When Design Meetings Have Got You Down
When design meeting have got you down, just watch the following video and have a good laugh. Remember to laugh, it’s healthy.
On the other hand, when you’re stuck or clueless, here is a perfect representation of the process that wont get your heckles up. And always remember, even if you’re new, so are your ideas and everyone elses.
“Hi, I’m the new Microsoft”: New animated tactics
Microsoft’s battle with Apple has been primarily dominated by the PC vs Mac war, focusing on the gaining control over the consumer market. Fairly recently, Microsoft has been fighting back with their own “I’m a PC” commercials, attacking the PC user stereotype that Apple has been using to sell their product… you know, the ones:
Since then Microsoft has thrown out numerous more ads like the one with Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld going shoe shopping, ones like the “Not Alone” ad featuring an eclectic collection of PC users from every profession imaginable taking ownership of the phrase “Hi, I’m a PC…” and setting out to destroy the “I work in a cubicle” image, or like the ones featuring little kids using Windows Live to edit photos and create a dramatic mini film with toy animals, not only demonstrating how easy it is to use, but in the process also showing up non-techy adults.
Then there are the real PCs: a giant virtual wall of real PC users
http://imapc.lifewithoutwalls.com/
The new set of TV ads for Microsoft’s “It’s Everybody’s Business” campaign is a creative motion graphics composition that flows seamlessly from one topic to another following telephone interviews:
“Some of the ads are very specific about the toll of a down economy on business, and how software and IT can help. We’re using real thought leaders in business such as Katie Bayne, CMO of Coca-Cola and Robert McKnight, CEO of Quiksilver, to discuss how using the right enterprise software in the right places can help entire companies come together to drive business results.”
- Gayle Troberman, General Manager of Microsoft’s Advertising and Customer Engagement Team, [From: Q&A: New Ads Explain, “It’s Everybody’s Business”]
The commercials do convey a more creative side of Microsoft than seen before. Created by JWT the adverts are in the style similar to Matt Smithson’s “What’s He Building” or Brady Baltezore’s “The Country”, or maybe a cross between. It has also been compared to the visual style seen in “I Met the Walrus” directed by Josh Raskin. Whatever you may liken them to, these commercials are unexpectedly artistic, and appropriate to the trend of corporations trying to upgrade their images, just as Pepsi, Tropicana, Payless, and Kraft have been doing. But instead of a change of their logo or major aspects of their corporate identity, Microsoft has instead readjusted their appearance in other ways. But what is interesting is that they chose to apply such creativity to commercials to attract businesses.
In any case, it seems like a great change for Microsoft’s advertising, and definitely more creative than Apple’s commercials, which appear so stably sterile in comparison.
More information also available from http://www.microsoft.com/business/peopleready/en-us/
Birds of Horror and Paper Planes: Creative Branding by Nervo Studio
Nervo is a design and animation studio that has done some incredible motion work, including a very captivating series for Fox Movies Japan for what else but Sci-Fi and Horror screenings. The very dramatic, sometimes violent, swarms of black birds (sometimes transforming into mass of fly-like beads) paired with a grungy backdrop of foggy foreboding landscapes communicate the aesthetic of old Japanese horror. For science fiction Nervo had also created strange 3D environments that combine the minimalism of science labs and parking garages with alien-esque landscapes and almost living fields of grass.
[Screenshots of http://nervo.tv/]
So what has Nervo been up to?
Their most recent motion works include branding packaging for Microsoft’s Zune, a promotional piece for Adobe’s Creative Suite 4, a beautifully illustrated animation for PGI, as well as work for timex:
[Screenshot of http://nervo.tv/]
[Images from http://www.flickr.com/photos/nervo/]
Of course the latest projects are only as current as October of last year. Can’t wait to see what they develop next. All of their motion work is available in their motion portfolio at http://nervo.tv/ as well as print work.
Killzone 2 commercial – Engaging Motion Graphics
The ad for Killzone 2 has been around for a few weeks now and I’ve seen it several times on TV, which means Sony is learning from the LittleBigPlanet marketing debacle that games do not sell themselves. Most other action games seem to follow a similar formula in they show off the gameplay in quick short cuts of high intensity action sequences to loud nu metal music. The Killzone 2 ad takes all those ideas and throws them into a fire. Take a look.
