What I Aim to do through this project:
The aim of my advanced project is to lighten peoples view of Lochgelly by looking back at what Lochgelly was to what Lochgelly is and going to be.
Outcome 1
Personal Brief:
I aim to create a journey that will change peoples perceptions of my hometown through the use of the creative arts. People perceive Lochgelly as, “Lochgelly has become a byword for gloom. Shops are boarded up; houses lie derelict. Only undertakers and deep-fried food dealers appear to thrive. It is the Scottish mining town they forgot to shut down”. – www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2004/jan/25/britishidentity.stephenkhan
I want to change their thoughts and make them appreciate the history of Lochgelly as well as them looking to the development of the town. Many people have played a part in creating the vision of Lochgelly being ‘gloom’. It is time to change with the town. It is a journey that will last a good few years but a journey that cannot happen if people do not believe it will. I aim to create the same journey Lochgelly is undertaking, an interactive journey, to allow viewers and residents to take part in the process together.
Key Questions:
- What are you trying to communicate, and why?
To turn a mundane everyday journey that people will forget into an interesting journey that can be remembered.
- Who needs the information, and why?
The viewer is to be attracted into taking this journey in order to appreciate the experience.
- What does the audience already know? what does it need to know?
The audience will need to know how to start the journey in order to take part in it therefore supplying material for them to notice where to start the journey is essential.
- What single, unique, focused message should the audience walk away with after reading or seeing this piece?
Appreciation of what the journey has taught them. If the journey is unusual or interesting they should walk away feeling the journey was worth taking. It may give them a new light on the place, topic etc. of the journey.
- What have you done to communicate this type of information before?
None, but creating information on how to take the journey will be key because the project will gain little interest and would be pointless without it.
- How do you expect your audience to respond to this communication?
Hopefully, they will find the journey interesting and lift their feelings of the location. Maybe they will consider the mundane journey and enjoy it since the interesting journey has highlighted it and the feelings from the viewer towards it.
- The client (the sender)
Me as the designer putting the message of the journey out there to the public eye.
- The audience (the receiver)
It is aimed at anyone who is interested in art and design, and especially interactive media.
- The message (the point to be communicated)
To use Computer Arts and Design technology to create an unusual and interesting experience of an otherwise mundane journey.
- The client’s motivation (the required result)
To take the journey and follow the path they choose to the finish.
- The audience’s motivation (why they would want to act on the client’s message)
There may be some reward at the end for completing the journey successfully.
- The competition (who else is doing this)
- The environment (what else is in the way of the audience’s reaction)
If the journey is not advertised then the viewers will not take part. If the locations are not interesting enough to the viewer they will lose interest and simply walk away. Viewer’s interest is key to them taking part in the journey and making the journey worth making.
- The audience’s desired response (cry, laugh, buy, fear etc)
Hopefully, they will find the journey interesting and lift their feelings of the location.
Defining the objective: To use Computer Arts and Design technology to create an unusual and interesting experience of an otherwise mundane journey. The audience will need to know how to start the journey in order to take part in it therefore supplying material for them to notice where to start the journey is essential.
Appreciation of what the journey has taught them. If the journey is unusual or interesting they should walk away feeling the journey was worth taking. It may give them a new light on the place, topic etc. Hopefully, they will find the journey interesting and lift their feelings of the location. Maybe they will consider the mundane journey and enjoy it since the interesting journey has highlighted it and the feelings from the viewer towards it.
Timescales:
| Week 28 Nov | Brainstorm ideas (need min x3 concepts).Begin research and brief interpretation. |
| Week 05 Dec | Complete brief interpretation, analysis of target audience.Initial outline of concepts / interaction / media use.Produce Plan of work.Gather images (video and Stills) of location. |
| Week 12 Dec | Research techniques and interactive examples from a range of genre.Explore / develop concepts and techniques: e.g. video in CS5 Photoshop.REMEMBER: Annotate and evaluate throughout project development. |
| Week 19 Dec | Development of min x2 concepts . |
| Week 26 Dec | Development of min x2 concepts. Critically evaluate and eliminate x1 concept. |
| Week 02 Jan | Development of final concept. |
| Week 09 Jan | Development of final concept. |
| Week 16 Jan | Development of final concept. |
| Week 23 Jan | Development of final concept. |
| Week 30 Jan | Development of final concept. |
| Week 06 Feb | Development of final concept. |
| Week 13 Feb | Evaluate and critically reflect the strengths and weaknesses of the design process and completed solution. First submission: 17 Feb 2012. |
| Week 11 | Presentation: 23/24 Feb 2012. Second submission: 23 Feb 2012. |
| Week 12 | Remediation. |
Materials to be used/may be used:
Adobe Creative Suite – Photoshop, Illustrator, Premier
3DS max
Camera
Video Camera
Tripod
A high spec computer with speakers, scanner and printer and the above software will be used for all computer work.
