The freelancing movement continues to climb, now making up 35% of the U.S. workforce. That rising desire for freedom and variety only offers a more powerful barometer to see which companies are adapting to the modern climate and offering enough goods to attract the best creatives.
Read MoreOvershare Podcast: Leta Sobierajski + Wade Jeffree
Overshare Podcast: Leta Sobierajski + Wade Jeffree
Overshare is a new WNW event series and podcast that promotes honest conversations about the realities of being an independent creative. To kick things off, more than 50 people came together in a dive bar in New York City in February to hear creative couple Leta Sobierajski & Wade Jeffree open up about everything from getting paid to getting rejected to their ongoing collaborations. There were even some highbrow detours to discuss important topics like squatty potties and choice curse words.
Leta and Wade, both Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary designers, had been married for just three weeks at the time of their conversation with WNW co-founder and heavily bearded host Justin Gignac. When asked if it is tough to be in a relationship with someone in the same line of work, Leta explained, "It’s really relieving actually. When either of us come home we’re able to talk about every minute detail of our days and the projects that we’re doing, and we understand each other completely which is great. I don’t think that I could be in a relationship where our lives are so different and so separate that we don’t understand what the fuck we’re doing."
The whole point of Overshare is to shine a spotlight on the struggles as much as the triumphs. Leta had this to say about the risks involved and impetus for clearing the slate and taking the leap into freelance: "I didn’t like the people I was working with. I didn’t like my boss. The company wasn’t doing so good, and so it just got to a point where I was like 'Fuck this. I know what I want to do. It’s time to start over.' I wiped my portfolio completely from all of the work that I had done for the past three years, and just started loading it up with personal projects. That was really scary."
It's clear that Leta & Wade can't imagine doing anything else. Wade opened up about the feeling of purpose that design affords him and why it drives him to continue to grow as a creative: "There is a power in graphic design and design in general to not only influence culture but empower people. And I think there’s something really beautiful in that."
For those of you who couldn't join us, we have good news: you can listen to the entire conversation below on our new podcast, sponsored by FreshBooks. Subscribe to Overshare on iTunes, Soundcloud, or with any other podcasting app via our RSS feed.
A heartfelt thanks to FreshBooks for sponsoring this episode of Overshare. FreshBooks is a ridiculously easy cloud accounting software for freelancers and small business owners. It makes your accounting tasks easy, fast and secure. You can start sending invoices, tracking time and capturing expenses in minutes.
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MEET FRANZISKA & HANNA BARCZYK, THE ILLUSTRATING SISTER ACT
MEET FRANZISKA & HANNA BARCZYK, THE ILLUSTRATING
SISTER ACT
We're always interested in learning how creatives are inspired by those around them. That's why we started interviewing Creative Couples last year. Now, we're excited to talk to two WNW Members who have known each other their entire lives: Franziska Barczyk and Hanna Barczyk. In our interview below, the Toronto and New York-based sisters tell us about their creative evolutions as illustrators, how they inspire one another, and where their styles bridge and divide: "The approach to subject matter is similar as we both have a strong focus on women, movement and the figurative but the approach differs as Franziska’s work is narrative and Hanna’s conceptual." While they have their own practices, they'll be joining forces for their first show together in Toronto on December 8 at Coldstream Fine Arts Gallery.
Tell us about your creative backgrounds. Who are Hanna & Franziska and how did they get here? How did you both end up becoming illustrators?
Franziska: Growing up I’ve always had an interest in drawing as well as the arts in general, such as performance and dance. I went to the University of Toronto for two years where I took art history and visual culture. I also had the chance to take painting and printmaking classes. My sister at this time was enrolled in the illustration program at OCAD U. This is when I saw that art/image making can be applied. I switched over to OCAD U and then graduated two years after my sister. I have since been going back and forth between graphic design and illustration. And even though I’ve worked in the agency environment and also as an in-house graphic designer, I kept drawing in my free time and was involved in gallery shows. Finally, I decided to focus on illustration full time. I’ve also worked as a studio assistant for Edel Rodriguez (2010) and Christoph Niemann (2014-2015), both who I look up to as mentors. It’s the continued interest to want to create stories through drawing that make me continue to do illustration.
Hanna: I’ve always known I wanted to be an artist. When we first moved to Canada from Germany in 1996, we walked past the Ontario College of Art and Design (now OCAD U) as part of getting to know Toronto. I knew that I wanted to study there in the future, and I ended up getting accepted into OCAD's drawing and painting department. In my first year walking through the halls, I noticed illustrations exhibited on the wall and reached out to my teacher. I then switched my major to Illustration. I graduated in 2006 and have since been involved in many creative industries from mural painting, film, graphic design and dance. Since 2013 I solely work as a freelance illustrator in between NYC and Toronto for major publications.
What do your parents do?
Our mother is a social worker and our father is a historian.
How would you describe each of your creative styles? What similarities and differences do you see in your work?
Hanna’s style is more rooted in the hand-drawn traditional medias with a minimal colour palette. Franziska’s work is mainly digital with a wider colour palette, using gifs and incorporating collage. The approach to subject matter is similar as we both have a strong focus on women, movement and the figurative but the approach differs as Franziska’s work is narrative and Hanna’s conceptual.
What are your three favorite pieces in your sister’s portfolio and why?
Franziska: My favourite pieces by Hanna are: ‘Blue couple’, ‘The Iraqi Friends We Abandoned’ for The New York Times and ‘Perfectly Imperfect’ for The Los Angeles Times. To me they are strong, smart and sensual visual solutions.
Hanna: My favourite pieces by Franziska are: ‘Shape Woman’, it’s visually fun, confident, and has a a great mood. ‘Portrait of Jon Stewart’, captured his personality well, and ‘Skype Kiss’ which I feel captures a full story in a short gif animation.
In what ways do you inspire each other? Do you ever get competitive?
We inspire each other by sending each other links to other artists, magazines, fashion, and interesting blogs. When we are in the same city we spend more time talking and inspiring each other through stories and ideas. We might have a sense of an unspoken competitiveness.
What are you each working on now?
We will be having our first duo show together in Toronto on December 8 at Coldstream Fine Arts Gallery so we are working on paintings for that as well as numerous editorial projects.
What cultural and creative venues do you frequent (arthouse theaters, galleries, museums, bookstores, record stores etc)?
In NYC: Whitney, MoMA, MET, Guggenheim, Printed Matter, David Zwirner gallery, and other galleries in Chelsea, the Strand bookstore and cafes
In Toronto: AGO, Swipe Design book shop
Do you thrive off of being part of a creative community or are you more in your element as a lone wolf?
We both prefer working independently. It’s important to find out for yourself when you are most happy with your work. It’s important to get feedback when you are first starting out, not necessarily from a community but from a mentor. Once the work is finished it’s great to showcase it to the creative community.
Who are some of your biggest creative idols and influences?
