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News & Updates
April 6, 2017
How Engineers Are Solving Water Scarcity in Developing Countries
In countries suffering from extreme poverty, basic living needs like clean water, electricity, and clean burning fuel types are scarce. That’s where engineers come in. Engineers have the knowledge and ability to provide affordable solutions to countries that lack these basic resources.
Bill Gates has shown that brilliant engineers like Peter Janicki are coming up with innovative solutions to provide clean and affordable water. These developing countries can overcome water scarcity by turning sewage waste into clean drinkable water using Janicki’s Omniprocessor. One machine is capable of providing 100,000 people with potable water.
India’s electric engineers are leading the charge in developing and implementing solar panels to drive the rapidly growing solar energy industry. India’s goal is to provide a cheaper, cleaner, and healthier form of electricity and reduce the C02 emissions and improve air quality in Indian cities.
Modis, who matches engineering and tech talent with clients that can utilize their expertise, posted a great infographic that explains how engineers are saving the world.
Source: Visual News
April 6, 2017
Filmmaker In Focus Series: Animated and Midnight Short Grand Jury Winners
Next up in our Filmmaker In Focus Series, are our SXSW 2017 Grand Jury Winners in the Animated and Midnight Short categories. Learn what inspired Nicolas Menard and Todd Rohal to share their stories.
Wednesdays With Goddard
Q: Tell us a little about your film?
A: “It’s a short film about a little man named Eugene who, one morning, finds himself wanting to find God. It features realistic pencil drawings of fruits, mountains, and flowers, as well as deadpan geometric characters walking about.”
Q: What motivated you to tell this story?
A: “I was commissioned by Channel 4’s Random Acts (a TV show in England) to do an animated short film. At the same time, the Late Night Work Club (a collective of indie animators I’m part of) was also expecting me to do a short film around the theme of ‘Strangers’. I decided to kill two birds with one stone, and I wrote this story. The initial idea was the ending, which I found humorous at the time, and I gradually built around it. My motivation had very little to do with existentialism or any kind of faith. I wanted to play with contrasts, narratively and visually.”
Q:Tell us a random fact?
A: “I’m a Québécois and I have a terrible memory for names. I’m sorry in advance.”
The Suplex Duplex Complex
Q: Tell us a little about your film?
A: “This is the story about two wrestling tag teams that live next door to one another in a duplex. They learn about the importance of having a landlord and, in turn, grow to respect their landlord and others in his field.”
Q: What motivated you to tell this story?
A: “I am a landlord and I felt disrespected by my tenant, filmmaker Ben Steinbauer. He moved out recently and I thought it’d be useful to put my feelings into a film.”
Q:Tell us a random fact?
A: “I live in Austin and I let Megan Griffiths and her boyfriend stay with me for free every year at SXSW. They don’t have to pay me 1 cent. It’s a 200 year contract and is the only consistent and stable element in my life.”
Explore More Content From SXSW 2017
Get inspired by a multitude of diverse visionaries at SXSW – browse more 2017 Keynotes, Featured Sessions, Red Carpets, and Q&A’s on our YouTube Channel.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SXSW News for the latest SXSW coverage, recaps, late-breaking announcements, and updates.
The post Filmmaker In Focus Series: Animated and Midnight Short Grand Jury Winners appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Film
April 6, 2017
Mobile Tour Reservations Now Open: Cincinnati, Ohio
Next stop on the StoryCorps Mobile Tour: Cincinnati! Appointments are now available for you to record an interview with a friend or loved one while we’re in town from April 20 to May 19. We’ll be located at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center while we record, preserve, and share the stories of the area from in partnership with WVXU.
Find out more about what to expect and make your reservation here. We’re looking forward to seeing you!
