroes and Villains. Their portraits of street artists and graffitists are exceptionally striking.
Designtimes in no way condones or approves of smoking. In fact we strongly reccommend you quit!
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JUNE 2008 Issue No.24 ZA R5 EUR €2, UK £2, US $3
our partners in alphabetical order
NEWS
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Students win 2010 design competition Two students have won the 2010 Green Goal Mouille Point Student Landscape Design competition for designing an inner city park and recreation area ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Landscape design and architectural students from the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) were invited to submit entries to redesign the Mouille Point promenade and beachfront area. Scott Masson, a final year Masters Landscape Design programme student at UCT submitted a design which would transform the site into a dynamic people-friendly facility. His design also integrated with the 2010 Urban Park on the Green Point Common. Marike Fick a final year design student at the CPUT, submitted a design for an amphitheatre which was also chosen. Executive Director in charge of the City of Cape Town’s world cup project Mike Marsden convened the panel of judges. “We were pleasantly surprised at the high standard of submissions...I am delighted that the urban design profession is obviously in a healthy state, which is important to the city. “
Fashion exchange
HTC Diamond San Francisco-based designers One & Co have collaborated with phone manufacturers HTC in Taiwan to design the Touch Diamond handset.The designers aimed to keep the front of the phone as simple as possible while making the back distinctive and recognisable with a faceted form. One & Co announces a new collaboration with HTC on the Touch Diamond, an innovation in both technology and design. The HTC Touch Diamond, a collaborative effort between the HTC design team (in Taiwan and the One & Co design team in San Francisco), is an iconic design that relies neither on minimalism or overt ornamentation. The design celebrates the rich, innovative user interface using a disciplined, geometric formal language to ensure a clutter-free environment for viewing content. With the innovative design of the rear housing, the Touch Diamond promises
to be instantly recognizable and familiar. Drawing from a variety of different inspirations, the irregular back facets contrasts the front surface’s simplicity. The collaboration spared no effort to create a product that is according to them “perfect” - from design, to engineering, and manufacturing. Hundreds of materials and finishes were explored to find the perfect stainless perimeter and the high quality, precision manufacturing. HTC has traditionally designed advanced, sophisticated smart phones for business users or early adopters. With the rapidly expanding smart phone market, HTC is responding to the demand to take the internet mobile for the consumer - expanding the services to include advanced, fun communication and entertainment. They hope the design of the Touch Diamond reflects this new target and will establish HTC’s place in the marketplace.
YDErailspacecompetition If it’s all about pleats and tucks, smocking and flocking, the bubble and the babydoll, the ruffle and the hem, the runway and the rail space, the look and the passion… You have found what you’ve been looking for. YDE is after the hottest ladies and men’s designing talent around. Young, up-and-coming fashion designers are invited to enter the YDE Designers Competition. You can submit your designs and a proposed business plan in order to stand the chance of winning an opportunity to have your own limited range available in YDE stores as part of the RISING
TALENT initiative. In addition, the winning ladieswear and menswear designers will each receive R10 000 worth of assistance to start a small commercial collection within YDE. The competition is open to all ladieswear and menswear fashion designers 18 years or over to submit designs for a collection of 8 to 10 garments. This must be a comprehensive range across tops and bottoms for summer 2008. Entry forms are available in YDE stores and online. The cosing date for entries is 7 July, and finalists will be notified on the 21 July. www.yde.co.za.
Challenges from cheap foreign imports, and the local energy crisis as well as high labour costs and a dwindling skills base, have seen the fashion industry splinter and stall rather than grow and prosper. Add to this the recent surge of luxury labels entering the market catering to the high end consumer and the Fashion industry has hit a bit of a speed bump. Experts say dispite these issues there should be a middle market that can be filled by quality South African designed and manufactured garments The South African fashion industry has, in the past, been accused of lacking the strategic and practical guidance and tools to lead it into being a cohesive and profitable contributor to the economy. With this in mind the Fashion Exchange business conference (which is aimed at educating and elevating all role-players within the fashion industry in S.A. 29 – 30 May 2008) is planning to rectify this by providing essential input and insight into the rapidly changing business of fashion and the key business trends that are affecting the industry globally and on the home-front, connecting local retailers, designers, manufacturers, suppliers and entrepreneurs with some of the world’s leading fashion business experts. The initiative is being spearheaded and driven by leading South African fashion designer, Gavin Rajah. Issues that will be addressed by the conference and the attendant workshops, will cover topics such as: the rise of fast fashion, the globalization of trends, the consumer demand for ethical fashion and even climate change, all of which are set to have a profound affect on the fashion business over the coming years. Most conferences end at the door or the closing gala dinner with little or no support thereafter. This has prompted Rajah to extend the value of the initiative by offering an “exchange network” for members in a forum that will enable a cross-sharing of ideas, requests for assistance, promotion of wares and capabilities as well as the ability to conduct exchange internships with international fashion houses and exploit global opportunities. We look forward to hearing from, among others, Giovanni Lepori, Robyn Cooke, Lesego Malatsi, Renato Palmi and Angelika Huwiler at the Fashion Exchange.