Picasso, Matisse, Frida Kahlo and Hockney
If you weren’t an illustrator, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
A film director or dancer
What do you do when Not Working?
Dance.
What are some things you would tell your high school or early twenties self?
Not to wait for approval but make choices independently.
Any album, film, television or book recommendations for your fellow WNW members?
Film: Victoria
Book: Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities
Art books: Soy Cuba, The Push Pin Graphic, Mexico Illustrated and any Blexbolex books.
Albums: Erik Satie, FKA twigs, Astor Piazzolla, Frederico Aubele, Orchestra Baobab, Ismael Rivera, Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe.
Who are some other WNW members whose work you admire, and why?
Emiliano Ponzi: amazing sense of depth, perspective and sensibility towards subject matter and mood.
Jordy van den Nieuwendijk: treatment of colour, the simple compositions, fun
Olimpia Zagnoli: the way shapes are used to create compositions, simple, confident
Lynnie Zulu: stylistic, simple, emotional, sense of confidence and openness
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
MEET THE TOP SVA, PRATT, & CALARTS GRADS
MEET THE TOP SVA, PRATT, & CALARTS GRADS
Part two of our 2016 Top Grads feature is here, celebrating the best of the best from the School of Visual Arts, Pratt Institute, and CalArts. You can check out part one here, featuring grads from VCU and RIT.
At Working Not Working, we pride ourselves on bringing together the world's best creatives. With thousands of creatives trying to join the community, we end up giving the green light to only about ten percent. But as you can imagine, evaluating the portfolio of a Creative Director with tons of years of experience is a bit different than reviewing a student who has yet to graduate. We're excited to find the best up and coming talent and watch them grow into those leaders. WNW's Director of Talent, Ashley Nowicki, discussed the process for selecting schools to scout and what goes into evaluating recent grads in part one.
You can further explore the portfolios of 2016 SVA grads using the newly launched SVA app. It highlights the work of students majoring in Advertising, Design, Interaction, Motion Graphics, New Product Development and Design, and 3D with the ability to favorite the students you want to potentially collaborate with now or down the road.
School of Visual Arts
SVA Art Directors
SVA Designers
SVA Motion Designers
SVA UX/IA Designers
Pratt Institute
Pratt Art Directors
Pratt Copywriters
Pratt Designers
Pratt Illustrators
CalArts
CalArts Designers
Global CCO Talks VML’s Success, Kansas City & Women in Advertising
Earlier this week, we spoke to Kim Easley, VML's Managing Director of Talent Acquisition, who shared some indispensable insights into VML's cultural evolution, and what she looks for in a creative hire. Now we're catching up with Debbi Vandeven, VML's Global Chief Creative Officer, who continues the discussion. Like VML itself, Debbi is rooted in Kansas City, but now works with VMLers and clients across the agency's twenty-eight offices on six continents. Below, Debbi discusses how you can find success in advertising, where to get creative in Kansas City, and why she champions women in advertising: "I’ve been well-supported in my career and I owe the same encouragement and help to the women I work with each and every day, plus the generations of talented women yet to start their careers."
Tell us a little bit about your creative background. How did your path lead you to CCO at VML?
I’m an avid KU Jayhawk fan, so you should know my love for creative was brought to life at the University of Kansas where I studied design. That continued with my master’s in marketing and advertising.
I have worked for smaller creative shops, agencies and even client side until I opened my own small design shop and gained invaluable experience managing the business as well as the creative. In 2000, I had an opportunity to work at VML, creatively leading key accounts such as Colgate-Palmolive, which I couldn’t pass up — the client list was growing quickly and it gave me the ability to work with many top-tier brands. With hard work, perseverance and a focus on building great client relationships I moved into executive management and ultimately the global CCO role. The rest, as they say, is history.
As global CCO at VML, I now have the opportunity to work with VMLers and clients across our 28 offices on six continents.
We just launched an event series called Overshare, where we interview successful creatives about their career challenges. What were a few definitive moments or turning points that had an impact on who you are today?
There have been two main challenges (and opportunities) for me — strengthening VML’s creative reputation and expanding our operation globally.
VML was focused as a digital agency leading technology-based project work for many years. We worked hard to strengthen our creative product and open the doors for new engagements. This led to more agency of record relationships — first digital, but over the last few years as lead agency partner. I’m proud of what we have accomplished and the work that is improving our clients’ businesses.
The second challenge was managing global expansion. Not only was VML a Midwest-based agency growing within the United States, but it was also growing around the world. Finding the time to bridge cultural as well as time zone differences still proves challenging, but is worthwhile. I’m proud of the connectivity we have as creative leadership and how engaged all our teams are in working together to grow our client footprint, as well as how active everyone is in collaborating on work together.
I believe the top three qualities for success are an equal mix of talent, good social skills and fearlessness when you enter the field. As a leader I would add empathy as a skill that needs to be mastered to build great teams.
For someone entering the field of advertising today, what do they need to succeed? How has that changed from when you started the career?
I believe the top three qualities for success are an equal mix of talent, good social skills and fearlessness when you enter the field. As a leader I would add empathy as a skill that needs to be mastered to build great teams.
To me, these qualities for success haven’t changed since I started my career. But as our channel options to engage with consumers continue to grow, creatives need to be more and more curious. Looking for inventive ways to tell a brand story is a necessary ingredient for success.
What separates VML from other agencies? How have you seen the identity of VML evolve over the years?
VML has a unique balance between creativity and technology — there are really no boundaries to what we can do for a client partner. Whether our work manifests itself in communications or experiences, it is about driving a human connection between brands and their consumers.
We have gone through many evolutions — from ad agency to digital agency to contemporary marketing agency today. The industry has siloed agencies for too long and we’re seeing the walls break down for VML, and our clients are taking notice.
I am very proud of VML’s involvement in celebrating Olympic values and what we can all learn by coming together.
Which campaign are you most proud of?
I have many favorites so it is difficult to pick just one, but I love the work we just completed with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC selected VML to lead the creation of its public service announcement in preparation for the Olympic Games Rio 2016. The PSA, meant to inspire, evoke emotion, and engage people around the world, is a beautiful piece of creativity that celebrates the theme, “Together We Can Change the World.” It showcases the Olympic Games as a force of good that aims to build a better world through sport. We enlisted Questlove as executive producer to create the soundtrack for the PSA by rerecording the song “The Fire,” originally by Questlove and The Roots, with top recording artists from across the world, including Yuna, Lenny Kravitz, Nneka and Corinne Bailey Rae. In addition, as a part of the PSA programme, on Olympic Day, June 23, we will launch a global social movement to support Olympic peace. I am very proud of VML’s involvement in celebrating Olympic values and what we can all learn by coming together.
My second piece would be the work we did this year with Gatorade and Snapchat surrounding the Super Bowl. The Gatorade dunk is a Super Bowl tradition, and we took it to a new level by utilizing a sponsored lens on Snapchat to bring it to life. Using object-recognition technology, the lens allowed consumers to virtually participate in a Gatorade dunk. It was a perfect mix of taking something iconic and giving it a modern twist.
