The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

A truly heartbreaking film. Set during the war the film shows a side to war that hasn't really ever been discussed in film. It doesn't focus on the fighting, or on people loosing their family and friends, it doesn't dwell on evacuation or what the working life was about it. It focusses on friendship and separation. Bruno is an 8 year old boy who's dad is a commander of a Nazi concentration camp, but one day Bruno discovers the fence which seperates his world and the world of a Jewish boy of his age captured in the concentration camp. They develop a friendship and a bond and start to see each other everyday. The film shows childhood innosense, when people make friends with anyone, no matter what colour or religion they are, when it doesn't matter what background someone has or what their parents work as. Although this film didn't have a happy ending, it still makes people think back to how horrible the hallocaust was, when people where punished just for being Jewish. It also made people think back on that childhood innocence and probably made them wish that it never went away, because its prejudice and racism and discrimination that makes the world a bad place!

An Innovation in Classrooms!

Selfridges, Birmingham.

In terms of modern day architecture this building really does break the mould! I cant figure out whether it is nice or completely obscene, but I can not deny the fact it is truly unique! It is modern and funky and will get people all over the world talking about it. As a device to attract customers it is brilliant, people will see it as a tourist attraction, they will then go inside and probably end up spending lots of money! So whether or not he building is particulary attractive it will still succeed in attracting attention and bringing custom, and will go down in design history!

Metropololis

OK, so perhaps this is one of the most boring films ever, it was made back when special FX were unheard of and there was no talking, but this film has some symbolism that will always reflect in some way today's society. It is a film set in the fictional city metropolis, a city very similar to New York. The idea of the film is that the city runs by machines underground and the lower class people work the machines to keep the city running. when the we see the underground parts of the film, it is all in black and white with very mundane, depressing music. in comparison when we see the above ground, colour is used, everything looks very picturesque and the music is much more friendlier. So although this film was made over 50 years ago its quite interesting to see that society hasn't actually changed much. The working class still do the work that keeps the world ticking over whilst the upper class just reap the benefits. The working class life is still quite dull lifesless, quite black and white. Whereas the upper class lifestyle is colourful and luxurious. So on the surface much has changed over the last 50 years but when we look into it deeper, there is still much the same.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind

Although I don't actually rate this film very highly as a form of entertainment I can still appreciate how clever the film is. It is a hard to follow, slow paced, long and confusing film. But somehow the end is at the beginning, the beginning is at the end and the middle is in the middle! It is a film that you can't predict the end, even when you are moments from the end, and in my opinion that is the sign of good writing. Perhaps the writing was clever and the idea was unique and perhaps the director got it wrong.

I am Who I Am Because of Everyone.

I JUST DON'T GET IT! PLEASE SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE LINK IS BETWEEN THE AD AND ORANGE?!?!?

kraak and smaak Video

Interesting video, i spotted it whilst at the gym, so i couldnt hear the music, but the video grabbed my attention.

During a conversation with one of the graphic designers at my work experience, he told me his favourite logo of all time was the FEDEX logo. He then showed me the logo and asked my why I thought it was his favourite. I through out some ideas but none of them the reason he loved it. He then pointed out to me the arrow between the E and the X. His words of wisdom to me were "When ever designing a logo, always try and give it something extra, some sort of added meaning, something a little hidden." So now when designing logos FEDEX is my inspiration!

Magma Bookshop

Magma Bookshop is a shop in Manchester. What drew me to this shop was its creativity, and uniquness. No conventions of a normal bookshop were followed when creating Magma. "What is a shop? It is what those behind the counter share with their customers, it is that common experience, a series of more or less successful attempts at communicating ideas, needs, interests, passions, obsessions, dreams." This is magmas view on what a shop is, they want shopping to become a rich and inspiring activity, they want to make retail more creative.

Adidas Impossible Is Nothing

I think the idea behind this advert is clever and effective, however I don't actually like the advert. I find it quite boring and too slow paced. I love the drawing aspect and the inspirations talking but i would prefer it if i was less wordy and and much quicker paced. This is just my opinion, would be interested to hear what others think??

