Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

Don't let other people control your emotions... Don't carry grudges... Ask yourself, "Is feeling this way doing me any good?"... Remain focused on your life purpose and goals... Put things in perspective... Remember that we all operate on different sets of beliefs... Make amends."

—Bo Bennette, author of YearToSuccess.com

Above were excerpts from the full article called "Let It Go."

Museum Of Bad Art, Boston

You read right. There is actually a museum that collects bad art. Some of their show names: "Unlikely Landscapes, Seascapes and Still Lifes" and "Poor Traits"! Museum Of Bad Art

Dew drops collect on sleeping insects

"Glistening in the early morning, these insects look like creatures from another planet as dew gathers on their sleeping bodies. Captured in extreme close-up, one moth appears to be totally encrusted in diamonds as it rests on a twig." DailyMail.co.uk

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

The best way to accomplish serious design is to be totally and completely unqualified for the job... Why can't the sign be on the floor? New Yorkers look at their feet."

— Paula Scher in her talk "Great design is serious (not solemn)" at TEDTalks

Via Tantramar Interactive's YouTube Channel.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Marketing Monday

Entrepreneur Elliott Atkins liked what he saw when he looked into buying Canadian rights for washroom marketing mirrors... Mirror ads are in your face - thestar.com

Marketing Monday is a column devoted to innovation in the world of commerce. It celebrates companies, products, packaging and campaigns that swim against the current or find creative ways to stand out. Got a suggestion for the column? Send me a comment.

Tips for Entrepreneurs

The self-employed business owner is responsible for every aspect of the business from sweeping to managing the finances. All the while, they must ensure that staff are performing well and that new business is coming in. That's a lot to be responsible for so it's no surprise that business owners are often heavily stressed individuals. From a 16-year entrepreneur, here is some advice on how to circumvent the most common problems:

Business Development
The cheap solution? Network. Join clubs and groups. Follow clients/potential clients on Twitter and attend seminars and events. Be courageous and make your presence known.

Other ways to inexpensively promote yourself:
• Go after industry awards.
• Put success stories on your website.
• Write press releases and send them to newspapers.
• Let your network know that you're looking for new accounts.
• Check procurement sites that your industry/state might offer.
• Check job sites such as Workopolis for contract work.

Another inexpensive way to develop new business is to do it from within your existing client list. Treat your current customers very well. Be in touch with them often, listen to their challenges and do whatever it takes to meet or exceed their needs. Foresee what things they are going to need next. Be proactive and propose the ideas before they ask! Prove that you're dedicated and they're likely to show the same dedication in return.

Time Management
Manage your day by reducing distractions, prioritizing and using an electronic organizer. Know from the outset what you need to accomplish that day. Make a list (keep it reasonable), allot time slots and then plow through the tasks. Give yourself treats to work toward if you have to. Identify the things that are distractions to you then schedule them just like you'd schedule any other task — and only every few hours at the most.

Staffing
Ask your network for referrals for qualified people so that you don’t have to invest in training. To reduce advertisement costs, post job openings on your website and put an announcement on free websites such as Ebay Classifieds. Also check on government employment programs that could sponsor an employee.

Cash Flow
Prepare a one-year cash flow forecast and update the spreadsheet weekly. This will allow you to see cash flow shortages in time to correct them. Send out reminders to clients to pay overdue accounts. Reduce expenditures. Have a loan in place before you need it.

Balancing Work and Life
This is a biggie. Most people start a business to have better control over their workday but end up falling into the same trap that their old employer fell into. You don't know how to stop thinking about the business when you're at home and your life goals become work-related. Identify 5 things that regularly consume your day then delegate them. Revisit your life goals and start scheduling them into every day. Add them to your electronic organizer if you have to!

Tips and Warnings
Caution: Lower stress during the workday can lead to more fun after-hours.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

David Mamet: DRAMA is key to every scene

MovieLine.com has published a letter believed to be from David Mamet to the Writers of The Unit, a T.V. series. For those of us trying to write a movie script, it's excellent advice for us, too.

