Dissertation

After a group discussion this morning about possible topics for our dissertations i have an idea of what i may pursue. I was thinking i would like to explore the media of film, as it is the industry i would like to get in to after the course, specifically looking at Genre and how they can evolve. I looked at this in the first year, focusing mainly on the horror genre and how even though the codes and conventions have changed over the years we still recognise the genre.

Codes and Conventions are what makes a genre and if they are changed how is it that it is still the same genre?

These are only initial thoughts and knowing me this idea will completly change! However i think i will probably look into film, one way or another.

xxx

Not Long Left! ....

Not long to go now until the first project of the year has to be handed in, and as i haven't posted anything in a while i thought i would update you with 'where im at'.
After making a huge dent in my sketchbook with idea generation etc... i thought of my solid idea. I layed out a plan of action (which i have stuck to) as to what i need to do to complete this project succesfully. I think previously my attention had been veered towards how i could present my idea rather than the idea itself. Now i have the idea and have worked on it i realised that the presentation is almost doing it self!

I have been in class for the last two days solid working on after effects, Premiere, and photoshop to put together a small video which i will present to show the functions of my product and how it will work. The videos are pretty much done, all they need now is a bit of 'tweaking' in premiere and im as good as done!

Now all i have to decide is whether to pre record a voice over for the video, or 'do it on the night'!!?!

xxx

Updated thoughts

When thinking about my current ideas i have been looking into pop ups and pop under ads as my idea would work on a similar principle. I however, have also come to the conclusion that pop ups are extremely annoying, and pop unders are too subtle, probably going unnoticed. This has lead me to think about my product being a flashing style pop up in the corner of your screen or a flashing box in your utility bar, so that you are aware that it is there, but don't have to act upon it if you wish.

xxx

Research Ideas

After chatting to the tutor i have seriously reconsidered my idea. I think that although my current idea is a solid product, we have the technology to make it now, therefore it isnt a future design. I have now thought about combining this idea with advertising and the future. Websites like amazon and play have 'suggestions' as to what you might like based on previous purchases. This gave me the idea about maybe producing a concept rather than a product itself. The concept is an advertising agency that works closely online companies (originally with big companies) that would get a cut of the sale by recommending purchases. It would work much like the Amazon suggestions concept, by monitoring your online purchases, sites vistited etc... but it would also work along site social networking sites. For instance, I want to go to the cinema i would change my facebook( or equivalent) status to 'would like to go to the cinema'. The agency would recognise these keys words and then try and find one of my contacts that has the same status, look through our common film tastes and produce a link or pop up to a local cinema with a film that it thinks we would like to see. It would ask us if we would like to book it now, At a reduced price.

This concept would also apply to buying presents. If i had a friend whose birthday was coming up and i didnt know what to buy them i would possibly visit a site like amazon for inspiration. I could end up just mindlessly searching the site without any direction. However with my product in place i would just have to add my contacts email address to the site, it would then give me suggestions for purchases based on there last transactions, last tracks listened to on itunes, facebook interests etc...

This idea would need research in to data mining and also ethics as people i assume would feel this could be too intrusive.

xxx

Research

Data Mining seems to be an important part of my research for the Future design brief. If i want to produce a product that makes decisions for you on everyday tasks then it needs to know what your interests and day-to-day activities are. Data mining is a way of finding that out, however, there is a certain degree of ethics that should be considered when thinking about this.



I want my product to do a wide range of tasks on a personal and buisness level. I would like it to act as a PA (personal assistant) deciding on who your company should to buisness with or keep in contact with, and on a personal level act as a very full on diary, monitoring your computer activites, emails, facebook, etc... to see who you regulary keep in contact with and will suggest 'friends' you may not need (due to them never being in contact with etc...) Also with your profile fully filled out, the programme can help decide who to perform certain activies with, such as going to the cinema by filtering through your friends with the most common film tastes etc... Also it will be a way to meet new friends by finding other people that also wish to do the same activity with the same common interests in the same area, and sending both parties an email suggesting the activity.

I really like this idea of a fully interactive diary although with the information needed to make it work it could be seen as imposing on private information or 'spying'. It reminds me of '1984' by George Orwell, where 'Big Brother' is constantly watching you.




xxx

Links For Future Design Brief

http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewArticle.asp?id=12492

http://www.blogthings.com/whatmakesyouagoodfriendquiz

http://komkrit.com/blog/?p=21

http://poorbuthappy.com/colombia/post/over-the-past-few-years-i-have-met-many-good-friends/

http://www.helium.com/knowledge/89366-teen-advice-how-to-tell-if-youre-a-good-friend

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080728133631AAeibrz


xxx

Freelance Designer Meeting

Rough agenda for a meeting with a client;

HIGH LEVEL REQUIREMENTS
User Experience
Type of Voice

ABOUT
Mission Statement, Value Proposition, Corporate Values, Brand Values

SITE REVIEW
Review of Current Site
Likes and Dislikes
What Could Be Improved?

