Working Not Working has partnered with Pinterest on their new initiative Right the Ratio, which aims to empower the next generation of creatives to overcome inequalities in the industry. Right in time for Women's Equality Day (8/26), Pinterest is kicking off the campaign with a focus on gender inequality, highlighting some of advertising's most accomplished women and their unique perspectives on what needs to change. For starters, while women make up 46% of the ad industry, only 11% of Creative Directors are women.
Read MoreBook Lovers Day: Regular Worms Are Weird. Bookworms Are Cool.
No pressure for all these authors, memoirists, and poets, but the bar is set pretty high before even getting past the dust jacket.
Read MoreUnconventional Advertising: Meet the Most Awarded Ad Class in History
Unconventional Advertising: Meet the Most Awarded Ad Class in History
MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR
13 One Show Pencils this year. 7 consecutive ADC "School of the Year" awards. The numbers don't lie. Below, we talk to WNW Member Frank Anselmo about the "Unconventional Advertising" class he founded and teaches at The School of Visual Arts, and how he has a built a winning culture that looks likely to continue pushing fresh ideas and collecting more hardware. Offering insights into his teaching approach that he's never shared before, Anselmo calls out conventional advertising, shares some of his favorite "unconventional" ideas from his students, and opens up about the lessons he's learned from his students.
You founded the Unconventional Advertising program at SVA 11 years ago. What was the initial idea and goal?
I was first asked to teach an advertising class after three years working in the industry but turned it down. I wanted to first produce an extensive body of award-winning work to prove to myself I’ve earned the right to teach. When students are impressed by their professor’s work, you have the power to command a room with authority.
After seven years working at BBDO New York, the idea for a new type of ad class struck me. In the late 90’s-early 00’s, BBDO was known as a TV agency, but I was riding a streak of producing a string of non-TV ideas that were receiving global recognition. This work did not fit the standard mediums of the time. Some called them “non-traditional,” “innovative,“ or “unconventional.” There was not a category for this type of work. It was before digital became a standard medium. Ultimately one of my ideas won BBDO their first ever One Show Gold Pencil for a non-TV idea. It sparked other agency creatives to begin presenting all sorts of alternate media ideas. There was a newfound sense of hope that you could stand out without getting the great TV brief.
That unconventional work I produced would inspire the idea for a new type of class focused solely on unconventional ideas. A class where you can’t just do a print or digital ad. Your idea had to break new ground conceptually and also with the medium it lived in. Before I wrote my course proposal, I researched all the other ad schools in the world to see if anyone offered a class anything like this but none did. I submitted my proposal to The School of Visual Arts in New York and it was instantly greenlit. The Unconventional Advertising program now known globally as “The Most Awarded Ad Class In History” was born.
How has the initial idea evolved over the years?
Since day one, the mantra of the class has been the Bob Dylan lyric, “Those not being born are busy dying.” The program would have failed long ago if we did not constantly reinvent how existing mediums are used as well as invent completely new mediums for ideas to live. I designed the class so we’re never forcing ideas into predetermined mediums. We let the ideas tell us where they want to live. It’s a highly detailed, finished-piece class where having an original idea is only half the battle. Great ideas executed poorly look like bad ideas. Each year, the amount of time I spend developing strategies for class projects increases. I get excited knowing that before students begin working on an assignment, our strategic message is something interestingly different than anything you’ve ever heard that brand, product or service communicate.
When you think of conventional advertising, what comes to mind?
Anything that reminds me of anything I’ve seen before is conventional. At a recent award show, I saw a cool idea where a museum dinosaur exhibit comes to life while looking through your phone. The next time I see anything transform through a phone, it will have the stank of an idea I’ve already seen. The highest percentage of killed ideas in my class are digital ideas for that reason. When everyone in the world is using the same technology, ideas are going to feel too similar and easy. I see ad agencies frequently pump out the 2nd & 3rd versions of ideas we’ve already seen but wearing different makeup. In class, I use these rip-off ideas as examples to make sure students see right through knock-off ideas without being fooled by design. The bar is insanely high in the Unconventional Advertising class. Repeating anything anyone’s ever done professionally or as students is the kiss of death.
13 One Show Pencils this year. 7 consecutive ADC School of the Year Awards. These numbers aren’t a fluke and the list goes on. What’s your strategy when it comes to building a winning culture that can sustain its momentum year after year?
A lot of geekery, focus and insanity goes into the program. Each of the past eleven years has been its own era of work we’ve never created anything like. After the first 5 years, I learned the class has single-handedly won more One Show Pencils, ADC Cubes & Clio Statues than any entire school in the world. I’m not bragging. (Okay, maybe just a little) As insane as those results are to process, it’s more daunting trying to replicate results the following year. That’s why I only look back on our past work to show students what they can no longer do. I attack each new year like we’ve accomplished nothing great before and must make a name for ourselves. Joe DiMaggio was once asked how he got a hit in a record 56 consecutive games. His response was: “There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first time. I owe him my best.” That always stuck in my head. I’m constantly reminding myself new students have not seen the massive amount of award-winning work we’ve created the past 11 years. So each new year I hit the mental reset button so I know I’m giving students everything I’ve got. Somehow the past 5 years of the class shattered all the records we set previously.
There’s this great documentary called “Last Play at Shea” where a sequence of match-cuts show Billy Joel at the piano from when he was young through now. You see him go bald. Billy says something to the effect of “when you’re up there performing, your entire life of performances goes into that one single show. You’re giving the audience everything you’ve ever learned at that moment.” I never heard any artist put it like that. It’s exactly how I feel when I do the class each year. After dedicating over a decade of life with numerous late nights and bonus weekends helping students develop & execute ideas, the many thousands of critiques & revisions that led to all the award-winning work comes into play. I’m better now than I was last year because each year is so dense.
LEGO “Hand-Bag”
A bag that creates the illusion the customer has a Lego hand.
Since this is WNW, I’ll share three key things about the class I’ve never shared publicly:
GEEKERY: Before I did my very first class 11 years ago, I purchased every single One Show annual dating back to the 60’s. I spent the summer digesting every single ad in search of those which broke new ground in their time. I then manually scanned in the most innovative work one-by-one since none of that early work exists online. I put together the definitive, chronological, unconventional advertising presentation that’s become the nucleus of my program. Knowing the history is crucial since repeating it is the kiss of death. Each year the presentation has grown. Several agencies, award shows, and organizations have asked for a copy of the presentation. Each time, I respectfully decline since it’s something I created just for the students brave enough to take my class. Pimping it out would take away from one of the things that defines and sets the class apart.
FOCUS: In a class where the idea is king, I have a strict no-technology rule. Since the very first class, I’ve been collecting every student’s phone before starting each class. I’d never be able to stand up there and focus knowing any student would fathom even glancing at their phone during class. I’ve never seen myself as a teacher. I’m more of an awakener. Many have said I operate more like a sports coach in class. You can’t awaken and inspire someone who is distracted. I require students only bring their brains, ears, and eyes.
INSANITY: I’ve worked with numerous students and also professional creatives who work hard but never quite reach that next level of greatness. Working hard is not enough to stand out when many around the world are also working hard. You need to be insanely passionate. Young talent is not born passionate. They need to see it with their own eyes and hopefully it rubs off. That’s why in the second semester I do insane shit like hold full-week, all-day revision marathon sessions in the lab starting at 6AM on the weekend of Spring Break. When students first hear I do this, they look at me like I’m crazy–as they should. I turn down months of freelance creative director work that pays handsomely. Any sane person would not make such financial sacrifices. I was watching a Steve Jobs interview and he crystallized this notion: “If you don’t have passion, any rational person would give up. The ones who are successful loved what they did so they could persevere when it got very tough. The ones that didn’t love it, quit.” It gives me chills hearing that every time. YouTube “Steve Jobs rules for success” to hear the man speak those words. Simply amazing. Here’s to the crazy ones.
NASCAR “Speedvertising”
Motion-activated billboards blow air at pedestrians who pass by.
Of all the projects and campaigns concepted within your program, what are some that you think best sum up “unconventional advertising” and why?
Great question but it’s like asking me which are my favorite children–if I had hundreds. Working on The One Show Student Competition has been a tradition in my class every year and has led to some of our most innovative work. You can see all our past winning work on the One Show site. I’m a huge ambassador of that competition because everyone works on the same exact brief. It’s the purest competition.
There’s an idea that traveled way beyond a student piece. After Steve Jobs passed, I felt as the unconventional class it was our duty to do something for one of the most unconventional thinkers in history. Students presented many ideas, but I only felt strongly about one idea. We named it “The Steve Jobs Moment of Silence.” An 8-second silent audio file launched on iTunes and downloaded for 99¢. The 8 seconds symbolized the 8 years Steve Jobs fought pancreatic cancer and all the proceeds were donated to research. What really turned me on about this idea was that it’s a tribute that existed on the very device Steve Jobs created. After it became an official state-registered non-for-profit, it officially launched on iTunes. Amazingly, a junior team came up with this idea and just the three of us created & produced it soup-to-nuts through my company. I don’t think a junior team in any ad class in the world ever produced an idea from class that went on to win a professional One Show Pencil, ADC Cube, Clio Statue and D&AD. This idea has come to symbolize the unlimited potential of the class.
I see student ideas as being just as real as professionally produced work. Just because student ideas are not produced does not make the actual ideas any less real. Thanks to award shows, the great work from the class is documented on their sites for posterity just like agency work. Thanks to award show sites, agency creatives can no longer steal student work without embarrassing themselves.
*Some of Frank's favorite projects and campaigns from his past classes are featured throughout this article.
LENOVO “Projected Digital”
While watching movie trailers on YouTube, banner ads come alive to demonstrate this projection tablet.