The most useful advice:
• The audience will only tune in and stay tuned in to watch drama
• The Writer is the Dramatist
• Make every scene dramatic
• Make sure that every scene drives the plot
• Remember that you are writing for a visual medium

The full letter at www.movieline.com

Excerpts below...

THE AUDIENCE WILL NOT TUNE IN TO WATCH INFORMATION. YOU WOULDN’T, I WOULDN’T. NO ONE WOULD OR WILL. THE AUDIENCE WILL ONLY TUNE IN AND STAY TUNED TO WATCH DRAMA...

QUESTION: WHAT IS DRAMA? DRAMA... IS THE QUEST OF THE HERO TO OVERCOME THOSE THINGS WHICH PREVENT HIM FROM ACHIEVING A SPECIFIC, ACUTE GOAL.

SO: WE, THE WRITERS, MUST ASK OURSELVES OF EVERY SCENE THESE THREE QUESTIONS.
1) WHO WANTS WHAT?
2) WHAT HAPPENS IF HER DON’T GET IT?
3) WHY NOW?

THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS ARE LITMUS PAPER. APPLY THEM, AND THEIR ANSWER WILL TELL YOU IF THE SCENE IS DRAMATIC OR NOT.

IF THE SCENE IS NOT DRAMATICALLY WRITTEN, IT WILL NOT BE DRAMATICALLY ACTED.
THERE IS NO MAGIC FAIRY DUST WHICH WILL MAKE A BORING, USELESS, REDUNDANT, OR MERELY INFORMATIVE SCENE AFTER IT LEAVES YOUR TYPEWRITER. YOU THE WRITERS, ARE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE EVERY SCENE IS DRAMATIC.

SOMEONE HAS TO MAKE THE SCENE DRAMATIC. IT IS NOT THE ACTORS JOB (THE ACTORS JOB IS TO BE TRUTHFUL). IT IS NOT THE DIRECTORS JOB. HIS OR HER JOB IS TO FILM IT STRAIGHTFORWARDLY AND REMIND THE ACTORS TO TALK FAST. IT IS YOUR JOB.

...ALL THESE ATTEMPTS, TAKEN TOGETHER, WILL, OVER THE COURSE OF THE EPISODE, CONSTITUTE THE PLOT.

ANY SCENE, THUS, WHICH DOES NOT BOTH ADVANCE THE PLOT, AND STANDALONE (THAT IS, DRAMATICALLY, BY ITSELF, ON ITS OWN MERITS) IS EITHER SUPERFLUOUS, OR INCORRECTLY WRITTEN.

...THE JOB OF THE DRAMATIST IS TO MAKE THE AUDIENCE WONDER WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. NOT TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT JUST HAPPENED, OR TO *SUGGEST* TO THEM WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

...HOW DOES ONE STRIKE THE BALANCE BETWEEN WITHHOLDING AND VOUCHSAFING INFORMATION? THAT IS THE ESSENTIAL TASK OF THE DRAMATIST. AND THE ABILITY TO DO THAT IS WHAT SEPARATES YOU FROM THE LESSER SPECIES...

FIGURE IT OUT.

START, EVERY TIME, WITH THIS INVIOLABLE RULE: THE SCENE MUST BE DRAMATIC. it must start because the hero HAS A PROBLEM, AND IT MUST CULMINATE WITH THE HERO FINDING HIM OR HERSELF EITHER THWARTED OR EDUCATED THAT ANOTHER WAY EXISTS.

...DO NOT WRITE A CROCK OF SHIT. WRITE A RIPPING THREE, FOUR, SEVEN MINUTE SCENE WHICH MOVES THE STORY ALONG, AND YOU CAN, VERY SOON, BUY A HOUSE IN BEL AIR AND HIRE SOMEONE TO LIVE THERE FOR YOU.