Knowledge/skills wishing to be gained:
- Extended experience in the above Adobe programs
- More experience in different research techniques – not relying on internet too much
- Experimenting with ways of displaying information
- Think of new ways to display products i.e. innovative posters
Aspects that may affect my work:
- Limited knowledge of technology in an interactive sense – I will try to overcome this by doing as much research as possible into interactive products. I may try some tutorials before creating my own concepts.
- Weather – If there is to be any video filming then I will have to watch forecasts to see which days I can film without any bad weather.
- Not having the necessary equipment – I may have to limit some parts of my project as I may not have the necessary equipment to make my ideas.
- Or having the equipment but limiting myself, thinking along my conventional idea instead of being creative.
Half mile radius – Below is a map of my chosen location: Lochgelly. The map from google maps gives details of locations within a ½ mile radius from my home.
I have chosen my hometown of Lochgelly as I feel it is the perfect location for the project as my main aim is to:
Make the viewer appreciate what the journey has taught them. If the journey is unusual or interesting they should walk away feeling the journey was worth taking. Give the viewer new feelings about Lochgelly as many feel the town is run down and not one of the best places to live.
I have chosen this subject area for my project because there are many council and privately funded organisations looking to create new projects for the town. To gain more business and interest in Lochgelly there are new buildings, décor and companies starting up here. Lochgelly has already started a regeneration process but many feel this is a waste of time, personally changing attitudes of people will help make us appreciate what is being done and will make the changes last longer and work more effectively.
Below is a quick overview of projects started and projects to come (information from http://www.scotlandcharrettelochgelly.co.uk).
Projects already underway:
• Improving the standards of housing through simple redesign and repainting, rather than demolition and reconstruction.
• Building a new business centre to gain company interest and bring up the economy.
• Development and Regeneration of existing Miners Institute.
• Development and Regeneration of existing Leisure Centre.
Projects to come:
• Focusing on developing the town’s railway station and surrounding area to make the most of the rail connection to Scotland’s capital city.
• Locating a sensitively-designed supermarket near the Town House to anchor the town and draw shoppers to the independent speciality shops on Bank St and Main St. Allowing a supermarket on the outskirts would kill the local shops.
• Creating a plaza next to the Town House and supermarket, opening up an approach to the Church on Bank Street which could be converted into an attractive indoor market.
• Converting the Town House into a senior care centre which would provide its users with easy access to the town centre and all local amenities.
• Supporting shops on Bank St and Main St to urgently bring their premises up to modern standards. A retail management scheme could also allow parking on Bank Street to boost retail and slow down the traffic.
• Investing in developing one first class golf course and clubhouse on the site between Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly with bus links which would provide an accessibility presently enjoyed by locals.
• Creating a business park to the East of the town including an aspiration for a rail link.
• Developing the town square into a public space which has real energy through redevelopment of buildings to the edge, removing the small car park and improved landscaping.
• Investing in the Arts Centre, incorporating the library and revamping one of the key entrances to the town.
A vision of Lochgelly Town Hall from Andres Duany, a principal of DPZ (based in Miami).
Initial Research Sources: (some links provided are only for images, info and video)
http://www.lochgelly.org.uk
http://www.scotlandcharrettelochgelly.co.uk
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/regeneration/pir/learningnetworks/towncentres/CaseStudy103Lochgelly
http://www.fife.gov.uk/orgs/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&orgid=1608BF22-D2C7-4C49-992FA90A231D1126
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2004/jan/25/britishidentity.stephenkhan
http://www.scotregen.co.uk/news/default.asp?ItemID=1130
Lochgelly Library
Internet
Photographs, video and sound recordings of Lochgelly (by me)
Interactive – search either internet or preferably travelling to its location to experience it first hand.
