MTV VIRUS - D & AD AWARDS - ADDITIONAL FLASH / VIRAL GAME

CLICK THIS LINK TO PLAY MY MTV VIRUS BEATBOX GAME -
(D & AD AWARDS 2008 - PART 2 / 2 DELIVERABLES)

One of the other deliverables I created for the MTV Virus Brief - D & AD Awards 2008 is this flash based game. It is the same principle as the animation I created but instead this game allows you to create your own beatbox and samples, simply follow the on-screen game for instructions.

CD DESIGN.COM - PORTFOLIO

http://www.cddesign.com/cd-design-portfolio.html

For my personal research here is a CD Designers portfolio for the client brief.

ALBUM ART & CD COVER DESIGN - CLIENT BRIEF

Before I go into detail, just a quick summary of my whereabouts at the moment:

The last few posts including this one have been created using an extremely old laptop in the quiet suburbs of Gibraltar. I am currently in my Great Aunts house and have been searching the internet for the last hour or so whilst indulging myself in one of her famous mixed paella's and a delightful sangria. It is a strange contrast using this sort of technology in a traditional beautiful Spanish house. I can only feel guilty using this equipment when I should be exploring the rocky monkey ridden great rock of Gibraltar.

So onto the point of this post:

I fell upon this interesting blog post on album artwork design and Cd cover design being aimed at the college market.

http://www.cddesign.com/covertalk/archives/2006/07/

The article discusses how companies prove to be taking advantage of college or school students because of our apparent "unawareness" of cost and love for music.
I also find this to be an interest article in response to the client brief because the main digital requirement I am currently working on for my client is an album / mix tape.

MTV VIRUS - D & AD AWARDS 2008

DAN STONEMAN MTV VIRUS BEATBOX

This animation was created for the D & AD Student Awards 2008 in response to the MTV Virus Brief.

Using the MTV Channel Characters (Designed by 'This is Real Art') I completely recreated the visual components using Photoshop, illustrator, Flash and After Effects.

The sound track and samples are my own put together using a complex series of layers in Reason, Fruity Loops, Audacity and Garage Band.

The idea is that the virus is represented via the various sounds of illness from each character. The first character (MTV TWO) has the virus and sneezes onto the next character (MTV DANCE) which sets of a contagious musical rhythm, hopefully appealing to MTV's heavily musical fan base.

Fingers crossed for the competition, I hope you all like it..

Getting back into the swing of things....

As i am sure all the BA Digital Media Students are aware, Micheal has supplied us with the following tasks which I thought I could blog for clarity to myself and others:

1)Think of one thing you picked up during the last two weeks which was relevant to your course and research but not the result of deliberate study. In other words a surprise, accidental or chance discovery, observation you have made during the break. Might be the result of a social event, a holiday, while walking down the street, anything.

I guess one of the things I can say I accidentally noticed which refers to the course is the previous post about Paramount Comedy - Follow this link.

I can also say that throughout this client brief, I have dealt with a variety of different digital media requirements and really felt the urgency to get tasks done in time. My client has been ruthless and so they should be, without this urgency and demand I would not have been fully aware and dedicated to the cause.

I have also noticed opportunities arising for new working partnerships, clients involved in the music and design industry that I would not have thought about before. In fact these have been competitors within the industry which have turned out to be professional working partnerships which i have been approached about and due to help out with work very soon.
I guess the lesson learned is:

"keep your friends close, and your enemies closer"

Accidental work is better than no work after all and this has been a real journey.

2)Also give me an example of one source of Secondary Research (a book or text say) which is influencing you at the moment and why.

Well this is a tricky one, not because I don't have one but because I have too many. Recently I have been reading the following in response to the projects listed alongside below:

The Dissertation - Leo Enticknap 'Moving Image Technology from zoetrope to digital' (IMAGE RIGHT)

This book is ideal for my dissertation, exploring technology in cinema from manual to digital methods. It deals with moving image sources and how the technology affected the way these sources were produced and seen. A great read so far which I still need to get my teeth into or my dissertation.