REMEMBER YOU ARE WRITING FOR A VISUAL MEDIUM. MOST TELEVISION WRITING, OURS INCLUDED, SOUNDS LIKE RADIO. THE CAMERA CAN DO THE EXPLAINING FOR YOU. LET IT. WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERS DOING -*LITERALLY*. WHAT ARE THEY HANDLING, WHAT ARE THEY READING. WHAT ARE THEY WATCHING ON TELEVISION, WHAT ARE THEY SEEING.
IF YOU PRETEND THE CHARACTERS CANT SPEAK, AND WRITE A SILENT MOVIE, YOU WILL BE WRITING GREAT DRAMA.

IF YOU DEPRIVE YOURSELF OF THE CRUTCH OF NARRATION, EXPOSITION, INDEED, OF SPEECH. YOU WILL BE FORCED TO WORK IN A NEW MEDIUM - TELLING THE STORY IN PICTURES (ALSO KNOWN AS SCREENWRITING).

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."
— Edmund Hillary, New Zealand mountaineer and explorer

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Art Fundraiser Promotional Material

The Sweetest Little Thing (SLT) is an annual fundraiser held jointly by the Owens Art Gallery and the Struts Artist-Run Centre. To do my part, I created the SLT poster as well as the 2010 stamp for their ongoing Rubber Stamp Project. This stamp was used on the envelope to call for SLT submissions and related promotions.

The rubber stamp:


Here's what it looks like when it goes through the stamping process:


Creative Rationale for the Stamp
Each year, a member of Struts is asked to create a new stamp. The resulting graphic is a reflection of the Artist's approach to art as well as their response to the theme Sweetest Little Thing.

Personally, I'm a bit of a science fiction movie junkie (thus the 2010 movie reference), I'm a Graphic Designer (thus the adaptation of the movie's poster) and I love a play on words (thus the planet's crescent turns into a croissant, which is the French word for crescent). I think this stamp wraps me up well.

In terms of relating the image to the theme: babies are sweet little things; croissants are sweet little things; the event itself focuses on dessert-type foods; and, the auction takes place on Valentine's Day -- it doesn't get more romantic than French language and food.

Here I've re-used the stamp for the SLT poster:


Creative Rationale for the Poster
As the stamp graphic was meant to be seen only after it had gone through the process of being stamped, people would see a "grunge" version of that graphic. I decided to take the poster in the same direction. All the elements of the poster look like they've been stamped onto it. Some are rough-edged, some are misaligned — all properties of a hand-made stamp project. Adding a red background recalls Valentine's Day.

Animated .gif
Here, I've adapted it to an animated .gif for promotional use on other web sites:


Background on The Sweetest Little Thing
The Sweetest Little Thing is the most important annual fundraising event for The Owens Art Gallery and Struts Gallery & Faucet Media Arts Centre. Presented in partnership on Valentine’s Day, the Sweetest Little Thing combines a contemporary art auction with a cake walk and dance. The event has become a seasonal highlight for the community, featuring artists, friends and supporters from across the country and beyond. The funds raised go directly to the ongoing programming of the galleries.

Background on The Rubber Stamp Project
The goal - to stamp all outgoing mailings with an artistic image that will intrigue postal workers. The image must fit on a standard #10 envelope and must lend itself well to the mechanics of the stamping process. The image is often related to Valentine's Day since the stamp is launched annually on the mailout containing the call for submissions to The Sweetest Little Thing — a yearly art auction held on February 14th.

National Gallery of Canada Creative Brief and Brochure

I was recently asked by the Volunteers' Circle of the National Gallery of Canada to develop a Creative Brief & Rationale as well as design for a new promotional brochure. Here it is edited for length and privacy.

Creative Brief

Background:
After serving 50 years and managing over 300 volunteers in 2009 alone, The Volunteers’ Circle for the National Gallery of Canada has reached a point in their growth where they require a marketing approach for their brochure. The Circle needs to lure more volunteers with eclectic backgrounds and varying ages as well as lure more participants to programs.