Do you ever get jealous when your students come up with a brilliant idea and wish you had thought of it first?
No, because once I approve an idea, I’m instantly the creative director on their team. It’s a feeling of relief when someone comes in with a great idea since without ideas we’re dead. I don’t let any of my students touch a computer until they have an original idea. The average age of my students is 19-21. If I compare myself at that age with what my students are doing, then yes for sure I’m jealous with how advanced some students are today.
What lessons and tricks of the trade have you picked up from your full-timing and freelancing experiences, and then applied to your teachings?
In the very early days of The Beatles, they honed their performance skills in Hamburg playing numerous shows daily before ever entering a recording studio. Hamburg was their training ground. My decade at BBDO turned out to be the training ground for my class. I was lucky to be there at a time when I got to work with many of the greats who landed there like Gerry Graf, Eric Silver, David Lubars, Greg Hahn, etc.
But what’s inspired me and ultimately the class on a whole other level has been freelancing the past 8 years at over 50 agencies. You only learn a handful of things working at a handful of agencies. Thanks to freelancing I’ve added numerous weapons to the class artillery. One of my favorite WNW jobs was a month at Apple headquarters in Cupertino. When I got back and shared my experience with the class, I could see their eyes and ears expanding. It makes a huge difference to students knowing their professor is out there doing it as opposed to working at one agency your whole career reviewing your 401K.
What are the most important lessons that you have learned from your students?
When I first began teaching I thought the students who were the most cocky and tough were the ones who would survive my class, but I was completely wrong. In around my third year I noticed a pattern in the students creating award-winning work. The most sensitive ones became the stars. The most vulnerable students who take every single critique to heart are the ones who end up doing the most impressive work because they simply care more.
Do you see advertising as more complicated now than when you were coming up?
For sure. When I was a student, everyone focused on creating print ads. It was much harder to stand out since everyone was playing in the same sandbox. It was easier to see who were the talented ones. Today it’s distracting looking at books. Most students try riding the wave of using new technology in their work and student books end up blending into each other. I’m impressed when I see a really great print campaign today. It’s still the most challenging medium to stand out on a flat page.
WWF “Stickers”
Peel off these stickers and you’re taking part in the atrocity of skinning these animals alive.
How do you and your students determine which medium is right for an initial idea?
There’s not any one way. It’s intuitively inspired by the idea itself. Frequently when an idea is presented in class and works well in the medium it's presented in, I still stop and ask the class if it can be even stronger executed in a different medium. One year I had a student also execute a poster idea as a t-shirt. The poster got a merit at the One Show while the t-shirt version won a Gold. I let ideas tell me where they want to live.
Is WNW working for you? Have you gotten a good amount of work through the site so far?
For sure. Some of my most memorable gigs have come from WNW. Not to mention all the great creative partners I’ve met through WNW. In this freelance game, creatives must have a few go-to partners unless you’re already married to one partner. This way you can both help each other land jobs and bring each other into agencies.
In what ways has WNW enabled you to build on the success of this class?
I’ve turned down ECD level staff jobs to build the Unconventional Advertising program since I’d never be able to devote the required time to my students taking on a bigger role at an agency. Freelance jobs I’ve landed on WNW have given me the ability to both work at ad agencies and also run my ad program. With a staff job, the time I’d be able to offer students would be minimal. My classes are like two classes in one since we execute ideas to the finest detail. There’s no way to do it fast. Sometimes we go 100 revisions deep before we finish a single idea. I’ve never looked at a clock or an empty cup of coffee.
Who are some of the creatives from your Unconventional Advertising program that are producing really exciting work right now?
James Kuczynski holds the all-time student record by winning 6 One Show Pencils in my class–then went on to do amazing things at BBDO and beyond. Lauren Hom started her own company and does with lettering what Jimi Hendrix did with guitar. Jeseok Yi was in my very first class and is now one of the most famous guys in Korea with a book about him. It’s most gratifying to me when the thinking developed in the unconventional class inspires students to create beyond advertising.
Who are some other WNW members whose work you admire and why?
Jeff Greenspan’s work is brilliant. Everything he does has a message that’s delivered simply but in such a cleverly unexpected manner. Justin Gignac is also great. He did wantsforsale and NYC Garbage. No idea what the hell he’s done since.
BRADY CENTER “Cut Short”
Music videos of artists who were gunned down are posted on YouTube. Little do viewers know the videos will be abruptly cut short by bullets.
In your WNW bio, you describe yourself as a “Rock and Roll Historian.” What are 3-5 underrated rock albums that WNW members should go find immediately?
–The Clash’s Sandanista is a big double album with lots of random stuff but there are some real gems on it.
–The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper & Revolver always top the greatest albums list but Magical Mystery Tour has to be their most underrated album that would surely be any other band's greatest hour.
–Green Day’s 2nd album Kerplunk! which came out two years before their acclaimed breakout Dookie is such an inspired and perfectly produced album.
–The Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique is usually the #1 choice of fans and rightfully so, but go back and listen to Hello Nasty straight through. It’s rare to hear a cohesive sounding album with a common audio thread, but all the tracks still sounding so diverse.
–Under Great White Northern Lights, a live album by The White Stripes, bewilders me that only 2 people are creating that big sound all with their hands and not any computer trickery.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Advertising creatives: if you really want to be a pure creative director in the full sense of the word, do a class. Leading a class is the only way you’ll ever focus 100% on creative without having to deal with business riff-raff and tons of meetings. Every year in my program I make decisions on over 30,000 ideas presented to me. Most creative directors don’t do that in a lifetime. Being a CD at an agency will be a walk in the park after running a concept-to-execution class. It’s being a creative director on steroids.
There’s definitely an attitude in the class that’s ultimately injected into the work which is unmistakably New York, the birthplace of creative advertising. I can’t imagine a class like this existing anywhere else in the world. I thank WNW for doing this first ever in-depth interview about this crazy thing that’s taken a huge chunk of my life the past decade. It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve done in my professional career and made possible thanks to the Chairman of the department, the great Richard Wilde. I thank all the students who have traveled from all over the world just to take my class. Lastly I thank the great Luke Sullivan, author of the greatest advertising book ever written, Hey Whipple, Squeeze This. I read it as a student and have since made it a requirement for all my students on the first day of class. As karma has it, Mr. Sullivan recently graced me with the incredible honor of being a contributor to the latest edition of this most legendary book. One of the highest honors I’ve ever received and I’m forever grateful. If you’re an ad creative and never read Hey Whipple, well... then you’re not an ad creative. Yeah, I said it!
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
This Artist Crafts Drunk History With Letter, Liquor, & Lots of Research
This Artist Crafts Drunk History With Letter, Liquor, & Lots of Research
MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR
WNW Member Matthew Wyne's latest ongoing project Letters and Liquor is the epitome of a labor of love. "Three years ago I read an article on how to make a Manhattan, decided to surprise my wife with some date-night mixology, and became obsessed with cocktails. She liked the drink, but even more than that, I could tell that she liked the stories I was able to tell her about the components of the drink." From there, the deep-dive research began and continues. Each drink in the encyclopedic series contains a full history, a detailed explanation of the ingredients, a recipe, and finally the creative considerations behind the custom lettering Matthew used to render the drink’s name.
In our interview below, Matthew tells us how talking about liquor has brought him out of his shell, what cocktails he turns to the most, and how research is a fundamental and driving force in his creative process. "When I research something and begin to learn the details of what came before, I start seeing ways I can build off of that material to create something new that, hopefully, gives others the same excitement." To support Matthew on this front, share this project with your friends and followers and, just as importantly, learn how to make these drinks for your friends and tell their stories.
The depths to which Matthew goes with this ongoing endeavor is nothing short of staggering. After you read the interview and get a sampler of the project below, we strongly encourage you to head to Letters and Liquor. You'll learn more than just fun trivia; you'll get a glimpse into a unique historical perspective that highlights not just human history's alcoholic dependency but also its ingenuity, resourcefulness, and spirit.
Tell us a little bit about your creative background. Who is Matthew Wyne and how did he get here?
Studied design at the Creative Circus. Got a job as an art director at Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Got fired. Got a job as a designer at Venables Bell & Partners. Got fired. Started freelancing with a lot of help from WNW Member Ivan Cash, who emailed his clients on my behalf and got me on Working Not Working. Finally got the guts to study type design at the Cooper Union because my then-fiancé-now-wife believed in me, and that was where I started to find my niche. Once I combined lettering and cocktails, my career path became much more clear.
What were some of the challenges in launching your career as a designer and lettering artist?
After getting fired twice, I realized I might never find a mentor who could help me figure out how to build a career, so I tried to become my own Creative Director: identify my strengths, build on them, put out work that helps me attract more work in that style. In the beginning, a fair amount of that work was unpaid or discount-priced. There was a period when I worked so much (and slept so little) that I started having panic attacks. There was a period when I spent nights and weekends reading books on business, learning how to structure projects and contracts. There was a period when I spent a lot of time designing far beyond the scope of a project because I wanted to make the work great. I put in an extraordinary number of hours, I educated myself constantly, and I built relationships with people because I cared about them and what they were doing. Slowly, that has helped me put together the foundation of a private design practice.
How would you describe your creative style? Do you recognize a signature style that links most of your projects, or do you try to excuse yourself and approach each project as its own entity?
Visually, I think I have executed work in a range of styles. I am much more particular about the style in which a prospective client wants to work. If you care about craft, culture, and getting the details right, I want to work with you. I love diving into new ways of creating things visually, as long as there’s a clear rigor to the way they’re constructed.
You’re currently in the depths of a project called Letters & Liquor. What was the inspiration behind it? Is it the perfect blend of your two greatest passions?
