Final Exploration

http://www.phong.com/
This website is easy to navigate and it has a rollover effect as you move the mouse from subject to subject. It has links to all different kinds of media, photography and atricles. I liked the amount of content available. There is a wide variety of sites, artwork and tutorials to look through.

http://www.deviantart.com/
has always been a favorite site of mine. It hosts artwork from all over the world and can be sorted by favorite, type and style. I thought it would be appropriate to contribute it to this blog because it has been a huge influence in my views on design.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bloom/flash.shtml
BBC features a site to encourage a healthier environment. I enjoyed the theme of this site as well as the smaller suddle animations that bring the page alive. The load time isn't too bad and there are small text animations to read as you wait for content to load. It encourages users to make small life changes and pledges that will in turn affect the environment.Within each section there are hints as to what is interactive and where to navigate your way around the site. It allows you to sift through categories and narrow in on the topic you want to know more about. I liked the little shadow host theme guiding you through each section, it was a nice touch to the theme. Nice use of scroll and rollover buttons to include extra titles and information as well.

New media Exploration

I am going to introduse high technology cell phone, it is called "Wallet Cell phone". It is made by SONY. We can just use the cell phone like a wallet. For example, we can buy some soda from the vending machine just by scanning the cell phone. You can use it not only at the vending machines, but also at the glossary store. It also has your personal information so you can use it as a ID card, and you can also enjoy online shopping by using the cell phone.
It is spreading all around the world, especially in Japan. You can also use this phone at the airport or train station when you pass the ticket gate, so you don't have to stop to buy the ticket.
We can chose the system is prepaid or no. And it is really getting popular because you don't have to bring your wallet when you go visit your friends house or go walk with your dog, and you don't have to have a lot of have a lot of stuffs with you. We can use this cell phone and enjoy shopping a lot of place, but it is ture that there are alot of places where we can't use it. However, we are sure that it will be spread more all around the world in near future.

The power of Media

In the last couple of months, we have seen what could be called the definitive level of media that is now in demand by the public. What could not have been imagined has now been brought to a scale of such amazing depth that pure understanding seems impossible. Gentlemen and ladies, I would like to bring your attention to the CGI giant that flew across the theater screens, Speed Racer.
I don't really know what to call this, so I guess I'm going to call this an exploration, considering that I'm about to explore how the amazing amounts of CGI that was put into these movies is done. Let's go with the flashy and over-stylized re-make, Speed Racer. First up, and what we notice right away, is the the entire movie is based in CGI. Not just a scene or two, but the entire movie, from start to finish, is built entirely out of nonexistence. What's also noticeable is the fact that every surface in the movie, no matter how fictional, responds to force or light or some kind of external factor. I've heard recently that over 300 cars were analyzed in order to create this kind off stunning CGI. The fact that media can be used to this level is astounding; the environments that are made to literally showcase the CGI are nothing short of astounding, not to mention how the designers seamlessely integrated the environmental effects on the vehicles and surrounding objects. I'm sorry if this sounds like an ad, but the effects produced by modern technology and programming are nothing short of astounding.
So, short story; if you're interested in pursuing a media career in the future, perhaps one in video, CGI, or something related to that category, you have to go observe this; it definitely shows off the power of modern media.
Once again, I'm really sorry if this sounds like a recommendation for you to go see the movie.

But it is.

Exploration Blog - Melissa O'Brien

My last blog is on a french architectural firm. The best thing about this page is that everything is on this first page and just pops up from the menu bar below. All the info is stored in that expandable menu and you can never lose your place from there.



It's a great way to navigate but still keep the cohesive idea that the frame wants to present, which I think is squares.

Exploration Blog - Melissa O'Brien

Below is a screenshot of an Adidas homepage that shows their catalog of new designs for women as a person's daily walk through the city. New York City I believe.



The best thing is interacting with this person's day and seeing her inspiration of the world around her and that interpretation into a shoe design. The site isn't very big and is simple but you are able to go down in layers into this collection which makes it more fun.

Design Exploration-Garth Sturdevan

Be Kind Rewind Movie Web Site

This very interesting and fun site was designed by Tequila. It's seriously funny and clever and done in Flash. The theme of the movie is apparent in the website. The movie is directed by Michel Gondry and follows the plight of two video shop workers forced to re-film their library of classic flicks. Jack Black's character apparently becomes electrically charged and inadvertently wipes all the VHS tapes in his vicinity, and by the looks of this site he's gone and wrecked the web too. The official site is from Australian agency Tequila and it pokes fun at one of the internet's biggest brands. We see shots of the cast flying about as the site is 'wiped' from existence as funny Flash error dialogs pop into view before a reconstructed Google searcher is pieced together from penicl sketches and plasticine. You can even 'Swede yourself' into a movie (sweding is re-making something from scratch using whatever you can get your hands on." Reload the homepage and different images will appear too! This is a very clever and well done site that successfully interprets the film.