Goals and Expectations:
Primary Goals
• To increase participant numbers in the Circle’s programs
• To create a brochure that reflects the Circle’s high-quality program line and important role in supporting the Gallery
• To increase volunteer numbers within the Circle — with a focus on volunteers with eclectic backgrounds and varying ages to fill the ever-changing needs of the Gallery

Secondary Goals
• To provide marketing support for the Circle team
• To increase general knowledge of the Circle’s programs
• To increase Gallery Membership

Target Audiences:
Primary Audience:
• Ottawa-Gatineau area residents looking to study art, informally
• Ottawa-Gatineau area bilingual residents looking to volunteer

Secondary Audiences:
• Schools and students in the Ottawa-Gatineau area
• Volunteers’ Circle promotion team
• Gallery promotion team

Perception and Tone
1. Desired Response: The Volunteers’ Circle is:
• Quality-conscious, professional, reputable, reliable
• I can trust the Volunteers’ Circle to organize and roll out a high-quality program

2. Tone:
• Professional, personable, helpful, educational, rich in heritage and culture

3. Usability Guidelines:
• The brochure should supply enough information to act as a lure to other support materials such as the web site
• A bilingual brochure will speak to French and English audiences

4. Physical Guidelines:
• Reduction of the brochure to letter-sized and 3-panel will help offset the increased costs of colour

5. Design Guidelines:
• Clean, simple, attractive design
• A colour palette that is reminiscent of the Masters’
• Textures that make the brochure feel like an artwork itself
• Circular design elements to reinforce the concept of a ‘fully-rounded’ experience
• The addition of photographs to represent the experience of participating


6. Design Recommendations:
• The Volunteers’ Circle should move away from the black and white brochure. This will distance the Circle from the competition (other volunteer groups that take away your ability to select from the best people) and create a friendlier feel. It needs a colour palette and design that is deserving of a National Gallery affiliate.
• Photography, design and writing should emphasize lifestyle – the benefits of volunteering or participating, i.e. higher learning, beauty, rewarding experience, friendship

Communication Strategy:
• Front panel will include a photograph and headline that addresses the dual nature of the brochure — a promotion of both studying art and volunteering
• Interior panels will provide a brief lure for all programs and volunteer opportunities
• Contact call-out area with web address for further information
• The introduction of Testimonials will strengthen the concept of a rewarding experience
• A bilingual brochure will attract both French and English audiences without having to print 2 brochures

Monday, March 22, 2010

Marketing Monday

Biohazard SymbolEven the Biohazard Symbol Needed Design & Marketing

Charles Baldwin, a retired environmental-health engineer, explains his role in developing the biohazard symbol from colour and shape selection to test audiences and "selling" it through scientific journals.

Marketing Monday is a column devoted to innovation in the world of commerce. It celebrates companies, products, packaging and campaigns that swim against the current or find creative ways to stand out. Got a suggestion for the column? Send me a comment.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

5 Tips to Help You Sell Your Film/TV Idea

1. be prepared
2. know your audience
3. don't oversell
4. be respectful
5. practice

Read the complete article on About.com

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

We’ve all asked ourselves, “What is my purpose here?” Regardless of our individual scenarios, we all seek the meaning of our existence. Those with a solid sense or purpose and sense of self are the ones who meet success in their lives. Through philosophical questioning we can come to our own personal meaning and uncover our purpose.

We can go further still when we are facing the most challenging situations in our lives and ask the great question posed by Philosopher Viktor Frankl, “What does life at this moment demand of me?” This question will get you to your great answers."

— Barb Stegemann, author, The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Blogger makes me mad and so very sad

Did you know that Blogger stores all your posted images in Picasa? This was not clear to me either.

You'll notice that most of the pictures in my Blog (2 years worth) are gone. I've managed to re-upload a couple of the pictures for posts on the front page but I've got a HUGE task ahead of me. I've got to try to find the photos for my 400+ posts and re-upload them.