EXISTING BRAND
Style Guides

USER REQUIREMENTS
Target Audience
User Feedback

Brainstorm, Research, Aspirational Goals, Likes and Dislikes

SPECIFIC VISUAL ELEMENTS
Global Design Assets, Custom Buttons, Links, Icons, Typeography, Logo etc...

xxx

Brief Ideas

Initial ideas for the project brief....

Friends Sifter- A programme that analyises your common interests, Hobbies etc... with your 'friends' and tells you who to be friends with. The idea that Facebook and Myspace culture trivialses the concept of friendship. It breaks the personality to friendship as you don't get to know people as well.
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/blogspotting/archives/2007/08/how_many_facebo.html

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_many_friends_is_too_many.php

Points of research: Facebook, Myspace, Ask people, Second Life, The Bible, Platoons etc...

Facebook has element of competition to how many friends we have.

Print list of my facebook 'friends' and try to write down how i know them.

Dream Catcher- The idea of a modern version of the Tribal 'Dream Catcher'. It would be a piece of machinary that hangs above the best that monitors brainwaves (or something?!?) in order to record your dreams onto DVDs in order to watch them back for personal pleasure or for pyschiatric help!

Maybe make a shopping channel style advert for this product, have a dream sequence which is intrupted by a cheesy host, who explains the science behind the product simply.

xxx

Lev Manovich "The Paradox of Digital Photography"

The essay was interesting, although i found some of the view points to be opposing to mine. I feel that in some respects the essay is up-to-date and relevant to today's concepts of photography, as well as having some rather out of date views. (Largely due to the fact it was written in 1994) I Feel that Manovich is starting his essay with the idea that although we have all this new technology we do not know how to use it properly to get the best out of it. I think he also feels that digital photography is cheating, and does not have the same quality as analog. "Sacrificing colour, spatial or temporal resolution." Manovich questions the integrity of digital photography by questioning whether digital is "real" and can we not just make images whatever we want them to be.

"The digital image annihilates photography while solidifying, glorifying and immortalizing the photographic. In short, this logic is that of photography after photography". I believe Manovich is trying to get across the question that is digital photography evolution or revolution. Is digital photography a new chapter or is it more of the heir to analog photography?

Manovich also looks in to computer programmes such as 'Matador' which he feels are changing the "laws" of photgraphy to accomodate the user, with respect to pixel-based images etc..

Manovich compares digital photgraphy to paintings as they are easily tampered with, and questions the scepticism of the viewer as we in turn question the reality of what we are being shown.

xxx

Lesson Notes 7/10/09

Colour Theory is a set of principles used as guidance for colour mixing.

ADDITIVE COLOUR-Light, RGB Primaries, CRT Monitors

SUBTRACTIVE COLOUR-Ink, CMYK Primaries, Film, Prints

Sir Isaac Newton invented the first colour wheel.

The current form of colour wheel was developed by Johannes, He taught at Bahaus, A famous art school.

3 Dimensions of a colour system: Hue, Saturation, Brightness.

Useful Websites:

www.colourblender.com
www.colourlovers.com

Peace xxx

First Day

Lesson Notes From 6/10/08:

Elements of Screen Design;
-Layout
-Typeography
-Colour
-Images

Art is all about personal expression
Design is about use
Unlike Art, Design is always contextual.

JAKOB NIELSEN- Usability expert (website looks terrible, But he argues it contains all Info)

"Colour is a strong predictor in the overall appeal of a website" (LINDGAARD 1999)

Mood Boards-

Use mood boards to evoke a concept and feeling of a potential design type, colour,texture,style-Without detail.

Colour Associations-

-Emotional and Behavioural Effects
-No Single Responses
-Cultures Have Different Colour Associations
-More Complex Than Just Colour

Why Worry About Colour Choice?-

-Adds Personality: Happy, Sad, Morose etc...
-Dictates Levels of Mood, Comfort, Understanding
-Adds Meaning To Communication
-Helps Direct The Eye To The Screen

RED-Vibrant, Passionate, Love,War
ORANGE-Strong,Hot,Energetic
BLUE-Cool,Dependable,Sophisticated
PURPLE-Regal,Sensual,Luxurious
WHITE-Clean,Perfection,Light
Black-Evil,Power,Elegance

Complementary Colours- Colours from opposite sides of the colour wheel-Red Green
Analogous- Colours next to each other on the colour wheel Red Orange
Monochromatic- Using differents variations of the same colour Blue Blue Blue

Peace xxx

Bonjour!

Hello People,
I am up and running,
Peace xxx
Dom