Dan Rezaie
Designer | Maker
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The Process: Part1

efa-awards.jpg

I was recently asked how I worked, this sin't something that is asked often but I think most designers would agree a point would would like to discuss more often. The creative process isn't something that can be canned and sold off to everyone, despite what they seem to teach in schools. Process is something that I used to spend lots of time trying to package into a book at the end of a project but looking back at those efforts they are little more than pretty little booklet with things pasted here and there. They don't really explain much on how I did any of it, and I've found from talking to others that my approach is a little different. So In light of this recent realization I thought it could help me to try and fully explain my process while I execute it.

Part 1:

Research

I always begin with some research, this project involves the EFA(European Film Academy) it's a short project that will take about two weeks of time and involves promotion and advertising.

First I goto the website look it over and se what the look and feel is, i do not analyze content. After this I will look up information about the EFA form other sites, I use youtube and image search. What I'm trying to find out is what is this brand and how is it perceived and promoted, not what they pre port themselves to be. Every time I go off of what a client tells me about themselves it always an endless stream of contradictory statements or grandiose thoughts. I'm all for self confidence but in this case it doesn't address a problem it only treats the symptom. You don't tell a doctor what is wrong and how to fix it you ask them to figure it out and in the same sense I want a whole sense of the patient. In this case I was only given a rough idea of what is they want accomplished, get people to care more.

Analysis

My quick analysis is that this is like the European Academy Awards, but without the hype or pomp of their American counterpart. Everything is rather reserved and nothing really jumps off the page at me. As well most search returns on youtube showcase awards acceptance speeches and people tearing up, nothing out of the ordinary. I have no clue what this set of red stairs is supposed to mean or convey but I do understand a big shiny statue and people wearing tuxedos.

Basically I see and under developed brand with a huge potential value. I could argue the value of the arts is greater to the avg European but I'm just repeating cliché's but in any case the initial impression is that the brand could be expressing  it's elegance and creative values better. After all it include the top actors faces and voices familiar and admired and everyone is wearing fancy clothes.

 

Associations

So I got a tip that there is a connection between Arte and the EFA, this can only mean time to rummage around their site. And low and behold this place is pretty slick even if it is only offered in French or German. The feel is crisp and clean, nothing mind blowing but it works.  My German is so bad that reading the site is a bit of a chore even with translate enabled on my computer. I can see some points that can be used as inspiration for use with the EFA but it's all just a jumble of puzzle pieces at this point.

Looking back at what I've already seen I know that I have no want or desire to make this project into a conversion into the Oscars. I am still trying to figure out who they are, and how they are perceived.

So here is a quick description from various web sources, main funding is from Germany and additional memberships are $10,000 a year(I have no clue why it's in dollars) there are 18 categories and they see themselves as a uniting factor in the EU for film bringing together many smaller festivals. And they see themselves as a path to a Golden Globe and/or Oscar. The organization has programs and workshops throughout the EU.

This is what I got from searching the web, images and videos and general impression, European Oscars. Most EFA searches return more about the annual awards then the rest of their programs. But given the promotion is for the awards in December it's a good start, even if I would like to see a campaign that included the rest of the brand and when I say the rest of the brand I mean the 90%.

 

Thinking

This is the part that is hardest to explain, but here it goes and I'm sorry in advance how disjointed this is about to become. I will now think, in a stream of consciousness nothing cohesive just push around random thoughts that connect. I probably won't even put pen to paper for another two days with an outline I cannot commit anything thus far. I'm thinking about the colors, the involvement with acting and the statue, people lining up in fancy clothes to have their pictures taken. People on the brink of victory over their peers and at the same time being honored by those same peers. Why do people like celebrity, is it the fantasy that they are famous them selves or is it the emotional connection they make when watching a performance. People love to see them selves as the characters the people that can overcome and do it to a musical score. So I'm thinking of emotions and music people sitting in the dark of a theater, now they are at home. Will they watch this Arte channel or even pay attention to such sources.

This year it is in Berlin, and it's a cool city. Does targeting the avg person in major cities do more than targeting everyone. Can you spend 10% and get the other 90% free. Does demographics even matter when it comes to awards shows? Don't most people like movies and theater? Why do people watch the awards shows, and why do people not watch? Why do people watch, why should people watch and what value is it to people to watch? I'm back to the colors, and the film festivals what sort of people go and how does that change in each country? The EU is a harder market, A German is not French and someone French is not Swedish and so on and so forth. This is and EU rocket ship to the Academy Awards. This is a vehicle not just an event not just a commercial for the movies. I think people want to goto these events, or can be convinced they do.

So this is film it should tie into film, and connect with people with TVs. The inter action isn't there right now, and a dial in voting program is cheesy and lacks any class. You want qualified opinions, and to see the underdog win, okay so they are about fostering film and acting why can't the promotion be about creating in those mediums? Don't add a 19th category but a public battle royal, call to the EU and ask them to create something. The program could be targeted at schools and involve a sister site for the entries also tie into the workshops and if they are super shorts they can then be shown during the broadcast as well. So this is about the user creating the content, filling in the gaps and letting them invite their friends and families to be involved. Easy tie ins with social media and since you already have the star power of the EFA they are like a flame for the moths.

Yes I'll think about this, I like it because it is creating a framework and not just a series of posters and commercials. It is a democracy of art and in this case involvement is the main goal. People investing themselves in the creation. Okay cool.

Rap

So I'm thinking about a social involvement, the creation of a grant or prize. The young and non professionals creating and experimenting, a grass roots art creation. Give an outlet where people can express, give them a modern salon but full of videos and sounds.

This is what I will think about over the next few days it will probably change in a few hours but I like this start.