Other “Run down” Locations and success stories
(urls of articles I have read)
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/regeneration/pir/learningnetworks/towncentres/casestudies – a list of areas that are currently being redeveloped by the Scottish Government and various oragnisations, details are given on weaknesses and hjow these can be improved, Lochgelly appears on the list.
http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/%E2%80%98ghost-streets%E2%80%99-handed-%C2%A3355m-regeneration-fund/6519285.article – This article shows how much money can be spent on regeneration and how long the process could take.
http://www.yorkshire-forward.com/media-centre/our-success-stories/scarboroughs-regeneration – success
http://www.objectiveone.com/client/media/media-931.htm
Conventional vs Innovative Exhibitions
http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/decode/exhibition/interactivity – innovative/interactive exhibition – really good inspiration for concepts.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1362126/CeBit-2011-The-device-allows-pedestrians-buy-shop-window-stepping-store.html – idea can be developed to suit project
http://www.creativeguerrillamarketing.com/guerrilla-marketing/12-must-see-guerrilla-3d-projection-mapping-examples/ – some good examples from big companies such as Sony this can be used as inspiration for my project
http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2009/december/barnados-interactive-poster
http://www.customqrcodes.com/story/11/Top-Five-Tips-When-Customizing-Your-QR-Code-Design-
Highlighted words from brief:
Mundane – ordinary, dull, routine, everyday, boring, humdrum
Immune – resistant, protected, untouchable, unaffected
Experience – knowledge, skill, practice, understanding, familiarity, know-how
Journey – trip, voyage, expedition, ride, drive, fly, passage, crossing
Image – picture, representation, icon, figure, likeness, illustration, reflection, copy
Movement – progress, walking, form of transport, time, body, pace, life, inanimate object
Sound – noise, hum, echo, thud, crash, natural, loud, quiet, human, animals, transport, other objects
Interaction – communication, contact, interface, relations, through senses, computer equipment
Space(s) – room, freedom, breaks, seats, places, public space, intimate space
In a new light – original, innovative, new thoughts, perception, fresh, old
Initial Ideas:
1 – Turning everyday experiences into something more interesting (I feel a creative twist would catch the eye of the viewer).
Experiences could include: getting up, making a bed, showering, shopping, opening a gate, catching a bus, driving, eating, drinking, dress yourself, cooking, a hobby, walking.
Making mundane, everyday tasks into something you find enjoyable
E.g. making a bed → “click of mouse button” → bed made
↓
Mundane activity→ viewer’s interaction → interesting
.
*idea that you could click your fingers every time you have to do an uninteresting task to make the task complete itself.
A possible journey through Lochgelly can be created with the above in mind.
1. Get up make bed → click → bed made
2. Shower, no shampoo → click → shampoo appears
3. Breakfast, no milk → instead of clicking the character decides to go to shop
4. Character comes to gate of garden, gate is old and won’t open →click→ gate is large and golden – (creative)
5. Shop, not enough money, left it at home →click →money appears in pocket
6. On way home you watch your house and want something better → click → house becomes a mansion – (creative).
*idea could be linked to a major life decision made earlier that contributes to the character having the magic click.
2 – Creative walk. Viewers can be enticed to interact with video via finding objects in certain locations (list later).
3 – Walk through Lochgelly town. Instead of finding objects like above the character could fix run down or less appealing buildings, nature, roads etc. to make the town more appealing.
Ideas: Which idea I choose I will make a poster that can be displayed to advertise the video. This will be placed in key areas in the town such as bus stops, walls, advertising boards etc. this will allow as much people as possible to know and to be confronted with the video. The poster will have a link and details will help them access the video via computer.
Locations:
• path next to beeches
• town centre – main road
• public park
• golf course
• violet park
• shops
• my home
• farm behind my house
• garage sites
After consideration I feel the two main concepts to be taken forward are: number 2 and 3. The two main concepts are very similar but can take very different routes depending on development.
