Studio Practice Kevin Fitzpatrick 0905195 EGRD2001
Shooting Stars The shooting stars brief set us the task of taking a particular item of recent news and deconstructing the event. Looking into how it was interpreted and was presented in the media. We were given several options regarding this examples being the News of the World Hacking, the London Riots and the death of Amy Winehouse. We were then asked to produce a minute long film that was to be saved in a .mov film and include an original sound track excluding pre-recorded music. We were set several tasks that provided us with a means of planning the film, as well as particular process in making the film. The first of these tasks being set was adapting a storyboard. (Present image of original storyboard) We could adapt the storyboard in any way we saw fit, whether that be altering what happens in each scene, adapting how the images are presented or whatever popped into my head. The storyboards I conjured up were based on whatever objects were around me, and I decided on a form of satire through each one. The main object being my macbook, so not literally I used the idea of an apple product for my storyboards. This task was engaging and gave me a different approach to my work, an approach I had not necessarily used before hand.
Following from the storyboard task we were tasked with creating a simple stock animation. This particular process in creating an animation was one I had used before but one that is simple to create, fun and can create impressive results, the only downside being the time creating the file from it using high resolution images over a mb. Working with Tomasz we created a simple stock animation taking objects out of a wallet. The results were gratifying however, this particular process was not the one I had intended on using to create my film.
Following these tasks as well as research into the various media objects we could choose from I decided on the Amy Winehouse death as the particular object I wanted to present. This story appealed to me not only due to the fact I enjoyed her music, but also the fact she was ridiculed for her private life in the media, yet was once dead proclaimed as an amazing talent and her private life notably her drink and drug abuse. This was what I wanted to present. The brief set offered us the choice of “challenging, changing, explaining, exaggerating using a time based outcome�.
Two examples of my edited storyboards. taking the storyboard and maing your own story out of it. I used the layout and character from the example one and recreated the story making comical illustrations.
Rationale
Shooting Stars was an opportunity to take a piece of media news and making it my own portrays it in my own way. I intended to portray the grimness of Amy Winehouse’s lifestyle through the moody lighting in my film. However at this particular point in time I did not have aftereffects nor new how to use it. I created the video in imovie, which limited my production value. I had intended to loop the three videos and increase the speed of them, increasing the grain in the film and camera shake. I did not achieve this, which was upsetting and reduced my opinion of the video. To improve the video I would need to gain a better understanding of the fil m editing programs available. Learn to apply a timer to the video to exaggerate the looping and end it on the age of her death. Did I met the brief expectations in terms of contextualisation. In my opinion I didn’t but I need to take my learning from this and implicate it further down the line. I learned a different working method to apply later on. Storyboarding an easy visual representation to planning, more engaging than for example a spider diagram. http://vimeo.com/33567134 final video http://vimeo.com/30369069
The virgin brief was a tough task for Tomasz and myself. From my point of view a live brief was an opportunity to test my skill. Using illustrations as a selling point was one, which had been used previously by Virgin and had worked effectively. However I personally believe I did not use the time appropriately to produce a piece, which was of the quality, which I believe, certified the brief. The use of digital tools such as InDesign and illustrator more effectively would have benefited the aesthetically quality of the pieces abundantly. However what was positive from this experience was an increased awareness of deadline. Working to a deadline more efficiently, less procrastination would have paid dividends to the work. As has been the prognosis this semester, Collaboration is effective and allows you to see your work from a different angle, allowing it to be critiqued more effectively. If I had the opportunity to progress the work with Tomasz I would have looked to produce a more sleek design, Used more effective information graphics, rather than using the original illustrations, although it gave a continuity to the work, it limited the presentation. The layout was lethargic and could of done with a refreshment. Perhaps looking into following what the eye sees is attracted to could benefit from this. I felt that although the layout of the brochure will work in terms of the reading and ease of turning over to digest the information, perhaps a less bold graphic could have i.e. more subtle background to allow the illustrations to stand out more.
Through this piece I aim to clarify the decisions made that shaped the outcome of our work. Tomasz and myself decided that we wanted to approach this task in a fun and entertaining manner. It’s a corporate communication piece, this however does not mean it necessarily has to be boring and overly text heavy. Having looked at previous Virgin advertisements, as well as the lecture as such from the Virgin representative, we realised this approach is something Virgin is keen on. Tomasz therefore conceptualised a cartoon, which we would use as the graphic tool of the brochure and poster to draw in readers and make the pieces clearly identifiable and distinguishable. One character was used, which was adapted depending on the particular part of the Virgin brand was being presented, i.e. Virgin trains. Backgrounds were made created, to give the cartoons a bolder appearance and give a continuity to the communication pieces. The use of the cartoon also presented the flamboyance of the brand an adjective used by the Virgin Representative to describe the brand. We decided that an appropriate paper needed to be used; as this piece is designed to be used by varying clients and customers of Virgin. Having looked on the Paper Co website and looking through the various papers we decided on 9 lives 100 Digital as the most appropriate paper. Why is this? The reasons behind the use are down to the recyclability and its effect on the environment. The paper is 100% recycled and can be recycled again reducing waste in regards to printing on the paper and throwing away.