I’ve been well-supported in my career and I owe the same encouragement and help to the women I work with each and every day, plus the generations of talented women yet to start their careers.
You’re a well-known champion of women in advertising. Why is supporting women in the industry an important cause for you? (Other than the fact that you’re a woman.)
It’s important to have women in advertising. According to Nielsen, market estimates about their total purchasing prowess varies, but it is as high as $15 trillion annually. It’s a disservice to our clients and the brands we represent to not have that point of view of women in the work we create.
Our industry doesn’t have the best reputation for being a champion of women, and we need to change that in our agency cultures and our work. It’s our responsibility in leadership to drive this transformation. To be role models. To be mentors. To be a sounding board.
I’ve been well-supported in my career and I owe the same encouragement and help to the women I work with each and every day, plus the generations of talented women yet to start their careers.
What’s the creative scene like in Kansas City?
Kansas City has a growing creative scene — here are some of my favorites for when I am out and about:
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art — check out the collection of Chinese paintings; Yelp ranked the Nelson-Atkins as the No. 1 museum in the U.S., above New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts — a wide array of performance options including Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony and the second-largest TEDx event in the U.S.
Arts District — a great place to land on the first Friday of the month as art galleries open their doors to the public, music can be heard on the streets and beverages are welcome
Music Venues — Kansas City is known for its music heritage, specifically jazz and blues, and it is thriving today — the choices are endless for live music
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
This is simple. Follow the Golden Rule. Treat others as you would like to be treated.
What’s your favorite advice to give?
This may sound crass, but don’t hire assholes. Build teams that focus on making the work better, putting the collective “we” before themselves.
Work that excites me is the work I wish I would have completed. Work that has never been done before. Work that is solving a problem in the world. Ideas that are so brilliantly obvious that you wish you would have thought of them yourself.
You’ve served on a lot of award juries like Cannes and The One Show. What kind of work excites you?
Work that excites me is the work I wish I would have completed. Work that has never been done before. Work that is solving a problem in the world. Ideas that are so brilliantly obvious that you wish you would have thought of them yourself.
What do you do when not working?
Spending time with my family is my top priority, and we like to see movies and go out to dinner. My other past times are running and reading (Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead are guilty pleasures). If it’s a nice day you can find me either out on a jog in my neighborhood or on my patio in my comfy chair with my Kindle.
GET TRUMP'S TAXES AND SELL GUNS TO GOOD GUYS AT THE GOP ARCADE
GET TRUMP'S TAXES AND SELL GUNS TO GOOD GUYS AT THE GOP ARCADE
Deemed too offensive for the app store, the GOP Arcade lives on here, and the silver lining is it's more free than freedom. WNW Members and frequent collaborators #20 Brian Moore, #22 Chris Baker, #2444 Mike Lacher, and William Herring are the minds behind these satirical slants on classic arcade games. You can now "Get Trump's Taxes", "Bomb the Right Place", and if you're feeling especially adventurous, why not try your hand at "Science Fighter", "Good Guy with a Gun" and "Trump Toss"?
We spoke to the guys about how their collaborative efforts bring out the best in each of them, as well as the balancing act of satire with this particular joint effort: "We tried to make all the games come from the same point of view, that of the GOP. Keeping that consistent let us be pretty silly while rooting it in satire. We also hope to include more than a few games that are underhandedly educational. Like 'Bomb the Right Place,' which can actually sharpen your Middle Eastern geography."
They even offer their predictions for the 2016 election: "Trump! We can’t wait to be the target of his sweeping new libel laws!'
How was the idea for the GOP Arcade born? Have you ever shied away from bringing politics or mainstreamed beliefs into your work?
We tend to make a lot of dumb internet jokes together, and we’d been thinking about making more games. We figured the election would be fun topic to make a bunch of really short, topical games about. Some of our stuff is more political than others. A couple years ago, Baker and Lacher made this simple page joking about the NSA and it quickly spiralled out of control (millions of views in a day and hackers actually using the hashtag we made to rally together and bring down The NSA’s website [no joke]).
What was your reaction when the App Store rejected the GOP Arcade, which now lives here? Do you carry that rejection like a badge of honor?
At first, sadness, pain, anger, regret. Late night phone calls filled with tears. Angry screeds cut from magazines and mailed to Tim Cook. Chris made a crude voodoo doll that resembled Jony Ive which he ran through the microwave a few times. But then we figured we could put the games on the web and reach more people that way.
How do you balance going so over the top that it’s clearly satire, without just going over the top? What are some of the challenges that come with a project like this?
We tried to make all the games come from the same point of view, that of the GOP. Keeping that consistent let us be pretty silly while rooting it in satire. We also hope to include more than a few games that are underhandedly educational. Like Bomb the Right Place, which can actually sharpen your middle eastern geography.
Were there any arcade games that you were toying with that remained in the ideation stage?
We’ve got a pretty long list and we’re hoping to build as many as possible, so we haven’t written anything off yet. Some of the games we’re excited about are Restroom Defender, Mavis Beacon Teaches Trumping, and maybe a tower defense game where you try to stop minorities from voting.
Who do you think will be the 45th president?
Trump! We can’t wait to be the target of his sweeping new libel laws!
How long have you all been collaborating on projects? How do you enable your partners to reach their creative potential? Are your partnerships built on having similar styles, or is it more a chemistry of differences?
We’ve been working together for about four years now, and have done quite a few projects. Everything from apps to videos to bots. At this point we’re pretty familiar with everyone’s strong suits and we just let people do what they do. Conceptually, we’re all on even ground, but Mike and Brian lead on the development side of things, while Baker, a copywriter by trade and thus fairly useless in the normal development cycle, plays more of a producer role, like when he wrangles outsiders to step in and help out where needed.
Who are some of your creative idols and inspirations?
Our Slack channel mostly consists of this video and screenshots from LinkedIn. Maybe those are our muses?
What’s next?
We’ll be making more games as the election approaches. Brian just spent the money from his last six jobs on a VR-capable computer with seventeen GPUs and neon underlighting, so maybe we’ll do some of that.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Chris would like to add that he will undercut any other freelancer’s rate by 30%, with a delivery of 60% better ideas. Recruiters, please contact him at once. And don’t ghost him!
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
What It Takes to Get Hired at FOUR32C
What It Takes to Get Hired at FOUR32C
Mark Jarecke moved to New York City in the early 90s to pursue a career in modern dance choreography. Now he's the Founder and Creative Director of digital design studio Four32C. Mark discusses this transition, what makes Four32C a unique studio, and why the work you do when not clocked in is so important: "We’ve nurtured a culture of curiosity. It’s important to us that we don’t rest on pretty or settle for the easy road. Whenever I’m talking to potential hires, I’m much more interested in the ideas and experiences they bring that aren’t related directly to their professional work."