Three years ago I read an article on how to make a Manhattan, decided to surprise my wife with some date-night mixology, and became obsessed with cocktails. She liked the drink, but even more than that, I could tell that she liked the stories I was able to tell her about the components of the drink. I did some quick internet searching before she got home, learned the difference between rye and bourbon, where bitters come from and what vermouth actually is, and the conversation did as much to set the tone of the night as the drinks did. My greatest passions are connecting with people and creating. This project lets me do both.
You seem more than qualified to tend bar. Is that on your resume or are you just an after-hours aficionado?
I am not a bartender. I have a lot of respect for bartenders. The job they do is, in my experience, underappreciated. Standing all day, working for tips, juggling an enormous list of things in your head, managing the stress of a room full of people wanting your attention, some of whom might become unpleasant or abusive, is a demanding job. I have worked hard to develop my skill in composing drinks and I love talking to people about cocktails, but the gigs I do are small, private events with a limited menu and a focus on storytelling.
Each drink in this series contains a full history, a detailed explanation of the ingredients, a recipe, and finally the creative considerations behind the custom lettering you used to renders the drink’s name. Did you always intend for Letters & Liquor to be this extensive?
I’ve had to scale back from my original vision because it would have taken me so much time to produce. It’s a race every week to finish each post and I often feel the panic of being behind, but the creative part of me doesn’t think about time constraints; it just leaps ahead as fast as it can and I try like hell to keep up without sacrificing the rest of my life. This blog is a 52-week project. I already have a pretty clear idea of the next iteration.
What are the classic cocktails that you return to the most?
I love this question, because when I’m trying to create a new drink, I start with patterns in classic drinks. A Negroni is equal parts base spirit (gin) amaro (Campari) and fortified wine (sweet vermouth). If you substitute rye whiskey for gin and dry vermouth for sweet, you get one of my favorites, the Old Pal. I’ve tweaked that formula by combining, for example, peaty scotch, Cardamaro, and Oloroso sherry to get a rich, nutty drink that’s perfectly customized to my palette. These formulae abound in mixology: the Martini/Manhattan, the Daiquiri/Margarita, the Sazerac/Old Fashioned. A lot of the “custom” drinks you see on menus are based on old patterns. The real challenge as a drink maker is in discovering new models that can be remixed like this.
How do preliminary explorations and deep-dive research fit into your design process?
I don’t feel comfortable starting a project until I’ve done the research. Design is always done within a cultural context, and it’s very important to me to understand the subtle nuances of the culture with which I’m communicating. I think this is where my love for design and my love for cocktails really intersects. My motivation with both is to let people know that I’ve taken the time to really understand them.
When you feel a little creatively burnt out, do you often turn to research to get the juices flowing again?
If I’m having trouble getting started on something, research always helps. As soon as my mind has that input to chew on it’s going to start digesting, and pretty soon, if you’ll pardon the expression, I start shitting out new ideas. The excitement of trying to bring something new to life is what gets me out of feeling stuck.
What advice can you offer to creatives on utilizing the power of research to heighten their output?
This is a tricky question because I’m guessing what works for me might not work for others. However, for the sake of argument, let’s use hip hop as a metaphor. While rappers, like designers, are expected to be original, quotes and references are a part of both cultures. In the words of Jay Z, “I say a Big verse I’m only bigging up my brother.” That cross pollination is one of the things I love most about hip hop. I still remember the moment* I realized that the vocal sample from Kanye’s “Good Morning” was Elton John from “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” I got fired up. That kind of excitement is what gets my creative mind working. When I research something, and begin to learn the details of what came before, I start seeing ways I can build off of that material to create something new that, hopefully, gives others the same excitement.
*My friend Cooper Smith (WNW) was pulling his truck out of the Creative Circus parking lot and I chased him down on foot. How supreme, Coop?
What moment or project in your career so far has made you the proudest?
When the “Looking For” mural* got featured on the Atlantic. I hand-lettered personal messages from a woman seeking a boyfriend on an 8’ x 20’ wall. That project was a race against time, so getting it finished without taggers destroying it (which later happened) was a relief; then seeing it shared on such a prestigious and storied platform gave me a lot of pride.
Do you thrive off of being part of a creative community or are you more in your element as a lone wolf?
I need a fair amount of alone time every day to feel centered and focused. But, I love the creative dynamic of working with someone who is really passionate, intelligent, and open. My favorite projects have been the ones where my client is my creative partner and I feel really lucky that I’ve had so many of those.
Who are some of your biggest creative idols and influences?
I hope to get to Malcolm Gladwell’s level one day. His podcast, Revisionist history, uses his skill as an investigator and his platform as a writer to make powerful arguments for social justice. Before I was a designer, I thought I was going to be a musician. I couldn’t handle touring so I changed direction, but when we got pregnant I started writing music again. I hope I can record something for our daughter that stands up next to “Morning Phase” by Beck or “Tamer Animals” by Other Lives.
What do you do when Not Working?
I sing with my daughter. I dance with my daughter. I (try to) do yoga so my back doesn’t hurt so much from sitting at a laptop. And I have long, intense, passionate conversations with my wife.
Who are some WNW Members whose work you admire and why?
Ivan Cash inspires me with his belief in his creative vision. His ability to create projects that connect people mystifies me. Jessica Hische, in addition to being an incredibly talented lettering artist, is also incredibly generous in sharing what she has learned with other designers. I have her book, “In Progress,” and I’ve spent a lot of time reading the essays on her site trying to figure out one aspect or another of being an independent designer. Indhira Rojas just launched Anxy, a magazine focused on personal narratives around mental health. I think these stories are so important, and the caliber of writing and design in the first issue blew me away. The common denominator here is a high level of craft combined with work that genuinely serves people.
Anything else you’d like to add?
My Dad, Monty Wyne, is a copywriter. He worked for JWT for 27 years. Each time he got transferred, we moved. Freelancing wasn’t really a thing you could do back then. I feel really grateful for the freedom I have to be an independent designer and it comes, in large part, from people and platforms like Working Not Working. Remembering that helps me keep things in perspective when freelance gets a little sticky.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
Annica Lydenberg & Co. Present the 10 Commandments for Clients
Annica Lydenberg & Co. Present the 10 Commandments for Clients
MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR
Tell us a bit about your creative background. Who is Annica Lydenberg and how did she get here?
I have been freelancing for 15 years - it wasn’t by choice at first but I certainly made the most of it. I designed a lot of Flash websites in the early 00s that was a thing, but eventually I got sick of websites and wanted to learn hand lettering. I enrolled in the Type @ Cooper program in order to get a proper typographic education and I did a great deal of personal projects to get more relevant pieces in my portfolio. Personal projects both when I was getting started, and still today, have always driven the kind of client work I get.
What was the impetus behind building “The 10 Commandments for Clients”?
One of the big things I’ve been focusing on is bringing more honesty into my work, making personal work that is relatable and will hopefully make someone feel less alone. Of course, I relate to the plight of the freelance designer; we’ve all been there through those terrible client moments. So after having written these maybe 7 or 8 years ago I finally moved forward by inviting 10 other badass lettering artists to execute their favorite one. This made it even more of an act of solidarity with others.
Throughout your career, have nearly all of these commandments been broken by your clients at one point or another?
Yes, absolutely. And none of them only once… I literally had a client who tried to tell me she showed a packaging concept to a focus group. Upon asking questions about the demographics of the focus group, she finally admitted she had just shown her mother.
Do you think it’s ever wise for creatives, either young or well-established, to do work for free? And if so, is that strictly something that the creative should offer, as opposed to the client?
A friend told me recently something that I thought was fascinating; they said the world was made up of ‘askers’ and ‘guessers’. ‘Askers’ just ask for whatever it is that they want with no concern given and ‘guessers’ only ask when they are nearly certain the answer will be yes. As a result ‘guessers’ have a hard time saying no because they fear it was presumed they would, in fact, say yes; ‘askers’ are well aware that no is an acceptable answer. I am a ‘guesser’ and it pains me to say no to people and I have often resented being put in a position where I need to do so. But you practice it and it gets MUCH easier.
All you can do is educate yourself, know your worth, realize your actions impact your peers and don’t be scared to say no. But ultimately only you can make the call. There are other ways a job can have value.
Do you have any advice for creatives to make it even easier for clients to follow these rules?
Be clear from the beginning. Always make sure your expectations are communicated early on and also be sure your client is doing the same for you. I ask a LOT of questions at the beginning of a job and always state what is typical in terms of work process, payment process, and where the job begins and ends. Also, don’t ignore red flags. Sometimes it’s best to walk away.
Aside from creating “The 10 Commandments for Clients,” what can creatives do to look out for one another and make sure their peers are being treated fairly?
The best thing we can do is listen to one another and help each other see what we are allowing in our lives. In figuring out how to treat ourselves fairly as individuals it makes it so much easier to demand the same of our clients. I find great value in these conversations.
The 10 Commandments for Clients
by Annica Lydenberg
I’ve been a freelance designer for well over a decade and have worked with many clients. These relationships have been varied: some phenomenal, some functional, and a few… failures. In thinking about what makes some more successful than others it is clear to me that, just as with any relationship, the rules you establish at the beginning can be very hard to change later. As a freelance designer, you are your only advocate. Be clear about your rules, communicate well, and communicate often.
The 10 Commandments below, adapted for Clients, will provide the much-needed guidelines which, if followed, will make all of you the exceptional Clients we know you can be. The ultimate goal is always to have a relationship of mutual respect for one another’s time, skills and knowledge.