Second of all it is Chlorine free, making the product less harmful to living organisms in our local environment. It is also FSC certified, which in turn means that the paper is taken from trees that are cut down and are then replaced by another. Through this the brand is promoting responsible management of forests, promoting the brand as such as an economically friendly, “green” brand. Why is this? The reasons behind the use are down to the recyclability and its effect on the environment. The paper is 100% recycled and can be recycled again reducing waste in regards to printing on the paper and throwing away. Second of all it is Chlorine free, making the product less harmful to living organisms in our local environment. It is also FSC certified, which in turn means that the paper is taken from trees that are cut down and are then replaced by another. Through this the brand is promoting responsible management of forests, promoting the brand as such as an economically friendly, “green” brand. The brochure was created from one a3 page. The paper is divided equally into 8 folded in half and folded again via the four accordingly. This we believed was the most appropriate method to present the brochure in because it is small enough to fit into most jean and trouser pockets as well as being able to identify the piece from a distance of a few metres, combined with the flamboyant cartoon and bold red background a colour associated with Virgin we believe this to be the most appropriate way to communicate the brand to an ever widening cliental and customer market.
amount of money made by Miami economy through Virgin Atlantic
4.5 million people have travelled with Virgin Atlantic from London to Miami since its inagrual ight!
7,400,000,000,000
We intended to present the pieces in a bold and attractice way. Using a clearly identifiable character that engages view and presents virgin brand in fun and entertaining manner. Use concise, short sentences to enable reader to retain knowledge.
We decided on 9lives 100 digital paper as particular paper for products due to: • FSC certified • is able to be printed using ink jet and laser jet, therefore reducing printing costs. • High quality paper suitable for high end communication products. • Is 100% recyclable. • Simple way of promoting Virgin brand being an environmentally friendly brand.
The brochure was divided into 8 and spanned an a3 page. The decision for this was based on the belief of an ease of use with the piece. We wanted the reader to easily pick up read the piece with out having to sift through excessive amounts of paper and text and easily fit into his or hers pocket. This allows further emphasises the loud graphics we have used for the pieces accompanied by the bold red background makes the product stick out further more.
With the information graphics in mind we decided to continue with using the cartoon to associate the brochue and poster. We decided on presenting several key elements from the 25th anniversary of Virgin Atalantic notably regarding distance travelled, customer numbers and monatry values and consumption of champagne to keep the fun and engaging tone to the peices.
4.5 million people have travelled with Virgin Atlantic from London to Miami since its inagrual ight!
7,400,000,000,000
amount of money made by Miami economy through Virgin Atlantic
We decided that the most suitable way to present the pieces would be in a bold and attractice way. We decided to focus on attracting the customer/client to the piece of work then informing them through short and concise sentences, enabling them to digest the information more easily. Tomasz conceptualised the idea of a cartoon to present the Virgin brand in a fun and entertaining manner. A piece of graphics which would stand out and be recognisable.
trail of thought our process fun and exciting inform readers and clients clear concise information bold and attractive looked at work done by various artists for virgin cartoons spider diagram basic drawings We decided that we wanted to focus on presenting the brochure in a fun and exciting way. Looking at previous Virgin press releases for Virgin Trains for example we decided a cartoon was the appropriate form of graphics to present our concept. A concept for a cartoon was illustrated by Tomasz. We agreed one character could be used presented in different forms appropriated by the Virgin company he was representing.
Biography Evaluation
The URL below is a link to a compressed version of the film we created. The film is a representation of the experience of a Guy Fawkes, notably for Ville Niemi who has not taken part in this cultural event. http://vimeo.com/33570350
The Biography brief was again another opportunity to collaborate. Due to the fact I was unsure how to tackle this brief and Ville and Matt who were already collaborating invited me to work with them was pleasing as I had worked with both of them before and begun to develop an understanding with the pair. The fact Ville is very direct in his working he knows what he wants to see and directed me in some respects to how the “corpse� should be planned out, gave me direction but allowed freedom and flexibility in my style. The three styles played off well and contributed massively to final outcomes. After their video in regards to gathering information on who in the public understands what the mask was and what it denoted did not give them the response they required I believe the video and corpse gave a sense of achievement to their work. The corpse was a direct nod to the Robert Rubbish Workshop we attended at the lab.
We were not too caring of our work and switched places regularly finishing and developing each others illustrations which was a different method of working I had not used before. I personally believe this made myself more productive, I prefer to work with people than on my own. I am easily distracted and therefore with the accompaniment of others, I am not only driven on through what I see them doing but also through their motivation. The video was massive step in the learning curve of this course. I truly had not used aftereffects before, and to produce a video as such like I did was an achievement for myself. Aftereffects is another program I will look to develop my understanding on. Also due to the fact Ville and Matt helped film the piece as well as contribute to the rendering and creation of i t this helped tenfold. I would like to take this further and create some videos of my own. Perhaps as I have done in my independent practice looking at the environment around me perhaps pieces on this, or perhaps on something entirely abstract like I did with my long exposure photography.