Ronan Gallocker Level 6 GAD Critical Study (Undesigned)
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“The only thing worse than a perilous adventure is a boring one.�
- Lemony Snicket
I am a multidisciplinary designer with an interest in both publication design and moving image. I enjoy work with a narrative, one that gets people involved and takes them on a journey, whether that be on miniature or epic proportions. I believe I have an eye for precision when it comes to layouts and editing, and that this is what draws me to the mediums I use. As I develop as a designer, I no longer feel intimidated by design that I admire and respect, I want to go out and create something better. “The only thing worse than a perilous adventure is a boring one.� - Lemony Snicket
Ronan Gallocker
As I approach the end of my time studying Graphic Arts and Design, a certain quote from Lemony Snicket is becoming seemingly more meaningful. I have come to a point in my journey through education where I now know what I want to do and I understand my practice for what feels like the first time. There is little point creating something that is of minimal interest or enjoyment, that is what I call a boring adventure. Now it’s time for me to start my next adventure, no matter how perilous it may appear.
Briefs
I find self-initiated briefs the ideal opportunity to explore concepts within my work and to take time to essentially play - allowing me to find the right outcome and really enjoy what I produce. I have undertaken open self initiated and set live briefs, although an overly rigid and planned structure doesn’t appeal to me - an essence of fluidity is my objective.
Ronan Gallocker
Project Title: I See The Music [Fig.1] I See The Music presents the communication of music, conveying the essence of personality through visuals. A journey through the patterns in a piece of music, through lyrics, tones and notes. As the project developed, an interactive element was conceived. A short series of moving images that respond to elements within the song that are activated when scanned through an augmented reality app on a mobile device. It’s not always enough to just show a visual; sometimes you need to immerse a person in it. A design needs to adapt depending on its intentions. Designed by myself. Music by Henry Krinkle X Justin Martin. A project that exists over both print and digital environments. Project Title: The Land of Lost Content [Fig.2] The Land of Lost Content is an exploration of recollections. Presenting memories in unconventional ways and interpreting them. This project is a journey through found footage, sound and even a look through my own unknown past. A turning point in my work, The Land of Lost Content is the starting point of a new draw to creative writing as a narrative and how emotion can be a deciding factor in design. The viewer can interpret this collection of pieces through the given narrative, finding connections in the work or making their own links to themselves and their own reminiscences. Project Title: How Many Times - Munich [Fig.3] Munich are an indie pop band based in Leeds who required a music video for upcoming single ‘How Many Times?’ - due to be released in 2015. As a live brief, the project consisted of meetings with the client over various stages of development. After getting a feel for the bands style and persona, creative freedom was given. Considerations had to be taken throughout on how the video would portray the client and how a viewer from anywhere in the world would read it. Influenced by the works of Joel Kefali and Duncan Winecoff, I wanted to be able to tell a story in a short time frame. A collaboration with Jack Moy, Hannah Ennis and Ellie Polston. With extended work produced by Ellie Polston and Myself.
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Project Title: Creative License Book Launch [Fig.4]
Ronan Gallocker
A collaboration with Emily Clark, Hannah Ennis and Rachael Bull, the Leeds Polytechnic exhibition brief was to create an exhibition for the launch of the book ‘Creative License’ – a recollection by former Leeds College of Art student James Charnley. A journey of the students and art scene through the transition of Leeds College of Art to Leeds Polytechnic. A time when Leeds was the most forward and outrageous art city in Europe, full of artists, designers and creatives. A brief was set to use imagery from the book alongside text and quotes to create designs to be installed in the exhibition space of A building in Broadcasting Place. Creative freedom was given to us as students allowing us to put our input and style into the project, all while relaying with the live client. With boundaries, we were able to decide how the work would be displayed, where the performance of ex student and artist, Kevin Atherton would take place and how the exhibition would look/feel in general, among many other things. A deadline of 3 weeks was given for the project, which meant that it was a fast paced project. As the creative license book is an archival piece looking back at past times, it felt like a perfect link from my work in semester one and it really led me to continue with the theme of archival documentation for my final major project. Project Title: Just Like The Riviera [Fig,5] Just like the Riviera is a self initiated brief and collaboration with Hannah Ennis. A project designed to explore a new landscape set within tight time restraints, with outcomes using appropriate techniques creatively and skilfully as well as being able to negotiate, develop and present a final outcome that is fitting with the concept of documenting the town of Scarborough and responding to the atmosphere, constraints were set. The theme of blue and yellow was developed, with only objects fitting into those colours being photographed and a keen focus was applied to textures. At this stage, Just Like The Riviera is just a print based project, an experiment into zine culture. Plans for further development of the concept across more platforms are in force. Project Title: Clive Eggington Memorial Lecture [Fig.6] A short collaborative project between Rachael Bull and myself. Posters were required to advertise the visiting lecture on 25th February – the Clive Eggington memorial lecture with Simon Roberts and Archive Sheffield. All of the work was created in reference to Archive Sheffield’s message and styling. We focused on Leeds as people rather than place to create a poster and miniature archive of images.
