Futurebrand - Agency presentation

Also while we were in London our tutors set up a few meetings with agencies which were picked out of a hat. The agency which I was placed with was called 'Futurebrand'. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to take any pictures of the studio for obvious reasons, but the studio was very impressive. They had a large team split into sections around the floor. We had a small (but thorough) presentation with two designers about the work they produce and have produced, and a small tour of the facilities. The visit was great and the people were very friendly. If anyone at 'Futurebrand' reads this who I havnt messaged already, thanks :)

Shellsuitzombie

While we were in London we had a workshop by Shellsuit Zombie, an organization aimed at promoting and inspiring students and graduates in design. The night started off with a jazzy band in a small pub called 'the cross keys'. It was a great venue and had an amazing atmosphere. After a few beers we descended into the basement where we met the ShellsuitZombie team. They gave a brief discussion of who they were, and what they were doing and preceded with an activity designed to generate ideas quickly. Overall it was a great night with drunken activities and converstaions. Brill.

Mike Rigby

Mike Rigby studied at Preston University for 4 years and manages to get a one-month placement in-between. Since then he has worked at many prestigious agencies, such as Imagination London, The Chase, Landor, Pentagram, Interbrand Australia and he now works at True North In Manchester. Mike described working at these places ‘a challenging, and educating’ where people are helpful. His work between agencies has lead to him having a very credible name in the design community. To mike the amount of negatives much out-weigh the positives, but if you are serious about becoming a designer the benefits will be found through your enjoyment of the work you get to produce.

Michael Wolff

This practitioner report is on the lecture I went to by Michael Wolff at the Liverpool design symposium in November 2009. From the point that Michael walked into the theatre it was apparent that there was something special about this man. It was almost as if he had a glow of spiritual awareness around him, perhaps it was just because he looked like some a monk of some sort, but what he was to say affirmed my initial preconceptions. Michael had been a designer for the best part of his life, and it showed due to his lack of needing to prove himself by showing the work which he had produced. The lecture existed more like an interview with another person asking questions and him answering them. My notes consist more of a list of quotes due to the profound essence of his statements. These are as follows: 'There's always room for discovery' past experience can be a hinderance as well as a benefit due to arrogance. 'Don't expect a constant meaning'. 'Get Jobs, get fired'. There is enormous potential to be successful as everything is shit'. He discussed how there is a lack of communication between designers/designs and their subsequent effect on people, and how easily the majority of people can be upset by the smallest thing. Imagination is constantly suppressed by your own mind. 'If you ask the same questions, you get the same answers'. He also mentioned something which I believe completely, how there is a lack of originality in designers and their designs. 'BE REAL, BE HONEST'. Another thin which he mentioned is the use of your own portfolio and what your portfolio actually means, i.e the demonstration of what you are trying to say about yourself, your personality and your beliefs. 'Don't take no for an answer', 'Not doing justice to our roles as human beings'. The list goes on, but basically this man is a treasure in graphic design today, and is highly influential to me not just by the designs he produces, but more about the way he sees the world and its lack of originality and substance.

Lauren Moriarty

Lauren Moriarty has a BA (hons) degree in Multimedia Textiles (first class honours) from Loughborough University School of Art and Design (2001) and an MA in Industrial Design from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London (2005). She classes herself as a textile, product and industrial designer and she has mostly works with materials, which she finds interesting and unusual. Such examples of these are different types of plastics, foams and neoprene. She became interested in these different materials while at studying for her degree, and found that with the use of laser cutting she could manipulate the materials to her will. After graduating from college she went on to do a Masters working with the same materials in more complex ways she set out to ‘brand herself’, by creating a unique selling point. While studying her Masters new techniques became available for use such as heat bonding for her 3D rubber structures she would be most renowned for.

