Collaboration nation.

Have to admit at first I was a little worried at the thought of a collaboration brief again. After what felt like a disaster in the first year, arguments, lack of shared work, punctuation, you name it, it probably happened. But I was determined to have a fresh start.

The brief- a live YCN brief in pairs of creative partners. I had an idea of who i wanted to work with before we had the selection process, but it was still really useful to re-evaluate yourself of your strengths and weaknesses and find out what skills you wish to gain and learn from.

These are my campaigns for myself, little annoyed that the grey hearts didn't come out grey at all.. but I do like the layout. 5 column, using the central 3 for type in order of ethic/skill/understanding. The next design is also similar to my own, with what I wanted from a partner.

Rebecca!

Her handmade designs caught my attention, mixing some type with stock imagery seemed quite fun and what I want to achieve. 

From the initial collaboration and conversations we have had, I have a good feeling of this particular brief, we get on really well, have similar and contrasting interests and a clear idea of which briefs to do. So should be good!

Type module - GQ

Couple of nice adverts found in my copy of GQ, for French Connection for Man. Really simple reversed out text onto a full colour image, and white border.

DVD packaging sleeve

DVD sleeve packaging. Designed to mimick and old style VHS tape sleeve from home recording tapes. This will fit around a DVD jewel case with a VHS tape cover.

DVD menu - Final

Overlays are mean't to be in colour, but obviously don't want to work in VLC. Nevermind. The individual menus are designed to reflect the sequences direction, with only the video root menu to divide, aswell as the packaging.

DVD schematic - final

The final draft of the schematic. After the calamity of the DVD design, the schematic needed to be redesigned. much more simple format, as a DVD should be. You can over complicate a DVD menu, getting into loops with the direction of navigation. I could of gone for a more non linear menu, just like the Tarantino scripts usually entail, but this would be just confusing.

DVD menu problems.

Had quite a few problems with the DVD menu.. basically, its not going to work.

The original idea was to use the buttons on a VCR to navigate through the menu, but using analogue controls into digital is more complicated than planned. Navigation through the menus would of involved first selecting the direction to navigate, then pressing another button to confirm, which would of been a mindfield to control and design in DVD studio, so that was out.

The new plan.

I took photographs of a closeup of the TV in place, so these will be used instead. Now the navigation will be a more conventional menu on screen with overlays through menus.. which is a shame, would of been good to make something work. The TV itself will have some life to it, crackles and hisses like the idents, so hopefully will still work well.

Final Tarantino Idents

Soundtracks were chosen, not all the same as selected in the context blog, it was really down to the pace of the idents, some just didn't work.

Got my TV+VCR!

I managed to get hold of a TV! After my second visit to Oxfam I managed to pick up a TV+VHS recorder to use with my DVD menu layouts. Original tests were of stock photos off the internet which were either the wrong resolution, angle or colours. I picked up these beauts for a total of £13! they work great too. I wonder why so many students buy brand new little tellys for their rooms when you can buy something like this for £8! when it breaks, (if it does) just throw it out.. no need to worry about burglaries . I don't think my flat mates felt the same way, my LCD was plugged back in soon after.. Spoilt. 

Anyway, the TV will work great for the designs.. although not quite the time frame, much better than a new TV used. 

Type Session 3 - Kitten Leaflet

Reservoir Dogs (crit ident)

The simplest of the 5 idents, will rely on sound heavily for real effect, (but not on this version) Reservoir Dogs kept to the essentials, Different colours and an infamous gas canister.

DVD menu

Because of the seventies feel throughout the idents, accessing and packaging the video hopefully will continue the feel throughout. Root Menu initially will be a stack of videos with the categories on, as you are choosing a video.

Clicking on the video would lead you to a recorder (hopefully of the era although may not be possible) and then navigating the buttons on the front panel select the relevant content. It will feel restrictive in the same way video was, but only at this level. choosing the right chapter will require pressing the FF button until the right chapter appears, then pressing play instead of a direct link. I would also like visuals to display on the recorder display in the correct format. Going back to the root menu will be eject.

A quick example of what I mean.

Because of the changes, the schematic has been changed. Accessing special features will lead through to a more modern menu system, on conventional DVD menus, but displayed as leaflets that come with the DVD/VHS.

Kill Bill (crit ident)

Kill Bill was the first completed ident, and I may have gone a little overboard with effects.. flicker maybe too exaggerated.

Jackie Brown (crit ident)

Jackie Brown ident is pure typography, and I feel works quite well although could be copying the original intro too much? Could be why its as successful as it is.

Death Proof (crit ident)

My favourite of the 5 at the moment, quite in your face and eccentric as intended, Death Proof the slasher car chase movie has a fast pace exploitation elements. Audio soundtrack will be deep muscle car engine revs.

Pulp Fiction (crit ident)

Pulp Fiction Ident for Final Crit, at the moment with no sound, but hopefully demonstrates well enough what ive been working on. Exploitation key words flash between characters need to be adjusted slightly, I will probably remove a character from the 10 seconds as it moves a little too fast. 

Background test.

In the opening sequence of Jackie Brown, you see Jackie on a travelator moving infront of a blue tiled wall. This is direct inspiration and used for actors/credits. Just testing speed and motion.

Noise Addition.

Trying out the addition of noise, a static look to the video usually found on old recordings on TVs. I think there needs to be a clear define between 4:3 bars and footage. This will be worked on.