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CLIVE EGGINGTON MEMORIAL LECTURE ARCHIVE SHEFFIELD
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Project Title: Fad贸 [Fig.7] Fad贸 is based on a series of interviews with my grandmother. It presents the ordinary as the extraordinary, leading a reader through a narrative celebrating the everyday. This project exists in two parts; an evolving format of an experimental publication and a series of moving images, this responsive piece is the world of my grandmother through my pen. An opportunity to explore creative writing, a long loved but unfortunately lost pastime of mine.
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Project Title: Value [Fig.8]
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“Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible. I think it’s in my basement. Let me go upstairs and check.”
- M.C. Escher
Themes and Concerns
Through my work I like to play. To explore in answer to a brief and in response to a subject and see how I can interpret it. Develop a design as far as it can go then refine it. I want to see how a design communicates through different mediums, how it would look if it moved. A design needs to be adaptable to different needs. Something that can naturally evolve from one format to another, from print to digital or further. Be brave with work. Be absurd.
My eye for design leads to work that appears simplistic and minimalist, but is injected with youthful exuberance. I aim to make work that feels natural and effortless, in such a way that you don’t even think about the design. Visiting Topographie des Terrors in Berlin [Fig.9] made me consider the use of archival photos and how they can be presented in a modern and minimalist way. The exhibition took photos from World War Two, specifically those focusing on the SS and police crimes throughout Europe, and created a contemporary and fresh way of displaying them. The use of white space, halftone dots and material panels kept the aesthetics interesting and unpredictable while still allowing an interaction to take place. This is something that stayed with me and I took on board when considering designs and layouts for both the Creative License exhibition and my final major project, Fadó.
“Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible. I think it’s in my basement. Let me go upstairs and check.” -M.C. Escher I’m drawn to a diverse range of visual communication, but recent exploration has led to publication design becoming a subject of interest to me. Australian designer Dylan McDonough described it as “being able to create something that contains type, photographs, maybe illustrations too is interesting as it starts to become a collaborative process” when I interviewed him [Appendix A]. The practice of mixing all these elements until they click and form that exact look you are after is one I find extremely satisfying. Adapting work and words to create a vision, even when those words and images are you own, can be a challenge – which is all part of the attraction. The experimentation of form and layout is constant and the results are ever evolving.
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I feel that my work is self-reflective; it is personal, investigative and emotive in its approach. As I design I look for substance, something with a narrative, a backstory or past. I want to delve into it, understand it, and become it. Every project is special and crafted without taking inspiration from anything else I have designed. It can be difficult to stop the mind blending styles, but as a multidisciplinary designer I feel this is where I can expand designs in format rather than blurring them together.
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The ability to communicate a subject and evoke an emotional response is something that interests me greatly. The way the design can take any content and transform it. Richard Turley’s influence on Bloomberg Business Week is an admirable example of this [Fig 10], [Fig.11]. He took a heavy and stuffy topic and created an eye catching newsstand bestseller. Turley’s ability to use design to transform a perception is a skill I hold with upmost respect. The publication is of course a serious document within the business world, providing a weekly update of trades, affairs and happenings. This sober content is complimented by the often satirical cover. Turley injects personality into a, what some consider, cold hearted community of business and finance. Playing on current affairs, he changes the tone of voice the magazine portrays. He is able to sum up hard news in one design, with the issue being simple to understand for those involved, and still an aesthetic delight for those who are not.
changed, but his approach has not. A transfer from print to digital, Turley’s work on MTV’s idents is fresh and representative of today’s tumblr youth [Fig. 12], [Fig. 13]. No matter the audience or outcome, Richard Turley is able to consistently find an answer to communicate successfully, describing his love for “the clusterfuck of visual content that we make and experience simultaneously on multiple screens, together, apart, sharing, liking, consuming” in an interview for It’s Nice That. We have to be able to design work that can go anywhere and be anything. The challenge of design is constantly changing, and as a designer who is not limited to one screen or platform, I enjoy the clusterfuck. The variation. The different.