The StoryCorps Mobile Tour is a road trip that’s been going on for more than ten years. Since 2005, our MobileBooth — an Airstream trailer that we’ve transformed into a traveling recording booth — has crisscrossed the country year-round, visiting cities and towns to record the stories of the people who live there. We partner with local public radio stations, cultural institutions, and community-based organizations to get the word out and invite participants to bring a loved one to the booth with them. Find out more about what we’re up to this year.
Source: SNPR Story Corps
April 6, 2017
Go On Exciting Adventure With These Time Travel Posters
Everybody loves a good travel poster, especially if they’re for far off destinations that we wish we could visit. These time travel destination posters are no different. The Timescape Series takes you on a visual time traveling journey where you can visit the Jurassic age and roam around with dinosaurs, try your hand at poker in the old wild west, and even check out Earth’s settlement on Jupiter’s moon Europa.
The posters were designed to look like the vintage travel posters that became popular during the early 20th century. These posters were used to not only advertise travel destinations, but hotels, airlines, and other travel companies used them to visually represent themselves during the “Golden Age of Travel.”
These time travel posters take design cues from the vintage travel posters but incorporate a little technological twist in the way of GIFs. Each poster features bold and vibrant colors giving them a mid-century modern feel that is found in posters from the 50s. They re-romanticize the idea of travel and offer up a playful take on what travel could be like if time traveling were possible.
Check out the posters below:
Jurassic Age
“The biggest animals the world has ever known roamed the Earth 150 million years ago. From being trodden underfoot by a Brachiosaurus to being eaten alive by a vicious 40-foot long Allosaurus, danger is everywhere! You’ll want to keep your foot on the gas as you safari through the Jurassic Age.”
Ice Age
“The last Ice Age peaked 21,000 years ago giving every hill and mountain off-piste potential. The land roamed with giants, from the Saber Toothed Tiger to the Woolly Mammoth. So strap on your skis and set your goggles straight, you’re about to witness nature at one of its most extremes.”
Neanderthals
“The Cueva de El Castillo in Spain is home to the oldest known cave paintings in the world. But rather than marvel at today’s remains, why not travel back 41,000 years and take an art class with the Neanderthals? Paint (natural earth pigments) will be provided by your hosts.”
Markets of Pompeii
“Two thousand years ago, the ‘Marcellum’ of Pompeii was a thriving marketplace. Foodies will love the authentic Roman Empire bustle as your haggle for figs and olives, and hang around for a sacrificial feast in the evening. But be sure to get out of there by 79AD—Mount Vesuvius is about to blow!”
Old Wild West
“Bannack, Montana at the peak of the gold rush: the quintessential wild west town, complete with saloons, blacksmiths and a corrupt sheriff. You can make it big if you stay lucky in 1860s Bannack—with all those gamblers and bandits, it makes an ideal setting for your Stag or Hen party.”
Atlantis
“Traveling back through time is easy. Finding your way to the lost city of Atlantis is a different cast. If you can figure out where it is, you’ll know for sure when you visit the ivory and gold pillars of the Temple of Poseidon.”
Europa
“Jupiter’s sixth-closest moon has good potential for sustaining life. If NASA’s Human Outer Planets Exploration program takes place in the 2040s as hoped, there could be good infrastructure for space and time tourism by the year 2117. Imagine sipping on your morning tea, watching Jupiter rise over you—spectacular!”
Source: Visual News
April 6, 2017
Illustration: The Work from Christian Orrillo
Illustration: The Work from Christian Orrillo
Let’s take a look at the stunning illustration work from Christian Orrillo who is a self-taught digital artist based in Santiago, Chile. Focusing his work also into painting, I loved that he decided to focus on contemporary art but with a colourful twist. There isn’t much more information about Christian but you’ll notice that his work is based around pastel colour palette and it’s quite amazing.
My favourite piece from Christian is the Juniper’s, the details for her hair are just so unique. I also appreciate the fact that he will share a before/after so we can somehow understand his process. Definitely worth a follow via his Behance.