Compare and contrast the work and styles of two practitioners, Mike Rigby and Lauren Moriarty

Issues and Practises Essay

For this essay I have decided to compare and contrast the issues and practises of 3D/textile designer Lauren Moriarty and graphic designer Mike Rigby from the agency True North. I have decided to compare these two artists/designers because of their obvious differences in practise and methodologies.
Lauren Moriarty has a BA (hons) degree in Multimedia Textiles (first class honours) from Loughborough University School of Art and Design (2001) and an MA in Industrial Design from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London (2005). She classes herself as a textile, product and industrial designer and she has mostly works with materials, which she finds interesting and unusual. Such examples of these are different types of plastics, foams and neoprene. She became interested in these different materials while at studying for her degree, and found that with the use of laser cutting she could manipulate the materials to her will. After graduating from college she went on to do a Masters working with the same materials in more complex ways she set out to ‘brand herself’, by creating a unique selling point. While studying her Masters new techniques became available for use such as heat bonding for her 3D rubber structures she would be most renowned for. After finishing her Masters she interest from many sections of the industry, the day that she exhibited her work. She explained how difficult it was carrying out orders that were given to her with no prior knowledge of what was expected, but she stuck with it until she became bored making materials and objects just to be sold. She explains how it eventually became just a matter of consumerism and lost all of its ‘experimental fun’.
Mike Rigby studied at Preston University for 4 years and manages to get a one-month placement in-between. Since then he has worked at many prestigious agencies, such as Imagination London, The Chase, Landor, Pentagram, Interbrand Australia and he now works at True North In Manchester. Mike described working at these places ‘a challenging, and educating’ where people are helpful. His work between agencies has lead to him having a very credible name in the design community. To mike the amount of negatives much out-weigh the positives, but if you are serious about becoming a designer the benefits will be found through your enjoyment of the work you get to produce. A short list of the positives and negatives are as follows:
Positives:
Being able to communicate information (being in control of what people are subjected to).
Giving the people a voice.
Helping to tackle certain social-political issues.
Negatives:
The competitive nature of the industry as it is now, due to the amount of interest in design and the competition that brings.
Long hours with no paid overtime.
The amount of pressure and the poor quality of work of which happens as a consequence.
Initial pay is poor.
Client interference in the work produced.
Lost pitches.
Negative environmental issues.
Over packaging.
Contribution to consumerism.

The way that Mike and Lauren initially went different ways with their ascent into the industry is unsurprising as both followed the general direction of what must be done to initially succeed. Mike went straight into the industry, as did Lauren, yet Mike set out building his reputation in a very different way. Mike set out working for agencies on placements to help climb the proverbial ladder, while Lauren set out working for herself, building her reputation through freelance projects. Both of which seemed to work as effectively as the other.

After becoming bored of working solely for the industry Lauren decided to take a step back in the hope that the experimental aspect of her work that she enjoyed so much could be reclaimed. After sorting out some studio space she set to finding innovative ways to help build her reputation. An example of which can be seen in her collaborative nightlight project. This particular project created a nightlight, which was also educational and fun for the children who it would be intended for. Lauren also discussed the importance of setting up a website for her work. She explained how easy and productive it was to set up a Paypal account, and the benefits in which resulted from this simple alteration.
Mike discussed the importance of placements and how they are an integral factor in the success of oneself as a designer. During this Mike suggested the best ways to get noticed over the sea of other design students hoping to get placements. He mentioned that showing six well-executed projects each with great ideas, will get you noticed and the importance of impressing your tutors (as it will be the same situation when you leave college). He also mentioned that interviews not only act as a process where you can show off the quality of the work you produce, but is also heavily for how well you are going to fit in with the other employees of that specific agency. This is so that when you are working with your colleagues the production of the work will flow much easier. He goes on to say other key elements in getting a placement and eventually getting a job are ‘taking professional pride in everything you do’, ‘being proactive and getting involved’, having a ‘positive attitude towards your work and the work of others’, always showing as much enthusiasm as possible, showing that you are hungry to learn and occasionally making a brew for everyone. Another interesting quote, which Mike said relates to the ethics of Michael Wolff, ‘rejection is part of design’.
The ways which both Mike and Lauren have built their reputations have differed in many ways, yet the lessons each have learn seem to be quite similar. The most beneficial aspect of having them come and give us the lectures was their attitudes towards the work which they have produced, and the overall positivity they both express towards working in a design based environment. It shows that the journey to get where you want to be may be difficult, but if you want it bad enough the rewards will speak for themselves.