Update on Goings-On (July-Aug-Sept)

Been a bit busy, apologies.

1. Xpres Magazine ... is now at the stage before print.

We (Rick Levene & I) collaborated with 5 young people (Avni, Pritul, Phillip, Rachel and Nuala) who committed themselves to produce the 2nd edition of the magazine. Started in July meeting a couple evenings a week: conceptualising ideas for journalism and magazine, interviewing skills, basic digital photography, fishing for topical ideas, etc. A couple weeks ago, we had them on intensive training in InDesign. They then employed what they had learnt to produce their own pages in the past week. We're talking about 28 pages and young people who are not all in the same place at the same time (summer holidays with family, GCSE results, other youth acvitivities) so it was challenging in terms of getting it all tight as a bolt, which is really just the way I would have liked it ... but one has to give credit to those who do work hard and arrive ON TIME (apparently a rare thing amongst young people and adults alike??). So it was pretty challenging for me to have to accept the reality of short attention span in apparently most people.

I think one good thing is we definitely get to know the young people involved better as there was more 121 and hands-on work, with us practising professionals there to work with them to get to that level where they can almost do everything themselves. Ultimately they have to produce it themselves and we're there to give support and coach them. With more time and organised activities and recruitment for the next edition, one would hope it can only get better.

No doubt my role this time is more a tutor role than designer. I found myself also involved as Mac technician of sorts. For example, when the G4 laptops could not be networked onto the server, we simply Bluetoothed them so work could go on. On Friday we had a visit from the Mayor of Camden and Heather Shroeder (Director of Children, Schools and Families), Pritul rose to the occasion as Co-Editor to brief her on what they had learnt and achieved.

This is the result of me dabbling with the background on one of the pages in the Mag, for an article on the Lebanon crisis. The Lebanese flag is red with a white band in the middle and a cedar tree in the middle. The red commemorates the blood of national heroes that was shed in the aim of liberation, the white for peace and white snow on its mountains. The green cedar tree symbolises steadiness and immortality. I took a cue from her flag and came up with this idea of the current situation in Lebanon where blood seeps into the white snow. I can almost hear the crackling on the snow, the thought visually reminds me of syrup on iceballs/fuji snow when we were kids.





Link to Xpres Magazine.

2. Camden Summer University
I was not as involved this year as Corporate dept has taken over the design and production of CSU prospectus, and CSU's budget has shrunk this year which made it difficult to hire tutors or have additional publicity of photos. Summer is also a busy time for people so understandably I had other work commitments.

On my off days I did however get to video a few activities for a few days. Did a few interviews which we shall edit later, to promote the Motor Skills project. And on Friday filmed the CSU Showcase on my new HD camera, took photos of the CSU crew with Richard Blackwood who MC-ed.

See CSU Showcase link.

3. C-World
A quick page layout based on their promotionals ... and next thing I know, I am meeting Angela later this week to see how we can work together. I'll know more then.

4. Youth Opportunity Fund
By chance I went to take photos for a press release, and then got sucked into making a quick campaign for the YOF. We started by having to do an A4 page in the Xpres Magazine for them, then it became a whole campaign where I suggested two ideas : barbershop and YP panel in town hall. We photographed both and ended up with the Barbershop idea. Currently designing the layouts so will update soon as we print!

First idea: Barbershop. Panel members getting ready for the Selections.

Final idea. I just found out yesterday it was £240 k in the kitty instead of £120 k,
what else ... definitely flog the Money!



Link to Youth Opportunity Fund posters.