AoiroStudio
Apr 06, 2017
Source: Abduzeedo Illustration
April 5, 2017
Photography: Still Optimist (Pony Mtl x Sid Lee Collective)
Photography: Still Optimist (Pony Mtl x Sid Lee Collective)
We are taking a look at some photography work from LM Chabot for a project entitled: Still Optimist. Published on Behance, this is a collaboration with Ponymtl and Sid Lee Collective. Behind Pony, we have a Montreal-based artist named Gabrielle Laïla Tittley who is releasing a new summer collection called: Still Optimiste. Coming out with a colourful palette of images, I love the avant-garde attention of details and especially when it’s an initiative coming from my hometown. Hope you dig it as well!
Credits
- Concept: Gabrielle Laïla Tittley
- Photography: LM Chabot
- Set design: Camille Boyer
- Styling: Melodie Wronski
- Hair-Makeup and Nails: Valeria Amirova
- Digital Imaging: Visual Box
- With the support of Sid Lee Collective
AoiroStudio
Apr 05, 2017
Source: Abduzeedo Photography
April 5, 2017
Interaction Design and UI/UX: Smart Expense App
Interaction Design and UI/UX: Smart Expense App
We are taking a look at this interaction design of an app named: Smart Expense. Designed by Prakhar Neel Sharma, it’s a colourful approach on how you should manage your daily expenses with cute illustrations and graphics to be more familiarize with your finance. I personally liked the “explore” section since it’s giving you a little bit more options within the app. It’s an overall beautiful work but I can’t help to spot the many spelling errors, be careful with that Prakhar!
Published on Behance, this is the work of Prakhar Neel Sharma who is a product designer based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Focusing his work into digital interfaces, everything is all related to the user. His principles are beauty, simplicity and usability.
AoiroStudio
Apr 05, 2017
Source: Abduzeedo UI/UX
April 5, 2017
9 Predictions That Will Define Content Marketing In 2017
This article originally appeared on Column Five.
“Content is king.”
“Everyone’s investing in content.”
“Content marketing is the only type of marketing left.”
We’ve all heard these sound bites. But what do they really mean? I don’t know.
What I do know is that the content marketing industry is growing and maturing at a fast pace.
As more people (both as brands and agencies) pursue content in earnest, more content is produced. Some of it’s good, but a lot of it’s bad. As we come to the end of the year, it’s time to think about how we can do better. How do we course correct (when needed) or upgrade our content marketing efforts?
Here are a few ideas for what we plan, want, and hope to see in 2017.
1) FEWER BUT BETTER CONTENT PIECES
Committing to or investing in good content marketing doesn’t mean producing a ton of content; it means producing good content. What is that? Content that engages, educates, and inspires people—not valueless fluff that rehashes the top three articles found on Google.
Effective content marketers produce enough content to engage their audience and keep them coming back. The priority should always be quality first, scale second.
2) LESS BULLSHIT (AND LESS JARGON)
I hope there will be less reliance on bullshit and jargon and more efforts to communicate clear, concise, and compelling messages. Want a good example of an authentic voice? Look at Seth Godin’s blog. Let’s all try to speak to humans like humans.
3) DEEP BRAND STORYTELLING
The word “storytelling” is bandied about quite a bit in the advertising and creative agency world. Often this word has become a thinly veiled term for whatever the agency is doing.
But in its true sense, storytelling is an incredible way to bring people into the fold and connect with them in an emotional way. Here are a few great examples of brand storytelling:
Under Armor’s “I Will What I Want” video
Bose’s “Get Closer” video
Harvy Nichols’ security came video
Other favorites:
- G Shock’s Five Minutes interactive experience
- Reformation’s website
- Arc’Teryx’s website
- Patagonia’s books offerings
- Casper’s brand publication
- IBM’s tumblr
4) CREATIVE VIDEO CONTENT
Video is only on the rise. By 2020, global consumer Internet video traffic will account for 82% of all consumer Internet traffic. The medium is unmatched as a rich viewing experience that asks very little of the audience. Whether it’s explainer videos, motion graphics, or brand videos, this is an arena worth exploring.
