Designers Graduation 2008 // The One Academy

The One Academy Designers Graduation Show (Batch 55).
Majors in: Advertising and Graphic Design, Multimedia Design, Interior Design, Digital Animation, Illustration.

theme:
"StoryBox"

05 - 15 May 2008
Exhibition at The One Gallery, 28 Jalan PJS 11/28A, Bandar Sunway, PJ.
Enquiries: Sam Goh m:012-220 0911 Dora Lau m:016-3778 390

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Note: to all design students reading this, let kakireka help promote your own college graduation showcase when the time comes. Send us the necessary info in the format shown above with a key graphic/picture (150x150 pixels) and we will post a blog entry on your event. Free-of-charge service by kakireka as a show of support to all young designers.

The Freak Factor - What's My Problem?

Designers, have you ever felt or made to feel like you're a freak, a nerd, or a geek just be'cos you don't want to conform to the masses? That you don't fit in? Your friends/peers/boss/parents tells you that you have this and that weakness in your character that needs to be fixed or else you won't be liked/accepted?

Well, don't despair and don't simply give in to peer pressure & this overwhelming desire to change yourself - just to conform. You might do more harm than good to yourself if you do so. To find out why, go download this PDF file, read on and be inspired...

The Freak Factor: Discovering Uniqueness by Flaunting Weakness
by: David Rendall
...short excerpt from the document...

2. What’s My Problem?
I have a lot of weaknesses. According to my parents, teachers, managers, friends and wife, I am:

• hyperactive
• impatient
• impulsive
• easily distracted
• resistant to authority
• need to be the center of attention
• not open to the ideas of others
• too focused on the big picture
• unable to manage administrative details
• a poor listener
• a bad team player
• disorganized

Even with these weaknesses, I’ve been able to achieve a moderate level of success. So, how did I do it? How did I overcome my problems? How did I finally conquer my weaknesses?

I didn’t.
I didn’t overcome my problems or conquer my weakness. I didn’t get better. Instead, I discovered that my apparent flaws were clues to my true strengths. Because of this insight, I became a professor, speaker and consultant. Now, the hyperactive guy, who can’t sit down or stay quiet, gets paid to stand up and talk.

The guy who isn’t a team player works alone. The guy who doesn’t like authority runs his own business as a leadership and strategy consultant, which means that the guy who isn’t good with the details helps people to see the big picture when they are too busy with daily operations.

All of my supposed flaws are still there, they just don’t matter that much. In fact, I’ve succeeded because of my weaknesses, not in spite of them. These examples from my life illustrate the three primary lessons of this manifesto.

1. There is nothing wrong with you. Weaknesses are important clues to your strengths.

2. You find success when you find the right fit. You need to match your unique characteristics to situations that reward those qualities.

3. Your weaknesses make you different. They make you a freak and it’s good to be a freak.

"My experience as an individual, consultant, parent and leader indicates that efforts to fix weaknesses are ineffective. Furthermore, I believe that the goal of being well-rounded is both undesirable and impossible to attain. The purpose of this manifesto is to explain why I believe this and to offer a better alternative."
David Rendall

... end excerpt...

Download full PDF file from the ChangeThis Manifesto website...

smalltalk // 21 April 2008

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With regret, our next smalltalk scheduled for 21 April is cancelled due to the unavailability of our main guest speakers who were invited to share their experience working behind-the-scenes on the Making of "Re-imagining the City" project in collaboration with onedotzero in KL earlier this month.

We hope we'll have them at a later date, esp. for those who missed the entire 5-6April multimedia performance workshop/event/forum exploring how Art & City Life can each affect and cause change in the other and the roles artists can play.

So You Think You Can Act? Write? Direct a Film?

by: Kenneth Lam

They say every art director secretly aspires to be a film director and every writer harbour dreams to pen an award-winning screenplay one day. They also say life is short, so go explore these new dramatic horizons.

For aspiring film directors, actors and writers, FINAS (National Film Development Corporation Malaysia) offers many short courses on the craft of film-making. Courses are available on film production processes from screen-writing to short film to documentary workshops and technical workshops from camera techniques to set deco to makeup, sound design and film editing, etc. These intensive short courses mostly takes up 5-days (full-time) and reasonably costs RM600 each.

To find out what's hot in the local film industry, here's a decent web portal by FINAS called SinemaMalaysia launched sometime in 2007.

Check out the latest film industry news, discussion forums, search the comprehensive database of made-in-Malaysia films dating back to the 1930's!

There are also searchable directories of actors, new talents, film crews, producers, various creative companies providing professional services for the local film industry. Designers, get yourself listed-lah.

Interact 10-ways

by: Kenneth Lam

Walk into any design studio and you will see stacks of stock image sample books opened on tables, stacked on the floor, stuffed in shelves, all over the place. I love image catalogs.