Canon EOS 450D The EOS 450D. Featuring a 12.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor, EOS Integrated Cleaning System, 3.0” LCD with Live View mode and a new 9-point AF system, the EOS 450D presents consumers with an unprecedented level of image quality and versatility at this end of the market. The EOS 450D employs features already proven in Canon’s professional EOS-1 series cameras, including the DIGIC III image processor and a redesigned menu system that enables features such as direct control of Speedlite flash units from the camera LCD. A choice of 13 custom functions allows the photographer to customise the camera to their shooting style. “The EOS 450D bears the fruits of more than 20 years of ongoing investment into EOS,” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon
Consumer Imaging, Europe. With all key components developed and manufactured in-house, EOS offers photographers a unique quality advantage. The 450D’s 12.2 Megapixel sensor employs Canon’s highsensitivity, low-noise CMOS technology to produce richly detailed images with minimal grain. The DIGIC III processor ensures superior image rendering and rapid response times, with an almost instant 0.1 start up. Image data is processed at 14 bits for delivering a burst rate of 3.5 frames per second. The DIGIC III processor works with the image buffer to handle up to 53 JPEGs (6 in RAW) without interruption. From R10 891.95 you can afford to always have a picture perfect moment! To order your Canon EOS 450D go to www.digitalplanet.co.za
Smart smile technology Each of the new W series models includes Sony’s improved face detection technology, which, like the smile shutter technology, can now distinguish between the faces of children and adults. You can select “child priority” or “adult priority” and the camera will detect up to eight faces in the camera frame and optimize focus, exposure, white balance, and flash control.The W170 and W150 cameras feature new intelligent scene recognition technology, which allows the camera to automatically select the optimal scene mode for a variety shooting situations. In advanced iSCN mode, the camera will take a photo based on the user’s settings. If the camera determines that another setting would yield better exposure, it will automatically take a second photo with that setting. The user ultimately has two images to choose from. The series includes a number of features, including: Sony’s DRange Optimizer to retrieve picture detail in photos with harsh highlights or dark shadows; semi-manual focus that allows you to select the focusing distance based on
your subject’s location; an improved auto focus system that includes macro ranges; Super SteadyShot image stabilization; high sensitivity settings up to ISO 3200; and incamera editing functions such as “unsharp mask” to sharpen images. The W170 and W150 units are equipped with advanced image management functionality. Filtering options allow you to search for photos by date and smile. Images can be viewed by date or in a helpful calendar view, and organized in the cameras’ “favorites” folder for quick retrieval of beloved images. The slideshow function of W170 and W150 has also been upgraded. Photos can be selected using the same advanced filtering options available in playback mode and transitions have been improved through the application of face detection technology. Now your subjects can take center stage as the slideshow moves through sophisticated pans, fades and wipes. Improvements to the background music function include a choice of more tracks, longer tracks, and multiple tracks for longer slideshows.
DESIGN
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Best Art Director to judge at the Loeries! Erik Vervroegen
Erik started his career as an art director in Belgium, but eventually left to South Africa where after only one year became the highest ranked creative in the country, and one year later, the most awarded creative. In 2002 Erik became Executive Creative Director at TBWA Paris and in September 2003, President and Executive Creative director. Two years later, TBWA Paris was the 2nd best creative agency in the world. It was not long after that the agency had 10 lions including the 2003 Grand Prix. Erik has also been voted Best Creative Director in France for 3 years in a row. This year Erik took 12 Clios and in Cannes he brought back the Agency of the Year award to TBWA Paris for the fourth year in a row. Erik has been called many things, but his friends simply refer to him as the best art director in the world. You have accomplished alot and won every award the industry has to offer. What is behind your succeess? I believe anyone can achieve success if he/ she is ready to work hard. Talent is nothing if you don’t have passion. That’s what I really believe in. If you have talent and passion nothing can stop you. If you have talent and no passion then you’re screwed and if you only have passion you’re also screwed. I think you need a little bit of both. I think my passion is 10 out of 10 and my talent, probably something like 4. What do awards mean to you? It’s all about balance, because if you’re winning a limited amount of awards and not posing a threat to other people, then it’s ok. I realized this 4 years ago in Paris. The average amount of Cannes Lions awarded in France was around 2 for the entire country. So, when I started at TBWA and worked for a couple of months, we came back with 5 Lions. It was a little bit shocking. The next year we won 9 Lions and Agency of the Year and what happened was that Worldwide Creative Directors basically spoke to their French Creative Directors saying ‘Now hold on, for years you have been saying it’s impossible to win in France because of the client, because of the money, because of this and because of that. So explain to me what’s going on at TBWA Paris!?’ And they said ‘Oh no, no, it was an accident it won’t happen again.’ but it happened again and again. It’s true that award-winning work is aimed at small audiences, but this
is where the world of advertising is going. You can take one product and split up the target in several slices. Some audiences you can reach by the internet, others by radio and others by TV. These guys are still thinking, “I’ve got money, I’m going to do a big TV commercial and a print campaign” which is completely ridiculous. If, for instance, you look at McDonald’s, you could split their target market into at least 4 slices: Girls, who are afraid to eat there because they think they’re going to get fat. Kids, who go to McDonald’s to have fun and hang around without having to spend a penny. And families and men. There are different targets and we need to talk to these people differently, but they don’t get that. They’re lost. I’m not a guru but I know that, and I’m not the only one who thinks the same way. Those people are in danger, because they can’t deliver and they want to make us go away. I think we’ve succeeded quite well this year because we’ve won awards and because I’m still happy to sit here beside my Lions. People refer to you as the world’s best Art Director. How do you become the world’s best Art Director? You know what my secret is? If I have a secret, it is this: money and power are not appealing to me. I’m completely and absolutely free in what I do and because I think this way; I’m still a child in my mind. I don’t want to lose that, I really do not want to lose that. That’s why I don’t own a house. I don’t have anything. My life’s just in a bag and that makes me a good creative, because I’m afraid of the future. The only thing I have, which took me like 35 years to get, is this bike I really wanted...that’s it. I think the secret is to always stay fresh and to not be bothered by things that have nothing to do with your job like money or internal politics. You’ll be set free and the only thing you’ll have to do in your life is do your best to make your work different. I have no fear, I have no debt, I have nothing. So, if something happens tomorrow and I lose my job, it’s going to be OK, because I’m free and I’m still a child. It’s these two things that are my secret: no money pressures and no power pressures. It will give you that BANG! I’m still a little bit nuts, but you need to remain curious. I’ll give you an example, the other day there was a fisherman, just a guy fishing and I became really interested in that. I asked myself “What kind of guy likes fishing?” So I went to him and started asking him questions and we ended up having a 40minute conversation. By that time everyone had gone. They probably thought “fishing is stupid!” but it probably helps being curious, fresh and open. I think it helps a lot. Erik Vervroegen will be a judge at the Loerie Awards this year. Winner of multiple Lions Awards, we really can’t think of anyone better to judge our country’s creative talent. The Designtimes team will be chatting to Erik in person at the Loeries in July. Make sure you don’t miss our August issue featuring the Loerie Award winners. If you have any questions you’d like us to ask Erik drop us an email mark@designtimes.co.za
I don’t own a house. I don’t have anything. My life’s just in a bag and that makes me a good creative.
