Rabbit and Deer (Nyuszi és Őz) from Péter Vácz on Vimeo.
After being screened in 63 countries at more than 300 festivals and winning over 120 awards I’m proud and happy to share my graduation film from MOME Anim.
If you liked the film please help us rating it on IMDB: imdb.com/title/tt2664910/
You can read about HOW WE MADE the film here: vaczpeter.blogspot.com/
…and an interview with me on the Directors Notes page: directorsnotes.com/2014/12/16/peter-vacz-rabbit-and-deer/
You can find the ending song ‘Listen’ by MK (Mahdi Khene) on his new album Something Like That: itunes.apple.com/album/id943458685
If you feel like following my upcoming works click here: facebook.com/peter.vacz.director
"Rabbit and Deer is a stunningly directed and beautifully crafted play on the universal conflict of emotional incompatibility." – Jonathan Hodgson (BAFTA winner animation director)
CREDITS:
Writer Director and Designer: Péter Vácz
Co-Director and Animator: Attila Bertóti
Edited by: Judit Czakó
Original music & Sound Design by: Máté Hámori
Ending song ‘Listen’ by: Mahdi Khene
Photography: Gábor Garai
Voices: Adrienn Mórocz, Dániel Czupi
Animation: Attila Bertóti, Péter Vácz
Set design: Kata Müller, Móni Kovács, Kati Egely
Compositing: Balázs Fekti, András Sarkadi, Zoltán Lányi
Production: MOME, Budapest (Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design) mome.hu/
Half a century before Ferguson and Eric Garner, Margaret Mead on the roots of racism and the liability of law enforcement – remarkably prescient wisdom from humanity’s most influential anthropologist.
Half a century ago, Margaret Mead on the root of racism and our shared responsibility in eradicating it, with a prescient note on law enforcement and race.
An Interview with Jonathan & Sarah Nelson Jackson of WeShouldDoItAll
Composite image created from Jonathan & Sarah's respective Instagram feeds.
WeShouldDoItAll (WSDIA) is a New York based multi-disciplinary design studio established in 2004. The firm designs, develops and mediates branding, interactive, environmental and spatial projects for a diverse range of clients in varied professions.
I interviewed the studio's partners, Jonathan & Sarah Nelson Jackson while conducting research for my first year elective course project and Critical & Historical Studies dissertation topic while studying in the School of Communication at the Royal College of Art. The project explores issues faced by new and young designers. It proposes the development of a new kind of canon of graphic design knowledge and practice. The official title of the project is "The Living Canon: A Democratically Mutable Knowledge Canon of Visual Communication Inspired by the Library of Paul Rand".
I contacted WSDIA with the aim of gaining some insight into the professional issues designers face during the early stages of their careers.
The following responses have been edited for clarity and presentation on the web.
Image from Jonathan's instagram feed.
What should students know before entering design institutions at the undergraduate level?
Design is all about problem solving, communicating, and ultimately working with people. If those are things you are not interested in learning more about, then perhaps design is not for you.
Concepts win. Trends, gorgeous graphics, colors and typography are all lovely, but may not always be the strongest or most effective solution to the problem. Think conceptually and critically. Study style, good taste, and the the aesthetics will follow.
Design is not just about making art. First and foremost, it's about business. You may have your own personal aesthetics or goals in mind, but in the end solutions must be smart, purposeful, functional.
You must be curious by nature. You should be ready to live a lifetime of learning and "digging deep." So much of design is about research, history, contemplation and word associations. These things will all provoke a richer, more well thought-out solution, and ultimately a more sound strategic career approach.
You get out what you put in. The design industry is not easy. It requires discipline and hard work.
Promotional image for the studio's AIGA/NY talk at Bumble and Bumble in February 2014.
What basic skills (not necessarily design) should students and newly working designers possess?
Communication! How to explain yourself to other designers, as well as EVERYONE else (i.e. the layman. This is so important!)
Listening, collaboration and diplomatic skills. (Patience!)
Computer skills, reading/research, general writing skills (which can help explain concepts or strategy).
What are the top five "complaints" you often hear from students? From fresh graduates? From recent (less than five years experience) graduates? Junior to mid-level designers?
Students complain about not having anticipated working so hard. Not having enough time.
Fresh graduates complain there isn't enough business/real world focus in their curriculum; not enough jobs in the market; people are difficult to work with (i.e. the client)
T-shirt designs for Nike Basketball—East
What creative skills should incoming students have? Fresh graduates? Recent graduates? Junior to mid-level designers?