As Richard Turley moved from Bloomberg to MTV, the format he works on has also
A visit to Aesthetica Short Film Festival, for me, confirmed myself as a multidisciplinary designer. A film festival full of the latest talent – some names practically household mixed with others who are still in education, it was a perfect mix to not intimidate someone like myself. The film festival allowed me to realise the power
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of film and its almost hypnotic tendencies, transporting a viewer to any given location for just a few minutes. How emotions can be played and changed by stylisation and soundtrack, leaving someone like a puppet to a director’s hand. The power of film is what draws me.
stylisation. The use of archival imagery, in this case mainly stills, paired with an intense soundtrack sets the tone for the video. The simplicity of transitioning photos that allude to the destruction World War Three could have brought, are both evocative and captivating over fifty years later. Perhaps the ability to relate to the images in todays war fearing world adds to the strength of this piece. The black and white images with sharp contrast throughout create a more documentary style rather than the intended fiction, which of course is aided by the personal voiceover throughout delivering a well-developed lexical and semantic field. Topics of war, pollution and death are not easy going, yet have been factored in well, taking the reader to this non-existent place and making them believe. While some may not see the appeal of an old science fiction short in today’s world of blockbusters, the editing and soundtrack alone are perfect to me. The simplicity and pace are commendable, keeping the viewer wide eyed as they are taken on a tale of the unexpected. The cut from image to image does not linger, instead permitting the viewer enough time to be engulfed and reimagine the scene, allowing enough time for them to relive the tale. So precise that it feels natural, the image switches often on the beat, allowing the tempo to continue without slowing. When a piece of moving image has precise editing and an obvious care for detail has been applied it increases its appeal perpetually. No matter the age or content of a video, an eye for detail and consideration of subject matter is a trait that I regard and stride towards.
I’m drawn by moving image, in particular by two approaches. Raw, visceral imagery such as the work of Benjamin Dowie [Fig. 14] and Duncan Winecoff in contrast to a grungier 90s aesthetic such as that of Richard Turley or James J Robinson [Fig. 15]. I recognise the beauty and strength in both; it is just presented in different forms. To amalgamate the two and create video that is both evocative and relatable in nature is the goal, to find my style and play with it. As Benjamin Dowie said when I asked him about creativity “it’s just a matter of discovering what that looks like for yourself as an individual” [Appendix B]. A successful moving image, for me, has good use of pace, audio and theme. When these three foundations come together, the most perfectly timed and engaging video is made, that is where the real beauty is. A prime example of splendour in unexpected places is Chris Marker’s 1962 success, ‘La Jetée’ [Fig. 16], [Fig. 17], [Fig. 18]. A tale of a post apocalyptic Paris, suffering from radiation that results in survivors having to seek safety underground, does not immediately sound like a work of art, but this science fiction piece manages to draw the viewer in endlessly with its call on reoccurring traumatic memories and slick
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in both design and writing combines these hobbies and create work, they expand the boundaries and add to the development of a design movement that is both criticised and adored equally, a common occurrence that seems to follows all movements. The designer is able to claim ownership of the message they are portraying should they wish to, for what feels like the first time.
Pascal Lefevre refers to a new generation of work that lies away from the labelled work we see today. [Fig. 19] “In the course of print history only a few successful models of image and word-alliances (e.g., comics, picture books) developed, while other types remained rather marginal…Though individual works of this newly defined group of image and word-narratives may share some characteristics with better known models (as those of comics or picture books for children), as a group they use far more extensively typographic manipulations and special layouts, they experiment more freely with varying style and they can redesign the object of the book itself.” These pieces where designer becomes author cannot simply be squeezed into a box. Each is individual and cannot necessarily be restricted to one realm. The self-authorship quality brings the work into its own and this is what I admire. The experimentation at this stage before the era labels and somewhat mainstreams graphic authorship makes it exciting. As each individual who has interest
But does this venture of designer as author close certain doors within the creative world? A collaborative approach soon becomes a somewhat solo escapade, removing the element of a client or studio atmosphere. Perhaps there is no need to coin a new term for those designers who take interest in authoring their own work, for design is multivalent, and authorship is just another branch to the growing tree of graphic design. I believe that I can use self-authorship to my benefit, allowing me to create work even without an externally set brief.