PHOTOGRAPHY
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Highest rated photograph This photograph entitled snowy path is the highest rated and most popular image on iStockphoto. The photographs popularity is probably due to the images simplicity and clarity. The photographer Diane Diederich is a excluve photographer for iStockphoto.
She has been a member since November 2002 with an impresive 1570 images on iStockphoto and just over 150 000 downloads. You can take a look at the rest of her portfolio at the following address. www.istockphoto.com/diane39
iStockphoto is now seeking submissions for new microstock audio iStockphoto, the company that revolutionized the stock photography market by offering images online for prices as low as $1, announced it will add royalty-free audio tracks to its collection of downloadable stock content in September 2008. In so doing, iStockphoto will become the first company to offer stock imagery, video footage, vector illustrations, Flash files and audio for purchase under one payment model, on one convenient site. iStockphoto is currently looking for composers, performers, musicians and audio technicians to submit music, spoken word/voice, instrumental, ambient and sound-effect audio track submissions. The iStock user community of more than three million members will be able to purchase audio tracks for one to 25 credits each depending on complexity and can be used in website production or to complement video footage and presentations. Every time an audio track is downloaded, 20 to 40 percent of the revenue will go to the contributing sound artist. This business model, known as micropayment, was created by iStockphoto in 2001. It not only fueled the tremendous growth of the company, but has also proven itself to be a great way to provide supplementary and sometimes full-time income for contributing artists. In 2007, the company paid more than $20 million in royalties to its contributors.
“Our customers are looking for something that helps them effectively communicate ideas in new and exciting ways,” said Bruce Livingstone, founder and CEO of iStock. “By adding audio to the mix, we are now able to offer customers a complete palette of multimedia tools from which they can work.” Sound artist applicants can review a tutorial and take a brief quiz at http://www. istockphoto.com/audio_1.0_intro.php. The artists will then be asked to submit three 5 to 30 second audio tracks for review and approval. Once accepted as artists, contributors may submit tracks that range from five seconds to four minutes in length. All tracks will be individually reviewed for quality and legality before being approved for sale. If you are a member of a performing rights organization, (e.g., SOCAN, ASCAP, BMI etc.) anywhere in the world, you are not eligible to submit audio content to iStockphoto, as this precludes the content from being royalty-free. Those who are members of a performing rights organization are welcome to submit to our sister site, Pump Audio, at http://www. pumpaudio.com”. Sound artists can choose to be exclusive immediately and will earn 20 to 40 percent on the sale of each track depending on the number of downloads they have achieved. For more information on the process or music and sound categories, please visit: www.istockphoto.com/audio
iStockphotographer Gary Milner Gary Milner was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada where he currently lives although he lived in Buenos Aires for two years and all over Australia for a year. His mother taught him all he knows about photography. While he was in Argentina he made a really good friend who worked at a college newspaper in Idaho who would cover his assignments with only half his allotted film and then use the rest for personal projects. When Gary returned to Canada and began his college education, he got a job as the sports photographer and writer at the student paper, although the articles were mostly space fillers around the photos. After two years at the college, he transferred to the University of Calgary. He volunteered as a photographer for a year and then was hired as the photo editor. He did that job for two years and now works in a portrait studio and submits photos to iStockphoto. Tell us about your style and approach? I am a ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ type of person. It might be my years working in a journalism setting during school, but I like going into a situation with only the seed of an idea and just diving right in, firing the first shot as soon as possible to get warmed up. The first sitting of the day really gets me fired up to shoot more and more.
Your main focus in your photography is models. Are there other forms of photography you enjoy? I truly love photographing people. Shooting people for stock generally means models, but I also enjoy shooting sports. I guess that comes from my time at the papers, but there is something about it. The action, the human drama, the thrill of victory and agony of defeat. It seems so easy to capture emotion and energy shooting sports. Who are your photographic influences? My biggest photographic influences are my parents and my sister. The owner of the studio where I currently work. My only semi-famous influence is David Hobby of Strobist.com. While they all have influenced me a lot, I can say that my work doesn’t look anything like theirs. What books and resources do you use? The only photography book I have is a coffee table book with photos from all over Canada. I don’t actually have any books about photography. I would go to the library when I wanted to read a book about photography and when I was first starting out and for the last 10 years I have been using the internet. First photo.net and now mainly iStockphoto and Strobist. What are the challenges you face as a photographer?