Incoming students should have the ability to sketch/communicate an idea visually (even if it's through sketch + montage or reference imagery). Communicate an idea verbally, even if public speaking is challenging, create a word map or written strategy.
"Enve", a custom typeface designed for the identity of Nouvelle Vague.
Fresh graduates: Composition, typography, color theory, movement. Should be able to conceptualize and produce a well thought out design; communicate an idea verbally, even if public speaking is challenging, there should be at least some experience in presenting work to others.
"Network Mapping" print.
Recent graduates should be well rounded, ability to handle a web or print project; have a solid handle on Adobe suite programs; be a conceptual thinker; work collaboratively.
Junior/midlevel designers should be able to work independently at times. The should also have a good handle on presenting work; be strong in collaborations; possibly leading others.
Work celebrating the 30th anniversary of the New York Chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design.
Whose work should students already be familiar with upon entering an institution? Who should fresh and recent graduates know about after leaving school? Junior to mid-level designers?
Everyone should be familiar with the Bauhaus designers: Paul Rand*, Moholy-Nagy, Lissitzky etc.
Spin, 2x4, Pentagram, Graphic Thought Facility, MadeThought, Bibliothèque, WSDIA (ha ha :)
Instagram portrait of WeShouldDoItAll partner, Jonathan Jackson.
Where should designers at any level below art-director go for mentorship and development?
Look to a designer or art director that they admire, whether for aesthetic or theoretical reasons; an old professor who was helpful and insightful; an inspirational person in their life who has an idea of decision making, and or career development (does not necessarily need to be in design); design organizations.
22,850 square-foot space in Durban, South Africa designed for Nike to host international retailers of the company's products during the 2010 World Cup.
What technical skills should designers posses at these different levels?
Beginners: sketching
Fresh graduates: general knowledge of adobe suite recent grads: comprehensive knowledge of adobe; prepress knowledge; model making/production knowledge
Mid-level: extensive knowledge of adobe; prepress; web knowledge; 3D modeling; production (i.e. scoring/folding/cutting etc)
How should designers develop proficiency in areas where their skills are lacking?
Practice practice practice. Give yourself a 'faux' project to give yourself that practice. Ask questions in forums, watch tutorials, and read books + blogs. Take a course in person or online.
Jonathan Jackson listens to Alexis Schimberg. Photo by Jason Frank Rothenberg.
What tools, if any, are available to gauge the creative level of designers at different stages in their careers?
In school: critique from professors + peers
Recent grads: ability to create a memorable concept with a client; win awards
Mid-level: published work, awards, peer recognition, blogs
What are schools finding it difficult to provide their students with?
Real world experience/internships? Business experience or knowledge, how to deal with a problematic client relationship? Not sure.
What negative experiences have you had in your dealings with designers at these stages in their careers?
Lacking initiative/independent drive; thinking they know best when they've yet to have experience; being stubborn or not able to take criticism.
What do creative and non-creative employers want from potential employees engaged in creative practice?
Wellrounded-ness; patience; humor; strong work ethic; collaborative-nature; curiosity
The next two questions were asked directly to Sarah about her experieces as a woman in the design world.
Sarah dons a Marlon Blackwell hardhat at the University of Arkansas's Fay Jones School of Architecture
When, if ever, has being a woman affected your ability to interact with clients and/or peers productively?
Don't even get me started! :)
There have definitely been cases of not being taken seriously with clients or peers. Whether through flirtation, being seen as "weak" "timid" or "young" I have sensed all of these at various points in my career. When being led by a male creative director early in my career, I wasn't given equal opportunities or pushed quite as hard as the male designers, almost given an easy out... Unfortunately
I felt a bit stifled, and at other times taken advantage of.
On the flip side, being a woman has been an advantage in working with other women professionals or designers/creatives, simply in connecting, understanding their vantage point, or simply being in sync.
Conversely, having a woman's perspective is unique in this industry, in any situation. Not sure this is a "woman's perspective" and/or simply my own nature, but I think my strengths' lie in: an ability to listen, understand, be intuitive about others' needs; bring a warmth/comfort to a situation; multitask or move fluidly from project to project.
Sarah looking spiffy after a client meeting.
What issues have you personally had to overcome as a woman in a male dominated profession?
Finding my voice. Not being afraid of failure or not looking "perfect." There is so much pressure on women today to be able to handle it all — look stunning, sound articulate and intelligent, be super talented, all the while winning over the room. I may not be the most eloquent, powerful 'type-A' personality in the room, but that's absolutely fine with me. I've had to overcome that idea of perfection and pleasing everyone. I will never be equivalent to a strong/loud male creative director, but instead have had to find and value my own unique perspective, as a woman and individual.