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Whether work be client led or self-initiated, I allow the brief to lead what format I work on. As I develop, the territories of writing, design and video overlap, allowing me to cross pollenate art, design and literature. Of course they are very different mediums in their own right, so when working as a multidisciplinary designer it is important that a project looks cohesive and that the interactions between multiple platforms correlate. I feel that in order to get this uniformity I desire, it is the very basics of design that need to be considered before getting overly involved – composition,
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It is conceivable that my attraction to moving image is a continued interest from my love of narrative and creative writing. To formulate a narrative based on factual recollection, a happening, is an action that is greatly enjoyed. The depth a tale can hold and can influence work interests me. To be able to pen my own, whether based on fact or fiction, allows me to be author of my own work. Which led me to consider the issue of designer as author and whether such a thing can exist. A self authored text that needs designing no matter what form allows a deeper connection, which can at times work to my detriment, but authorship allows a further understanding of the design process.
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colour and typography. With an implemented style, development can then take place to play and discover what it is the design really needs. When design works over different platforms it is very satisfying to be able to see the varying ways it can be employed. A prime example of this is the branding of the 2014 AGIdeas design conference, Look Upstairs, in Melbourne, Australia. I was fortunate enough to attend the event, where over forty designers from all over the world showcased their journeys of inspiration, ideation and ingenuity. The three-day event solidified my desire to be a member of the design community and gave me the extra drive I feel can be seen in my more recent work. The simplicity of the branding created by Cato Brand Partners appeals endlessly to my love of the minimal. Drawing the eye immediately with bold colours and symbolism, this imagery is loud and confident in its appeal, yet sits comfortably within white space to ground and balance it. A strong contrast aids in the userfriendliness of the design, while boosting legibility, a factor that is also helped by the choice of a clean and simplistic typeface. Although Look Upstairs is very different to the style of my work, the foundations of the design are still similar. The cross over it plays from poster to publication [Fig. 23], to video [Fig. 21], [Fig. 20] to website [Fig. 22], is sleek and smooth, something I try to emulate within my own practice. The transition is seamless, with the design changing to suit the need, becoming an ode to the other formats rather than a carbon copy. This is a quality that needs to be seen more and I hope I pay justice to it. From experience I find that moving an identical design between platforms doesn’t work for a successful implementation of cohesive design, differentiation still needs to be apparent.
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“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” – Oprah Winfrey
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate”
- Oprah Winfrey
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“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” – Oprah Winfrey Talking about the life of another means that the full story cannot be shown, as I interpret the whole description cannot be given and a fully resolved picture cannot be had. This is part of the beauty of Fadó, in my opinion. A woman unknown to the majority, opening up her life. Allowing each person to interpret her individually, forming their very own thoughts and opinions, on a mere stranger. Inspiration for this came from discovering The Epilogue [Fig. 26], created by photographer Laia Abril. The reader is presented with the story of a stranger, Cammy, and how her eating disorder tragically took over her life, leaving a hole in her family unit. The content is personal, overwhelming and harsh in its approach, yet still manages to feel relatable and inviting.
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The design involves the reader, through folding pages and story revealing tabs [Fig. 27]. The interaction makes the action of reading the book that much more personal as you become fully immersed in a stranger’s life. As a design, the book has a strong impact as just an image based publication, but when these are teamed with hard hitting pros, you are taken a whole new level deeper. There is no expectation of a happy twist, no promise of a fairytale ending, the reader is merely presented with the hard truth, leaving them unsettled and distressed. The pure emotion communicated is the drive that influenced me to begin writing within my own work.
Ronan Gallocker
The main body of my final major project is the production of Fadó, an experimental publication [Fig. 24] and series of correlating moving images. The aim is to present an audience with creative writing, through the mediums of publication design and film. A provocative and emotive tone is conceived through reinterpretation of personal interview footage [Fig. 25] with my grandmother, Lena Costello. Taking her life story, I wanted to write about the events she has been through, from the ordinary to the extraordinary, and celebrate them. The goal is to communicate the trials and jubilations encountered through everyday life, how we take these events as normal, yet to others they may have a very different appeal. A story of one woman, the smallest of glimpses into her world.