These struggles are not unique to my path as a designer so I reached out to ten of the most talented freelance designers and lettering artists I know to each select and illustrate one commandment. These are people that I believe work carefully, deliberately and deliver the best work a Client could ask for.
– 1 – Thou Shalt Have No Other Designer But Me
Dear Clients, When we work hard and give you lovely design files, please do not change them without us. Do not pass them off to your cousin’s roommate for future updates or hire a different illustrator to emulate the style we developed for you.
– 2 – Thou Shall Not Covet Design Done On Spec
Dear Clients, We would never ask you to do work for free. All work, including treatments, sketches, mockups, and concepts have value. No one goes to a bakery, asks for a custom made cake, and then says they’d like to eat it before they decide if they want to pay for it.
– 3 – Thou Shall Not Use the Word ‘Exposure’ In Vain
Dear Clients, As it turns out, “exposure” does not pay our rent and we cannot use “increased followers” to buy coffee or to cover health insurance. This is not an acceptable form of compensation and we both know it.
– 4 – Respect the Weekend and Keep It Holy
Dear Clients, No Monday deadlines. As freelancers, it is often expected that we
never stop working, but please respect that we, too, would like to be off the clock on
the weekend.
– 5 – Thou Shalt Not Use Opposing Adjectives to Describe thy Project
Dear Clients, Do not set us up for failure. Please be clear about your values, your mission, and who your audience is. Do not ask us to make something for you that is both “whimsical” and “edgy” at the same time. This isn’t a thing.
– 6 – Honor thy Designer’s Expertise So thy Project May Be Pure and Wise
Dear Clients, When giving feedback, avoid giving design direction. This is why you hired us; it is what we do, and we are good at it. Instead try to speak to ways in which the design isn’t fulfilling its ultimate aim and we will fix it.
– 7– Thou Shall Not Request Work Be Completed “Yesterday, hahaha!”
Dear Clients, Unless you can send us the project request “Last month, hahaha!” then this is not helpful. And it isn’t funny. If you want to be funny please send a good dog meme, and then give a timeline that reflects reality.
– 8 – Provide Final Content That Is Final
Dear Clients, Whenever possible please do not change the name of your company after we finish your logo, please do not rewrite your copy after we’ve done your lettering. These are not changes they are a redesign. When a redesign is unavoidable, please expect to compensate accordingly.
– 9 – Hold Sacred All Invoices to 30 Days
Dear Clients, Surely if we can get your project done on time, you can write a check in 30 days. Just saying.
– 10 – Thou Shall Not Consult With thy Neighbor’s Wife for Design Feedback
Dear Clients, Random opinions and personal preferences alone are not useful. Unless your neighbor’s wife is a designer who sat in on our meetings and read the brief then we don’t want to hear it. If you feel a focus group is necessary then let’s do that together. But your mom is not a focus group.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
Photo by WNW Member Ebru Yildiz
A Devotion To The Road With Photographer Jessica Lehrman
A Devotion To The Road With Photographer Jessica Lehrman
For some, #vanlife is merely an aesthetic, a lifestyle veneer they aspire to. But for WNW Member Jessica Lehrman, it's all she knows. Growing up mostly in an RV, Jessica traveled the country as a kid: living in Seattle, Tucson, Colorado, Los Angeles, Purchase, and currently Brooklyn (clocking in at over 6 years). Through her upbringing, a natural inquisitiveness for people emerged. Jessica has since been able to translate this into a passion: today she is a world-renowned and highly sought after photographer and photojournalist. She documents everything from the underground rap community in New York to political organizing and protests.
In our interview below, Jessica talks about the dynamics of family road trips, the second family she's found in Brooklyn's underground hip hop scene, and where her craft may take her next. "I think it's in my blood to be continually moving and floating around. I kind of just go where the wind takes me and end up in some pretty starkly different realities and lives. I'm attracted to the most intense aspects of devotion: to one's craft, to one's family, to music, to politics, to love or god. I will follow people across the world for any of those things."
Tell us a little bit about your creative background. Who is Jessica Lehrman, and how did she get here?
I grew up with an incredibly supportive family that nurtured the idea that your artistic endeavor should exist at the center of your life. My childhood was spent bouncing around between different states, cities, schools, RV's, and situations based on that guiding principle. Whether I was living unschooled in the mountains of Colorado, or trying to figure it out as a teenager in Venice Beach working for a newspaper, my parents had instilled in my sister and I a sense that life was the biggest art project. And further, that we should set our lives up as creatively and as in support of others as possible.
I wanted to be a lot of things growing up but all of those things involved art and social documentation in some way or another - most I was pretty bad at (although my parents would tell me otherwise.) It wasn't until I discovered photography that I truly felt I had found my instrument with which to tell stories.
I’m not quite sure where “here” is yet, as I feel every day I am changing my mind on where “there” is that I'm trying to get to. But I would say I got to where I'm at by lots of chance meetings with magical people along my path, who have been interested in the stories I want to document and have helped them to be seen. That might involve dropping out of college, going to India, huddling under small umbrellas with strangers at Occupy Wall Street, or getting sent on rap tours or anti-fracking buses.
Do you have a signature style or process that links all of your projects, or are you more interested in approaching each shoot or experience with spontaneity?
I think I have a pretty distinctive style that fortunately or unfortunately I can't seem to change. My work is extremely personal and no matter what I'm photographing I tend to approach it in the same ways. First, by getting completely entrenched in the world I'm documenting and believing in it and rooting for it and loving it as much as I can, probably for the rest of my life. And secondly, if I can't find common ground or understanding or if I am shooting something that is based out of a culture of hate or discrimination, such as a Trump Rally, I try to go into the experience with as much of an open mind as I can and shoot from somewhat of a blank slate.
How did you first get involved in documenting the New York rap scene? And how has this ongoing interest developed?
I’ve pretty much always shot music. In college, I went to the very music-focused SUNY Purchase and would shoot every act that came there. A lot of my friends were in bands and I would shoot their promos and go on mini-tours and go to the city with them when they had shows.
When I left school and moved to Brooklyn, I continued to shoot bands and protests, my two main focuses, both equally electrifying movements. In 2011 I was spending most of my days at Zuccotti Park during Occupy Wall Street, and was very broke and had lost weight from not having money for food AND a metro card. I then got a call to go on a 14-day tour across the South with Jermaine Dupri (whom I didn't know anything about at the time, to be honest) for what at that time was “a small fortune.” I said yes and left the following week and fell in love with touring, and with hip hop. When I came home I fell back into days at Occupy and nights shooting rap shows. Brooklyn is small and so is the music scene, and underground hip-hop in Brooklyn is even smaller. I met the group World's Fair at Fools Gold Day Off and they became my family and some of my best friends for life. They introduced me to Bodega Bamz and The Underachievers; fast forward and the stories of the artists in that group of friends became ones I felt I wanted to help share with the world. Those guys are all family.
“I’m attracted to the most intense aspects of devotion: to one’s craft, to one’s family, to music, to politics, to love or god. I will follow people across the world for any of those things.”
It seems like movement has been a central theme in your life, from childhood to shooting the Beast Coastal tour and the 2016 election. Can you talk about that and how it informs your creative process?
I think it's in my blood to be continually moving and floating around. I kind of just go where the wind takes me and end up in some pretty starkly different realities and lives. I'm attracted to the most intense aspects of devotion: to one's craft, to one's family, to music, to politics, to love or god. I will follow people across the world for any of those things, and all of the stories I've spent some time on share that in common.
Have you considered testing the waters of videography?
Yes, I have done a bit of directing but haven't really found my voice in that medium yet. I would actually like to do more and maybe just need an excuse to do so.
In what unexpected places do you find creative inspiration?
Dance. I love watching people dance. It might go with my obsession with movement and intense emotions but I feel like dance performances encompass so much passion that I want to capture in my work. I’m also very intrigued by and have started to experiment with quilting and textile arts, but I don't want to say too much before I put out some work in that medium.
“Honestly, it makes me want to cry with happiness. I want nothing more in life than to see my friends succeed and get the platform they deserve.”
You’ve seen artists and friends you started with early on go on to flourish with their craft. Joey Badass and Flatbush Zombies, who are now Billboard-charting international stars, come to mind. What has it been like witnessing that growth process firsthand?
Honestly, it makes me want to cry with happiness. I want nothing more in life than to see my friends succeed and get the platform they deserve. I love all those guys dearly and am more than excited for everything they are getting!
Through your work, you’ve traveled extensively. What is it like working from the road? What’s the one or two pieces of equipment you can’t travel without?
I LOVE working from the road. I love touring because it's traveling with your best friends and having slumber parties and getting to experience newness but also familiarity. As for equipment, I seriously never change what I have if I'm on the road or here, and it's very little: I have a 5D and a 24-70L and a flash. I'm little and I don't like to carry more than I need and have found that to be all I need for anything. There are little non-photography things I have been very happy to have on the road, such as a headlamp for in the bunk on a tour bus when you are looking for your socks, a fanny pack for batteries when you don't want to carry your whole backpack, Wellness Formula so you don't get sick, and face wipes because the number of times you are showering is very little.
“Sometimes I feel like being a photographer is just a cheat code for getting to go experience whatever part of life you can imagine, and having an excuse to do so.”
You experienced a pretty unique gypsy summer with your parents and sister a few years back. What advice and lessons learned can you offer to making the most of family road trips?
I think compassion is key with family road trips. It's something that I am forever working on and that my sister and I run into issues with when we are crammed together in a small sedan for days on end. I think learning to be patient and understanding and see things from another's perspective is so important with family in general. Road trips just emphasize whatever issues you have with whomever you are traveling. For me that's my biggest problem I want to work on and my sister helps me with that. Families are great for teaching you lessons about yourself as they know just how to push your buttons. But if you can address those reactions in your family, I feel like they become an issue you don't have to deal with in other relationships.