What happened, you might ask?...

When I recently tried BlogPressLite on my iPhone, it asked me to make a Picasa account. I did. A day or two later, I deleted BlogPressLite because I didn't like it. I decided to delete my Picasa account as well (why would I need it if I wasn't using BlogPressLite anymore?). Bad choice. I didn't realize that this Picasa account was already active -- I thought it had only been just created. Blogger never made that clear to me. Blogger uploads your images blindly (in fact, even the URL to your images have no indication that they are coming from Picasa).

So, I accidentally deleted all my images from all my posts. And now I have to try to find them all in my archives and re-upload them. (Or find another blogging platform.)

Grrrrr..... Such a waste of time.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

While Shakespeare said that 'there is no rehearsal in life', I would argue that every task, experience, and encounter in life is an audition."
— Choleena DiTullio

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

My new favourite song

"Hey, Soul Sister" by Train. What a superb, lively, life-affirming ditty. Train deserves to toot their own horn. All aboard!? I think you will be. And, who doesn't like a ukelele?!



The video looks so simple but it's deceiving. Camera angles, text/writing added post-production, etc., all make it quite complicated. They pulled it off beautifully.

46: revised answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything

To celebrate their jubilee anniversary, the Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Jerusalem is displaying Albert Einstein's 46-page notebook on his theory of relativity which explains everything from black holes to the origin of the universe. Never before have all 46 pages been on display together.

Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Jerusalem
Albert Einstein on Wikipedia.org
• Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Just for fun:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe

Monday, March 08, 2010

Marketing Monday

ROM is the Bomb
I've always been in love with the Royal Ontario Museum, their identity included. Today's column covers their exciting logo which incorporates an icon (the visual or graphic component) and a wordmark (the text or company name component).

• the ROM acronym is in solid, authoritative letter shapes but with a very slight serif to indicate refinement
• they've used full-intensity blue, gold and red; indicative of a regal colour palette
• funky shapes jut out from behind the letters to mimic the building's exciting architecture and comment on its modernity
• and it uses a wordmark component to spell out their full name so there's no mistaking what and who they are


So simple. So good.


Marketing Monday is a column devoted to innovation in the world of commerce. It celebrates companies, products, packaging and campaigns that swim against the current or find creative ways to stand out. Got a suggestion for the column? Send me a comment.

Saturday, March 06, 2010

Ottawa-Brampton VIA Toronto

VIA Rail has come a long way since I've been riding the rails back in the early '90s. My university days had me travelling from Brockville, Ontario to Sackville, New Brunswick several times a year. Usually I'd ride coach for 22 hours. VIA could have made a killing if they sold Advil and a neck massage as an add-on. You've all tried to sleep in a chair so you know what I'm talking about!

Now in 2010, the seats are much more comfortable, the leg room is downright spacious and the jigglyness/noise is significantly reduced. As faint as it is from inside the train, that whistle still brings me back to days gone by.

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

There is no rehearsal in life."
— William Shakespeare

Monday, March 01, 2010

Marketing Monday

Volkswagen's TheFunTheory.com
An initiative of Volkswagen, TheFunTheory.com is dedicated to the idea that making a task fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. For example, if you want to encourage people to walk more by taking the stairs instead of an escalator, turn the staircase into an operational piano keyboard. When you walk on the steps, you make your own tune! By making the task fun to do, people will change their behaviour and choose the healthier mode of transportation.

Submissions like that have been sent in from all over the world. They published over 700 ideas a few months ago and they've whittled it down to 11 finalists. Go vote! The winners will be announced on March 29, 2010. They will each receive 2500 Euros in prize money as well as have their idea produced by Volkswagen. Cleverly, the VW logo will appear on all of them!



Marketing Monday is a column devoted to innovation in the world of commerce. It celebrates companies, products, packaging and campaigns that swim against the current or find creative ways to stand out. Got a suggestion for the column? Send me a comment.