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Having thankfully not experienced the loss of a loved one, I was unable to draw such raw emotion in my content, so decided to approach my writing from an alternate angle. My grandmother has led a hard and varied life, so I chose to focus on this, adopting the topics of rural Ireland, racism, moving to the UK and other events both relatable and unique. I still want to grasp that emotional connection with a reader, letting them indulge themselves in the story and understand her life, even if that is for just a few moments. The format of a publication was chosen as the most logical form for an image and text based piece. The tactile nature was an important factor when trying to get personal with the reader. To place something in ones hand, to feel it and get a connection with it creates a strong impact. When developing the publication these were four main stages; three drafts and the final piece. The process of creating evolving drafts proved invaluable to me, when comparing the initial draft to the final outcome it is clear how far the publication has come.
The development process began with pagination [Fig. 28], where I created initial layouts based upon large images taking a main role. Setting a grid was important to ensure that there was a cohesive look with placement and sizing, allowing a somewhat predictability for the reader, and then I was able to experiment with countless layouts. One thing that was prominent at this stage was that one page size felt lacklustre and dull, so I tried alternative sizes. As a first draft came into place it was a real excuse to experiment. I hadn’t made many publications in the past and wanted to use this a reason to play. Cropped images, distorted text and lots of white space were the main design elements [Fig. 30], [Fig. 31]. While forming this draft I came across what is now the name of my final major project – Fadó. An Irish Gaelic term used to start a story or description, the nearest translation being ‘once upon a time’ or ‘in the beginning’. I was initially happy with my first draft publication, my peers helped me realise
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what needed to change and how to develop my project further. A lack of hierarchy in text and imagery left a feeling of confusion, while a visual narrative was needed to guide a reader. The publication at this stage had obvious aesthetic choices, but was unfortunately led by form rather than function.
grandmother’s started to forget sections of her own life [Fig. 35]. The smells she once could recall instantly and colours that would allude to those childhood memories. Krissy Wilson’s work on ‘The Art of Google Books’ [Fig. 34] shows the anomalies found in the Google Books database. The beauty in the imperfection is what I played on and it really is intriguing. Images both analogue and digital plagued with defects, blurs and even photos of people’s hands blocking the entire shot.
Draft two is when the project really started to feel more consistent. The introduction of a duotone colour scheme [Fig. 33] brought the imagery together rather than multiple images fighting for attention on one page. I considered more black and white imagery, but was concerned that this would cause the imagery to lose its feature status. This development also went side by side with the addition of different page sizes being a more prominent feature[Fig. 33]. The way they could be used within the publication to show segregation between pieces of writing without being too blatant was ideal. Adding a miniature zine to the binding was an element I particularly thought brought a new dimension to the work and was something I really wanted to work with. This definition between sections within the publication allows the reader chances to pause and reflect, with blank pages added to place emphasis on this. While this draft had a very different aesthetic to the first, I still carried over the parts I wanted to. The distorted text in my opinion is a subtle feature that adds a lot of meaning. The concept of memories and how easily they are forgotten or muddled was the influence. I wanted to show how my
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I’m happy with the development I made with the aesthetics of Fadó. At the time you don’t necessarily notice the changes that are being made, yet on reflection I can see that the project has indeed come a long way. From simple drawings, the mere foundations of the publication, it has been built up to an end result that I am pleased with. While writing this project I knew I was out of practice, I had let my love of writing sit dormant, I was slightly rusty and almost embarrassed to pick up the pen again. I pushed my comfort zone and attended a creative writing workshop with author Paul Magr. This session was highly useful in making me think outside the box with my writing, avoiding the norm and implementing a style that suited me. I learnt how to plan my work to aid creativity and the best ways to edit and refine. It was definitely an experience I needed to help me and aided me in the rewriting of my text. After rewriting and allowing myself to be free with my style, I attended a handful of tutorials with author Helen Cross. We spoke about tone of voice and pace of
reading, and how it can be affected by the way you write. I knew these pieces of writing were a main focus in both my publication and accompanying videos so needed to be happy with how they sounded when read aloud. The pace of the project is a vital factor that overlaps over all three main elements; writing, moving image and publication. As the time comes to draw an end to the production of Fadó at university, for the project itself, it is just the beginning. I do not want to see this as the stopping point of this venture. With the skills I have accumulated from partaking in this course, I plan to keep developing this amalgamation of words, photos and moving image to a new level. Graphic Arts and Design at Leeds Beckett has stoked the need for me to become a fully-fledged member of the design world, and I do not see the desire that burns within me going out any time soon.