Mark also goes into what keeps him creatively inspired, from teaching and studying yoga, to the searching mind of John Cage. "[He] taught us to really see the world around us, everything is already present if we just listen and pay attention. We don’t have to try as hard as we think we do. As designers and creatives, possessing strong observational skills and understanding that power is very inspirational to me."
Tell us about your background and your career journey.
I studied dance and philosophy at the University of Nebraska (Go Huskers!), then moved to New York City in the early 1990s to pursue a career in modern dance choreography. While I was taking classes at Merce Cunningham Studio and showing my choreographic work at downtown venues, I worked part-time at the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies (LIMS), helping them with tech support. Back then, tech support meant connecting Mac desktops through LANs or setting up printers, but the experience gave me a good foundation for what would become a career in design and digital technologies.
After working at LIMS, I eventually landed design jobs at both small and not-so-small digital agencies in New York, which led to becoming a designer (then creative director) at Condé Nast Digital. These were early days of publishing websites and I had the opportunity to lead the creative teams that designed and built CN websites such as Style.com and Epicurious.com.
How did you end up starting FOUR32C?
After nearly 8 years of leading the creative teams at Condé Nast Digital, I decided to jump ship and start my own design studio in 2009. I met and worked with many talented people at Condé Nast Digital, and I was fortunate to have former CN colleagues Mike Lee, FOUR32C’s Design Director, and Elizabeth Stafford, FOUR32C’s Director of Strategy, join me at FOUR32C.
Describe FOUR32C in 3 words.
Question. Design. Make.
What does the name refer to?
The studio is named after a Pantone color that I like.
What about the culture of FOUR32C makes it an ideal place for potential hires to work?
Mike, Elizabeth, and I pride ourselves on the fact that we’ve nurtured a culture of curiosity. It’s important to us that we don’t rest on pretty or settle for the easy road. Whenever I’m talking to potential hires, I’m much more interested in the ideas and experiences they bring that aren’t related directly to their professional work.
I think many design skills can be taught, but having a point of view and passion are inherent in someone or they’re not. I always say that I like to hire people who’ve worked outside of the industry because they bring new perspectives without the baggage of assuming that there’s one way to do things. I especially like working with people who studied fine arts or have worked as artists or non-commercial researchers. People who are quirky and maybe a little bit bookish are the kinds of people who do well at FOUR32C. Plus, people who like to eat and like champagne.
What qualities are most important in a prospective hire?
A solid, thoughtful portfolio is a given, but creativity that goes beyond the portfolio—whether it’s a freelancer who likes travel or is a trained chef or writer or actor—those are the kinds of qualities that are exciting. Hard-working, curious, has a critical eye—those, too, are admirable qualities.
Which social networks do you prefer for stalking people, creative or otherwise?
Online portfolios are great, but I think Instagram is a terrific way to get a peek into what creative people are really like. Whether it’s a carefully curated presentation of their lives or it’s messier and more organic. The balance of words and images on Instagram offers an interesting peek into a creative person’s life. Plus, I’m always interested to see who they follow and who follows them.
What are you looking for in the portfolio of a potential hire that's unique to FOUR32C?
To start, I’m always interested in a careful consideration of typeface choices, coupled with a strong command of grid that is consciously broken. I appreciate patterns and scale choices, too. But I think what makes FOUR32C different is looking at the content of portfolio projects. What are these candidates thinking about besides type and grid? If they are thoughtful, passionate or have a weird streak, all the better.
How much time do you spend on each portfolio? And how long before you make a gut reaction on the portfolio?
It’s pretty quick. I usually get an immediate sense of who this person is and whether or not I want to know more. Starts with the gut first. Then the eye comes in and analyzes the choices they made. When first looking at a work by a designer, I notice where I look first, second, third to see if the designer understands how to call out hierarchy and guide my eye.
What do you judge first?
Taste. Everyone at FOUR32C needs a good sense of taste. Everything else can be taught.
What kind of talent makes you warm inside?
I’d say talent outside of design. If they’re interested in music, architecture, food—I’m interested in them.
What are some poortfolio trends you wish would go out of style? What drives you nuts, and what do you love seeing?
Over-designed resumes are terrible and I’m not a fan of SquareSpace portfolios. Either code the site yourself and let that be part of your portfolio or put it on WNW.
What's the best piece of advice you can share about portfolios, personal websites and resumes?
Show who you are as a person. Your interests and passions. The projects you choose to do are just as important as how well you did them.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
I really love starting with nothing and finding my way to a solution that ultimately seems obvious. Of course, it isn’t obvious, but when all research ends up pointing to a concept and a design language that holds together completely, that’s exciting.
What’s your creative outlet?
Yoga.
What do you do when you’re not working?
I have a nine-year-old son and a 16-month-old daughter, so when I’m not working, I try to spend as much time with them as possible. More often than not, we end up eating or cooking together. I also teach yoga and specifically the Rajanaka philosophical tradition is something that I’m trying to learn more about.
Who's your most significant creative or entrepreneurial inspiration?
John Cage taught us to really see the world around us, everything is already present if we just listen and pay attention. We don’t have to try as hard as we think we do. As designers and creatives, possessing strong observational skills and understanding that power is very inspirational to me.
Anything we didn't ask that you'd like to add?
Yes, I can do the splits (both ways).
ROBERT WHITMAN RECALLS HIS 1977 PHOTOSHOOT WITH PRINCE
ROBERT WHITMAN RECALLS HIS 1977 PHOTOSHOOT WITH PRINCE
Almost forty years ago, WNW Member #8507 Robert Whitman was just getting started as a photographer in his hometown Minneapolis. His friend was a manager for another up-and-coming creative, Prince, who was only 19 at the time and working on his first album. Robert agreed to photograph Prince for a brochure to help get him a record deal. Below are excerpts from Robert's interview with Billboard. Head over to Billboard for the full interview.
Interview by Billboard's Shannon Adducci
How were you introduced to Prince?
Owen [Husney] came over and said, 'You've got to listen to this.' He had heard this tape, I think it was "Soft and Wet." So we went in the car and drove around, listening to it, and it was just amazing. Owen was managing him and he had a couple of partners, including Gary Levenson. They said, 'We want to make a little brochure on him, to get him a record deal. Would you be willing to shoot him?' I said, 'Sure. I don't know what I'm doing, but I would be happy to.'
How did you conceive the shoot?
It ended up being three different shoots. I had a very small studio in the Kemps Ice Cream building [in Minneapolis]. I had one piece of seamless and a portable flash. We did the first shoot there. And then we did another session in downtown Minneapolis, out of which came one of the most iconic images, of him against a white wall with music notes. The building belonged to the Schmitt Music Company. And then we did another shoot at Owen's home. We shot him with Owen's dog, sitting at a table, playing the piano.
What was he like on set?