My biggest challenge as a photographer is getting the idea from my head on to the chip inside my camera. My second biggest challenge is getting that idea into my head in the first place. What is the part you enjoy most about your work and photography in general? People telling me how much they love their photos and how much fun they had during their sitting. Why iStockphoto? I had looked in to the big trads, but their barriers to entry were so high. What they wanted just seemed so insurmountable to me. Istockphoto on the other hand couldn’t be easier to join. You don’t need 10 000 photos before they will even consider you. You can build it as you go. Now things are going so well here. I couldn’t imagine how it could be better anywhere else, and yes people complain about how tough iStockphoto is on them, but they aren’t tough on you, they are tough on your photos. Don’t get attached to the photos you plan to sell. It will kill you, no matter what type of photography you do. It really hurts when you think that a person’s critique of your photo is a critique of you. If you can’t separate yourself from your photos, you won’t last. www.istockphoto.com/garymilner
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PHOTOGRAPHY
Seven tips for digital photography beginners Many people ask for tips, trick, or just plain advice, for those who are just starting out in the world of digital photography. The following can’t really be classed as tricks, but rather as simple tips you need to master before you can move out of the beginner’s world and become a semi-expert. 1. At the most basic level, and first and foremost: get to know your camera. Once you’ve bought it, take your time to read and understand the user’s manual. Learn what the controls are and what they’re used for, and then practice, practice and practice some more. Shoot the same subject many times, from different distances, different perspectives, under different light conditions, with flash, without flash… and study the differences between the different photos. Now do the same after changing the setup of your camera controls to see how that affects the results. 2. Learn to “see” your photo before you take it. You need to be aware at all times of what is the most important element that you’re trying to capture so that you can focus all your attention on it. Don’t be afraid of getting close up to your subject (in general, the closer you are, the better). And, above all, don’t include any elements that could take people’s attention away from the main subject. 3. Study the composition and layout of the photos you see in magazines that you like. You’ll see very soon that the main subject doesn’t always appear in the center of the photo. One of the most used rules in photography is the rule of thirds. Imagine your photo divided into three parts, both horizontally and vertically, like a tic-tactoe board. Now, try to place the subject on, or close to, one of the lines or one of the intersections. If you’re taking a photo of a person or animal, it will usually be the eyes that are the most important part, so it should be the eyes that appear on the line or intersection. 4. To avoid blurred photos, hold your camera in both hands, and as close as possible to your body, so that you move it as little as possible when you’re taking a photo. 5. Make sure you keep your camera level (horizontal). For this, and the previous tip, check your photo after you’ve taken it and, if necessary, repeat it. Both of these tips sound silly, but you’d be surprised how many beginners need to be actually told this. 6. You should remember that your flash won’t be any use if your subject is over 6 meters away from your camera (read your user’s manual to see the exact distance for your camera, because it varies). Another piece of advice: if you use the flash for more than one person, make sure they’re all the same distance away because, if not, they’ll come out with different intensities of light. 7. One of the most useful accessories for a photographer, including (or perhaps above all) for the beginner, is the tripod. It’s absolutely essential for photos when there’s not much light, and nowadays you can find ultra-small and ultra-light tripods, even ones that can be folded up. In the website below you’ll find useful information on all types of digital photography, both for beginners and experts - it’s just a question of looking a little. Happy photography! www.photographyfornovices.com
Canadians with trendy heads Fauxreel Studios is a photo based creative studio located in Toronto, Canada. In addition to shooting editorial, commercial and art photography, Fauxreel Studios also concentrates on numerous web and print design projects for various clientele. Recently Fauxreel has been invited to show their work as part of Static Free in Pittsburgh, won an Applied Arts Best Portrai Series award, shot images for the London based record label Antidote and worked on installation based projects for Adidas and Nike. Dan Bergeron owner of Fauxreel well known for his insightful photography, has been very busy this past month plastering Canada with 324 sevenfoot-tall Vespa Squarehead wheatpastes to promote the new Vespa S (which is very yummy!) The objective for the Squarehead
shoot was to create images that had an aesthetically retro, yet inherently modern feel to them and to try develop a relationship between the different characters in their stance and attitude. Each character needed to have their own personality for use in individual placements, but at the same time fit into this larger group, or gang if you will. “My initial concern was to make sure that the characters looked visually interesting for the purposes of the outdoor portion of the campaign” said Bergeron. To achieve this, particular care was taken to select clothing that worked in terms of pattern and texture instead of colour. The marriage of the scooter head to the body was important, not only in terms of a seemless look, but also in terms of subtlety commenting on how consumers
identify with products they buy and how those products help to form the consumers identity. The characters were mostly pasted up in areas where there was already some form of graffiti or street art. “We didn’t choose to hit walls that had murals on them, but walls that were tagged or hit with smaller stencils. says Bergeron, of course some of the characters were pasted on walls, windows and storefronts that were either slated for demo, out of business or where there previously wasn’t any graffiti and some were pasted on construction site hoarding because the spots were so central that they would be seen by so many sets of eyes” It took about a total of 20 days to get all of the characters up in 5 cities across Canada. “I think Vespa asked me to work on their campaign because
they wanted to try and reach a younger audience and blur the lines between art and advertising. Although I haven’t worked on a commercially branded project before, the idea of what is commercial and what is commentary is evident in my work already. This project is not just about the actual images, but it’s supposed to help initiate a larger conversation about what and where both advertising and street art are and should appear. So not only does the campaign work in terms of getting the images out in the street for the public to see, but it has also sparked a lot of debate on the compubox.”- If you would like to see more Squareheads images, have a look at the ones from Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, along with a pic of Dan’s tired hands at: www.glossyinc.com/vespa/street.html
HEROES AND VILLAINS
HEROESANDVILLAINS Heroes & Villains, the words evoke strong imagery in the minds eye. In most cases though, these images are clouded by preconceived ideologies. Tatiana and Roman, the photographic duo responsible for Heroes & Villains, hold that the line between heroes and villains is fluid and dependant on point-of-view or perception. Their candid portraits of street artists and graffitists are not slanted either way, but rather focus on allowing the subject’s natural expression to come to the fore. As they explain it, the artists they have captured on film can be hero, villain or both simultaneously. by mark rosenberg