Research Images:
Concept 2 –
Concept 3 –
There are additional research images on my personal space on the server at college. There are too many to put on here.
Storyboard:
Icons: research taken from my screen based design project (on blog) click here…
Video Screen Shots:
The Arrow Pad example, where the user can chose which route to take
Left and Straight ahead arrows, the user can choose which way they want to go
Straight ahead arrow, when clicked the camera would move ahead faster
The pinch zoom icon appears when there is the chance for the user to zoom into specific objects
Zoomed In using pinch zoom
Final Concept:
Interactive Exhibition – projection mapping of interactive video, to allow users to visit the direct area of regeneration. The location of the project mapping will be Lochgelly Cross located in the town centre. This allows all visitors and residents to see the video and be confronted by it. Inspiration from: http://www.projectionadvertising.co.uk/
Projection mapping: I am taking inspration from Nokia Ovi Maps Projection http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3blUJOdoWW8
To project the storyboarded video onto the wall at my chosen location. The video being interavtive means that the user can direct which way the video goes. For example, in the above nokia video the user waves there arm and arrows appear. I want to take this a little further by making the user change he video direction. If the video got to a certain part where they had to go left or right they wave a hand or point in the direction they want to take. If they want to go forward they point forward etc.
Similar also to the wii and xbox kinect.
It maybe that they controlled the camera all together, like walking through the town. They can choose which streets or buildings to view.
The controls will be explained but are very simple. For example, to move the camera forward it maybe that the user points forward. The sensors will pick up the movements of the user and the camera will move in the projection mapping. To zoom, similar to the iphone feature the user pinches their fingers and releases etc.
Letting the public take part and noticing the changes in lochgelly will allow them to feel those changes are actually happening. It also gives them a chane to mix, the differet age groups, this may break tension or fear (youths and elderly).
Research Video:
(a possible start to video, the charaacter walking through the streets of lochgelly to the location of the redevlopment area.)
Poster Design
I have been inspired to take a minimalistic design as the video has some minimalistic features. However, I like the idea of having the video advertised as a movie. I aim to have the poster designed to be hanged from lamposts, this will be along all lamposts in the towns main areas to allow as much publicity as possible to gain high numbers to the public exhibition.
http://designwoop.com/2012/01/inspiring-minimal-poster-designs/
http://browseideas.com/poster-design-inspiration/
Colour Schemes:
The chosen colour scheme is the one at the bottom of the list. I feel this is the best one as there are colours to represent bricks, mould as well as luxury. This is also the colour scheme used throughout the video.
Typography:
I had chosen to use the Helvetica font but I was unable to aquire it therefore I have used Ariel which is almost identical to Helvetica. Helvetica is one of the most popular fonts within design at the moment.
Concepts:
Sketch of graphic
I feel this idea could be used and hanged from lamp posts inbetween the final poster design
Similar idea to the previous concept (lamp posts)
I feel the typography of this poster is not strong. However, I have had a hard decision not to make this the final poster. I feel this and the final poster idea needs more development.
The two concepts at the start do not show the title of the exhibition therefore really have no purpose to the viewer. The one above I feel is strongly appealing but I do not feel the typography is strong.
Final Concept:
Final Poster – typography needs work
This is the final concept for the poster however I feel the typography is still not strong and find it difficult to suggest this idea is the best compared to the last concept. I feel more experimentation must be done to ensure the poster is visually appealing.
Additional Ideas:
Decal Sketch Proposal
If the project was to go ahead within the town, I had the idea of making the whole town take part in the exhibition. One way this could be done is through decalling. Decalls are a good material to coinside with the projection mapping as it heightens the atmosphere from the video being projected.
The decals are displaying signs of decay such as cracks, mould, broken glass etc. This helps to identify the need for regeneration. If people did not see the signs before the project they will be confronted by it now everywhere within the town.