The original version of my interview with Jonathan and Sarah appears in one of the appendices of my dissertation—"The Living Canon: A Democratically Mutable Knowledge Canon of Visual Communication Inspired by the Library of Paul Rand"—which will be made available to the public after it has been graded in February 2015.
Jonathan Jackson graduated from Kent State University with a degree in Architecture. He previously worked for architecture offices: Studio Archea in Florence, Italy, Archi-Tectonics//Winka Dubbeldam, Lindy Roy in New York, and served for two years as a board member of the New York Chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design.
Sarah Nelson Jackson graduated from Boston University with a BFA in Graphic Design and a minor in Art History. She previously worked for graphic design offices: Ingredient, AREA 17, and Helicopter in New York.
Follow WeShouldDoItAll on Twitter at: @weshoulddoitall
The following text is an edited version of the preface from my dissertation entitled “The Living Canon: A Democratically Mutable Knowledge Canon of Visual Communication Inspired by the Library of Paul Rand”. The writing was carried out in fulfillment of the requirements of the Critical and Historical Studies course at the Royal College of Art.
As a rule of thumb, all writings presented on this topic use the terms design, graphic design and visual communication interchangeably.
This essay is an attempt to respond to the concerns expressed to me by many recent graduates and students of design. We discussed these issues during casual conversation at conferences, talks and other industry related events. It also proposes a new way for students to experience the work and philosophies of graphic designers past and present.
Comments made during these conversations were often raised in reference to the challenges faced by designers during their academic and/or professional careers. Complaints included an inability to find "good" clients, gaps of knowledge not filled academically and acquiring new skills. A lack of general knowledge about design history was also mentioned a lot. Which studios to follow, which designers were doing or had done interesting work were questions making frequent appearances. Many of these conversations occurred while volunteering for the New York chapter of AIGA. AIGA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of design.
I have also voiced similar wishes for more ideal circumstances in my personal design practice. My initial response to the common dilemmas young and new designers face was to write about these issues. I did so with the hope of becoming the voice of inexperienced designers within the organization. My tutors at the Royal College of Art would later tell me that writing is the typical forum in which these kinds of issues are addressed within most design disciplines. Unfortunately, I fell victim to one of the most common challenges expressed by my peers. I did not have enough time or energy after work to devote to the work I would rather be doing. Nor did I find it easy to structure my time to accommodate a satisfying work-life balance.
I approached the editorial team at AIGA. To my surprise, I received a welcoming reception to the idea. After beginning three separate pieces, all remain unfinished to this day. I failed at attempting to bring the issues that my peers and I had been facing to the attention of the AIGA membership.
I balanced an unsatisfying job at the United Nations with gratifying, but unsustaining volunteer work for AIGA and other organisations. This was just one example of the many issues expressed in conversation. In the middle of all this, the Information Experience Design MA programme at the Royal College of Art accepted me as a student. I knew this would be a great place to create something addressing our problems.
In early 2013, before joining the RCA in September 2013, I began compiling essays written by famous creative professionals. I started to design the first of a series of books whose content I wanted to make something that would benefit young designers like me. I wanted to create a tool that would help them with their struggles to find their places and voices within the design community. Once again, I fell prey to not finding the right balance of paid versus personal work. I decided to put it on hold until I arrived in London.
During the first term of the 2013/2014 academic year, I presented the idea in a tutorial with Teal Triggs, the Associate Dean of the School of Communication. I intended to use the project as my response to the final brief of the Research Design Publish elective course. The course runs in the School of Communication at the Royal College. Teal was extremely frank in her response. She more or less said what I was trying to do was not a new idea, not that creative and “anyone can do that.”
The dissertation proposes a more creative solution to the frustrations my peers and I have identified and expressed. The text itself has been structured in a way that reflects the problem it is trying to solve. At first, the work may appear to be unfinished. In reality, it is presented as a manuscript and prototype for a new kind of knowledge resource. In the preceding paragraphs, the term “gaps of knowledge” is used. These purposeful omissions are my attempt to emulate the creation of these gaps and inconsistencies. The deliberate choice to do so and the attempt to fill these gaps represents an important concept frequently used in the design process. The concept of iteration. The tool being proposed will be useful to designers at any level in their career as well as non-designers looking to learn more about the field. The next version of this writing will be presented at the 2015 Work-in-Progress Show at the Royal College of Art. It will present more information about the subject matter than is found in the writings appearing on this blog, but will also be “incomplete.” It is my hope that this will also generate intrigue and desire to see each successive version of the work. The tool itself will be prototyped for the Final Show at the Royal College in June 2015.