Why the title Heroes & Villains? Tatiana and I chose the title “Heroes & Villains” because of the many layered meanings it held for our project. With the street artists, many are in trouble with the law. So there’s an interesting dichotomy of the artists being revered by their fans while vilified by the law enforcement. Furthermore, the passion of the fans run so high that even within the audience, the same artist is held in high regard by one group while held in contempt by others. (and really held in contempt) The title is also a sly wink to the alt-comic/graphic novelists in our project because their work DOES NOT focus on the comic genre mainstay of superheroes but instead focus on more personal themes. Also, with any emerging scene or culture, there is often an “us against them” kind of mentality in relation to the established circles. The title is a nod to that. Tell us a bit about yourselves? Roman I’m 33, born in Seoul, Korea, reared in
US, living in LA. I started photography as a hobby when I was a kid, got more serious after college and was lucky enough to meet a photographer and start working with him. I taught myself the basics, learned advanced techniques on the job by assisting great photographers and the rest was trial and error. Now I am making a living as a photographer. Tatiana I was born in Washington DC, and live in Los Angeles. When my daughter was born I bought a used Pentax and was hooked. I took it everywhere and shot everything in sight. I learned simply by trial and error. I also built a darkroom in my garage and was really into printing for a while. Later I got a job in the photo department of an ad agency and worked my way from photo editing to shooting campaigns. Now I’m mostly shooting my own projects. How did the project come about? Roman We worked together on a job in Vegas. We had fun doing that and a year or so after, Tatiana
proposed doing a project on Vegas. We tried, but because of our busy schedules simply couldn’t get to Vegas together! Realizing this wasn’t going to work, I proposed a project I had in mind for a while but couldn’t get started on; a portrait series on a new generation of comic book artists. Unbeknownst to me, Tatiana was thinking of doing a project on street artists. We talked about it and decided to combine our ideas given that both were similar. It was evident that media that was formerly dismissed as childish was now being recognized in its own right. In the past, much of the work (comics, graphic novels, and graffiti) influenced art, now the work is art. As we moved along on the project, we discovered the New Gallery / Pop Surrealist / Low Brow scene (hate the names. still haven’t heard a good name that describes this new scene of artists) which fit well with the other two genres and included it as well. The project started three years ago and is still continuing as there are
some artists that we still want to photograph. How do you work together on the project? Roman All the creative tasks for the project, we work on together. We have a list of subjects we want to photograph. When we have a photo shoot lined up, we start brainstorming the concept of the photo shoot- How, What, Where- so that we go in with several shot ideas. Some are more involved like the Kozyndan shoot or some we decide we just need to focus on a great portrait on a clean background. Once we’re shooting, we start improvising as we get to know our subject. We’re artists shooting artists. Lots of times the idea we began with becomes something else entirely. Tatiana: We both take turns shooting. We make a point of emphasizing that the image is OUR shot as opposed to “I shot that image” or “I shot that one”. We even go so far as to mix up the order of the negs when we proof sheet so that the focus is on choosing the image, not who shot what.
From right to left: Chris Anthony, Tiki Jay One, David Choe, Seonna Hong http://web.mac.com/jancorey1/Site_10/Photos.html
NEWS
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Engen, brand Agency of the new look year award Facing competition from new and established peers, Engen embarked on a major brand review that resulted in a new strategy. Called Project Reinvigorate, the strategy spans multiple streams of execution. One of the key action points that came out of this strategy was the reappointment of Saatchi & Saatchi to refresh and cultivate consistency in group messaging. Another vital and very visible strand was the revamp and brand consolidation of the company’s nationwide network of service stations and convenience store outlets, so as to better showcase Engen’s upmarket offerings. Engen brand strategist Nobesuthu Tom says the quality and innovativeness of Engen’s offerings were never in question. “It was the way in which they were presented that was not reflective of our market leader status.” She reflects that market perception of forecourts is most influenced by a crisp, clean look-and-feel. This was to be a strong theme of the forecourt face-lift. The site overhaul started towards the end of 2007, and consumers will have noted these new crisp sites, with Woolies, Wimpy and Corner Bakery partnering some sites. Certain urban sites that have special convenience partner outlets. Engen has already reinvigorated a number of Engen’s 1250 sites countrywide, with more changes to follow.
Network BBDO was named Ad Agency of the Year at the AdReview Awards last night, Thursday, 24 April 2008, but the Ogilvy Group dominated by taking five trophies: the Roger Garlick Award for its Cliff Jennings gimmick, the Durban Agency of the Year, the Diversified National Group award, the Baobab Award and The Big Idea for the Coca-Cola “Brrrr!” concept devised by Ogilvy Johannesburg. Network was voted the best agency of the year because its achievements, relative to its size, were considered superior to its competitors. “On a per-head basis, Network turned in better scores for creative awards, growth and new business,” says AdReview editor Tony Koenderman. “Measured by Creative Circle points, it was the top individual agency. It has also been the cutting edge in the repositioning of the BBDO group, which now comprises BBDO Cape Town, Proximity ttp and Gloo.” Koenderman said many agencies had legitimate expectations of winning, but in a boom year for advertising last year, almost everybody did well. This resulted in some very close contests, particularly among design shops, Cape agencies, Gauteng agencies, digital agencies and the overall winner.
Ian Gabriel recognized for his accomplishments to judge at the Loeries Ian’s career began at Johannesburg’s famous multi-racial theatre venue, Dorkay House. It was in this intriguing setting that a fascination with performance drew Ian into film where he worked as a producer before launching himself as a commercials and music video director. From Johannesburg, Ian relocated to work in New York before finally returning to South Africa to launch Giant Films with producer Cindy Gabriel in 1995. Over the years, Ian has won numerous awards in Cannes, San Sebastian, London, New York and Hong Kong for his commercial and music video work. He had the honour of winning the first double award in the music video category at the New York Film & Television Festival for his seminal music videos for punk rock icon Malcom Maclaren. Ian is also the recipient of the Human Rights award and was a Golden Leopard Nominee at the 57th Locarno International Film Festival where he received the Youth Jury Best Director Award for his film Forgiveness. Forgiveness also received the Best African and South African Film Accolades in 2004. Ian is equally at home finding magic in the small moments as he is choreographing big action, big budget visuals. He is well known for his astute observations of performance, lifestyle and humour. Today, Ian Gabriel’s love affair with a good story continues to show in his prolific commercial work as well as in the several new film projects he has in the pipeline. Can you tell us a bit about your background, where you grew up and where you studied? I grew up in Natal, studied Political Studies
at WITS Johannesburg and then taught in Swaziland. Giant Films was started in 1995. Can you remember your first clients? Opel was our first client and then Polka, Richelieu, Sissy Boy, Investec, VW, Boeing, Diners Club followed.