The Client Brief -Mary V. Knackstedt - Marketing and Selling Design Services: The Designer Client

This book explores an interior designs client based relationship work and really opens your eyes to client based work. An ideal read for this project which again I need to get my teeth into due to the heavy workload I have at present in terms of client requirements and the dissertation. I definitely recommend this read to anyone looking into design based client work and selling yourself.

Review of Easter Break

Been working incredibly hard on the client brief over the easter period, mainly due the fact that my client 'No Long Stories Promotions' has required an extreme amount of work which had to be done to keep my strong relationship with them (and to keep the income flowing ;) ).

I have recorded every major job role with them within my client brief research folder, this has included the following (paid) work:

- No Long Stories Logo Design
- No Long Stories T- Shirt Design and printing
- Launch Night Flyer / DJ Raph B'Day Bash Flyer
- DJing for above events and regular Friday slot
- DJ Raph Relentless 2 Mixtape launch involving album artwork and photography, studio sampling / producing / mixing, distribution, promotion

The main task I have recorded in response to the client brief is the mix tape launch although the others were very time-consuming.
I am currently waiting a response for the various look and feels proposed to DJ Raph in regards to the artwork. The producing and creation of the album has been going on for about 2 weeks, working in the studio approximately two hours every day.

This has been an enjoyable task and ideal for the client brief.

It would have been nice to concentrate some more on the dissertation which I am now up to 3000 words but comfortable that I will have it completed (first draft) by the end of next week.
Due to my 21st Birthday Celebrations last weekend, and due to the ruthless and constant bombardment of work from my client, I feel that I haven't really focused on the dissertation enough.

Now that I have apparently become a man I feel it is my duty to act like one, so its time to concentrate on this project fully and the dissertation.

Overall it has been a very enjoyable Easter Break, Presents, Partying and of uppermost importance, Projects. I am happy with the projects and happy with my time management, looking forward to getting back to Uni and sharing some thoughts!

PARAMOUNT COMEDY IDENT - CLOWN

I noticed an advert on paramount comedy with a clown dancing around the screen and making sound samples simliar to that seen on Lasse Gjertsens Hyperactive video and my recent MTV ident I made for the D & AD Awards.

The paramount comedy logo even gets splatted against the screen at the end, exactely like my advert!

I dont know whether to feel happy or sad about this! Maybe its a good sign as this style is in fashion!? Anyhow it didn't really leave me feeling too great as this may not look like an original idea anymore! i hope the concept of the virus beatbox (e.g. beatbox made through sounds of illness caught of the virus) will be appealing to the judges!

If anyone finds a youtube video of this advert please comment!

Trevor Jackson

Introduced to me by Chris Kelly and following my research into the end of year exam piece, Trevor Jackson is a great link to what i am trying to achieve.

Audio Visual Syncronisation and , mainly audio triggering visuals (Like DVD seen at transmediale 08) specifically looking at connecting DJ turntables and mixers to programs like processing which trigger visuals when a specific sound or technique (e.g. scratching) is produced.



Trevor Jackson - Arpegio



Trevor Jackson - RGBPM

The Newton Virus

I found this virus looking for references towards my project, it doesn't relate to my idea it is an interesting concept! In relation to the D & AD Brief, Imagine the Newton virus with an MTV logo on it, what would that do to the system...

Diegetic Sound

• Diegetic sound: It is any sound where the source is visible on the screen, or is implied to be present by the action of the film:
  • Voices of characters;
  • Sounds made by objects in the story; and
  • Music, represented as coming from instruments in the story space.
  • Music coming from reproduction devices such as record players, radios, tape players etc.

Part of my research for the D & AD Brief is into Diegetic sounds - a technique used in filming and animation:



This Milky Bar Kid advert is a great reference and inspiration to my MTV Virus idea ( D & AD Brief). You can hear where the sounds are coming from which slowly build up to an overall rhythm. Very similar to my concept.