He was very, very shy. But he opened up to me and he was willing to play around, willing to try different outfits. I didn't know what I was doing, so I experimented. I put light behind his hair so his Afro was like a halo. We put sequins on him and then I put a scarf on the lens, but it didn't work. We took his shirt off. We had him blowing bubbles. This is all old analogue stuff. But he really opened up and we had some silly moments. He was young and was just starting and so was I.
What do you think of the photos, looking back on them?
They're so bad they're good. There are really some bad shots in there. I have about 17 to 19 rolls of film from that week, but there are only 20 or 21 photos that I've been showing (at exhibitions). There was some really horrible cropping. But there are some great expressions. I think I have some of the only photos of him where he has a smile on his face.
Did you ever see Prince again?
I had one moment with him many years later, maybe in the early eighties. I was in LaGuardia Airport, on the phone, and all of a sudden Prince walked by and said, 'Whitman, how are you?' I said, 'Fine, great,' and he walked off. And within a second all these kids were asking me if I could get them his autograph. I never saw him again.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: APRIL 18TH
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: APRIL 18TH
Matt Sundstrom, Illustrator. Portland.
Ezequiel Asnaghi, Producer. New York.
Madeline Moore, Art Director. San Francisco.
Scott May, Designer. Portland.
Leah Shea, Designer. Portland.
Veronica Corzo-Duchardt, Designer. Philadelphia.
Robyn Baker, Designer. Los Angeles.
Laust Deleuran, Creative Technologist. Portland.
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BUILDING AN APP THAT STRIKES A CHORD
BUILDING AN APP THAT STRIKES A CHORD
We have to admit: we almost called this post "James & Jamie Make Sweet Music Together." Alternative titles may or may not have included: "Two WNW Members Hit a High Note" & "An App That's Music To the Ears of Kids and Parents." Now that we've gotten our terrible music puns out of the way...
Members #10045 Jamie Kosoy and #10101 James Bartley created a game called Melody Jams, which just launched in the app store today. How do you play? You drag any combination of extra cute monsters up on a stage, where they start playing a tune with the instrument of your choice. You can add lots of monsters on the screen to create and compose your own songs. From there, you can tap to select instruments to play alongside them. It’s easy enough for a baby genius but fun for everyone, even parents.
Though collaborators on this large undertaking, Jamie and James have surprisingly never met. Living on opposite coasts, they figured out how to work together through what was James' first foray into app development, "We’re basically total strangers 3000 miles apart who decided to embark on this prolonged hack day together. Figuring out how to work through that took an immense amount of care and respect of one another, and I think we handled it well."
We spoke to Jamie and James about their experience, inspiration, and the educational opportunities of Melody Jams. They made it clear that this kid (and adult!) friendly game can be enjoyable for even the most tone-deaf among us. Jamie add, "I played saxophone and piano back in the day. I was terrible at both. I love Melody Jams because I can finally play music and sound good."
Tell us a little bit about your creative backgrounds.
James: I’ve been freelancing as a motion graphics animator in New York City for about 7 years now. I originally went to school for interactive but soon after graduating decided to follow my growing interest in animation. I’ve also played music my whole life and still casually play in bands outside of work. I’m super excited to be involved in a project that combines these worlds.
Jamie: I got a BFA in Multimedia before I went to work making movie websites for awhile. I always loved programming and art and motion and interactivity. I still kind of want to be a Disney Imagineer. After close to 10 years working at an awesome agency in New York, my wife and I moved to San Francisco to be closer to family and I struck out on my own.
How’d you come up with the concept of Melody Jams? What were each of your roles?
James: I wanted to create a project with good intentions that brought together a mix of different creatives. When I began developing the idea of a Melody Jams type project, I knew it’d be the perfect project for me to connect with all of the inspiring animators and musicians I'm fortunately surrounded by. In addition, I've always been interested in getting involved in education. We just needed someone that could bring it all together. Jamie and the guys at Arbitrary brought the skills and the know-how to bring Melody Jams to life.
Jamie: James got in touch with me through a mutual friend with a motion test of what he was thinking about for Melody Jams. When I decided to start doing my own thing, I made a promise to myself to keep time open for projects that were inventive and fun and fostered personal growth as a creative person. I put together a small team alongside myself to help build the app out.
How does Melody Jams work? Is there an educational element to it?
Jamie: When you open the app up, tons of extra cute monsters appear on the bottom of your screen. You can drag each of them up to a designated spot to bring them to life. Once they’re up on the main stage, they start playing a tune with their instrument of choice. You can add lots of monsters on the screen to create and compose your own songs. From there, you can tap to select instruments to play alongside them. It’s easy enough for a 2 year old but really fun for everyone, even parents.
James: The animated characters linked to each melody hopefully keep kids engaged visually while recreating the intimacy of creating music with friends. I’m really excited to see how kids and adults like playing along with their own instruments. I believe that exposing young kids to creative improvisation early on can be really beneficial.
"I didn’t see why music apps couldn’t have music that parents could enjoy at the same time."
We can imagine the musicality of this game will be more enjoyable for parents than the beeps, sirens, and honking horns featured in other games. Did other like-minded games inspire you?
James: Yes, absolutely. While working on this project I did come across a handful of similar music apps for kids. They were full of beeps, sirens, and honking which, as a music guy, I couldn’t really enjoy. I didn’t see why music apps couldn’t have music that parents could enjoy at the same time.
Jamie: The landscape for kids is really pretty dire! There are a couple of app makers out there making really beautiful and interesting things (Toca Boca, Tinybop) but most of the rest of it is really bad. I hadn’t really dug into it until we started on Melody Jams, but it feels like there’s so much room for improvement.
Are either of you parents? If so, brag about your kids here :)
Jamie: I’ve got a niece now, but no kids [yet]. My wife is a design-thinking teacher, so I’m inspired by her when it comes to kids and educational technology.
James: I have an awesome nephew who was a big inspiration in the creation of this app.
Do you play any instruments? If so, did that influence your approach to the game?
James: I’ve played a ton of instruments over the years but I’m primarily a bassist. Nathan Mckee, who composed the first music for Melody Jams, and I currently play in a band together in NYC. Throughout my childhood my parents were very supportive and let me have a practice studio in our basement. Over the years I had dozens and dozens of musicians over just to mess around, explore, and “jam”. My favorite thing was always improvising with friends and I hope the app re-creates that experience for others.
Jamie: I played saxophone and piano back in the day. I was terrible at both. I love Melody Jams because I can finally play music and sound good.
"We’ve never collaborated before. We’re basically total strangers 3000 miles apart who decided to embark on this prolonged hack day together. Figuring out how to work through that took an immense amount of care and respect of one another."
What were the biggest lessons you learned during this process? Any unexpected challenges along the way?