Issue One Magazine

Each is issue of Issue One is based on a particular feeling, therefore each issue is designed to portray that feeling. An example of the feelings used as inpiration are furious, serious, kinky and inspiration. Issue One takes the particular feeling and then uses colour, photography, body language, type and all other aspects of design to communicate the particular feeling to the audience. Take a look at Issue Ones website for more insight www.issue-one.com

Volt Mag

I have posted a selection of layouts from various issues of Volt Mag. I find this magazine an absolute inspiration! The art direction is perfect! I like the use of colour and the use of black. What really impressed me is the variation of design that is featured, there is no identifiable house style. Each of the above layouts could have all been found indifferent magazines, they are all so different. Some of the pictures rely on photoshop, some are simply good art direction and some rely ont eh use of colour.

A Blank Canvas

Ford Kuga's new advert 'Blank Canvas'.

What I like about this advert is the enigma, the music is intriguing and draws you in. The first time i watched it i was sat waiting to find out what the advert was about. A word I would use to describe thie advert however is 'nice' the music is nice, the imagery is nice and the idea of the world becomign a blank canvas is nice. However what is a shame is the fact that im sure if a car was created totally from scratch, using all of the modern technology and ideas, i doubt very much it would be the Ford Kruga! I suppose the car could also be described as nice, not amazing, not the best car ever and not an innovation. I feel this advert would be perfect with a much more special car!

New Hovis Advert

The new Hovis advert is 122 minutes long, one minute for every year since the company began. The advert takes viewers through the last 122 years of British history and shows the changes in britain. The advert was first aired in the adverts in Coronation St, the ad is so long that the soap had to be cut by 2 seconds to fit it in.

Bikes For Women - Harley Davidson

Out of all the Harley Davidson campaigns this was my favourite. It takes a stereotypical setting for a women (ie, shopping with the kids or sat waiting for her husband to return) and puts a stereotypical Harley Davidson biker in her position. It suggests that if a women got a bike, they too would want to spend all of their time on it, in a way the campaign encourages women to understand why men love their bikes so much. It also can give men an insight into the lives of their wives, whilst they are out ahving fun with their bikes. I really like this campaign for soo many reasons!

Harley Davidson

I stumbelled across some of the Harley Davidson ads in an old Grafik Magazine and found them all clever and very witty! When I then searched for them on the internet i was impressed by the majority of their campaigns. The ones I have posted is just a selection of their poster campaigns and with each one I laughed. They are all very simple ideas, and mainly picture based, with a witty one line piece of copy.

Durex Guerrilla Campaign

I love guerrilla campaigns in general, i think they are clever and encourage people to talk about the product or service being advertised. This one in particular is great. Firstly, condoms, sex and STIs are all taboo subjects, so by drawing giant condoms onto pavements is going to provoke a lot of talk! There are two types of condom advertising, one takes the safety aspect, and encourages or scares people into using condoms for their own good. The other route to take is the pleasure aspect, when condoms are purley promoted on the idea of pleasure. This campaign takes the 2nd route. It uses existing textures from pavements and relates it to the various types of condoms. It is a clever yet simple campaign!

Lego - super simple campaign

Wonder Bra

This two page magazine advert it witty, clever and really quite self explanatory! The idea is simple but the effect it would have on the readers would be imense. It would impress the reader and then encourage word of mouth advertising.

Hilarious or horrendous?

I actually quite hate this campaign, i feel it is insensitive and just wrong on sooo many levels. In a way I understand that it trying to shock people into using condoms, It shows the reality of the consequences of not using protection. I doubt very much when people have sex without a condom they picture a 6 year old screaming and holding a teddy as a consequense, they probably imagine being pregnant, or finding out they have got someone pregnant, but rarely do people think beyond the pregnancy. I hope this campaign worked and shocked a lot of people into thinking twice about having unprotected sex. However i feel they took it a little too far and i imagine this campaign got a few complaints!!