There are also books i am reading for my dissertation involving diegetic sound as a film technique. These are discussed in more detail in my sketchbook (D & AD), writers such as:

Elisabeth Weis - Film Sound: Theory and practice

D & AD CD Cover Design

To try and make my project stand out amongst the hundreds of different entries and Cd's received from students in the D & AD Awards, I have designed this cover using the characters expressions made throughout the animation, also highlighting my name, email address and chosen brief.

MTV Animated Shows

Following on from my research into other Animated MTV Programs I have found a few short clips for my own research into the nature of these programs and the appeal they have to MTV's Audience. Specifically looking at comical animations...



Aeon Flux Animation



Beavis and Butthead - Crude Comedy!



Celebrity Deathmatch - Slapstick, Sinical Comedy!



Celebrity Deathmatch (The Game) - Shows how MTV publicise through different mediums, extending the brand to interactivity, just like the MTV Game I created as part of the D & AD Awards 2008 (MTV Virus Brief.



Mother Goose and Grim - Comical Animated Cartoon shown on MTV!

Sequential Design & Illustration

http://www.brighton.ac.uk/art/programmes/comm-media-arts/pdf/ma-sequential.pdf
An idea for potential MA Route...

Masters...Masters...Masters....

After the discussion with the External Examiner today I have been more inspired to look at completing a masters after this degree.

It has been one of my potential routes after this degree, along with looking for design related jobs, philosphy and psychology, travel, continuing my DJ Career and looking at design with music (audio-visual work).

These are only few of my thoughts and I quote from the character Pistol in the Shakesperian Play 'The Merry Wives of Windsor":

"Why, then, the world's mine oyster, Which I with sword will open."

Indeed the world is my oyster and I won't attack it with a sword, rather my actual skills and abilities developed through education and work experience.

Anyway lets stop babbling, basically I am considering a Masters after this Digital Media Degree.

What Masters? - Im not sure

Why? To stay in education, to learn, to improve my skills and CV.

I will later look at Masters but for now i feel that the D & AD Brief is of uppermost importance...

Guest Visitor - Jon Rimmer

Jon Rimmer is primarily a researcher into human behaviour and attitudes, specifically whilst engaging with interactive products and environments.

His talk today was inspirational and raised a lot of issues that we have been dealing with throughout this BA Digital Media Degree.

For example, understanding communication, interactive design and design futures are just some of his major studies. These studies have taken Jon around the world, experiencing different countries and cultures, something that I am envious of and enthusiastic to do after my degree.

Developing user-sensor design is one of Jon's recent studies, looking at how things work and how things dont work (inspired from Don Norman's "Design of Everyday Things" and Jacob Nilson's "Interactive Design" - PERSONAL REFERENCE - LOOK UP THESE BOOKS). Jon has gone around photographing and studying things that do and don't work, and looking at general design and interaction through different mediums.

Interaction Design also relates to film (According to Jon and also in relation to my Dissertation). Narrative structure is arguably the most important factor of my dissertation and looking at linear structure in interactive design can help my research, for example creating a film or interactive piece for a target audience of say children, causes you to produce a linear narrative for them to understand.

Narrative structure is toyed with in post-modern film and culture and raises many issues of how films should be produced and created (another sector of my dissertation).

More of Jon's studies can be seen on the slideshow via the student shared space and I will study his perspectives and work in more detail when I have more time after the D & AD Awards Brief.

To end this post I will raise an issue mentioned in Jon's Talk. Should we design for the "Empty-Nesters" - the upper class and rich target audience? Make money of those with money...

Interesting idea, makes sense but this relies on understanding what people want. People with money want to spend money...

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Spoof of Lasse Gjertsen's 'Hyperactive'

I found this spoof of the 'hyperactive' video by Lasse Gjertsen (mentioned in this blog post). Shows that this hyperactive video had an effect on commercial TV as well as the youtube phenomenon, good reference for my current MTV Idea for the D & AD Brief.