Jamie: Oh dear, I could write a dissertation on optimizing assets for iOS here if you wanted. One of the most interesting aspects of the project for me was that James and I were working on this together, but we’ve never collaborated before. We’re basically total strangers 3000 miles apart who decided to embark on this prolonged hack day together. Figuring out how to work through that took an immense amount of care and respect of one another, and I think we handled it well.
James: I can say as I write this that I've still never met Jamie or the guys at Arbitrary in person. We did video chat daily throughout the project while using Slack to stay connected throughout the work day. Through this all I feel we developed a great working relationship. As for the app itself, every phase of the project was a learning experience for me. I’ve never built an app before as I primarily work in motion graphics. In my world it’s animate, render, deliver. The app process requires a ton of planning, testing, and as Jamie mentioned, optimization. You have to constantly be investigating the limitations while trying to find new ways around them. There were a lot of new factors that I had to consider with every design and animation decision. Since we were working without any budget and in our off time, we had to move very strategically and make decisions with respect to what was possible to achieve with everyone's schedule. It was a very challenging experience but I really enjoyed it!
Best advice you’ve received:
James: I received a ton of advice during this project that was extremely helpful. Knowing I was entering an area I knew little about, I made sure to ask anyone I could get in contact with for guidance. Also, collaborating with someone who had the experience I lacked made this all possible and provided for a great learning experience.
Any WNW members whose work you admire?
Jamie: I’m just trying to keep up with Charlie Whitney. Jay Quercia and Phil Sierzega are amazing designers who ceaselessly inspire me.
James: Erica Gorochow, Marcus Eckert, and Lucas Zanotto have been a big inspiration for me. They are all super talented animators who put out awesome apps over the last few years.
What’s next?
Jamie: We’ve got more jams on the way, and I’m planning to make more apps with spirit just like this.
James: I look forward to collaborating with new animators and musicians to create more jams. Outside of that, I hope I can continue to work on projects that I’m proud of.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
How Quitting Your Job Can Make You A Better Creative
HOW QUITTING YOUR JOB CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER CREATIVE
“Don’t quit a job unless you have another one lined up.” These are words drilled into us by our parents, society, and probably common sense. But then everywhere we turn, there seems to yet another article from a creative who is blogging from the beach or some remote part of the world (but apparently still has Internet.) It's oh-so tempting to quit.
What if we told you that leaving your job makes you better for your next one?
WNW Members #9966 April Lauderdale & #8953 Burke Lauderdale are two art directors hailing from Texas and South Carolina respectively. They met in 2005, married in 2011, and in June 2015 "piled [their] belongings into a 16 ft. storage container, gorged on queso, said goodbye to creature comforts, packed two bags each and embarked on an around-the-world journey."
Since they've been back, they've had a lot of ad friends ask what they learned from their travels. Below, they takes us on a global tour, listing out 11 different countries they got to know and love, and what each country taught them about being a better creative, "Perspectively speaking, most of the world doesn’t care about your brilliant idea that died in round fifteen. This is not to say you shouldn’t put a ton of care and craft into your work. It’s only to say, don’t hyperventilate and get too precious on a day-to-day basis. Rather, have fun with your work. As an old creative director used to tell us, 'It’s just nerdvertising'."
Stepping away from the monitor and into the unknown opened our minds to a new world of creativity that we had never experienced before, and something we’ll take with us wherever we punch in from here on out.
Lesson #1 - Uganda: Squeeze the lemon dry.
When we stepped off the plane in Uganda, we didn’t know what to expect. We quickly learned that the Ugandan people were some of the most resourceful we’d ever seen. They used what they had ten times over. Children without toys created their own with fallen tree limbs, mothers morphed retired t-shirts into handy mops and delivery men pushed motorbikes to their limits. In Uganda, something can always be working harder or take on a new life entirely.
Are you thinking there couldn’t possibly be another idea for your project? There is. No way your budget can work? It can. No matter how boxed in we may feel as creatives, there’s most likely a little more to be squeezed.
Lesson #2 - Tanzania: Nature is the world’s best inspiration.
Off the northern end of Zanzibar, on a tiny sandbar in the Indian Ocean, we found the most beautiful starfish we’d ever seen. Something we didn’t know existed in this world. And there it was, in all its beauty in the crystal clear water for anyone who bothered to look.
As cheesy as it may sound, when you’re feeling stuck, try nature. Go outside. Look around. Take notice of the stars and the patterns of trees. Before all of the CA’s and One Show annuals, there was nature.
Lesson #3 - Namibia: Don’t sweat the small stuff, because you’re really small.
As we drove the protected Skeleton Coast of Namibia, along the beaches, in and out of deserts, through dried riverbeds and up and down endless sand dunes, one thing became abundantly clear: the world is a ginormous place and we are really, really small. Wonderfully small, even.
Perspectively speaking, most of the world doesn’t care about your brilliant idea that died in round fifteen. This is not to say you shouldn’t put a ton of care and craft into your work. It’s only to say, don’t hyperventilate and get too precious on a day-to-day basis. Rather, have fun with your work. As an old creative director used to tell us, “It’s just nerdvertising”.
Lesson #4 - South Africa: Get outside your comfort zone, regularly.
If quitting your job isn’t far enough outside your comfort zone, we suggest swimming with great white sharks.
It’s terrifying for many reasons. What if the boat sinks? Can a shark fit through the holes in the cage? Are we going to die?
The surprising thing was that it wasn’t nearly as scary as we first thought. Sure, they were still great whites that could rip our faces off if they chose, but they were actually a lot more calm and graceful underwater than we had imagined.
Do presentations make you fearful? Timid to try a new type style outside your wheelhouse? Whatever you are fearful of, whatever is outside your comfort zone, take the risk and jump in headfirst. You just might find it wasn’t as bad as you’d expected, and you might just grow stronger for it.
Lesson #5 - Nepal: In the midst of struggle, stay positive.
We traveled to Nepal just five months after the devastating earthquake. It was the worst natural disaster to hit the country since 1934. Yet the people couldn’t have been more positive and welcoming. They loved their home and were working hard at rebuilding.
When it seems like something you’ve worked on for months is crumbling around you, just remember to stay positive. You will rebuild.
Lesson #6 - Vietnam: Be inclusive.
In Hanoi we invited two women who worked at our hotel, Linh and Phuong, out for coffee. Not only did they accept our invite, but that coffee turned into some of the best friends and memories we made during our trip.
The next night, Linh invited us to her favorite floating restaurant. And Phuong took us to her husband’s juice shop where we met her son, drank smoothies and chatted for hours. They taught us so much and provided better experiences than any guidebook could have ever offered.
Headed out of the office for lunch with a group of people? Why not ask the new strategist to join? You never know who around you, across disciplines, levels or even professions could teach you something new or become an amazing friend. Finding out is an invite away.
Lesson #7 - Laos: Slow down when possible.
Traveling through Laos for us was a bit like floating down a lazy river. The culture was much slower and laid back than anywhere we’d been. Shopkeepers openly napped in their stores, bus drivers pulled over to watch the sunset and night markets were eerily quiet.