There’s a single idea you need to pursue to the end, it’s the same in a feature film, you just have more time to do it. You have directed commercials and feature films. Is there a huge switch in thought on directing either one? Not really… my training as a commercial director has been very beneficial to directing feature films. With commercials there’s a single idea you need to pursue to the end, it’s the same in a feature film you just have more time to do it. So the transition was easy. Is there a creative process you use when approaching your work? It always starts with the brief, the shorter the better. I always look for the unique idea, it may reveal itself in the character,
twist or humour. I also look for the desired outcome, what is the writer trying to say, is it plausible, is it believable - its like my checklist - and most important will it draw an audience, will it hold their attention. Is there ever a clash between Agency, Client and yourself? There is never a clash, sometimes it is useful to talk to the client directly as often there is a variation in interpretation. What are some of the obstacles the South African film industry faces? Lack of local audience for feature films. The challenge is to make films for international consumption. The solution is not to cut costs and make cheap films. The Loeries have been running from 1978. Why do you think they have asked you to be a judge now? Do you feel that being asked to judge at the Loeries is a form of recognition? What will you be looking for? Yes it is great to be asked I am looking forward to it. And yes it is recognition of work well done. I will be looking for “Strength of Idea”, good execution and relevance to the target audience. Three films you’ve watched over 7 times? Forgiveness, Caberet and Amarias Peros (Love is a Bitch) Tell us about future film projects? I am working on two exciting projects Four Corners – feature film – it’s a coming of age story of a teenager influenced by violence in SA and finds he must choose between a gun or his family. Bush Babylon – tv series – for the American and south African markets Danny Glover is executive producer. The series is set in 1912 South Africa. www.giantfilms.co.za
The guide to top South African creativity The Loeries Annual, showcasing the region’s award-winning creatives from 2007, is now in bookstores. Designed by Net#work BBDO, the annual looks like an old-fashioned fridge, both inside and out. Two DVDs, at the back of the book, resembling a donut and a melon, plus a cockroach running along the side, complete the authenticity of the design that was inspired by proud mothers magnetising their children’s school art to the fridge. Describing its content, Loeries Managing Director Andrew Human says “The Annual is the ultimate reference guide of the year’s best work that is indexed by brand, agency and production company, as well as by individual credits. There is no paid advertising in the annual, no advertorials and no paid listings. So the only way to get featured in it is to do great work.” He says, “Each winning piece of work has been dedicated at least one whole page regardless of whether it won a Bronze, Silver, Gold or a Grand Prix. Regional finalists and student winners are also included and two DVDs contain the electronic winners.”
Human cannot stress enough the value of this creative guide for anyone involved in creating or growing a brand. “We all agree that innovation is imperative for great communication, which in turn fuels business. So if great creativity is the seed to higher profits, all brand custodians should aspire to having their brand in the book. It is also great way to see what other brands are doing, as well as what’s being done in areas like architecture and field marketing. “If any marketers are worried there brand is looking a little schizophrenic, then The Annual is the place to see what a truly integrated advertising campaign looks like. If you are in the market for a new communications agency, what better way to source one than by actually seeing their work? And if your company is expanding northwards, this is an introduction into agencies in other parts of Africa and the Middle East.” Human says The Loerie Annual is a way of giving back to the industry and his greatest wish is to see its extreme worth recognised. The annual sells for R550 at Exclusive Books Kloof Street and Biblioteq in Cape Town.
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ARCHITECTURE
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New digital training school
Mongolia’s Ordos 100
Mr Cai Jiang of Jiang Yuan Cultural & Creative Industrial Development Ltd has commissioned a project for 100 architects from 27 countries around the world, including Africa, to design 100 villas. These villas will be constructed on a 197 hectare plot of land in the region of Ordos, Inner Mongolia. The region of Ordos has a harsh terrain made up of sand and clay with less than 250mm of rain annually. This area is undoubtedly handicapped when it comes to agriculture, yet it possesses something arguably more valuable in our day and age, namely large deposits of coal, the number one economy-boosting tool of China. This allows the growing population Ordos, which is estimated to be roughly 1.5 million persons, to boast the second highest GDP per capita in China. This large influx of wealth and the mass of uncultivated land has enticed Mr Jiang to endeavour on this massive and exciting project. This project has been named ORDOS 100. The first task by Mr Jiang was to two Swiss architects, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron. These men are very well known and praised for their ‘Birds Nest’ Olympic Stadium complete March 2008 in Beijing. Herzog and Meuron decided to rather commission the building of the 100 villas to 100 individual architects rather than
design each villa themselves. In order to accomplish this project more effectively they invited a well know artist, Ai Weiwei of Fake Design, onto the team. Mr Weiwei and his team at Fake Design took on the task, as curator, of gathering 100 architects for the project as well as a backup list for those who declined the request. Two of the selected architects stem from South Africa; Mr Solam Mkhabela of Black Lines on White Paper, which is situated in Johannesburg, and Mokena Makeka of Makeka Designs in Cape Town. The project was then broken into 2 phases. The first phase commenced late January with the first 28 architects visiting their individual sites, each consisting of 1000 square meters of land. The second phase was completed in early April when the remaining 72 architects travelled to the inner Mongolian site. This group of architects was joined by the first group who were prepared with concept models and drawings for their individual villas. The congregation of artists sparked discussion, debate and there was a mass development of creative ideas. As this project expanded, a battle of creative designs clashed together in order to achieve ultimate dominance. However there was found pure beauty in the harmonizing together of these designs, similar to a well developed collage. Once the development drawings have been completed, Chinese architects will take over to produce the construction documents. Mr Jiang anticipates the completion of the first houses by the end of this year, and the entire ORDOS 100 project to be completed by the end of 2009. Ordos is a city that is waiting to be fully realised with its population level continuously rising and its economy in a swift upward cycle, this region no doubt is enjoying the prospect of these 100 architects erecting these strong symbols of change and beauty into the barren Ordos desert. by Raymond Prince