Do you see yourself settling down in New York or do particular places you visited often call to you?
I would like to live in nature and have a stream nearby and a treehouse and room to make art and travel for work. Not sure NYC is the place for that but I haven't really found it yet so until then I'm here.
What part of being a photographer keeps you most fulfilled?
Sometimes I feel like being a photographer is just a cheat code for getting to go experience whatever part of life you can imagine and having an excuse to do so. I don't know that the act of taking photos is very fulfilling to me, but getting to know new people constantly and hear new stories and fall in love over and over again with humanity is more what keeps me fulfilled.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
Project Highlight: Bulletproof Coffee Rebrand
Project Highlight: Bulletproof Coffee Rebrand
MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR
Bulletproof Coffee is just a quick walk from WNW HQ’s Venice office and a high-speed sprint back. The stuff packs the kind of kickback that sometimes makes us wonder if it’s technically street legal. The name fits.
So does its design rebrand, which commenced late last year and was lead by WNW Member Ethan Keller, head of Seattle-based Emblem Studios. The whole point of Bulletproof Coffee is to give you the goods so you can power through the day and stay hyper alert, hyper effective, and for some of us also just plain hyper. A cup of Bulletproof Coffee includes grass fed butter and brain octane oil. Yum. Keller and Emblem Studios have captured the efficiency and scientific research that Bulletproof sells with a clean and technical upgrade. The dove from the old logo (pictured below) has evolved with a monochromatic iteration, and the condensed font has been retained, albeit with some necessary improvements. The hexagon pattern featured on the cups and packaging drives home the idea that Bulletproof uses science.
Emphasizing the color orange in this redesign is particularly a home run for Emblem. According to this site which addresses color theory, “Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation. To the human eye, orange is a very hot color, so it gives the sensation of heat... Orange increases oxygen supply to the brain, produces an invigorating effect, and stimulates mental activity. It is highly accepted among young people. As a citrus color, orange is associated with healthy food and stimulates appetite… In heraldry, orange is symbolic of strength and endurance. Orange has very high visibility, so you can use it to catch attention and highlight the most important elements of your design.” Intelligent design advice, Color-Wheel-Pro.com You could essentially replace “orange” with “Bulletproof coffee” in the description above, and capture everything the company touts.
Bulletproof's new visual identity stands apart from that of other coffee brands in its boldness and intensity. Which is exactly what Bulletproof is aiming to do. Does your company need a new logo or complete rebrand? Ethan Keller is Available.
Old logo
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
WNW Member Andy Ferguson, Steve O’Reilly (co-creator), Elisabeth Ness (lead actor), Benny Elledge (lead actor)
How to Make Your Film on a Budget And Get it into Festivals
Last month, my first short film Going Public screened at the SoHo International Film Festival. It was the culmination of a year-long process for myself and my friend/co-creator, Steve O’Reilly, that saw the project move through a variety of iterations before finally settling in as the short film that it ultimately became.
Read More
How to Organize a Brazilian Design Festival with Felipe Rocha
WNW Member Felipe Rocha is a Brazilian art director and graphic designer based in New York, recently serving as a Senior Designer at Sagmeister & Walsh. Currently, Felipe is putting the finishing touches on a Brazilian design festival called Bonde, which will take place on Saturday, July 22nd in New York. We talk to Felipe below about the logistics, challenges, and breakthroughs of organizing a design festival.
Read MoreGo Backstage with the Collected Works’ Governors Ball Branding
Go Backstage with the Collected Works’ Governors Ball Branding
MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR
The Collected Works has been on a roll lately. The NY-based graphic design studio, consisting of WNW Members Justin Colt and Jose Fresneda, keeps propelling itself forward with a range of diverse projects from album packaging for a Grateful Dead celebration to visualizing the internet for a sleek new router. Their latest undertaking was creating the entire identity and branding for this year's Governors Ball. As we said, they're on a roll.
This isn't the studio's first foray into designing an identity for a big event. Last year, they cut their teeth on The Meadows, another music festival in New York. They also helped Working Not Working with the identity and visuals for their 5th Birthday Party in January, which one attendee called "the single greatest event of the decade." Anyways, below we talk to Justin and Jose about their process and mission for designing the Governors Ball as the event to kick off summer in New York. They also share some insights into the learning curve that came with 3D modeling and animation, and tell us what it was like actually attending the event as VIPs and seeing their work in action.
How did you come to create the branding and identity for this year’s Governors Ball?
A year earlier we had worked with Founders Entertainment, the creators of Governor’s Ball on the identity and design for The Meadows, another music festival that they were putting together. It was a great partnership, and we really enjoyed working with them. This seemed to be a mutual feeling since they invited us to pitch ideas for Gov Ball after The Meadows wrapped up. We went all in on the pitch and developed a handful of concepts that we presented. They liked one of those directions quite a bit, and we were hired to develop the whole system and expand it for the festival.
What were some of your goals and inspirations for the aesthetic?
The main inspiration for the identity is summer in New York–good vibes, a positive atmosphere and (hopefully) nice weather. Repeated festival attendees think of Governors Ball kicking off the start of summer in the city, and the identity should have this same excitement. So, we already knew that we wanted a bright and vibrant color palette and overall energetic attitude.
The other aspect that makes Gov Ball special is that it’s a festival made by New Yorkers for New Yorkers. It’s deeply rooted in NYC, and we saw a great opportunity to use icons of the city to build the identity system. It should feel born and raised in New York.
What was the hardest part of nailing down the identity?
Taking a dive into 3D modeling and animation was a big learning curve. We had a great designer, Ben Ross, working here at the studio, who taught us all a ton about Cinema 4D and how to model all these objects. One of the hardest parts was creating a consistent set of 3D models, that would work together as a unified set. For instance, many of these items were created from scratch, here at the studio. However, for the gigantic Manhattan 3D model, we had to find a pre-existing map that we could customize–as creating this from scratch would take forever. Then, we had to ensure all these different objects (ones we modeled here, and ones we had to source) all felt like they matched and belonged together.
The other bottleneck was the amount of time needed to render everything. We had built a custom PC to handle the workload, which was pretty efficient at still frames, but took a ton of time for animation. For instance, 1 second of video would take about an hour to render. So a 60-second animation took days to render, which created some time crunches.
Once everything was actually modeled and rendered it was pretty smooth sailing. We essentially had a massive toolkit of all these objects, which we could keep pulling from and reusing.
How did creating a festival identity differ from creating one for a company?
From a conceptual standpoint, we approach both types of projects in the same way. One thing that we always push when working on identity design is the importance of thinking about the greater system that has to be in place, rather than just the individual pieces. The poster, website, tickets, signage, animations and stage design all need to feel consistent–to name a few. That’s very similar to working with most clients.
However, there are a ton of politics when dealing with artists. For a better part of the process, we don’t even know who’s going to be performing at the festival that year. Then, when the lineup is figured out, there are a bunch of contractual obligations we need to follow. The order of artists, when we can announce they are booked, the size of the artists' names, the color of the artists' names; all of these are things that artist managers dictate long in advance, and will need to sign off on. So, it all becomes a sort of jigsaw puzzle, to satisfy these obligations but still have everything feel well designed. You’ll see a lot of ugly festival posters, and this is usually the reason why–because there are hundreds of cooks in the kitchen, and everyone wants their aesthetic preferences to come through, and their artist to have top billing. I guess that’s show business for you.
How did it feel seeing the fruits of your labor all over the festival?
We’ve been very lucky as a studio, to work with clients we sincerely appreciate and respect. It feels incredibly exciting to be involved with a project that we have a vested interest in and, in this case, a festival we would have paid money to attend even if we didn’t work on.
A few highlights are seeing our design work all around the city–some posters are wheat-pasted across the street from the studio right now for instance. It’s also rad to see artists and their fans sharing the work on social media, and everyone feeling sincerely excited about the event. Finally, being at the festival itself is especially awesome. The design system really comes together at that point, and all these dozens of elements (screens, tickets, signs, apparel, stickers, tattoos, sculptures, geofilters, stages) create an incredibly consistent and strong system and experience.
Who were some of your favorite acts at the festival? Did you get a VIP experience?
Let’s see, some of our personal favorites were Chance, Beach House, Francis and the Lights, Childish Gambino, Wu-Tang, Air, The Avalanches, Mac Demarco and Warpaint.
Gov Ball also hooked us all up with VIP tickets, which was the icing on the cake. It’s pretty awesome to hang backstage to see how a festival and a concert is run from that perspective–which is incredibly overwhelming. Oh, and the VIP bathrooms are pretty nice.
What’s next for you?
We have some rad projects in the pipeline that we’re excited about. We’re designing everything for The Meadows 2017, which is coming up in a few months. It’s an evolution of the identity we designed last year, and another one of our favorite projects. We just finished up the branding and design for another festival called Suwannee Hulaween, that’s happening down in Florida. We’ve also been working on the live visuals for Japanese rockstar, helping one of our favorite bands The National with their website and a bunch of animations, playing around with some VR projects, and doing a few self-initiated projects.
We might throw a big studio party in the next few months, and are trying to figure out how to brew and package a bunch of beer to give away.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Wanted to give a big thank you again to Tom, Josh and Laura at Founders Entertainment for the continued collaboration with Gov Ball and The Meadows. Another huge thanks to you, Working Not Working, for the continued opportunities you’ve connected us with. We’re huge WNW fans over here. Also thanks to Ben, Ahna, Steph and Ethan for all the Gov Ball help. Finally, we always want to connect with interesting people, so if you’re reading this and want to get in touch, hit us up!