Besides sourcing for that right picture from the imagebank to use in a campaign, I know many designers/art directors flip through these catalogs to get inspiration, sort of like brainstorming free-association style. They don't know what they are looking for ...but they will know it when they see it, ...you know.

I just wish there is a "less clutter" way of doing this as the collection of books pile up sky high. Like going online and searching through the various imagebanks or google images. But that only works when you know exactly what you're looking for and the experience of searching is often slow, clunky and clinical (like going to the dentist and getting your teeth drilled).

Recently, I came across this new site commissioned by GettyImages designed to inspire via imagery organised by 10 themes. Which is nothing new by itself compared with printed image catalogs but along with each theme comes 10 separate conceptual experience with an edgy interface that's simple and involving. Go interact, play, experience visual imagery and see where it can take you.

check it out >> interact10ways.com

smalltalk 7:21 // 07Apr2008

Our next kakireka smalltalk is on 07 April, this coming MONDAY!
8pm -- Ole Cafe, Cangkat Bukit Bintang, KL. FREE Entrance.

Topic/speakers:
Commercial Design in Siam
A Malaysian Designer's Experience in Bangkok
by: Jazmi, Dotiro

All about Chatting
Online Meeting Tools
by: Josh Hong

Re-imagining the City

It's finally here.
An arty farty multimedia event by onedotzero and British Council.
Performances, film screenings on SAT plus a panel discussion on SUN.
Not to be missed.

> Click on pix or visit the British Council website for details.

Design Field Trip // Islamic Arts Museum

Have you heard good things about the Malaysian Islamic Arts Museum and always wanted to visit but just couldn't find the time or the right group of people to go with?

Here's your chance to go with a bunch of designers keen to broaden their minds to explore the aesthetics of Islamic world of art & design. You're all invited to tour the museum with the kakireka.com organisers this Saturday.

Come feast your eyes on 7,000 exquisite artefacts spread out over 12 galleries with emphasis on the thematic Malaysian melting pot that comprises Malay, Chinese & Indian Worlds.

Marvel at the artistic craftmanship of illuminated calligraphic manuscripts, armaments, ceramics, jewellery design to textiles, etc. in breath-takingly beautiful architectural surroundings.

Come and be inspired with a 360 degrees experience of a brand.

Interested to join us, meet at Museum's main reception area.

05April, SATURDAY -- 2:00pm

Museum admission fees:
Adults -- RM12
Students -- RM6 (with ID)


note: all photos are taken from the official Islamic Arts Museum website.

Helvetica Rules OK!

Who would have guessed there would be so much interest among local designers in a film about typography and specifically that oldie but goodie, Helvetica. This is very encouraging, no? More than 60 people turned up during our last kakireka smalltalk film screening on 21 Mar. The room above OleCafe never looked "cosier". And afterwards, more than half you agreed you're interested in similar typography themed events in future. interesting... hmmm. What shall we do next to top that?

Previously, I've observed young designers nowadays would just use whatever font that comes pre-installed in their Mac/PC and not blink twice. Or the other end of the spectrum for others I have seen would force fit as many font as they can like there's no tomorrow in a single job. That inevitable rojak font circus parade gives that creative edge, no? To each their own, you say? Down with conformity and readability? The rule is that there are no rules? I wonder how many of you who watched the film discovered a new found appreciation for Helvetica or typography in general.

> View photos from the event, photog by JoshTew.

A big thank you to all those who stayed back for that little typo exercise with the kakireka ident. We hold events so designers can meet up & collaborate so we thot of that game to help break the ice. Hope many of you made few new friends that night. But we do appreciate your creative contributions and will showcase all of the new kakireka logos at the top of this blogsite in due time.

We do this to also show you that kakireka is created for all of you and each new designer that comes in contact with kakireka will slowly but surely, help evolve the kakireka brand. So our logo ident will be never be the same, ever-changing, quirky yet trendy.

Many thanks also to our sponsors, OleCafe (venue), BasheerBooks (refreshments). And thankyou to all those who slogged & helped to make that smalltalk a success, incl. Irina's friends who helped with guest registrations. See y'all again on the 7th of April. Details coming soon.

I want to be the new crony

by: Kay H Khoo
Now that we have a new state government, I am hoping that real change will happen.

As a resident of PJ, we will be getting a new MBPJ. I last read that they are looking for an outdoor advertising man to monitor the billboards. I think designers are looking at a nice rebranding project about to happen.

How can they not do a rebranding? MBPJ (PJ City Council) looks like an old and arrogant establishment. We need new ways to communicate to its target audience. The branding exercise also needs to motivate the demoralised existing staff who aren't sure whether they would still be in the office, if they are those who earn a paltry official RM1200 salary, yet staying in a 2-storey bungalow and driving black perdanas.