At first this was agitating as we just wanted to get somewhere fast, have a quick meal or pass through a market in a hurry.
But as we eased ourselves into this slower pace of life, we came to really appreciate it. And we took more time to just, be.
Though most days can feel like hurricanes, it’s important to step away when possible and let your mind reboot. It might even wander to places it couldn’t have before, leading you to your next award-winning idea.
Lesson #8 - Cambodia: Don’t take shortcuts.
While in Cambodia, we were fortunate enough to visit Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world.
It was constructed in the 12th century, took around 30 years to complete and contains some of the finest architecture and reliefs you’ll ever see. One of the first Western visitors to the temple said that it “is of such extraordinary construction that it is not possible to describe it with a pen, particularly since it is like no other building in the world” so we won’t even try.
Great craft and hard work can be the difference between something being “meh” and amazing. Be amazing.
Lesson #9 - Indonesia: Say no to TV. Say yes to art.
This was easy to do in Indonesia, particularly Bali, an island oozing with art and culture. We couldn’t make it far without seeing a local artist painting, a woman constructing beautiful offerings made from colorful flower petals, men practicing their music, children learning traditional Balinese dance.
The art of Bali wasn’t something to go and see hanging on a gallery wall, it was a way of life.
So remember to make and take in more. Go to an art show. See the symphony. Make a finger painting. The more we say yes to art, the more inspired we can become.
(Disclaimer: We’re not saying to stop watching TV. That would be terrible.)
Lesson #10 - Singapore: Look for the gems.
To be completely honest, we were a bit skeptical of Singapore upon arrival. Compared to the other gritty, culture-packed countries we had been to, Singapore felt a little sterile and robotic. But as we dug in deeper, and explored further, we found hidden gems throughout the city. Striking street art. Incredible cuisine. Beautiful architecture.
So when you have an assignment you’re skeptical about, or don’t see potential in, try looking a little closer. There might be an opportunity there you didn’t see before. There could be a gem in a seemingly unglamorous project. Look for it.
Lesson #11 - Malaysia: It should be fun.
The small island of Penang, off the northwest coast of peninsular Malaysia, is home to a rich street art scene.
To find the art, you had to get out and look. Some pieces were hidden down long alleys or partially worn away by mother nature, but they’re there if you look hard enough.
You could tell the artists had fun making the pieces. People enjoyed finding them, interacting with them and taking pictures with them.
This is what it should be all about. Let’s have fun making things that our audience can interact with and enjoy.
“Don’t quit a job unless you have another one lined up.”
Unless what you have lined up is a trip around the world.
Thanks for reading.
April & Burke
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PROFILES OF THE WEEK: MARCH 7TH
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: MARCH 7TH
Franck Blaess, Director. Austin.
Nancy McCabe, Designer. Chicago.
Jacob Kaempf, Art Director. Portland.
Natalie Lam, Art Director. NYC.
James Heredia, Motion Designer. Portland.
Willyum Beck, Art Director. Portland.
Cori Donohoe, Copywriter. Chicago.
Nancy Ward, Producer. Santa Monica.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: JANUARY 25TH
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: JANUARY 25TH
Sylvia Boomer Yang, Motion Designer. Brooklyn.
Jared Culp, UX/IA Designer. Austin.
Robin Davey, Illustrator, London.
Jillian Adel, Art Director. Los Angeles.
Karen To Nakada, Designer. Los Angeles.
Camille Chu, Designer. Los Angeles.
Ben Kopp, Illustrator. Philadelphia.
Ryan Lowry, Photographer, Chicago.
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Illustration by WNW Member #2045 Nathan Hinz
The Only Thing You Have to Fear is the Freelance Fear Itself
After years of saying you’d do it, you finally did. You went freelance. You’ve been working at your first gig for a few months now and it seems pretty amazing. You love everything about freelance. If you work extra hours, you get paid more. What a novel concept!
Read MorePROFILES OF THE WEEK: DECEMBER 14TH
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: DECEMBER 14TH
Rebecca Litt, UX/IA Designer. Brooklyn.
Guy Paterson, Director. London.
Sophie Gate, Animator. London.
Sebastian Lees, Full-Stack Developer. London.
Rick Abbott, Copywriter. New York.
Sinem Erkas, Illustrator. London.
Jessica Ardizzone, Designer. London.
Katie Harrison, Copywriter. London.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE TO START A LIQUOR COMPANY
WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE TO START A LIQUOR COMPANY
When we were first introduced to Parce Rum, we joked that we wanted to partner solely because their branding is just so damn good. And so we did: Parce Rum was the official cocktail of our Print All Over Me Launch party and thankfully the rum was as good as their design.
We spoke to Parce Rum co-founder (and WNW member!) Jim Powers, who told us about his transition from the music industry to the wild west of running a booze company. The endless paperwork, the trips to Columbia, and how he's doing things differently. Jim also shared with us his One Bottle = One Tree initiative where he plants a tree for every bottle purchased. So now drinking means we're doing some good, too? We'll have another, please.
First: let’s talk about how amazing your last name is. Did you make it up?
Bequeathed to me by my father, from his father, and so on… from a lineage of Irish whisky bootleggers and horse “traders” from the Old Sod.
What’s your backstory?
Years working as an A&R guy for major record labels where I was fortunate to have a bit of success, and then I started my own indie label Minty Fresh, in Chicago. Growing up, I always was obsessive about music and somehow I found a way to get paid for my interests. When people stopped paying for music, it seemed like a good time to follow another personal passion, one that couldn’t be digitized. A good drink. Aged sipping rum.
How did Parce Rum get started? What makes you guys different from the other brands on the market?
Parce was started by myself, two brothers - Brian and Patrick, and a family friend in Colombia, Jaime Uribe. We were sitting on the porch of a finca (farm) a couple of hours outside of Medellin thinking about ways we could work with something associated with Colombia that we could all get excited about. After much back and forth, we looked at the drinks we were holding in our tumblers and it all made sense. Rummy rum rum!
When we first got introduced, we joked that the reason we wanted to team up was because your branding looked good with ours. Seriously though, who did it? Tell us about the design process.
Our bottle design was in collaboration with Mike Renaud. It took about a year and a half to arrive at the finished bottle.
Mike took thousands of pictures in Colombia for inspiration and we spent many hours in bars, looking at bottles already on shelves and asking ourselves how Parce could stand out while being bartender-friendly. Tough, tough work, requiring our consumption of many spirits along the way. Fortunately Mike is as gracious and fun to be around as he is talented so the entire process was great. We love his Parce design and the response has been fantastic.
What's been the most unexpected thing about running a liquor company? Where do you hope to be in five years?
The overwhelming paperwork and legalities of dealing with alcohol was/is even greater than we’d imagined. It kind of never stops, and you are always signing something. In five years we hope to have planted 300,000 trees in Colombia through our One Bottle = One Tree program. For every bottle of Parce purchased, we plant a tree native to Colombia as part of a reforestation partnership there. So far, we’re at over 10,000 trees planted and counting…
What’s up next for you?