Studio Exploration-Garth Sturdevan-

Working @ South Park Studios is No Walk in the Park

I chose to do my second exploration on South Park studios because I did a South Park style animation for my second project. They use Mac computers so the link above is to an article done by Apple and Final Cut Studio on South Park. It is a very hectic and chaotic environment because "We have very complex stuff that needs to be done very fast and we need to know that we can trust the machines to handle whatever we throw at them without crumbling." South Park has one of the most manic production schedules of any animated series on television-probably ever. "We work between 100 and 120 hours in a seven-day week to deliver the episodes," says Frank Agnone, supervising producer at South Park Studios in Los Angeles. "We're moving unbelievably fast right out of the gate." It is not unusual for South Park staff to work for nearly 24 hours straight to turn out a show because no shows are produced ahead of time. Every new episode is delivered the day it airs. The creators want to adhere to such a hectic production schedule because it wouldn't be as funny or as remarkable if it wasn't timely. It's interesting to know how much work goes into the creation of a single South Park episode because the animation itself is crude and unique which gives it that South Park animation style. Although that unique style looks 'bad' compared to Anime it takes a lot of talent, work, and people to make it look that 'bad'!

South Park Studios

The above link is to the South Park Studios homepage. Here you can few episode clips, episode guide, full episodes, fan favorites, news, etc. When you have a moment take some time to browse the sight to check out some hilarious and crazy clips!

Design Exploration

Jeff Kaczmar

This was a website designed for Nike Air by Big Spaceship. This is a unique experience where the user is directly interactive with the website. It has a futuristic surreal feel and trance like music in the background. The section that I was most impressed with was the running on air. You can click on a couple choices, ball on air or run on air. A movie clip then takes place and you are focused in on the character as they leave society and start running on air. Immediately some rhythmic music plays and you can control the scene of what is going on by hitting different buttons on your keyboard. Various designs and effects come flashing in and out of the stage with each hit of your button. You become apart of the action that is taking place. The music also effects the overall feel of the site. This site has one many awards from the Flash Film Festival, New York Festivals, Future Marketing awards, Pixel Awards, and Favorite Website Awards.

Design Exploration

http://moma.org/exhibitions/2004/tallbuildings/index_f.html
I found two great examples that are fully flash based. One of them is very interactive it allows you to view the architecture of some of the tallest buildings in the world. This website was design in New York City by what it looks like a variety of designers putting all their ideas together to design it. The interface for this site is very easy to navigate from the home page, It allows you to role the invisible buttons on the bottom of the page in it displays all the different kinds of buildings from smallest to tallest. Besides these buttons it only has one other button in the menu navigation bar which is a drop down menu with four other links. Overall the site should be fairly easy to navigate the way it’s constructed.

The objective of this site is to present and focus on 25 contemporary skyscrapers and all of their main aspects such as the technology, urbanism, and program. It also consist the fundamentals of the project construction for certain skyscrapers along with comparison to others. The website is clearly designs to focus on architecture and it very evident throughout the interface. Also making it easy to navigate with one on button drop down menu and the rollovers in the architecture.

When it comes to the cleanliness of the interface it’s very easy to read nothing is too cluttered or overwhelming to the eye. The only thing I would say it’s too much is the different diagrams that explain the different type of architecture in certain building because they are not that easy to read. But for the most part everything is the site is easy to read and for the most part it explains its purpose.

New Media Exploration

The conventional ways of displaying digital images in 2D format may see a change in the near future. For several years now, there have been developments toward creating holographic videos, which would have a huge affect within the technology realm, including advertising, home entertainment, and even within business applications. Although holograms are extremely complex in nature and have until now been high in cost, they continue to be a compelling alternative to traditional 2D images. Holograms, such as the one in Star Wars where Princess Leia pleads, “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi,” may not be so far fetched after all. Within some of the articles that have touched on this topic, there has been speculation that this will be the future of technology. According to NPR, for example, scientists have come one step closer with a new holographic display. Another group of researchers at the University of Cambridge is making strides on holographic technology that will power a new generation of pocket-sized digital video projectors. There have even been attempts to create holograms for advertisements on billboards, too. This sort of technological advancement could establish a very promising mode of communication.

