Graphic Design: Branding

In design, branding is one of the most crucial and basic foundations that drive success toward a designer's goal. To start, branding is the process of creating an identity for a 'brand', which is simply, an organization or company who may sell products or provide services. These brands also carry some sort of personality, which can be described by how their intended audiences/consumers view their brand.

A brand's identity is important, as it plays probably one of the biggest roles in a company's success. Branding comes into play when consumers look at a certain company and immediately have a first impression based on what they see in either the products or visual representatives of the service the company provides.

There are three main parts that go into a brand's entire identity: brand, identity, and logo.

A brand is the perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.

The identity includes visual aspects utilized by the overall brand.

And finally, a logo is the symbol or mark that distinguishes or identifies the business.

Using Apple as an example, their "brand" is a multinational technology company. Each brand has its own voice which determines the message the company wants to communicate to their audience. In Apple's case, it is success and sleek innovation in the advancement of technology and devices. 

Their "identity" includes the color scheme, marketing material, product and package design, apparel design, and basically any other form of visual representation of the company. For Apple, they're known for their sleek, modern, luxurious looking products, as well as the way their website, stores, and advertisements look.

Logo, is the simplest form of the brand. It is simply used to identify out of the millions of other businesses. Apple's logo is their apple symbol, a simple, grey/white/or black apple with a bite out of the side. This simple design can be recognized all over the world as the company is internationally successful.

Graphic Design: Principles of Design

Designers use elements in their designs that are used in artwork. Principles are a concept of design that helps organize or arrange certain aspects in one's work. These principles are applied to affect the content of the work, or the message being communicated.

The main principles are:

Balance - the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space

Proportion - the feeling of unity created when all parts relate well with each other

Rhythm - created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to create a feeling of organized movement

Emphasis - the part of the design that catches the viewer's attention

Unity - the feeling of harmony between all parts of the work of art

There are many other principles, however these are the most basic ones that are utilized in art and design.
These principles can be seen anywhere, from logos to signs. Even just looking up at the menu at McDonald's, you can observe the way these principles were used in the arrangement of the entire layout.

Graphic Design: The Meaning of Colors

We never really think about it, but everywhere we go and everywhere we look, there is a constant message being communicated by the colors we see in objects and shapes.

Though we don't give it much thought, colors affect our emotions and perceptions of places and even ideas. For example, companies use specific colors to evoke different feelings that will either persuade or inform their targeted audience.

This concept is called "color psychology".

Different colors represent varying meanings and can potentially have multiple emotions attached. In a more basic understanding, darker colors may have a slightly more "negative" feeling than lighter, brighter colors do. However, each color in a broader spectrum has its own unique "feeling" that changes a viewer's own opinion of whatever is presented in front of them.

Consider the company Apple. To the general public, they are a well trusted, reliable, powerful brand. While all of this is due to their outstanding products and services, the design of their entire company as a whole plays a big role as well.

The main colors of their brand include silver, white, and black. These simple colors stay consistent within their brand, as shown in their logos, products, website, and any other visual representation of their company.

As shown in the color chart, the color silver symbolizes glamour, high tech, and sleekness. All which describe the Apple brand very well. Their signature silver color on their Macbooks as well as their phones make consumers feel almost luxurious with Apple products. Having a Macbook laptop with their iconic logo also plays into their universal recognition as a company.

Besides Apple, all companies use color psychology in the development of their companies. Designers must consider their usage of colors, and also what each color will communicate to their audiences. Colors affect the mind much more than we think.

Semester Reflection

What did I do?

This semester, I had a lot more experience and projects involving client work compared to last year in e-Comm. As a class, we made promotional videos the 21st Century Academies, one for the programs in general, and an informational video for each academy. 

Our first video was entered in the CTE Month contest. The purpose was to encourage incoming high school freshmen to join an academy at one of the Olathe high schools. Following this general promotional video, a more detailed video with information about the specific academies was the next project.

The Academy that I was responsible for was the Business Finance Academy, along with one of my classmates. For the video, we shot two different interns at their internships to get a better look at what the academy can potentially offer. This video had taken the longest to shoot and edit, especially since the academy has not yet been created until next year. Since we couldn't get actual footage of the not-yet-made academy, we improvised and had actors read a script of what the future academy will be about.