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
Los Angeles
What Creative Communities Can Learn From Pickup Basketball
The worlds of arts and sports are in constant conversation. Many artists in our community have a foot in both, often producing sports-inspired projects. And a simple glance at the lines, materials, and equipment that define each and every sport displays the sheer force that design holds over the sports world. WNW Member Kasper Nyman's ongoing project Cities of Basketball directs a seemingly straightforward conversation between public basketball courts and design, but there's much more at work underneath the surface. We talk to the Copenhagen-based creative about his passion for pickup basketball, how design informs the sport and setting, and what creative communities like Working Not Working can learn from the inherent community aspect of pickup basketball culture.
Read MoreThese Presidential GIFs Offer Actually Funny Alternative Facts
The All of Presidents is a 45-day GIF marathon that offers some 100% factual information about all the guys that have held the position throughout history.
Read More
Nike China Wants You Kids to Cover Your Cuts with “Badges of Honor”
Nike China Wants You Kids to Cover Your Cuts with “Badges of Honor”
MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR
This post is directed at Free Range's dedicated reader demographic of children aged 0-12. Yes, we're assuming babies can now read before turning one. Have you seen all the other shit they can do these days?
To celebrate Children's Day for Nike China, Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai created adhesive bandage packs that encourage you kids to quickly cover your cuts and scratches in style and get back onto the court, field, ramps, ice, track, or wherever you get active. WNW Member and Art Director/Designer Pete Sharp created the bandage pack for all you child runners, and collaborated with Director Tom Bunker on a bonkers animation that shows a robot girl using said bandage pack while racing a robot cheetah to an ice cream stand. The quick clip totally nails the 90s kid show-meets-anime tone. In short, it's utterly insane with its explosive colors and sugar-high pace, so you kids should find it easily digestible and straightforward.
Image courtesy of It's Nice That
Image courtesy of It's Nice That
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
This Portrait Series Salutes the Peculiar Faces of Twin Peaks
In anticipation of the recent return of Twin Peaks, Barcelona-based WNW Member Lorena G published a series of portraits honoring many of her favorite characters from the cult show. The portrayals perfectly capture the auras of each character, as well as Lorena's signature style, which often features vectors, bold colors, and geometric shapes. In the current season, there's an overwhelming sense of isolation. Here's hoping that all these familiar faces find a way back to each other by the final curtain.
Read MoreNSFW: Got a Fetish For Great Set Design, Art Direction, & Photography?
NSFW: Got a Fetish For Great Set Design, Art Direction, & Photography?
MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR
WNW Members Isabelle Rancier, Marie-Yan Morvan, and Stephanie Gonot have collaborated enough times to know how to bring out each others' strengths and consistently put forth exciting projects. Their latest, a photo series titled "Fetish," is no exception. And its perfect marriage of art direction, photography, and set design would likely have been impossible without their familiarity. As Marie-Yan puts it, "We're so comfortable with each other that you could put us in a room together at 8AM with no story or props and we’d be shooting something by noon. I can’t promise it’d be good but that kind of comfort means we feel free to experiment and build on each others’ ideas until something happens. That’s the embryo of any creative project."
This particular project displays reflections of sexual fetishes surrounded by household objects coated in skin-tone palettes. "We wanted to communicate the mundanity of what is thought of as 'kinky' or 'alternative' sexual behavior," Isabelle tells us. "It’s a subject matter that is starting to have a cultural moment and is losing its stigma (very slowly!)." "Fetish" also brought with it an impressive number of obstacles, which included but were not limited to working with both mirrors and a corner set, learning how to tie fetish knots, and finding last-minute models on the cheap for an NSFW "fetish" set. Not bad for a day's work.
Tell us a little bit about your creative backgrounds. Who are Isabelle, Marie-Yan, and Stephanie, and how did they get here?
Isabelle: I was born in Germany, raised in France, and have lived in Brooklyn for 11 years. I started out studying German lit and painting at a liberal arts college but soon dropped out to study art in Scotland. While there, I slowly started to understand what graphic design was- and decided to pursue it. Not content dropping out once, I did so again- I couldn’t hang with the daily Glasgow rain- and landed at the School of Visual Arts in NYC where I got my degree. I am currently an art director at an advertising agency (Anomaly) but most of my career has been spent in the fashion industry as a graphic designer. I’ve held positions either in-house at media/fashion brands (Refinery29, Barneys NY) or in fashion-centric studios.
MY: I was born and raised in Paris. In 2004, I visited New York with my best friend during Christmas time and knew I had to move there. Six months after, I started to study graphic design at SVA (this is where I met Isabelle) and got attracted to the 3D world progressively. Before coming to the states I studied cinema in Paris. Movies are like religion in France, and they were a big source of inspiration for me growing up. (The movies of Jacques Demy, Francois Truffaut, Tim Burton and Jean Cocteau mostly.)
Stephanie: I’m a photographer living in Los Angeles who, like Marie-Yan, also had a penchant for movies growing up. :) I came to Los Angeles (from Sacramento) right after college for an internship with a TV commercial and music video production company because I thought I wanted to be a director. But instead I became very interested in the production company’s extensive photo book library and decided that if I wanted to become a director that I might first immerse myself in photography. Some years went by of moving around doing odd jobs (teaching English in Spain, working in an ice cream sandwich truck, etc) but I finally landed at a photo agency in Los Angeles where I was a photo agent for three years. During those three years I really focused and got my freelance photography career going by working on projects during nights and weekends, while learning about the business of photography during the day.
How would you describe your respective creative styles? Do you recognize a signature style that links all of your projects, or do you try to excuse yourself and approach each project as its own entity?
Isabelle: I can’t escape my style, even though I try with every project. I aim for visual simplicity and translate conceptual messages first and foremost, but I also like there to be an extra element. I love contrasts, surprises, and humor. Humor is hugely important to me, both in interpersonal relationships and in my work. Making someone laugh is like a superpower. Visually, humor can be translated as wit, surprise, and impact. I ask myself, can I spin this into something funny, or weird?
MY: The story of the picture we make is very important to me. I like to ask: what's the narrative here? And I need to have an answer. Otherwise there's a problem. I'd describe my style as very graphical and whimsical. I like simple shapes and strong colors.
Stephanie, Isabelle and I go way back. We're so comfortable with each other that you could put us in a room together at 8AM with no story or props and we’d be shooting something by noon. I can’t promise it’d be good but that kind of comfort means we feel free to experiment and build on each others’ ideas until something happens. That’s the embryo of any creative project. If you don't have that, you won't make something really memorable.
Stephanie: I’ve definitely developed a style over the past however many years and I like to use it as a starting point for projects. It’s nice to know that I can predict at least a bit what something is going to look like when I set it up with my lighting. Then from there, I like to push it a little further into unknown territory so that my style keeps evolving.
How did the initial idea for your latest project “Fetish” come about?
Isabelle: Stephanie, Marie-Yan and I were collaborating on a personal project where we were also using mirrors in colorful sets. We kept catching glimpses of our disembodied limbs and faces surrounded by saturated colors, and that sparked the idea…
MY: We were shooting a different project and sometimes Isabelle is really funny. She was looking at herself in one of the mirrors that was on set and joking around with her body kind of playing with the shapes she could make and her reflection. That's how the idea was born!
Stephanie: I feel like the further I get in my career the more it becomes clear that ideas don’t just come out of the blue… they come from getting your hands dirty and working on projects/collaborating with others.
“The night before the shoot we found a youtube video of someone tying the knot we wanted to use the next day in the shoot. But I had to learn how to tie it! Isabelle and I are just friends but we got to spend the night practicing how to tie fetish knots on each other in bed!”
Can you share some of the creative challenges and breakthroughs that came with this undertaking?
Isabelle: I will spare you the details of trying to cast models for a NSFW project ...with a low budget. Regardless, I feel lucky that the three of us are always aligned creatively and share similar sensibilities. We are on the same page from concept to execution and this project came together pretty smoothly. One creative challenge we encountered was the tone; it can be difficult to shoot nudity tastefully without it veering into a soft-core world.
MY: Isabelle and I rented an AirBnB in Silver Lake for this shoot, a little house with one bed in it. The night before the shoot we found a youtube video of someone tying the knot we wanted to use the next day in the shoot. But I had to learn how to tie it! Isabelle and I are just friends but we got to spend the night practicing how to tie fetish knots on each other in bed! We also had a little incident when one of the models we cast dropped out at 6pm the night before the shoot. Normally I think it'd be hard to find someone for a fetish-related shoot the night before, but we reached out to a few friends of friends and they loved our brief and that we were three women doing this shoot. I think there was a lot of trust there. Also, whenever I get to work in LA, it feels like a mini-vacation, coming from the craziness of NYC!
Stephanie: As mentioned, it was quite an ordeal to find models on the cheap for an NSFW project. Aside from that, we were working with mirrors AND a corner set, which made it difficult for me to light on my own. We basically created a big obstacle course for ourselves because we were seeing in front of the camera and also the reflection of a body which was sometimes almost right next to the camera. I wish we had a picture of the full set-up to share. It was pretty funny having naked people NEXT to me while I was shooting them reflected into the set in front of me.
“I wish we had a picture of the full set-up to share. It was pretty funny having naked people NEXT to me while I was shooting them reflected into the set in front of me.”
How do the household items like the telephone and coffee mug tie in with the theme of this project?
Isabelle: We wanted to communicate the mundanity of what is thought of as “kinky” or “alternative” sexual behavior. I feel like it’s a subject matter that is starting to have a cultural moment and is losing its stigma (very slowly!). The objects like the telephone, the keyboard, and the blinds speak to communication and visibility. The coffee mug and the houseplant tie into the notion of mundane domesticity.