Even if you don’t have a huge budget, a video ad for social or simple Instagram video can be effective.
(For more on video, learn how to write a great video script and avoid these 10 mistakes in video production.)
5) UNIQUE INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES
Interactive experiences are especially engaging, allowing your audience to follow their curiosity. (Learn more about the 7 ways interactive infographics can tell your story.) Depending on your goals, you can provide a unique storytelling experience by guiding your audience through the interactive or letting them control the story.
Narrative interactives guide your audience through one storyline. Example: the Anatomy of a Breach interactive we made for Microsoft.
Explorative interactives allow your audience to explore what they like, dig into data, etc. Example: The Media Use in the Middle East interactive we made for Northwestern University.
Interactive content is also a great digital replacement for tactile learning, which is a proven effective learning tool.
6) MIXED REALITY
Pokémon Go was insane—and only the tip of the iceberg. I am not as bullish on virtual reality (VR) as some of my peers are, but AR is already here. I believe that MR adoption will increase in 2017. And in about two years out, we’ll see more VR executions integrated into content marketing strategies, vs being a novelty.
I believe that MR adoption will increase in 2017. About two years out, we’ll see more VR executions integrated into content marketing strategies vs. being a novelty.
7) BRANDS COMMITTING TO CONTENT AND ACTING LIKE PUBLISHERS
Most brands are doing some content, but they aren’t necessarily “all in.” To produce content effectively, you need to have not only a vision but also the infrastructure, strategy, proper team, and other smart partners to fill in your gaps.
This is not something you can do halfheartedly.
My prediction is that the brands that take this seriously will invest seriously. They will thoughtfully tell the best stories through their content and develop their supply chain to consistently deliver valuable content, leading their industries in coming decades.
8) VALUES-DRIVEN CONTENT
People care about the people behind the brands they support. They care about the origin stories, the values, and the shared culture. They care about what makes a brand unique, which comes down to the people who work for that brand.
I would even go so far as to say that people yearn to feel a connection to these things. But you can’t achieve this connection if you never open up and show your true colors.
At our agency, we dedicate our talents to internal projects that reflect passions, values, and causes we care about. For example, we created the People For Periods interactive infographic to help de-stigmatize menstruation, a taboo that affects everything from girls’ education to legislation worldwide. We’ve also turned some of our philosophies into fine-art posters.
9) LESS “SALESY” CONTENT
I personally hope that 2017 is the year that everyone in our industry learns the difference between sales content and marketing content. The worst way to bring audiences into your brand is to drive sales content down their throat.
Many content marketers get pressure from their bosses to weave mention of their brand (e.g., how great their brand is and their unique value proposition) into their material. But editorial content is meant to attract people at the awareness stage. The sales pitch should stay out of it. Instead, learn how to educate your audience and develop a killer buying experience.
LET’S DO THIS
We plan to pursue these tactics ourselves and recommend our partners do the same. Content marketing is never easy, but it’s an enjoyable challenge. As you continue your content marketing efforts and strategies in the new year, I wish you and your team a successful 2017.
For more ways to do great marketing, read our team’s top 10 tips for creating great content, learn how to work with the 4 types of creative thinkers, and avoid these 5 content mistakes.
Source: Visual News
April 4, 2017
Filmmaker in Focus Series: Narrative and Documentary Short Grand Jury Winners
Our next Filmmaker In Focus series spotlights our Narrative and Documentary Short Grand Jury Winners. Find out what inspired Wes “Potato” Hurley for his film, Little Potato and Kristian Håskjold for his short Forever Now.
Forever Now
Q: Tell us a little about your film?