Strengths & Improvements

My strengths that I've found this semester are mainly preproduction skills. I've become very organized about when to shoot and shots that I need, especially when I filmed the Business Finance Academy video. I do need improvement on editing, I still have trouble editing audio and learning how to edit certain shots a certain way to make the footage flow better overall.

Things I Learned

I've learned a lot more about collaborating and doing client work this semester. After a lot of focus on client work, I learned more skills and what it takes to make a quality video.
In addition, I was a part of the group that wrote our short film script, which I enjoyed. I've learned what goes into writing including the action and dialogue and how important it is to keep the characters consistent throughout the film.

Action Plan & Growth

I've enjoyed this semester and have had new experiences to learn from. Next semester, I plan to apply the skills I've learned this year and hopefully incorporate them to my work next year.

I plan to continue being a part of the short film and involve myself as much as I can with filming, despite the changes in my schedule next semester.

Making of a Short Film

Pre-production

In my film class, we started preparing for our short film to shoot by next semester. Our goal was to have a script ready by the end of first semester, which we did eventually (sort of) accomplish. Earlier in the year, we began with several ideas and it was apparent that as a class, we couldn't settle on just one and go with it.
We had difficulties staying interested in a story idea, up until we decided to base our story on a true story that happened to on of my classmate's family. As soon as we heard the whole situation, the news itself sounded like it already came straight out of a movie. 

Pre-writing

After unanimously agreeing with the idea, we set up a writing team which consisted of me and five others in the class to be in charge of writing a rough draft of the script. Before trying to type up the script on a document, we roughly sketched two timelines to keep track of the story and how the film will be shot. The first timeline we drew is of that actual story, how it plays out and when, in relation to each other. That one is just for our reference. Then our second timeline we made is how the story plays out in the film in chronological order.

Actually Writing

Once the timeline was done and we agreed on the plot, we started on the script. A few things I've learned during the writing process is that writing dialogue is HARD. And writing dialogue and simultaneously avoiding cliche's is even harder. But I've found writing the script and getting into the characters' heads is actually interesting and I genuinely enjoy getting to help decide what each character says or how the action plays, etc.

For our film we wrote a rough draft, mainly focusing on the action and leaving the dialogue to be fixed later when we go through the script as a class. So far, I'm pretty satisfied with our rough draft and think it will tell a very interesting, suspenseful storyline.

It's A Wonderful Life - Analysis

A Holiday Classic

The movie, It's A Wonderful Life, is a great holiday film noted as a classic. It tells a heartwarming story that stays relevant even in modern times. Narrated by "angels", the story is about a man, George Bailey, who decided to attempt suicide due to his struggles with self-image, family, and financial situation. In order to "save" him, an angel comes down to show Bailey how his life would have been if he had never been born. Only then does Bailey realize his own value to his family and town.
As a classic, the story is timeless and memorable and teaches us to be thankful, which is always a good reminder especially during the holidays.

Beat Sheet

Opening Image – The film opens with narration by angels, shown as stars. They begin talking about the story of a man named George Bailey.

Set-up – George is introduced as a boy who saves his own brother, as a result he lost his hearing in one ear. The town he lives in is Bedford Falls and he stays there for his whole life. 

Theme Stated (happens during the Set-up) – The moral of the story is of course to be thankful and realize your own worth and value to those you love. George Bailey learns this the hard way through his hardships.

Catalyst – After his father died, George takes up the responsibility of keeping the bank to prevent the wealthy but evil Mr. Potter from taking over. 

Debate – By being in charge of the bank, George is forced to give up his dreams of leaving Bedford Falls and wanting to travel and build.

Break Into Two (Choosing Act Two) – He chooses to stay in Bedford to save the bank and the people in the town who rely on him for their loans, meanwhile his brother is a war hero in the second world war away from home.

B Story – George discovers his love for his childhood friend Mary, who has been trying to get his attention for a long time, yet George has been ignoring her until she sees him again after being out of town.

The Promise of the Premise – George finally gets married to Mary and they begin their journey as a married couple in Bedford Falls with their own house that Mary dreamed of and keeping up with the bank.