Studio exploration: StrawberryFrog

Studio exploration:

For my second exploration, I choose StrawberryFrog.
They are a very unique and fresh advertising company that has an impressive list of well-known clients. Their ideas and vision are truly creative and bursting with unfettered energy; which can be seen and felt from their different projects. They seem to be a humble company also for they still compared themselves as a small red frog that is competing with the big "dinosaurs". From the list of high profile clients such as: Sony Ericsson, MTV, Xerox, etc and the awards that they won , (including FWA awards), it seems that the creative juices will never stop flowing. They have a broad portfolio (websites, prints, TV, etc). I like a project that they did for Sony Ericsson to promote their T300 phones to teenagers in UK. They used the concept of drooling for the new phone is cool.
I recommend to check out their work if you are interested in getting into creative multimedia advertising. They know what works and they are good at getting to the target market. I do not mind working for a company like that, besides they are in the list one of 25 Best Managed company.

Studio Exploration: Chie

The works of LOWORKS are just CUTE & FUN!! I saw an article about this design studio in a magazine from UK, and then I found out it was in Tokyo, yeah! I've been looking for interesting Flash content from my country to introduce in this blog, so I am happy now.

As you explore in the interface, you'll see many hidden function buttons that make something noise or move a character; something is happening all the time and make us (at least me) smile. Ex: a bus without tires but a giraffe which is inside and moves it instead of a motor. Check out their Broadcast and SHOP . The shop's background illustration (the earth) rotates every once in a while, so let it open if you want to see different things happen.

When we make a Flash content, we tend to be focus on the techniques since we are on the process of learning a new skill. But as a prospective designer, we should not forget what our audiences want to see the first. Even things we create are small so far, let's make people happy. Let's make things better. Let's make meaning!! That I thought with this web site.

Studio Exploration

For my Studio Exploration I wanted to pick a company local to San Diego. They specialize in business websites and a lot of their clients are fine dining restaurants, so hopefully you eaten at some of these places already  Of all their sites, I really dig the one done for Chowsd. Just because I think the navigation is simple but effective. The photo work is really well done and compliments to the type of restaurant it is, which is a sort of a high class noodle house. When you navigate to their portfolio I love that page to. The flash done with the fog looks cool.
On the main site for Georgeglenparker they use a lot of movie clips as the back ground. This is done a lot for Chowsd also, which adds to a nice effect for the website. Overall their websites are effective, easy to navigate and while not content heavy, I think its content rich. A lot of scripting must go into their sites to get the FX they have on their web development. I encourage you to check their portfolio out and eat at some of the nice restaurants they’ve worked for.

Studio/Artist exploration

7 Designers

www.7designers.com

7 Designers looked like the typical Small Business information web site.  The layout was very balanced, animated and cartoon like. I showed off the site to friends explaining the movie clip concept.  Not realizing that the site was interactive, I started to see motion hints. The home page just gathered information about the client.  In the Showcase and began to see the interactivity. I was able to grab the vials that a figure was holding and move them to another location. This created a to featured sites the team has worked on. I then explored the about us page. This page explained how they were a creative development division of ecommerce partners. When you clicked on the diver he eventually was eaten by a whale. I then clicked ont he team button and discovered that the team has a role in all the animation. In fact the team have been animated into cartoon like characters. When i clicked on the characters they displayed in a offset box (some in more interesting ways then others). As i made my way to services the site begain to make me wounder what was next...... Services talked about Marketing, Creative, Strategy, and Technology. 

The e-commerce side of the site was one of the most interactive "movie clip" files.... I started filling a box and from there we packed it up and shipped it out... I enjoyed this site, it was fun and intresting. at first glance you could use it for information on the company and still like it because of the layout. One you discover the interactivity then it becomes even cooler..

Some of the Sites they have Created:

Jagermeister

Pod Gallery

Design Exploration

Famous Stars and Straps

www.famoussas.com

Caution Links may contain clips with Vulgar language.

I picked this modern apparel web site for my Design Exploration. Travis Barker (Meet the Barkers, Blink 182) came up with this unique clothing company called Famous. He describes the clothing as a lifestyle brand (connects with every lifestyle).  As a drummer he expressed himself through music and as a clothing designer he brings us to his world though his website and clothing. When i entered the site i was impressed by the scrolling images that moved faster with the mouse moves. Then i noticed they were interactive and they seem to have a flip over affect on release. 

The e-commerce side of the site was very impressive with rich colored graphics.  Again there were mouse effects that really caught my attention. The clothing almost appeared to look 3D at times and had a unique presentation.  The site also had myspace links to sponcerd professionals.  I noticed that this website showcased Apparel, Music, Talent and Wonderful web building skills. The Famous Designs seem to work because i see them everywhere!

Multimedia Tools

From data projectors and digital video to interactive whiteboards, educators today have a wide array of multimedia presentation tools at their disposal to enhance visual instruction—allowing them to share ideas, information, charts, images, animations, audio, and video more effectively.

Over the last few years, projectors have improved significantly—with upgrades in quality, brightness, features, and ease of use. Today’s projectors are now light enough to be carried easily from room to room; many are bright enough to run without lowering the lights and can be controlled wirelessly from anywhere in the classroom; and, on higher-end models, administrators can control networked projectors remotely to save energy and extend bulb life. In addition, new affordable filter free projectors are now available which enable administrators to lower maintenance costs and reduce the risk of premature lamp failure.