How did you settle on the color palette for this project?
Isabelle: Millennial pink or bust! That's a joke - we just wanted colors that were in harmony with our subjects’ skin tones. I love how the photos almost feel like a color bath.
Stephanie: Gotta love Color-Aid! ;)
Were there any particular fetishes you considered covering that didn’t make the cut?
Isabelle: Yes, a few. We explored some related to pain and body modification but scrapped them. We could have easily veered into a gory or hardcore tone.
Which photo in the series is your favorite?
Isabelle: I love the threesome photo… The different skin tones look harmonious together and oddly peaceful.
MY: The group sex one: It's very sensual, and it reminds me of a sculpture. In a way. It's not as aggressive as the other ones. It's just the human body - nothing else.
Stephanie: I really love all of them as a series, but the ball-gag one I think is very pretty and strange with the house plant.
What do each of you do when Not Working?
Isabelle: I watch sci-fi movies, look for weird Corgi mutts on petfinder.com, and shop for vintage Levi’s.
MY: Travel and I have shifts to do at the Park Slope Food Coop. Food is very important to me!
Stephanie: Makes me sound boring but I’ve been getting into running! I ran a race with my mom for the first time a couple of years ago and got hooked. It’s nice to have a set running schedule when your freelance work schedule is inevitably all over the place.
Who are some WNW Members whose work you admire and why?
Isabelle: I’m a huge fan of my friend Dan Cassaro’s work. I also devote a good amount of time to trolling all the photographers.
MY: I'm new to the site! I need a little time to explore.
Stephanie: Also a newbie!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Isabelle: Hire us for your next project?
MY: Oh yeah!
Stephanie: Can’t wait to work with these ladies again!
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
Creative Mark Moll Reminds the Industry that Ideas Know No Age
Creative Mark Moll Reminds the Industry that Ideas Know No Age
MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR
WNW Member Mark Moll has been in the advertising industry for over 20 years, which is long enough to notice a lot of its positive and negative trends. One particular subject perhaps became even more apparent with each year Mark got under his belt, and that's the deep-seeded role that ageism plays in the behind-the-scenes of advertising. Mark's latest project "Ideas Know No Age" aims to put the emphasis back on the ideas that drive the industry, not the chronological ages of their creators.
It's ideas that first lead the 51-year-old creative director into this industry and what continues to keep him invested in it. "What I like most about what we do is ideas that stop people and ask them to engage. Sure it has to connect emotionally, but now I think people just want to see interesting things in the world they can participate in. That’s what gets me going as a human being first and a creative second. Good ideas just make life more fun."
In our interview below, Mark tells us why sharing his own age was an important element of this project, whether he thinks lists of the "30 Under 30" and "Young Guns" can exist without being detrimental to the way older creatives are perceived, and what experienced creatives should do to become even more indispensable: "Whatever age you are, you should be curious about everything in the world we use to communicate. This is your livelihood so please stay in the know... Also, ideas aren’t about the tech, but they can help us amplify or distribute them. Everything still needs an idea first and that’s what anyone at any age should stress through their work."
Tell us a little bit about your creative background. Who is Mark Moll and how did he get here?
I’ve been in the business over 20 years. Have seen it evolve from the days of print, radio, and broadcast to one where everything in the world is fair game to use in our communications. Digital sure, but I honestly think experiential is the most exciting. What I like most about what we do is ideas that stop people and ask them to engage. Sure it has to connect emotionally, but now I think people just want to see interesting things in the world they can participate in. That’s what gets me going as a human being first and a creative second. Good ideas just make life more fun. That’s what’s cool about what we do and why I like doing it.
What lead you to create “Ideas Know No Age”, and what is its primary message?
Good question - The first is obvious - my age. I’m 51 and will be 52 in July. I have no problem saying how old I am. Maybe it’s because I look like I’m 44. Ha. Also maybe it’s because age is something no one talks about. I’m proud of it. I also can’t do anything about it. No one can.
The primary message is that age doesn’t matter one bit in the creation of ideas. They say advertising is a young person’s business and that they know about the latest tech and that makes them more in tune. Blah Blah Blah. Advertising is for the curious no matter what age you are. My idea was to use great accomplishments that are great on their own regardless of how old the person was when they did it. The age of the person just makes them stand out more.
Ideas Know No Age does a great job of addressing troubling industry trends with a campaign that focuses on great work. Was that a tough balance for you, to address this negativity with positivity?
Thanks for those kind words. Maybe I was just trying to state a fact. Not purposely using positivity, just showing how misguided focusing on age is. A friend of mine just told me that a designer at Apple is 81. That’s great. And the ideas I highlight show that age is a non-factor. And just to state this for no other reason than this thought just came to me - this is not an anti-young campaign. Everyone highlights those feats. "They founded a billion-dollar company at the age of 9", etc. This approach is just proving that older people don’t stop thinking just because they hit the age when someone might hand them an “Over the Hill” balloon for their birthday.
Can you share some of the other challenges and breakthroughs that came with this project?
Well I’ve been thinking about this for a while and it was gonna be an Old Guns type of ad competition that was only open to people 50 plus and they had to solve something just using a billboard, but I didn’t know how to pull that off. That evolved into something cleaner with just a simple message. Breakthroughs? Well a lot of people I didn’t know reached out and said thanks. One called it brave. That was kind, but I was just being honest, not brave. Ted Royer was nice enough to share it. Nice guy, meant a lot.
One person had an interesting comment - he said everyone will have to deal with ageism sooner or later. Which is very true. This isn’t just reserved for older creatives, everyone else will join in soon enough.
Do you think that with the “age of information,” there’s a perception that the value of an individual’s wisdom and experience has been diminished? Or is it more just financially motivated to hire the younger creative with a lower day rate?
I hadn’t put those two together, but you may be right. But everyone has their own experience and knowledge and that’s what people ultimately want on a project. Interesting individual perspectives make us who we are. The lower rate is an argument I’ve heard and even had a conversation about this with someone my age. My counter to that is where is it written down that just because we have experience do we automatically get paid more. That’s false thinking. We should be paid on what people think we are worth and what’s in the budget. And we should be open to negotiating that. I look at every opportunity first and the pay second. Not the other way around. Why older creatives or anyone older in this business think they are entitled to a certain salary might be part of this perception problem. Older creatives demand more compensation and that’s not right either. There has to be a balance.
At what age did you first start noticing ageism in the ad industry, either firsthand or toward others?
I haven’t really noticed anything directly. Seriously. It has just always been part of the ad industry in thought and lore. I have heard from a friend who is much older than me and still works a lot that there is an unspoken element to their conversations with recruiters. Actually, now that I think about it, I do get a little worried when recruiters ask for my birthday to book a flight to go visit an agency. So maybe it’s there and I didn’t realize it. Ageism is a society thing and as more and more people enter the second stage of life and stay active, it will remain a topic.
Do you see a lot of ageism in ads themselves? Or do you feel that it is more of a behind-the-scenes problem?
I think it’s more of a behind-the-scenes problem. Maybe more of a focus on the shiny penny around young creatives and the hot new campaign they just completed. But that’s BS too because anyone feels the heat when they do something cool that people like. It’s been interesting to see the reaction to “Ideas Know No Age.” Someone actually asked me if I was gonna say my age when I did it. That was the whole point. The other thing I should mention is a lot of older people have risen the ranks and have their names on the door or the big title. So maybe there’s a perception that if you’re not that then you must not be good or haven’t done great work. Both of which are completely false. Everyone finds their place in this business.
What advice can you offer to older creatives who are constantly battling this lazy notion that if you’re older, your ideas won’t be as fresh?
Prove them wrong. Stop listening. And prove them wrong again. Whatever age you are, you should be curious about everything in the world we use to communicate. This is your livelihood so please stay in the know. And learn how to be fast on the computer and be able to share ideas within hours. Things zip along and everyone has to keep up. Also, ideas aren’t about the tech, but they can help us amplify or distribute them. Everything still needs an idea first and that’s what anyone at any age should stress through their work.
Ageism takes up a much smaller space in public discourse compared to other -isms. Why do you think that is? And what’s been the response to this project thus far?
No reason really, maybe it’s just that we needed to tackle the other ones first. They should all have equal weight or their day in the sun, but that’s more about what happens in the universe as things come into focus. Both online and in life events. It’s important, but maybe it’s more up to the individual to be strong and make their own case. I mean, AARP is an advocate for older folks, maybe they will tackle ageism on a big scale one day. The response has been unexpectedly awesome. I had hoped it would strike a chord, but it went much deeper than that. Maybe it was because I put myself out there and called out my own age. Being from a person and not an organization could have made it more relatable. Just spitballing here.
Do you think there’s a way for honors like the “30 Under 30” and “Young Guns” to exist without being detrimental to the way older creatives are perceived?
I wish there was, but their very nature makes that hard. But it’s not just in our industry. Pro athletes experience ageism. Of course Hollywood deals with it. And so on. To me, the only way to even it out is to have places that celebrate it. 50 over 50 lists. Old Guns. Etc.
What do you do when Not Working?
Hang out with my family. Watch Red Sox games. Run. Play with my cats. Watch the latest show and try to catch up on one I missed. Golf. Watch Red Sox games.
Who are some other “Old Guns” on WNW whose work you admire and why?
I don’t know anyone’s age so I don’t know if they are old guns, but I know a lot of creatives and admire anyone who can keep a career in this insane business going.
Anything else you’d like to add?
