Please view a 6-minute video clip on a presentation by Polish designer Jacek Utkok on the importance of newspaper design by clicking here.
This presentation provides a very good overview of the role that design plays in newspaper circulation. In fact, I believe that magazine circulation also depends largely on design.
There will probably be a workshop on editorial and website design coming up during the later half of the year. I will like all of you to sign up for this workshop as it enables you to practice designing broadsheets for newspaper.
I will like you to watch a 30-minute talk by Dan Gilbert by clicking here.
Now after watching the video, ask yourself these questions:
Can the outcome/success of any communication be predicted using mathematical calculations? What are your thoughts on this, and why?
Do you agree with Dan Gilbert’s views that the outcome/success of any communication cannot be predicted? Why? Do you have examples to reinforce the stand that you are making?
What do you think about Dan Gilbert’s stand that we feel more at ease with choosing something that is more familiar to us or rather ,easier to recall to mind? Why?
What do you think about the impact of the media on the assumptions that we have? Do our assumptions influence our behaviours in any way? If so, can you think of relevant examples in your lives?
How do the media affect our perception of the world?
How does your environment influence the way we think?
What do you think about the concept that “our projected future is based on the remnants of our past rather than on the possible”? What are your thoughts on this?
What are your thoughts on Dan Gilbert’s message that “comparison changes the value of things”?
How can you relate what Dan Gilbert has mentioned to the trend of instant gratification in contemporary society?
This video illustrates the power of social media using ice cream as the metaphor. It illustrates three aspects of Social Media:
Customisation: Similar to how Dell Computers customise computer products according to their customers’ needs, social media provides online users with what they want and how they want it. One example will be Yahoo! Answers, whereby users get responses almost in real time as compared to reading up/accessing materials in the library. One flipside of this is of course, the fact that the responses from other users might not be in detail and there’s no way to verify the truth of what is said.
Cost: Social media comes at no cost, unless we are looking at the fees paid to the internet service provider for internet access. Compared to traditional media (where we often have to make some payment for the products save for radios), social media is almost free to begin with.
No intermediary agent: With the existence of social media, there is almost no need for traditional media to exist, since questions posed by us are answered by people like us globally. In another words, social media has the power of removing mainstream media as the intermediary agent when it comes to news delivery. The reason why this has not happened may primarily be attributed to the fact that credibility is still higher for mainstream media and that social media tends to be opinionated.
I understand that some of you will be graduating soon.
Congratulations!
You have proven to yourself that you are all capable and competent students ready to step into the working world. Equipped with the skills and knowledge that you have acquired in school, I believe all of you will do well in life. However, there are two factors that are very important in life. These are patience and perseverance.
At times, we should be patient. Do not be too impatient in getting ahead in life. Enjoy life at its own pace and with hard work and effort, I believe that success will come to you at its own time. Being patient is not enough. We should also persevere in the face of life’s challenges and never give up. It is my belief that as long as you put in your best effort consistently in life, overcome all the challenges of what life has to offer and persevere, all of you will be successful in your own ways. And remember to be patient, especially with situations and people.
Here’s wishing all of you the very best in your career and life!
This is a website where you can use it as a platform to practise your layout and design skills. Just click on the “Create a Scrapblog” link on the top right hand corner and you are well on your way to creating your first artistic design. While the learning curve for the design may be a bit steep, I believe that you should be able to master it in no time.
Do note that you are able to upload photos that you have taken and integrate them with the design elements and templates available on the website when building your artistic pieces. Do also note that you are not able to save any of your works though, unless you register as a member (which is free).
I hope this website will help you develop your skills as a layout designer and in the process, develop your creativity as well.
In the media sector, there are many professions that all of you are able to explore. However, if you were to examine these professions closely, you will realise that most of the skills that are required are transferable. It is also important to note that the more skills that you are adept with (read: fluent in both theoretical knowledge and practical applications), the wider you are able to explore in terms of media professions.
Take for instance, the profession of a writer. To be a writer, you need strong writing skills, as well as editing skills. This is about it. The rest of the skills that are required for a book to come to fruition such as layout and design are often taken care of by media specialists in the publishing house. Nevertheless, if you were to put in the effort to upgrade yourself by learning layout and design, you will be able to handle the task of editorial design and layout. Does this not make you a Layout Designer? And if you were to go on and learn photography, doesn’t that make you become more than a writer? In fact, you have just upgraded yourself to become a photographer / photojournalist.
In a nutshell, the more skills you have, the more market value you command in the workplace. More importantly, there are more job opportunities out there for you. Of course, the workload will increase accordingly but I strongly believe that we can achieve anything as long as there’s passion in our endeavours. We just have to make sure that our passion for our jobs do not fizzle and burn out. However, it is important that we balance work and play and do not stress ourselves too much. If not, we will not be able to do well in the workplace anyway.
Now, below are some of my recommended skills that I hope that all of you are able to master at your own time (since all of us learn at our own time):
Writing skills
Editing skills
Presentation skills (personal grooming, use of visual aids, simplification of abstract or complex information, verbal communication, body language, gestures etc)
Communication skills (public relations, media relations, cross-cultural communications, issues and crisis management, corporate communications)
Organisation skills (should include how you are able to manage your emails with ease in the workplace)
Photography (both the technical aspects [such as ISO setting, shutter speed, aperture, depth-of-field, white balance etc] and the artistic aspects of composition [rules of thirds etc])
Photo Caption writing
An in-depth understanding of how words and photos blend together
An in-depth understanding of both old media (newspapers, magazines, radio, television, cinema etc) and new media (internet blogs, forums, social media etc) (Do a study on how media consumers – especially the young – consume the media)
If you are able to master all if not most of the abovementioned skills, then you should be among the great communicators and media professionals in due course.
While learning new skills is important, do not forget to constantly develop your portfolio. Whenever you have created something on your own or with your teams, put it into your portfolio. Make your portfolio development a lifelong endeavour. During any job interviews, select 3-5 best works of yours that are the most relevant and show it to your interviewers during interviews. It will help you greatly then.
Keep upgrading yourself (be it in school or on your own) and I believe that each of you should do well in both your studies and career.