Concrete art Wall and window decals are quite a common trend in the art of home décor. However it is an unusual site to see such attention and beauty applied to floors. Transparent House has brought a new way of thinking about this cold and lifeless floor material, concrete. The team at Transparent House have created a method that allows the permanent application of any pattern to the surface of concrete flooring, either when pouring or after the concrete has set. This is a piece of floral adornment that excites and enlivens the space while still complimenting the clean and simple character of the space by sharing its energy and warmth with this material. This passion in the discovery of new and uncustomary aspects in mundane objects of everyday life is what focuses their attention on permeating life and beauty into our homes. www.transparenthouse.com
In today’s era of pixel communication and digital downloads, creative professionals who want to be on top of their game not only have to stay abreast of cutting-edge technology, but must also keep in touch with the latest thinking on revolutionary digital design. Training in digital design can open up a new world of career possibilities, apart from the established paths such as working on creative teams in advertising or web agencies, or as freelance designers or consultants, says Eva Csernyanszky, founder of the Cape Town-based school Friends of Design. The rapid evolvement in this field has led to completely new job descriptions being created, such as mobile graphic designer, game developer and ring-tone developer, with many crossing the boundaries between visual, interface, multimedia and sound design. “We interact and communicate via screen technology every day, flicking through menus, and clicking on and watching animations. The pixel forms the basis of images on the screens that surround us, on our cell phones, iPods, digital cameras, televisions, personal computers, and ATMs.” She says these new technologies are also shaping the way in which creative media are being produced and it is no secret that major corporates are marketing their products through new unusual channels: advertising their products on computer games, and selling real-world merchandise in 3D online digital worlds, such as secondlife, that simulate real life. Csernyanszky believes it is critical for all visual designers to remain on the cuttingedge of new technology to maximise their creativity and expose their clients to new media. “Digital designers are highly skilled creatives, whose task is to analyse digital communication needs, and then to conceive and create effective and socially responsible visual solutions. They must blend artistic creativity with problem diagnosis, stategising and implementing various skills, to produce work that will inform, persuade and entertain their target audiences,” she says. Landmarks pointing to the digital training school’s success include the fact that top corporates, advertising agencies and publishing companies, including Woolworths, Saatchi & Saatchi and Touchline Media, use its training services; that IT sales and marketing company Access International recently appointed the school as its client training partner; that major publications in South Africa and abroad have sought and published founder Eva Csernyanszky’s views on key issues such as sustainability in design; and that the school is already receiving a stream of requests for interns from multimedia agencies and design houses. With strong links to the digital design industry in Germany, where she lectured at a major graphic design college for several years, Csernyanszky’s strategy
has been to regularly invite talented young German tutors and specialist digital artists to provide hands-on training to her students, complementing the teachings of industryexperienced local lecturers. Csernyanszky believes that the visiting experts’ fresh approach adds a different dimension to the training her school provides. Timo Daum, Adobe Certified Flash Instructor and founder of 2pir, presents various courses for the academy, currently instructing selected student groups in viral Flash techniques and graphics for mobile devices. Lars Espeter, a professional lecturer and Game Designer from Stuttgart in Germany, is scheduled for an exciting Game Design workshop at their academy in August 2008. The German tutors not only offer her students a broader view of European trends, but also direct some of the unusual live projects undertaken within the school’s “digital design studio” environment, where students notch up real-world experience by working for actual clients to real deadlines. One project handled with great success by the first group of full-time students last year was the rebranding of Khayelitsha-based Ikho Films, the only film and television production company situated in the heart of a South African township, and the creation of a web interface that graphically represents the film company and its work to potential partners. To further expose its students to new thinking on an international level, FoD integrates its full time students with visiting foreign students participating in their 3 month “Study Abroad” program. The most recent program, involving 15 students from large graphic design colleges in Berlin and Hamburg, was highly successful and beneficial to all students involved. The school is already planning exchange programmes and joint projects with other design schools in Germany. FoD offers a two-year digital design course, as well as short modular courses for working professionals. “Our customised courses have really taken off with our corporate clients. One group has returned recently for the third time, a positive sign that our training concept works.” says Csernyanszky. Csernyanszky’s approach to training full-time students is to focus on conceptual thinking and finished art, rather than simply to teach them how to use software programs. She stresses that while FoD’s teaching methodology is a little different, professionalism is expected from all students. The comprehensive two-year course, which starts again next February, covers freestyle drawing, print media studies, web design and motion graphics design. FoD has three Adobe certified instructors and has already attained its Adobe certified training centre accreditation. Open days are set aside every Friday throughout the year. For details, contact Friends of Design on 021 461 0971 or e-mail info@friendsofdesign.net
Obbligato Decor cc
T: +27 31 701 6565 F: +27 31 702 0753 E: info@obbligato.co.za W: www.obbligato.co.za PO Box 190, Pinetown 3600, South Africa
A sample of our work? You’re looking at it!
We’ve printed this paper from the very first issue and it’s not because we’re on a contract, it’s because we know that ‘you’re only as good as your last campaign’. The reasons we’ve kept this account is because we’re passionate about print, we’ve built and maintained a valuable relationship with our client and we’re committed to meeting their deadlines. Like the paper, we’re getting better all the time. Driven by the latest in print technology, we produce top quality brochures, magazines, corporate folders, posters and point of sale material.
