#comm105

[erikaparjus-blog]

Logo Analysis” Netscape Internet Navigator

Way way way back in the day, before the rise of Internet Explorer, computers all over the world were fitted with an internet browser known as Netscape Navigator. Netscape Navigator has been credited with creating JavaScript (A language commonly used by coders, programmers, and designers alike) and was a major success up until the integration of Internet Explorer into PCs and Safari in Macs. Netscape’s logo is something that I’m sure will ring some bells in the back of your mind.  While this logo may seem a bit basic compared to the logos littering the market today, Netscape’s logo set the precedence for all the future internet navigator logos. During the 1990s, computer displays had limited color options--many warm colors such as red and yellow were a bit difficult to display. Cool colors such as blue, green, black (as found in the Netscape logo), were more commonly used. The color scheme used by the Netscape logo also corresponds to the color scheme that comprises the user interface of the browser.

The use of a serif “N” acts as the main identifier of the logo. The “N” is “no good” “Netscape” for obvious reasons. The circular shape of the logo is the standard shape for internet navigators. It is used to minimize the amount of space that the icon takes up on a computer’s desktop or app dock. Other logos that share resemblances are Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, etc. What’s interesting about this logo is the similarities found between this and the 2012 Obama Campaign “Hope” logo.

Like the Obama campaign logo, Netscape’s logo features an almost rolling plains style that starts underneath the left side of the “N” and eventually envelopes the right side of the “N”. My guess is that this overlap is meant to signify the “navigator” aspect of Netscape. By using Netscape, consumers have the ability to “surf and navigate” their way through the internet.

For a company and logo that reached its peak in 1999, Netscape’s logo has done an excellent job at becoming iconic. It can be identified by different generations alike which is the largest sign of a logo’s success.

[vislit105]

Macro Final Photo Essay (Part 2 / 2) My final photo project revolves around taking macro shots of the industrial aspects of life. We rarely take time to look at the finite details of the objects that surround us and my objective was to explore those details. Through my photos we see that there is much more to a keyhole or a thumbtack than meets the eye. I was able to take these macro shots and obtain the disposition I wanted using a macro lens and the photo editing app Afterlight. Through my usage of the macro lens I was able to blur certain parts of the image and bend the light to create an peculiar composition that cannot be obtained through other lens.   Patricio Barnuevo

[michaela-at-au]

It Only Takes One Heart. Yours.

*** The Title is the Link ***

This link is in case the title link doesn't work:

Scribd Link:  https://www.scribd.com/embeds/249832615/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&show_recommendations=true

These links are embedded in the presentation:

Here is a link to our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BIW0WlS9L0&feature=youtu.be

Here is a link to our radio spot: https://soundcloud.com/user374163356/unf-radio-spot

           We began this project individually, each of us coming up with our own image and tag line. This was essential, I think, because it gave each of us an idea where the other was coming from. However, when it came time to choose an official tagline, we went with mine, It Only Takes One Heart. We felt that this could represent all of the United Nations Foundation, which to be quite honest, was something of a struggle. They have so many programs, and to give an idea of them all seemed overwhelming. We felt though, that this tagline could do it sufficiently. So from this point we divided up the work. Since the concept was mine, and I knew the most about it, I took on the task of introducing it, and summarizing it for our first client presentation. I also took on the job of making sure all the print ads were coherent, and that I could describe what we were trying to achieve with them. The rest of the group took on jobs of their own, Emma Claire with the video, JJ with the radio spot, and Carolyn with really summarizing and understanding the campaign.

            After the feedback we got from the first client presentation, we realized the importance of following through with our idea. The tagline didn’t seem complete. So we added the word yours. It Only Takes One Heart. Yours. This makes the tagline personal, and draws the audience in. They see that in fact, they can make a difference, anyone can. This I think was a turning point in our campaign. Now we each had a better idea of what our campaign was, and what we were trying to accomplish. This way, when we actually made the content for the final presentation, we were each prepared, and we really knew what we were trying to convey. This tagline is also extremely easy to make common across different mediums. It is something that is memorable, but not overly pushy, and I think that was very important to us.

            We wanted this to be a universal campaign. Anyone can make a difference, and that is what we took into consideration when deciding how we wanted to distribute our campaign. We decided that even though we were trying to appeal to a younger demographic, that shouldn’t stop us from attempting to appeal to an older one as well. This is a campaign that can touch anyone’s heart, and I think that was very important to us.

            Presenting to the client was nerve-wracking for sure, but we spoke confidently, because we believed in what we were saying. This above everything else is extremely important. This true belief in our campaign caused us to be able to speak easier, and present better. This campaign has grown on us, and we believe in its potential.

           This is and always has been, and extremely good group of people to work with. We work well together, and we understand each other. I am happy to have been given this opportunity.

[michaela-at-au]

Reaction To Client Feedback Post

The client feedback was very interesting and informative for our group, It Only Takes One Heart. First, it was great to have the experience pitching, and presenting in front of a group of people, as that can be incredibly nerve-wracking. Secondly, they gave us the advice to follow through, and finish our tag line, which is something that we had not thought of. The idea of It Only Takes One Heart... Yours, is special and it does tie together exactly what we are trying to portray very nicely. This is something that I know our group will strive to get across.