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The third draft is of a larger size, 320mm x 220mm, a size that fits comfortably within the hand but still offers a lot of space to play with. I wanted to avoid A paper sizes as I feel they are over used in the workplace and don’t fit the premise of the publication as it needs to be more personal and intimate. This unique factor is also partially the reason for using different paper stocks throughout this draft. I wanted to differentiate between key stages and changer in her life, in a subtle manner making some easier to flick through and leaving some harder to.
Appendix A. Melbourne based graphic designer, Dylan McDonough, has had reputable industry recognition at such a young age. His graphic style is clean and sharp, from the his final designs to the way his work is presented. The follow are a serues if questions tha tI asked Dylan McDonough.
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What is it about publication design that you a drawn to? I’m drawn to all sorts of visual communication, but lately publication design. You’ve had a lot of success for a young designer, do you think this pushes you more to create bigger and better designs? Cheers, I wouldn’t say success, maybe just industry recognition :) My mentor throughout university and still today, John Warwicker told me I should always ‘Do more. But better’. I’ve tried to follow his practise ever since I left university and it’s worked for me so far. I’m not focusing on publication design and its cross over into other formats such as moving image, mainly using them to tell a narrative. How do you make sure you maintain a cohesive look throughout your work? I try to tackle all projects differently, making sure I consciously have no set ‘style’. Crossing over into the ‘moving world’ is something I’ll be working on this year.
communicate, music (massively). John Warwicker, Jonathan Zawada, Carl Kleiner. Do you have a favourite quote or work motto? ‘Do more. But better’ – John Warwicker. I am also writing a dissertation at the moment on the theme of publication design and human memory in design, do you have any top tips that you follow when designing? With publication design I try and research /draw inspiration from anything but publication design. Website design is really interesting to look into when designing a publication and definitely relevant to your research around human memory in design. The last publication I designed my research/ inspiration was drawn from Japanese and Polish poster design, contemporary web design and wayfinding design.
What do you find the hardest restraints in the industry? Ha! Some designers would say clients and that’s what first came to mind, but actually it’s yourself as a designer. I graduate this year, and have just created a website. As someone who is just starting out, do you have any advice on getting my name out there? Enter competitions. Complete an internship (singular). Get your work up on The Loop and/or The Dots and/or Behance. Call and email studios. Print your folio or a piece of proportional material and post that to studios.
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Who/what are your biggest influences? Art, architecture, the way people Fig. 44
Appendix B. Specialising in creating evocative and visceral content with a distinctly organic and honest style, invoking sun-drenched memories and glimmering emotions of intimate moments and delicate details. Beanpole Productions is a unique video & film production studio established in 2008 by cinematographer/director, Benjamin Dowie. The following are a series of questions that I asked Benjamin Dowie.
What tools do you use on a daily basis? My go to camera is the Canon 5D Mk3. I shoot everything from music videos to tv commercials on this. When editing, I use the Adobe suite, mostly Premiere Pro CC. My ideal workspace is somewhere I feel inspired and relaxed. What’s your go to source for inspiration? Vimeo! I follow a lot of other filmmakers on Vimeo, and love the community and support there. Also the outdoors… the ocean, nature, people, and anything else that I find aesthetically pleasing.
What was your first commission and how did it come about? My first proper paid video project..? I think it was a content piece for a winery. I was friends with the head winemaker, so kind of fell into it that way, even though I didn’t have much experience outside of film school. Tell me about your daily routine, how do you maximise your days? I don’t really have a specific routine I stick to, as I’m always working on something different. I could be up at 5am for a shoot, or I could have a day in the studio editing. Managing my time is really important though, especially as I get busier. Sometimes if I’m shooting all week I’ll have to come home each night and respond to emails to organise other jobs and keep on top of everything. End up having quite long days!
If you could choose any place to explore where would it be? Space How would you describe your aesthetic? Visceral, organic, honest, evocative. What is the best advice that you have been given? Do what you love. What are you working on at the moment? Editing a TV commercial that I just finished shooting. A short film about a French Filmmaker. A piece for South Australia Tourism.