Instead what we have is a complexly rendered scene of supreme elegance. The whole thing is slowed down surreal. The bullet doesn’t move at realistic speeds, yet that doesn’t matter. You follow its quick journey across the battlefield. It is only a piece of the fight. Helghast and Humans battle each other, on kicking the other over as it passes through them without hitting anything. Concrete explodes from the impact of other shots, the debris passing around the bullet. One Helghast seems to follow it with his eyes as it passes by. Finally it’s journey ends right between the eye of the force’s commander as he directs an advance. All of this beginning from a patient soldier.
It isn’t just the gorgeous visuals or the artsy presentation that makes the ad unique. It is the sound that accompanies it. There is no music. The mix is turned way down on the battle around it. The loudest sound is the sonic ring as the bullet vibrates through the air. There is a serene quality to it all. A calm moment in the storm.
The ad doesn’t evoke adrenaline powered machismo, but of awe that finally culminates in the title and tagline. “Killzone 2 War. Perfected.” It is a perfect end to the style and presentation chosen for the ad. The shot is perfection within chaos; an oxymoron in progress. And most importantly at the very end comes up the words “only on Playstation 3.” If Sony wanted to get attention for their shooter, this was definitely the way to accomplish it. Regardless on the eventual quality of the title it needed marketing of this caliber to sell. It also needed visible marketing if it’s going to sell well. I mentioned LittleBigPlanet earlier. Sony figured such a family friendly title would be the exclusive the PS3 needed to break ahead. They thought that Sackboy would appeal to everyone and the game would sell on its own merits. It didn’t do anywhere near as well as they’d hoped. It wasn’t the system seller they thought it would be. Why? Because there was no visible marketing for it. The general public did no know it existed. It’s good to see that they are fixing that with their next high profile exclusive release.
Killzone 2 is rated M for Mature and is out now for $59.99.
Weekly Kickass Web App – OpenFilm
“Openfilm is changing the world of online video entertainment. Whether it’s an animated short, comedy, documentary or other type of film, we are THE source for the highest quality video content on the Web!”(Openfilm.com)
Didn’t even have to stumble this website; as such I’m not even sure how I came about it but I’m elated that I did. Open film is online video sharing website which gives talented animators, filmmakers, and directors a voice in the social media sphere. The word talented is highlighted because places like YouTube promote repetition and idiocy whereas OpenFilm creativity, innovation, and community.
“Openfilm is focused on ‘user-generated films’ – original, high-quality live-action and animated videos with high production values and artistic merit, from shorts and web series to feature-length films. The site is closing the gap created by sites where anyone can upload anything and sites that primarily showcase Hollywood studio productions.” (Openfilm.com)
OpenFilm opened officially (though it still says in Beta like Google does) and since then has accumulated over 1,300 high-quality creative videos and animations. OpenFilm prides itself on the resolution and quality of all of the videos on their website and not only implement a high-definition video player but also give each video a thorough screening process before posting videos to their website. OpenFilm offers users visually appealing profile pages where users can connect with one another and keep updated with videos as authors add them to the website.
The website showcases a series of Channels based on categories created by the website publishers. The website is broken down into subject areas based on the people uploading the videos: animators, comedians, directors, film festivals, film schools, and musicians.
The site showcases a fast-growing collection of high quality live-action and animated films displayed in high resolution. Openfilm provides a venue for users to watch premium video content, as well as for filmmakers to exhibit their works, and to enjoy a full-featured, social networking forum between viewers and creators.
OpenFilm offers its users the ability to take their videos on their website and send them to employers, contests, and contests without worrying about any judgment being based on the quality and resolution of the video (like they would with Youtube or any other low-resolution flash based video sharing site).
“Openfilm is focused on ‘user-generated films’ – original, high-quality live-action and animated videos with high production values and artistic merit, from shorts and web series to feature-length films. The site is closing the gap created by sites where anyone can upload anything and sites that primarily showcase Hollywood studio productions.”(Openfilm.com)
If any of you reading this article are into MotionGraphics, Cinematography, or Filmmaking, check out OpenFilm.com , make an account and upload your work!
Typography Humor: Get with the Times, New Roman
Funny typographic movie from CHTV. If you’re a designer, which you probably are since you’re reading this blog. Have a good chuckle and take your field of expertise a little less seriously.