This is something that we can and will carry into our video and radio spot as well. I liked the idea of our concept being universal, and that by telling our audience that their heart is the one that can make a difference is encouraging and definitely the point we are attempting to get across.

I am also now certain that if we weren't triple checking for typos or grammatical mistakes before, we will most certainly be doing so now.

All and all it was very informative, and a productive meeting. I feel we learned quite a bit from it.

[michaela-at-au]

Painting to Life Project

Michaela: Actor/Writer

Emma Claire: Actor/Writer

JJ: Producer/Director

Carolyn: Film/Editing

Rain’s Rustle: Leonid Afremov

Michaela + Emma: Writing via Google Docs

JJ (all of us really): Sunday completely devoted to filming

Carolyn: Editing will happen throughout the week

Park: Present

The younger sister waits here for the arrival of the older sister, first and last shot, the girls come together here in the last shot

Metro: Past + Present

A flashback memory scene happens here, as well as present day shot of the older sister

Cafe: Past

A flashback shot of the two sisters

One is a traveler at heart; the other just wants home and hearth. Two sisters torn apart by time must find a way to reconcile, as they deal with the pain of their past.

[michaela-at-au]

Reflection on the Photo Scavenger Hunt

With this scavenger hunt, I was opened up to new artistic views. It was interesting to look at the world, and see what story I want to tell through the images I am seeing. I found setting up the shots to be exciting and honestly it was quite a bit of fun. I enjoyed looking for things that we could photograph, and finding moments line up actually gave me a sense of satisfaction. Emma Claire and myself called it “moments of greatness”. We split up the work of photographing and editing, and found that we work very well together.

I also enjoyed editing the photos, which I found surprising. Setting up the shots was only part of the experience, and the editing extended my vision in a way that was new to me. I don’t have much experience working with photography, so jumping right in to this, in this extensive sort of way was entirely new and exciting. (Also a bit intimidating)

My favorite moment was when I set out to take the silhouette and portraits, because I went to extreme lengths to make it work. I attached my blankets to ceiling with binder clips in order to block light coming in. I felt inspired when doing this, and that is something I have never really felt with photography. This was new, but incredibly fun for me.

[michaela-at-au]

Reaction to the United Nations Foundation Presentation

The client, the United Nations Foundation is exceptionally good at marketing to a highly educated audience. They are used to a higher clientele. Upon viewing their B-Roll, it is much like viewing an unedited documentary. It is not something that would catch the attention of the youth of today. They are very good at explaining their various projects, in all their various forms. They are also very good at capturing the image of the people they are going to help. They know how to document are market their lifestyles. However, this sort of marketing is something that would cause the youth of today to put the TV on mute, because it seems very sad, and not so much uplifting. They certainly had uplifting footage, but most of their footage made it difficult to see what the UNF was doing in those countries.

I am a strong proponent of the idea that youth of today will react better to simpler themes and ideas. We need to get the point across in short, eye-catching clips. We know what UNF’s basic ideologies are: humanitarianism, peacekeeping, and human rights. With this information we can formulate a campaign that will resonate with youth. I believe that as a class we can add the perspective of youth to this campaign, as this is the age range that we all fall in. We can make it personal to us, and our peers, and I think that is very important.

[michaela-at-au]

My Resume and Business Card

This is my resume.

This is my business card.

I first designed my resume with a grey-based color scheme. It contrasts the cooler shade of grey with a warmer tint of red. This color scheme both complements and contrasts. This color scheme appears very professional, yet coupled with my typography I feel it appears innocent as well. Once I had this theme in place, I added a typography theme, using the two main fonts of Century Gothic Bold, Century Gothic regular and Palatino Linotype. The contrast of the bold and regular fonts added contrast, as well as defining the different sections of the resume. The usage of the regular Century Gothic and Palatino Linotype shows the difference between the heading of a section and the content in that section. This difference is also highlighted by the color scheme, contrasting the grey shaded headers with the red tints of the information. This contrast is all brought together by the alignment of the each section. The information headers are all left aligned, while the main data follows aligned strictly along the 1.5in line.  The date in each section is right aligned. To top it all off, in the top right header is, left aligned, grey shaded with white contrasting letters, my logo, my trademark letters, or to my friends: (well, basically anybody) my initials.

I brought this same attention to my business card. I followed the same color scheme, and the same typography. With this repetition comes familiarity and it makes the brand much more neat. Most of the text is left aligned, while the logo and phone number find themselves right aligned. This maintains the neat appearance, giving the card an entirely professional feel.

All in all I went for a professional feel. I also attempted to make it seem more innocent, because even though I see myself as strong, I want to put forth the idea that strength is not necessarily always bold. My alignment, typography, and color scheme all worked together to put across a cooler, sleeker feel, yet I also wanted to seem more innocent.