A: “After several years together William and Cecilie breaks up. To help treat the sorrow with love, the same night, they decide to do the drug, MDMA, together. This results in a emotional rollercoaster ride for better or worse over a whole weekend, where they’re isolated together in their apartment.”
Q: What motivated you to tell this story?
A: “A year and half ago, my ex girlfriend and I broke up, and that’s the situation the film is based on. During the breakup, I was allowed by my ex girlfriend to record our final weekend together on a sound recorder. I knew that to make a film like this succeed and seem honest, it needed to be improvised. So, we used the recordings as pure inspiration and have improvised the whole film with actor Ferdinand Falsen Hiis and award winning actress, Frederikke Dahl Hansen (You And Me Forever).”
Q:What is your spirt animal?
A: “A mini giraffe.”
Little Potato
Q: Tell us a little about your film?
A: “Little Potato is an autobiographical short doc about my experiences growing up gay in the former USSR, the courage of my amazing mother who became a mail-order-bride and some big surprises that were awaiting us in America.”
Q: What motivated you to tell this story?
A: “Both my producer and I had HIV scares last summer. I think we realized afterwards that it’s an experience many (straight) people never have to have, and one that we then became determined to bring to a larger audience. As a queer filmmaker, I wanted to present the ritual of getting a Rapid HIV Test without its usual stigma, instead telling a story that is immersive, unflinching and human.”
Q:What is your spirt animal?
A: “A very hungry raccoon.”
Explore More Content From SXSW 2017
Get inspired by a multitude of diverse visionaries at SXSW – browse more 2017 Keynotes, Featured Sessions, Red Carpets, and Q&A’s on our YouTube Channel.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SXSW News for the latest SXSW coverage, recaps, late-breaking announcements, and updates.
The post Filmmaker in Focus Series: Narrative and Documentary Short Grand Jury Winners appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Film
April 3, 2017
See You Next Year: SXSW 2018 Dates Announced
That’s a wrap on the 2017 SXSW Conference & Festivals! We are so pleased to have shared another incredible event with all the registrants, crew, staff, volunteers, artists, speakers, filmmakers, and the wonderful folks of our hometown, Austin, TX.
Across the 24 programming tracks and emerging trends at the 2017 SXSW Conference, each session presented a snapshot of the most transformative ideas shaping our future from tech industry leaders, filmmakers, rock legends, journalists, entrepreneurs, and more. The SXSW Festivals also provided a unique opportunity to explore the worlds of Interactive, Film, Music, and Comedy with screenings, showcasing acts, networking experiences, and beyond.
From Vice President Joe Biden‘s SXSW Conference session, Garth Brooks’ performance at the SXSW Outdoor Stage, and the world premiere of Terrence Malick’s Song to Song to hundreds of Trade Show exhibitors, SXSW Gaming tournaments, and prestigious award ceremonies – SXSW 2017 was packed with so much to explore, learn, discover, cut a rug to, and leave inspired. We hope you enjoyed each exciting moment.
Now begins the preparation for 2018, and we look forward to seeing you again next year from March 9-18, 2018. Stay tuned for registration information coming later this summer. In the meantime, curb your SXSW withdrawals and relive all the exciting Keynotes, Featured Sessions, screenings, showcases, and more on the SXSW YouTube Channel. Starting in April, full-length videos from Featured Speaker sessions will be released each week on sxsw.com. Plus, catch up on exclusive conversations, red carpet premieres, live performances, and more from our Facebook Live Studio.
As always, stick to SXSW News, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for ongoing event recaps and 2018 information – including upcoming dates for 2018 PanelPicker submissions.
On behalf of all of us at the SXSW Conference & Festivals – thank you!
Photo by Shelley Hiam
Related News:
- Sign Up for SXSW Event Updates
- 2017 Grulke Prize Winners
- Explore the SXSW YouTube Channel
- Watch Facebook Live Studio Videos from SXSW 2017
The post See You Next Year: SXSW 2018 Dates Announced appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Interactive