I appreciate the opportunity to shed a little light on the subject of ageism. Hopefully, this campaign will open some eyes and help older creatives be perceived differently. To be honest, if it helped one person not be ashamed of how old they are then it was successful.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
ARTIST NICOLO BIANCHINO PAYS HOMAGE TO GIORGIO MORODER
ARTIST NICOLO BIANCHINO PAYS HOMAGE TO GIORGIO MORODER
WNW Member Nicolo Bianchino clearly has excellent taste in music. His latest project "Giorgio" is an ode to Italian singer, songwriter, and producer Giorgio Moroder. Nicolo's animations compliment voice-over musings by the man himself, as he discusses the discovery of his now infamous synthesizer sound. The featured music is "Giorgio by Moroder," a track by Daft Punk, who are just one of the many famous acts that Moroder has influenced.
Here's Free Range's personal favorite Giorgio Moroder song, from his soundtrack to the late-night 80s thriller Cat People:
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
STRANGE BEAST ANIMATORS CREATE NEW MR JUKES MUSIC VIDEO
STRANGE BEAST ANIMATORS CREATE NEW MR JUKES MUSIC VIDEO
Strange Beast animators Anna Ginsburg and Parallel Teeth (the moniker of WNW Member Robert Wallace) have combined their peerless styles to create a music video for Mr Jukes's "Grant Green," featuring none other than Charles Bradley. Mr Jukes is the solo project of Bombay Bicycle Club leader Jack Steadman. The video is funky, funny, and full of surreal excursions through a barbershop, the tube, and a lysergic party.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
COPYWRITER BRITTANY POOLE OFFERS HER OWN WRITER'S RETREAT
COPYWRITER BRITTANY POOLE
OFFERS HER OWN LOCAL
WRITER'S RETREAT
If you're a writer, you're most likely currently struggling to make sufficient progress on a project. If you're a writer and you don't struggle, get in touch with us so we can share with others how you bottled that magic. WNW Member Brittany Poole knows that for most of us, external and internal distractions do what they do and get in the way. Which is why she started hosting Local Writer's Retreats out of her creativity-tailored home in Santa Monica. So to the 99.9% of writers: What are you doing this Saturday?
Below, we talk to Brittany about this latest endeavor. In 2015, she co-founded HUSH, a database of the world’s best spots for a digital detox. So she's essentially an expert on combatting distraction. "Most creatives, myself included, are already masters at putting barriers in their own way. We like to make things black and white. Like, one day I’ll be so rich, I can quit my job, get a villa in Tuscany and finish that novel. When really, you could start this Saturday. It just might not be as sexy. So I felt like a local retreat could help bridge some of those barriers for people and eliminate some of those excuses."
What separates Brittany's eight-hour retreats are the minimal price tag (which includes lunch, a happy hour, and a fresh, bottomless mug of coffee), and the no-bullshit simplicity. (There are no critiques or unnecessary lectures.) She has a space that has helped fuel her creativity and she wants to share it. "The Local Writer’s Retreat is super personal. People are making a commitment to themselves to show up and put eight solid hours into their work (whether it’s a screenplay, an article, a standup set, a blog post, or even just some personal journaling). It’s their time. So I don’t really have a lot of rules, except maybe don’t blast the Black Eyed Peas through your headphones. Rihanna’s probably fine though."
Sign up for a retreat this Saturday, or one (or both!) of the two that Brittany is hosting in July. You can use the code 'WNW' to get $10 off if you sign up for this Saturday's retreat before Friday.
Tell us a little bit about your creative background. Who is Brittany and how did she get here?
I'm an advertising creative and brand consultant, currently freelancing in LA. I cut my teeth at Crispin Porter + Bogusky, working on campaigns like JELL-O Pudding Face and Burger King’s Whopper Lust, before heading off to Saatchi and Saatchi London. Like most creatives in advertising, I like a constant buzz of side projects to soothe my creative soul. So I also recently began hosting one-day writing retreats out of my house in LA.
What lead you to open a writer’s retreat in your Santa Monica home?
Honestly, chasing the perfect coffee shop around LA is the pits. You’re spending tons of money on coffee, only to quickly realize people are staring you down for the table. Or else you get caught eavesdropping on some Hollywood drama for two hours and then spend the next two hours tweeting about it. We all do that, right? :)
That said, I’ve experienced firsthand how inspiring and effective a writer’s retreat can be at catapulting a project forward. It’s amazing what you can do when you physically remove all other distractions. Also, I’m just obsessed with my house. I realize that’s an obnoxious thing to say. But the space is so bright and calming and I’ve found it easier to work here than anywhere I’ve lived before. So I wanted to share that with other people.
Historically, writers have always been holing up in the woods to get words on the page... I’ve just found that nowadays, the retreats you find online are in exotic places with a very high price tag.
How does it work?
It’s basically like an adult study hall that you pay for. It’s intentional writing from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with a thirty-minute break for lunch. No critiques or unnecessary lectures. Just an experiment to see what people can get done when they commit real time to their writing. (Lunch and an afternoon happy hour are included. And there’s always plenty of fresh coffee in the kitchen.) Other than that, it’s all about the work.
What do you think the average writer’s retreat does well? What areas of improvement did you want to get right with your own?
Historically, writers have always been holing up in the woods to get words on the page. So a retreat is really nothing new. They can be incredibly inspiring and rewarding. I’ve just found that nowadays, the retreats you find online are in exotic places with a very high price tag.
Sadly, most creatives, myself included, are already masters at putting barriers in their own way. We like to make things black and white. Like, one day I’ll be so rich, I can quit my job, get a villa in Tuscany and finish that novel. When really, you could start this Saturday. It just might not be as sexy. So I felt like a local retreat could help bridge some of those barriers for people and eliminate some of those excuses.
What are the golden rules of your writer’s retreat?
The week before, I’ll ask all participants to write down their hopes for those eight hours. Then, they break those down into hourly goals. We’ll share those goals at the beginning of the day for a bit of accountability, and then we get to it.
Otherwise, the Local Writer’s Retreat is super personal. People are making a commitment to themselves to show up and put eight solid hours into their work (whether it’s a screenplay, an article, a standup set, a blog post, or even just some personal journaling). It’s their time. So I don’t really have a lot of rules, except maybe don’t blast the Black Eyed Peas through your headphones. Rihanna’s probably fine though.
I also encourage people to wait until after lunch to get the wi-fi password. If you need it earlier, you have to ask for it out loud. A tiny bit of sadistic peer pressure on my part. But it keeps people thinking more intentionally about their computer time, and I’m just trying to help!
I also encourage people to wait until after lunch to get the wi-fi password. If you need it earlier, you have to ask for it out loud. A tiny bit of sadistic peer pressure on my part. But it keeps people thinking more intentionally about their computer time, and I’m just trying to help!
We’re noticing a trend, as you’re also the co-founder of HUSH, a database of the world’s best locations for a digital detox. Do you think the age of technology and information is an overall positive evolution that just needs checks and balances? Or would you permanently flip off that switch in a heartbeat if you could?
Ha, there is definitely a trend there. I can’t say a life void of technology is something I strive for. I’ve just always been pretty bad at multi-tasking. (I don’t really believe anyone’s made for multi-tasking, but that’s probably a discussion for another day.) So I think both HUSH and these writer’s retreats come from a place of being more mindful of how you’re using technology and where you’re putting your time. It’s like when kids used to take Adderall in college and then accidentally use all that focus on five hours of Facebooking. Creative energy is such an ebb and flow. I just like helping people be more considerate about where they’re directing it.
What advice can you offer to aspiring writers beyond maximizing the potential of their writing space?
1. Writers are dreamers. So we love fantasizing about the final goal. The screenplay becomes a box office hit. The novel earns its place among the classics. The blog has advertisers throwing money your way, and then you get to explain to all the dummies at your high school reunion what a “social influencer” means. These dreams are visceral and delightful. But if you can put that same romanticism into just getting 2500 words on a page, imagining how great that would feel, then you can start to chip away at the actual goal.
2. I think we lie to ourselves a lot. We say we’re going to get up at 6:00 like Hemingway and write every morning, when in truth, we’ve only ever done that once in 2013. So this year, personally, I’ve been calling myself out for those kinds of blatant lies. Instead, I’ve been trying to honestly acknowledge when and how I’m most efficient. I guess that doesn’t totally answer the question. But I think if you can reflect on those things more honestly, you can maximize your own progress. So you can admit that writing in the morning isn’t your thing. Or working from home isn’t your thing. Or even that working on a solitary project for months on end isn’t your thing. Then, you can optimize whatever it is that does work for you.
It’s like when kids used to take Adderall in college and then accidentally use all that focus on five hours of Facebooking. Creative energy is such an ebb and flow. I just like helping people be more considerate about where they’re directing it.
What are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on a writing project about my grandmother and her philandering ways. Recently, I’ve gained enough confidence to call it a novel. So I guess I’m working on a novel about that.
What do you do when Not Working?
I love taking classes when I can. This last year, I took an acting class for voice-over talent, which was a lot more nerve-wracking than it sounds. You can hear every mouth noise in that booth! I make a lot of gluten-free treats and force people to say it tastes like the real thing. Let’s see. I spend a lot of time traveling back and forth to Nashville to see family. I also enjoy gardening and emailing random bluegrass bands to see if they need backup vocals, so far to no avail. Call me!
What have you been reading lately that you would recommend to fellow WNW members?
I just finished Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. It’s a fantastic read for creative minds. She points out how paralyzing it can be when everyone’s telling you to pursue your passion, especially for artists and writers. And she offers permission instead to “explore your curiosity.” It’s such a lovely phrase because it softens that calling and lets you get down to the business of making stuff—without knowing where it might lead. It’s a really refreshing book. I wish I could give it to everyone.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Yes! We still have a few spots left for our retreat this Saturday (June 3rd). And you can use the code: WNW to get $10 off if you sign up before Friday!