Evaluation
Timescales
I feel I have struggled with my timescales for individual tasks but have been able to keep within the final deadline for the whole project. I did not anticipate how much time was needed for each task. This is something that I have found difficult as the project, I feel, was tailored more to interactivity in the sense of web or video therefore I took more time to research ways to link a basic poster to interactivity (QR coding) and that aspect to an interactive projection mapping. Projection mapping can be difficult to understand so again I had to research designs used, to make sure I was not designing something that was impossible to do as this could have been a waste of valuable time. I feel I could work harder at managing individual tasks and thinking ahead at what other tasks could be involved later in the project.
Planning and Development Stages
The planning stage helped me to get into the regeneration of the town. I was one of the residents of the town who felt the town needed regeneration and that certain people did not appreciate it. I answered certain questions within the planning stage that helped me to understand that not all of the visitors or residents would feel the town benefits from regeneration e.g. the older generation may not like modern designs and prefer the town to stay as it is, the younger generation and visitors may feel the town is still out dated as the town is only being regenerated to possibly looking the same as another town. Despite this, I feel through the project I am aiming to make the residents and visitors to notice the change; it is up to them to feel if this is beneficial. I only want them to acknowledge regeneration and question themselves on what they feel about it.
One of the project requirements was to choose a location or locations within a half mile radius. Although Lochgelly is a small town most of the open and less populated areas are out with the half mile radius. This was difficult as one of the two main concepts involved locations such as farm roads and parks. The start of these where within the half mile but in order to capture the concept I would have to break the half mile radius. I was unsure whether this was acceptable therefore I chose the alternative concept. The main areas of regeneration are happening in the town centre, this was another reason to chose the town centre as the location.
The brief stated I was to make products for an exhibition but did not state what the exhibition was. I therefore took the brief to be that the products I made where the exhibition. I researched conventional and interactive exhibitions. The main area I wish to work in is print design and the project has to involve interactivity. I stated that I would investigate the two and chose one over the other but after research and development I have decided to combine the two. I have created an interactive poster that can be printed as the interactive areas is the QR code, the video is an interactive projection map which is very popular at the moment.
The poster is linked to the video through the QR code. When the viewer of the poster scans the QR code of the poster through their mobile phone the viewer is then led to the exhibition in the town centre. There is the opportunity to view the video on the internet via youtube.com but they will not get the same atmosphere of viewing it in the regeneration area.
Additional Product Proposal: If the project was to go ahead within the town, I had the idea of making the whole town take part in the exhibition. One way this could be done is through decaling. Decals are a good material to co inside with the projection mapping as it heightens the atmosphere from the video being projected.
The decals are displaying signs of decay such as cracks, mould, broken glass etc. This helps to identify the need for regeneration. If people did not see the signs before the project they will be confronted by it now everywhere within the town.
Materials and Products used:
Adobe Creative Suite – Photoshop, Illustrator
Camtasia Studio
Camera
Video Camera
Tripod
A high spec computer with speakers, scanner and printer and the above software will be used for all computer work.
Knowledge/skills gained:
- Extended experience in the above Adobe programs
- More experience in different research techniques – not relying on internet too much
- Experimenting with ways of displaying information
- Think of new ways to display products i.e. innovative posters (posters hanging from lamppost), decaling
- Knowledge of technology in an interactive sense – QR and projection mapping
Strengths
- Research throughout the project was precise and helpful
- Planning stages (excluding timescales)
- Extra product proposal
- Capturing the atmosphere of the regeneration
Weaknesses
- Timescales (individual tasks not overall completion time)
- Typography in poster
- The aesthetics of the video screenshots
Overall
I feel I have successfully presented a solution to the brief, however, there are areas needed to be refined if the project was to go further than a proposal. I feel the weaknesses above are the main areas of refinement. The aesthetics of the products could have been better all round. The typography as mentioned earlier could have been stronger, this is something that I have struggled with before and have improved upon. I chose to go for a minimalistic look as this would complement the complex interactivity. Using the street layout of the location was the inspiration for the graphic in the poster and start up screen, I feel the graphic of the poster is very strong and works well on its own. The poster needed a title for people to understand what it was about but the typography or maybe the placement is not just quite correct. Overall, with the time I had I feel I have presented a proposal that could work in a real life situation as the proposed brief.
Aspects to consider for future projects:
- Typography
- Time keeping
- Overall look of products (more creativity and refinement)
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