Scientists break down the physics and neuroscience behind Bruce Lee’s legendary one-inch punch, the bodily application of his famous "be like water" philosophy.
Drawing upon both physical and neuro power, Lee’s devastating one-inch punch involved substantially more than arm strength. It was achieved through the fluid teamwork of every body part. It was his feet. It was hips and arms. It was even his brain. In several milliseconds, a spark of kinetic energy ignited in Lee’s feet and surged through his core to his limbs before its eventual release.
[…]
Every bodily jerk has an apex of force. To not only maximize on that force — but to augment it — Lee perfectly synchronizes his movements, one after the other, linking them like boxcars on a train. To be sure, countless muscle men have been stronger than Lee, but few, if any, could deliver more more power than Lee with just one inch.
A New Hampshire Cop Called President Obama the N-Word and Won’t Apologize
Welcome to another edition of This Week in Racism. I’ll be ranking news stories on a scale of one to RACIST, with “one” being the least racist and “RACIST” being the most racist.
–82-year-old shitbag Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, police commissioner Robert Copeland joinsDonald Sterling in the “crazy old white man getting caught saying horrible things in public” hall of fame. A new resident to the sleepy northeastern town overheard Copeland say, “No, because whenever I do I’ll have to see that fucking nigger,” when asked if he watches the news. “That fucking nigger” happens to be the President of the United States.
Copeland doesn’t deny what he said and has no intention of ever apologizing. He told his colleagues in an email, “I believe I did use the ‘N’ word in reference to the current occupant of the Whitehouse. For this, I do not apologize—he meets and exceeds my criteria for such.”
This, of course, begs the question of what Robert Copeland’s criteria are for being a nigger. Here’s a guess at what they are:
Being black
Being black
Being black
Confusing hand gestures
Being black
General uppity-ness
Being black
Looking at my wife’s calves for longer than five seconds
Unregulated office horseplay
Being black
Hippy-hop music
Wearing pants with a waistline below the belly button
Being black
Seriously, stop looking at my wife
Copeland has refused requests for interviews thus far, so I suppose we’ll just have to continue speculating. RACIST
I came across this old concept that was never used for anything today. It reignited my thinking about how to incorporate different creative disciplines into my work and into individual projects... Food for thought.
Without regret, all I could think of was my friend of almost 20 years, Ruben Borrero. We met in 1994 at Isaac Newton Junior High School in East Harlem, New York. Located just a few avenues east of where the explosion occurred. We were also students together at Rice High School in the centre of Harlem.
I began a safari through the information jungle that is the news website network. This includes social media sites Facebook and Twitter. Reports were inconsistent. Some sites were indicating there had been one fatality with varying injuries. Whether the victim was male or female was unclear. I posted questions to social media sites. Twitter was lighting up with posts about what was going on. I kept refreshing the trending link for ‘Harlem’.
Reports were still sketchy. They ranged from one dead, 15 injured and four unaccounted for to two dead, 20 injured and nine unaccounted for. The identities of the victims are still unknown. Are these victims male or female? Information varies to the boundary of becoming noise.
I'm glued to my chair. I only get up to use the loo and to inform a tutor I can't make out meeting. I have no intention of going anywhere until I know my friend's condition. I post updates of my own with the meticulousness of a curator. I also try to establish contact with Ruben. Facebook, Twitter, SMS. All failures.
There is a confirmation of the victim count. Two are dead. The number of injuries is still unclear. The gender of the fallen is also a mystery. Is Ruben OK? Where are his mother and sister?
Aware of the stress and worry building within me, I decide it’s better to disconnect. But not before I let the rest of our brothers from Rice know what is happening. I post an update to Twitter knowing it will feed into my Facebook account. The message reads:
<Leonidas voice> #RAIDERS! One of us may have fallen. I’m in London trying to keep track from here. I need your eyes on this #Ruben Borrero
After the post has appeared on Facebook, I added the first comment by tagging as many members of the Rice High School community as I can think of. Within seconds I begin to get responses. I let people know one of the buildings that exploded is where Ruben lived. Many express their confusion, dismay and concern. A network of angst and tension begins to emanate from the growing thread.
Eddie Marrero, our freshman year guidance counselor is among the commenters. Early on, he establishes what I am trying to communicate from the post. He asks: What are you saying Ruben Borrero is what?To which I respond: I’m saying the building he lived in no longer exists. 1646 Park Avenue, second floor.Digital expressions of concern begin to appear on the post. Ten minutes pass. Eddie respond: I’m talking to him right now. He’s fine.