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When was the first time that you remember realising that you are a creative person? I’m not sure there was ever a precise moment where I thought ‘oh, I’m creative’. It’s something that has just evolved over time I think. Everyone is creative in their own way, or has the ability to be creative, it’s just a matter of discovering what that looks like for yourself as an individual.
What are the biggest challenges you’ve had in the realm of your art? A lot of people would probably answer this question with money, and that its hard to make a living in the arts, but I’ve been very fortunate so that’s never really been a problem for me. It is very challenging at times however convincing clients of your value, and the value of your work.
Appendix C.
Ronan Gallocker
As a year group, level 6 took part in a research unit exploring themes within the world of design. I chose the theme “filmed singing scenes” and decided on the ‘other father song’ from Coraline. Moving image is of great interest to me, with Coraline being an early favourite in my teenage years. As I have grown older, the storyline has developed with me as I now understand and appreciate the complex narrative within. A children’s film with undertones of mind control and sombre atmospheres, what’s not to like? Coraline, a 3d stop motion movie that fits into the dark fantasy genre, was released in 2009. A young and bored girl discovers a parallel world through a small door in her house, everything seems familiar, but it is far from home. She has another mother, another father and everyone has buttons for eyes. While it gives the appearance of a light hearted children’s film, Coraline has a much darker and twisted level underneath it. The film must be seen for its heavy use of MKULTRA and mind control imagery – taking this happy tale down a much harsher trail. The lack of eyes in the other world is a very important symbol. The removal of eyes is a long-standing representation of mind control, once the slave’s eyes are removed, they lose sight of reality. The subtle messages can be seen from the get go as the title sequence shows a normal doll taken, stripped, manipulated and filled with grain. With its insides gone, the dolls personality and mind have gone too. Artistic title sequence or something deeper? In the scene below, Coraline is warned by her other father of the dangers the other mother may bring. At this moment, the small child realises that thing are not quite as they seem. A turning point in some aspects, this songs riddled message really is important.
Fig. 47
References.
[1] I See The Music final poster, vinyl sleeve and vinyl EP [2] Still from The Land of Lost Content feature [3] Still from Munich’s ‘How Many Times?’ music video [4] Final exhibition space for James Charnley’s Creative License book launch [5] A layout from ‘Just Like The Riviera’ zine [6] Final outcome, a poster for the Clive Eggington Memorial Lecture [7] A spread from the final version of Fadó [8] Result of the one day value workshop [9] Topographie des Terrors exhibition space, Berlin
[11] Bloomberg Business Week, July 2013 [12] MTV Justin Timberlake on screen ident [13] MTV Zen Jen on screen ident [14] Beanpole Productions ‘Stillness Arises’, 2015 [15] James J Robinson ‘Selfie’, 2015 [16] Chris Marker ‘La Jetée’, 1962 [17] Chris Marker ‘La Jetée’, 1962 [18] Chris Marker ‘La Jetée’, 1962 [19] Venn diagram showing the crossover with image and word alliances [20] AGIdeas ‘Look Upstairs’ 2014 on screen design [21] AGIdeas ‘Look Upstairs’ 2014 video design [22] AGIdeas ‘Look Upstairs’ 2014 website design [23] AGIdeas ‘Look Upstairs’ 2014 print design [24] Final Fadó publication
Ronan Gallocker
[10] Bloomberg Business Week, January 2014
[25] Interview footage with Lena Costello, 2015 [26] Laia Abril’s The Epilogue, 2014 [27] Laia Abril’s The Epilogue, 2014 [28] Pagination for Fadó [29] First draft of Fadó [30] First draft of Fadó [31] First draft of Fadó [32] Second draft of Fadó Ronan Gallocker
[33] Second draft of Fadó [34] Krissy Wilson’s ‘The Art of Google Books’, 2012 [35] Response to ‘The Art of Google Books’ [36] Final publication of Fadó [37] Final publication of Fadó [38] Final publication of Fadó [39] Final publication of Fadó [40] Final publication of Fadó [41] Final publication of Fadó [42] Final publication of Fadó [43]Dylan McDonough, Racism in the UK, 2014 [44]Dylan McDonough, Dream Psychology, 2013 [45]Beanpole Productions, Morning Surf, 2012 [46]Beanpole Productions, Oceans and Castles, 2014 [47] Coraline, Other Father Scene, 2009
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