I am almost certain of this: for the first time, the job will not automatically fall into the hands of cronies. How about this - DAP-PKR-PAS, if you are listening, I want to be your new crony. I want to give your new foothold a makeover.

This is what I would like to propose to the new MBPJ.

The arrogant authoritarian image of MBPJ has to go. They are to serve the residents, not to rule over them. A dark blue uniform chap wearing a police looking emblem is nothing close to being friendly or approachable.

I usually don't like to recommend disposing off the existing logo, even though it is a very designer thing to equate rebranding with a new logo. For MBPJ, the logo simply has to go. Do a bungaraya, a dove, a smiley face, a heart shape, or just typeset MBPJ in Frutiger. Whatever. It doesn't matter. It's just a logo! The priority is to make it say "MBPJ is here to serve you" and not "MBPJ is here looking for ways to saman you".

Let me start with the normal designer's package deal. Do the logo change. Establish brand identity guidelines. Redesign the uniform - perhaps a smart causal with a tie would do. Repaint the vans - especially those raiders of the DVDs and mamak stalls.

What I would like to recommend is to use the budget wisely. Upgrade your MBPJ contact points. The payment hall's environment is gloomy and dreadful. The PJ civic centre chairs are breaking apart. The library needs new books and magazines. Get a good interior person to work along the brand guidelines and improve these touch points. I won't say this will make paying fines and taxes a joyful experience, but at least, it is not so depressing.

I would also propose that MBPJ invests heavily in the web. The latest news is no news. The sistem semakan kompaun is not working. The current web reflects the owner - irrelevant and obsolete. Don't say the internet penetration rate is low. Young working classes do run errands and help their parents pay bills - the summons and the cukai pintu. If MBPJ gives them a more efficient method to do so and eliminates the agony of queuing up, the city council's revenues should increase. That is ROI-talk, if MBPJ needs a reason to invest in good web design. Coming fresh from the election victories, the new state government should know better about the power of internet. Still not convinced? Ask Jeff Ooi.

MBPJ should reduce unnecessary printed collaterals. It is ironic to scream aloud big words like green sustainability while pumping out pompous leaflets declaring PJ as a smart city. While we are at the subject of printed collaterals, I would like to offer my design services to redesign all the official forms. It's not because I want to show off what I can do with Helvetica. Seriously, the borang-borang just don't make sense to most people. One word of caution though, to keep up with the "we care" positioning, MBPJ may be required to create new job opportunities for the professional form-fillers outside the MBPJ premises.

Most importantly, please don't put up buntings and billboards all over PJ to tell people how great MBPJ is. When one is great, the people will know - there's no need to scream. Don't cut corners on the identity development and then spend a bomb telling the world about the logo change. Bad is bad - didn't we already learn the lesson from Telekom's rebranding?

I wish to go on with the list, but I am reminded about the need to protect our profession. We are dealing with intellectual property here! I can't give anymore free ideas.

There are other areas which MBPJ should look into if they were to take rebranding seriously. An extensive brand audit and research needs to be conducted. A proper proposal needs to be prepared and evaluated. Most crucially, MBPJ should prepare to build a long term relationship with a good design consultancy, making them a partner until 2013 elections. Why does that sentence sound creepily alike rewarding a crony with a lucrative contract?

I know as a designer, it's definitely a nice challenge to rebrand a city council.

For that, I don't mind being a DAP crony!

- by Kay H Khoo / figtree, reflecting on Malaysian design.

In your (type)face

kakireka 7:21 smalltalk _21Mar2008 (FRIDAY)
8pm-11pm
Ole Cafe, Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL.
FREE Entrance but limited seats.

film screening:
"Helvetica", a feature-length documentary about that typeface. Millions of people use and read this typeface every day, on public transport, newspapers, shop fronts and computers. Through provocative, lively interviews with designers and type enthusiasts (eg. David Carson, Stefan Sagmeister), the film tells the story of how a typeface drawn by a little-known Swiss designer in 1957 became one of the most popular ways to communicate. Though it has gone in and out of fashion it has never gone away - is this a symptom of globalisation or simply a reflection that it is the ultimate typeface?

Come and get up close and personal with the world's most popular typeface which celebrated its 50th birthday last year.

No smalltalk 07Mar - eve of Election Day

kakireka smalltalk event on 07Mar (FRI) has been called off due to the National General Elections the very next day 08Mar2008. Many will want to balik kampung on Friday night. Others may want to squeeze in that last ceramah/political rally or two, listen to politicians talk big one last time before making up their minds in this most hotly contested general election in recent memory. Go and VOTE!

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The next smalltalk will be on
21st Mar 2008.
Theme: Typography in Design
by the fans of helvetica.

Since this is election month, come join in the debate on whether Helvetica is truly the best public service typeface ever designed... or not? Other contenders?
Come & find out.

poster design: peter jarvis