Jon Burgerman

A 2D Illustrator, following on from research into the popular 2D characters at the moment! Backing up why I am using 2D characters for the MTV Virus Brief.

For my own personal reference I also need to record Jon Burgerman in my sketchbook.

Chat with Tutors - What Needs to be done (D & AD Brief)

I came in to class today with aspirations to decide with tutors what the best action plan for the D & AD Brief would be.

I firstly discussed my current status with Micheál, explaining that I am coming to the end of the first MTV virus animation. As stated throughout this project, I wanted to create another animation (with music track) or a viral marketing game based on the idea of this first animation / MTV ident.

Many ideas were raised which can be seen within my sketchbook, also some issues were raised such as:

• Getting the brand name advertised within the viral marketing game / animation.
• Alternative versions of the animation (mocking pop music using similar Virus style).
• You tube space maybe?
• Should I produce a couple of audio tracks that could later be animated (propose the idea to MTV).

I then spoke with Karen Cham, explaining that I will probably create an online viral marketing game based on the animation. My reasons for this are to improve my Flash Based Portfolio for future job opportunities and because it literally works with the idea of a 'Virus' (i.e. Viral Marketing).

Mentioned in the discussions with tutors is the idea of improving MTV's brand identity, recognising the company via a noise or jingle such as Nokias famous ring tone:

Alternative jingles could have been mentioned, for example the McDonalds Badabadaba - Im Loving it Theme.

Their have been many famous theme tunes / jingle composers within film and tv, however none of them match up to the awesome Jonnhy Williams and Danny Elfman.

http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=john+williams - Johnny Williams
http://www.mfiles.co.uk/composers/John-Williams.htm - Johnny Williams
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000384/ - Danny Elfman

MTV-U

In "Kick-start your career with MTV" (UpFront, Feb. 13), the correct name of the MTV Networks television channel for college campuses is mtvU. The broadband channel on the mtvu.com Web site is mtvU Uber.

This Is Real Art...

http://www.thisisrealart.com/

After some serious research and in-depth investigation into MTV I managed to find the artists who created the latest MTV characters - 'This is Real Art".

I have emailed Georgina Lee (only available contact on the website) and I am currently awaiting a reply about copyright issues (if any). I also explained the full situation about this D & AD brief and MTV brief, and the fact that I am using the characters as the main targets for the MTV Virus.

To be honest its so late in the project now that if I were too change the main characters It would seriously detriment the animation and my overall potential for doing well in the student awards.

Fingers crosses and lets keep the animating going, which is proving to be quite an arduous task. Its confusing enough animating 5 characters, let alone 5 characters with approximately 12 layers per character being animated!

I still hope to create another one maybe two animations and soundtracks, possibly more simple and showing the idea more clearly.

Anthropomorphism

"The attribution of uniquely human characteristics and qualities to nonhuman beings, inanimate objects, or natural or supernatural phenomena." - wikipedia definition

For my own personal reference and research into the MTV Brief (i.e. Animated MTV Characters) I have been looking into giving the animated characters anthropomorphic mannerisms and personalities.

Click the title for a link to wikipedia definition and explanation...

New Leopard

I recently had a problem with my Imac causing a flashing question mark on a folder to appear every time I attempted to reboot the system.
After a very stressful morning and huge concern that I could have lost all my work, I was only grateful that i backed up all my files in the past! I guess i am trying to warn everyone to seriously consider backing up your files if not done so already!

I managed to fix this problem by purchasing and installing the new leopard Software (which may I say is very snazzy) and have freed up some room on the hard drive.

I have lost a mornings work and production for the D & AD Brief (deadline a week on Monday) in result of solving this problem! However I am still confident I will have my idea completed and i still wish to produce two or three alternative animations / idents so they can see the future potential of my idea for the MTV Virus brief.