Midpoint – As the story goes on, George becomes more regretful about his life and how he has given up his dreams to travel. He lives a steady, not too exciting life in Bedford. 

Bad Guys Close In – George becomes jealous of his friends who get to travel, meanwhile money that was supposed to be put in deposit into the bank gets lost and the news is brought to George. George becomes stressed and frustrated with the situation, knowing that he can be arrested for the loss of money.

All is Lost – With the money in Mr. Potter's possession, he sabotages George Bailey's career by calling the police for his arrest after George turns down his offer of working with Mr. Potter.

Dark Night of the Soul – George comes home after the horrible news with Mr. Potter, the arrest, and the state of the bank. He argues with his family and intimidates his children and wife, Mary. He storms out of the house and gets into a car wreck, then ends up at a bridge, about to take his own life.

Break Into Three (Choosing Act Three) – An angel comes to "save" George's life, and then grants his wish to "never have been born". George is then forced to watch the town of Bedford turn into a miserable place and the people he used to know are not the same, all because George had never been born. He realizes how much of an impact he has created and changes his mind about his perception of life. 

Finale – George gets his actual life back, where his family and neighbors know him and the town is the same and in much better condition with him being there. He goes back to his house to find his children and wife, also finding the cops there waiting for his own arrest.

Final Image – Many people of the town, including his brother who has come home, arrives at George's house. They all sing Christmas carols and the police rip up the warrant for arrest and join along in the holiday spirit and all is merry and they have a Happy Christmas.

Toy Story 3 - Beat Sheet

Opening Image – most of the characters from previous Tory Story movies are introduced, they’re in one of many adventures played and created by Andy, it’s revealed that it’s an older video of Andy playing with his toys

Theme Stated – Andy is going to college and Woody wants himself and all of the toys to be there with him

Set Up – Andy isn’t as interested in playing with his toys, he has grown up and ready to move on to college, his boxes are ready to leave and the toys want to make sure they make it into the things he takes with him to college

Catalyst – Andy’s toys are put into a trash bag that his mom mistakes for trash, so she takes it outside then Woody goes to save the mix-up before the garbage truck makes it

Debate – the toys are convinced that Andy doesn’t want them anymore, however Woody is still insisting that Andy does care and that they should be there for him, the toys decide that they go to Sunnyside instead for a better life

Break into two – they arrive at Sunnyside daycare and at first glance everything looks great, they meet new toys who seem nice, Woody is still convinced that he would be needed by Andy

B story – while the toys are at Sunnyside with the younger kids in the daycare, Woody escapes to return to Andy

Fun and games – Bonnie, this little girl, finds Woody and takes him home, while at Sunnyside, the toys realize their daycare isn’t as fun as they thought it would be, Buzz wants to talk to Lotso to talk to them about changing their age group, however he learns that the group of toys that welcomed them in are not good toys and Buzz gets reprogrammed by Lotso

Midpoint – the toys are locked up and controlled by the bad Sunnyside toys, Woody goes to rescue his friends at Sunnyside

Bad guys close in – lotso’s toys patrol the daycare during the night, but the toys have a plan to escape and everyone is working together in their own tasks

All is lost – all the toys make it to the garbage chute, but at the last second lotso appears to stop them from escaping, the baby throws lotso into the bin and woody is grabbed by the foot by lotso. All of the toys get thrown into the bin after trying to save woody

Dark night of the soul – all of the toys were so close to escaping but they all somehow find their doom in the garbage bin, plus they’re all stuck in there with lotso, they all fall into the pit where the trash goes to burn in the fire and they all brace each other and are ready

Break into three – a giant claw saves the group of toys from being burned (and of course it’s the little aliens), the toys are saved, lotso is taken away by a driver

Finale – the toys make their way to Andy’s by getting on a garbarge truck that’s on the way to Andy’s house, they make it into the house and into the box set for attic while Woody plans to go into the box for college. Woody writes Bonnie’s address for the box that’s supposed to go to the attic and Andy goes to drop the toys off

Final image – Andy shows Bonnie all of the toys to her and they play together and with andy one last time