We will introduce a Parce 3-year-old rum in the Spring. The flavor is fantastic and we think it will be the best 3-year-old rum out there, in our completely biased opinion.
Favorite rum recipe?
I’m a fan of Parce neat or on the rocks. Also love a true daiquiri using 2oz Parce 8yr, 1/2 oz lime juice, and 1/2 oz simple syrup. Year-round tastiness. Love a Manhattan using Parce instead of bourbon too. Yeeeumm.
Bonus Round!
Last few things you googled:
Re-engineered New Balance 1500, Che Bill Murray, Bandito (bar I was trying to find in Bogotá last Wednesday)
Advice you’d give your high school or college self:
Trust yourself.
Favorite quote:
Tie: “God is in the details” and “I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.”
Creative inspiration:
Kurt Vonnegut, EB White, Jonathan Ive
Biggest career “failure”?
A music app that applied crowd sourcing to content curation. I still love the idea, but the ever-evolving technology behind it was humbling.
Proudest career moment:
Having a couple of bands I worked with perform on Saturday Night Live. For a kid from Iowa who was first introduced to many great bands through that show, it was a real thrill to have previously unknown artists make it to that stage.
Jim and his co-founders
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HOW TO BUILD A BEER BRAND FROM SCRATCH
HOW TO BUILD A BEER BRAND FROM SCRATCH
WNW Member #1100 John James and a team of six have been spending their after hours crafting and branding a beverage best suited for after hours: Aurora. The team, ranging from brand strategists to bar managers, all share one thing in common: the love they have for Canada. "All of us came together over our shared ideology that - despite the (often) second-tier view that Canada has of itself, Greatness has and can be born here."
We spoke to John James about the process of building a beer company from the ground up, and how the identity and aesthetic for the beer and brand were born. After an incredibly successful soft launch in western Canada, Aurora will be sold throughout Canada in 2016 and go stateside and global soon after. The way we see it, Aurora is 4.5% alc/vol, and 100% Canadian Love.
When did you decide to start Aurora?
The actual idea had been tossed around by a couple of the partners for a few years, but we (as a team) began taking the steps toward production in late 2013, building a fleshed-out team and seeking investors. As a business, Aurora is actually one component of a three-part movement to start introducing art and open-minded ideals to a larger audience throughout Canada and over the course of the next two years, throughout the United States and further globally.
What is your role in Aurora?
In terms of my creative role within the company, as we have all been working on the brand aside from our day jobs (a team of 6 - ranging from brand strategists to bar managers), I've been acting Creative Director and part of the skeleton crew since the early stages. All of us came together over our shared ideology that - despite the (often) second-tier view that Canada has of itself, Greatness has and can be born here.
How did you create the design and style of Aurora?
From a shared goal and extensive research from the team, it was easy for me to build the identity and language surrounding the Aurora brand. Everything seemed to come together under the introduction of our minimalist Aurora Borealis can, which stemmed from visualizations around our brand phrase - Rise Above.
We started with a western Canada soft launch, and from our vendor feedback, I believe we are almost sold out. The response has been tremendous, which is encouraging and we are definitely thankful!
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: NOVEMBER 30TH
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: NOVEMBER 30TH
Dan Fietsam, Copywriter. Chicago.
Suzanne Strong, Photographer. Los Angeles.
Rafa Alvarez, Illustrator. Berlin.
Todd Heyman, Director. New York.
Lucas Dotto, Motion Designer. Curitiba.
Bonnie Duffley, UX/IA Designer. Los Angeles.
Lauryn Siegel, Producer. Brooklyn.
Elisa Sandoval, Designer. Chicago.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL: JEFF HODSDON
BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL: JEFF HODSDON
WNW Member and Photographer #5727 Jeff Hodsdon has developed such an excitingly simple yet refreshing style, and we can't get enough of it. His project, "The Moments", is an on-going portrait series that captures his subjects in slow-motion, soft-focus. It's actually a hybrid of still and motion, in part because the first frame works deceptively well as a still image. And when the image comes to life, we're both surprised and hooked. We asked Jeff what it is about the idea of a moment that fascinates him. "I like the idea of ‘breaking the fourth wall’ — portraits that feel like someone is in their own life, yet giving you a split second of attention."
Make sure to check out Jeff's Instagram account to see all his Moment. And if you're attending the WNW X Print All Over Me Launch Party tonight, he'll be the one with the camera.
Tell us about your background: Who is Jeff Hodsdon and how did he get here?
I live in New York City by way of Califonia. I got here by motorcycle — took about a month and I journaled it on a tumblr. My focus is on taking images of people. Lately, my time is spent walking the streets of New York in search of people who I feel are in an interesting moment and photographing them. I post to an Instagram account and blog called “The Moments”.
Your ongoing series “The Moments” strikes a great balance between stillness and motion. Can you tell us about the development of the project and how you see it evolving?
I try to create an image that represents about one second of elapsed time. Not much happens in a second — if you look at any slice within a second the moment hasn’t changed really. I want someone to view them at any point in time and still see the same moment.
To capture a moment, do you first spend some time getting to know your subject, or do you aim for a purely raw interaction?
I usually don’t. I like to shoot the idea of someone that I have since that is what made me curious enough to ask for a quick photo. Everyone is different — sometimes I end up saying a couple words, then others you have a conversation with.
What inspires you most about the concept of a moment?
If you document it right with an image, it can bridge what happened and what you understand.
Why portraits?
I find people very interesting. They are so visual: what they wear, their environment, their posture, their expression, how they carry themselves, etc. New York City is one big set with millions of subjects. I love not looking for a particular image; I like to have a positive/curious feeling about someone I see and then shoot that feeling. You never know what you’re going to get.
Do any subjects surprise you?
Nothing too surprising yet. I suppose everyone is a surprise because I don’t know anything about them. What mood they’re in, if they want to smile, if they want to be told how to stand or not.
Do you feel more in your element doing still photography or video, or tackling both at the same time?
I don’t really do video where a story is unfolding. Nothing over a second of real time. It matters to me how you compose the feeling you had when you decided to capture the subject. The way I built my camera is to have just one button, nothing else to distract from figuring out how to capture what is in front of me. I like the idea of ‘breaking the fourth wall’ — portraits that feel like someone is in their own life, yet giving you a split second of attention.
How does New York inspire your creativity?
I like the energy here. It makes me want to do more.
What inspirations help inform your work?
Slim Aarons, Scott Schuman, Norman Parkinson
Hardest part?
Approaching people.
Biggest career failure or challenge?
Switching careers and starting over.
Most significant creative influence or inspiration (or creative hero)?
Favorite quote?
A photo can bridge the gap between what happened and what you understand.
Advice you’d give your high school self?
Party more.