Tandym Print
Corner of Park Road and Mail Street, Western Province Park, Epping
T: 021 505 4200
F: 021 505 4280
Email: print@tandym.co.za
DIRECTORY ANIMATION Atomic Visual Effect Last year we built 3 cars, 2 trucks, 2 helicopters, 2 factories, 4 skyscrapers and landed a space shuttle in the heart of Cape Town. Contact: Amira Quinlan Tel: +27 (0)21 461 4995 Fax: +27 (0)21 461 5411 Email: amira@atomic-vfx.com www.atomic-vfx.com SolidPDA Post-production, design and animation. Specializing in character animation! Contact: Brad Tel: +27 (0)83 456 3098 Email: brad@solidpda.com www.solidpda.com
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Incepta Online One of the UK’s largest online marketing agencies. Specialists in online advertising, digital relationship marketing, web design and online investor relations. Contact: Sarah Kelly Tel: 0207 535 9805 Fax: 0207 535 9801 Email: sarah@inceptaonline.com www.inceptaonline.com Mindscape Advertising Graphic Design, Events, Promotions, Web Development and Strategic Planning. Contact: Carien Kruger Tel: +27 (0)51 436 8266 Fax: +27 (0)51 436 8260 Email: info@mindscapeonline.com www.mindscapeonline.com Purpleberry Advertising, graphic design, magazine design, web/internet and intranet design, annual reports, corporate communications, product launches, packaging and promotional campaigns. Contact: Vanessa Bolton Tel: +27 (021) 424 2330 Fax: +27 (021) 424 4297 Email: boltonv@purpleberry.co.za www.purpleberry.co.za
CD AND DVD DUPLICATION AND REPLICATION Avomedia Specialises in the supply and production of cd-rom and cd-r media. We offer cd-roms, 8cm round minicd’s, cd-business cards and more. Contact: Avomedia Tel: +27 (0)21 422 2227 Fax: +27 (0)21 422 2223 Email: capetown@avomedia.co.za www.avomedia.co.za Digital Direct Digital Direct has been providing high quality duplication and replication services to countless South African businesses and professionals. Contact: Burger Tel: +27 (0)21 554 2577 Fax: 086 502 9840 Email: burger@digitaldirect.co.za www.digitaldirect.co.za VNG Bulk cd and dvd duplications. Bulk video and audio duplications. Showreel editing. Transfer of all formats. Standards conversions. Contact: Noel Tel: +27 (0)21 424 7501 Fax: +27 (0)21 426 2285 Email: noel@vng.co.za www.vng.co.za
DESIGN STUDIOS Blank Design Studio* Web and graphic design. Contact: Steven Rosenberg Tel: +27 (0)83 662 8345 Fax: +27 (0)21 423 7165 Email: steve@blankds.com www.blankds.com Electric Fire Graphic design and marketing. Contact: Nadeem Petersen Tel: +27 (0)21 422 0842 Fax: +27 (0)21 422 0940 Email: nadeem@electricfire.co.za www.electricfire.co.za Kreatif - Code and Design Kreatif Code & Design is a full-service design studio offering creative, professional graphic design, website design and development services. Contact: Kristoph Kunze Tel: +27 (0)21 555 2371 Email: studio@kreatif.co.za www.kreatif.co.za Morrisons Locally designed and fashioned fine jewellery. Contact: Peta Morrison Tel: +27 (0)82 4616 100 Email: info@morrisons.co.za www.morrisons.co.za
COMPUTER EQUIPMENT
OFFICE SPACE
Access International Authorized Apple reseller, Authorized Adobe reseller, specialist sales and support for the design, advertising & photographic industries. Contact: Maggie Smith Tel: +27 (0)21 424 0772 Email: mail@accessint.co.za www.accessint.co.za
Creative professional tenants wanted. Offices from 12m2 to 100m2, or “Hot desks”. Rent Includes communal receptionist, boardrooms, kitchens, printers, fax, copier, ADSL, VoIP.1/2Gig of bandwidth, phone rental, electricity. Contact: Mika Email: miki@rafikis.co.za
Frontosa Suppliers of PC Hardware, wholesale prices direct to the public. Contact: Eddie Pio Tel: +27 (0)21 551 4411 Fax: +27 (0)21 552 6172 Email: ftlp@telkomsa.net www.frontosa.co.za
PRINTING Digital Colour Centre Colour/b&w laser printing/copying; encapsulation/mounting; scanning; binding; business cards; large format printing; typesetting/design/finishing; Contact: Shane Tel: +27 (0)21 425 0990 Fax: +27 (0)21 425 0992 Email: info@digitalcolour.biz
Designtmes Page 15
Print Active Copy Centre We offer the following services: colour/ b&w high volume copying, scanning, binding, design, and finishing. We offer business packages consisting of letterheads, business cards and compliment slips. Free delivery and collection. Free quotations. Contact: Jo-Anne Tel: +27 (0)21 419 0734 Fax: +27 (0)21 419 0800 Email: jvmuller@theactivegroup
MULTIMEDIA Webfactory Creative website design and development, since 1997. View our extensive portfolio at www.webfactory. co.za then give us a call to chat about your project. The ideal new media partner for design and ad agencies. Contact: Paul Martin / Rushdi Salie Tel: +27 (0)21 447 8575 Fax: +27 (0)21 448 6298 Email: info@webfactory.co.za www.webfactory.co.za Balance New Media broadband internet 3d sound and motion studio Contact: James Woolley Tel: +27 (0)21 461 6025 Mob: +27 (0)83 617 3419 Email: info@balancenewmedia.com www.balancenewmedia.com Eiledon Solutions Professional & affordable Web Design & Development solutions. Free Quote online at www.eiledon.co.za! Contact: Simms Tel: +27 (0)21 701 8060 Fax: +27 (0)21 976 7530 Email: info@eiledon.co.za www.eiledon.co.za
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PHOTOGRAPHERS Neko-Lime Photography, photo retouching, graphic design & DTP Contact: Anthea Davison Tel: +27 (0)21 434 0704 Email: anthea@neko-lime.co.za www.neko-lime.co.za
TRAINING Vega Cape Town Vega delivers a new breed of communicators whose expertise is to generate sustainable brand ideas that can build businesses. Contact: Gail Tel: +27 (0)21 425 7591 Fax: +27 (0)21 425 7592 Email: gail@vegaschool.com www.vegaschool.com Vega Johannesburg Vega delivers a new breed of communicators whose expertise is to generate sustainable brand ideas that can build businesses. Tel: +27 (0)11 326 3486 Fax: +27 (0)11 326 2069 www.vegaschool.com
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