The cost of digital projectors has dropped significantly as well, with good projectors now available for between $500 and $700.

DIESEL
http://www.diesel.com/

Diesel is a pretty intuitive business which has a site that reflects that very well via flash. With subtle rollovers, the site maintains a very uniform and professional look. However, the menu does change according to the menu you select. For instance, the animation on the DIESEL DENIM GALLERY the intro is animated very well, and the rollovers for the sub-menu highlight themselves by animated cross-hatch shading.

On the FRAGRANCES page the whole layout animates in in a completely different way, that is still congruent with the DIESEL image, just obviously for a different demographic.

RESPECTdrum&bass

http://www.respectdrumandbass.com/

RESPECT DRUM & BASS has some more simple element that really highlight the artwork for their drum&bass flyers more than the site. The flash elements present, instead, create a more solid and sleek image for the company. For instance, the bug in the "hot spot" (or top-right) has a sharp feel to it that features the beat being visible on a global scale. The rollovers further emphasize music with little "scrubbers" going back and forth over the highlighted tab in the menu. Music and sounds are of course used to present this site properly. The only downfall, is there is no control of this.
The CONTACT section has a really vivid intro with a very simple and easy to read content. LINKS has on the flip-side, way more information; however, it is just as impressive. The GALLERY section is the section that this page is all about, and what I'm honestly impressed with. These flyers really pop in a professional way that still keeps the images of the industry. One last problem with the site is that the months that aren't used are dead-ends.
To leave off on a good note, the site does contain itself in one page and protects the artwork better from "content pirates".

Design Exploration

http://www.2929productions.com

The first site I chose for my design exploration is for 2929 Productions. I like the way that the interface unfolds and changes, as you jump around the site. I really like the way that the movie page loads and interacts. I think that this site is one of the cleanest sites that I have seen and it is also very easy to navigate. They have a very impressive portfolio that includes “We Own The Night”, which I think is a great movie =0).

http://www.fiftyeight.com

The second site that I chose is for Fifty Eight 3D. I really like the work that they do. The way that the Disney Channel Film Package is done is completely awesome. “Night of the Sultans” is awesome as well. As a mater of fact, everything this company does is awesome. I was blown away with how the buttons interact on rollover, check them out, you’ll see what I mean. I hope that you take some time to explore this site especially, it just shows you that the possibilities are limit less.

Studio/Artist Exploration

http://www.add1.com

I have a friend that works at ADD in Los Angeles. They do allot of different types of design. They do print, packaging, interactive media, identity, and broadcast. They have an impressive client list. Everyone from DreamWorks, ESPN, Levi’s, Toyota to MTV, Paramount, Nike, and Sony. They have also done work for every major record label out there. They voice over that they have in the beginning is the same as the message you get if you call there and they can’t get to the phone in time.
I like the way that the site is designed. You can move your mouse left and right and the page scrolls that direction. I also like the zoom in effect when you click on the links. I found that I like using the menu bar that unfolds from the bottom right side better than the right and left scrolling pages. Overall I feel that this site is a cool representation of what good flash design is all about. It gets the message across and also looks really cool. You can take a look at their work in the portfolio section of this site. It being flash I don't think that there is any way to directly link to the portfolio. Enjoy!!!

Design Exploration

http://bridge.thegluenetwork.com/
The Glue Network hosts a flash based website that is dedicated to opening awareness and potencial benefit towards a multitude of worldwide issues such as world hunger, poverty, aids awareness and so much more. I was initially drawn to this site because of it's consistency and dedication to it's cause of social awareness. They feature a long running mural, a donation link, a store, charity news and ways to get involved and they host give-aways. I was very impressed with it's overall usability.


I liked the design of scrollable flip-tiles in it's design, each which convey's it's cause and it doesn't take an aukward amount of time to load. Each of it's seperate lengths of mile are displayed quickly as it's pages are relatively "light." I enjoyed the design layout because it displays it's message clearly and it draws the visitor into it's purpose.

I found it's mural style layout both visually interesting and effective. It appears clean and simple to navigate. It hosts a playlist of interchangeable music to enjoy while viewing the site. The site's main interface shell appears adaptable to constantly update itself as people add miles towards it's cause. Overall it's usability is very easy to navigate.

For my second exploration I have chosen http://mrdoob.com/blog/
It is a site featuring games, layouts, logos and tutorials using flash. The site itself hosts an artist portfolio, actionscripting experiments, textures and lighting ideas, liknks to demos, tips, pointers and blogs about the artists work and ideas for implementing 3d into flash. It also shows games and projects along with the source files used to create them.