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This was a good session to help complete my understanding of printing and the process to get there. These guys did a great job showing us the start-to-finish plan for getting the best results in print. Here are my notes.

Session 4 Graphic Design for Print
by Mark Wells, Joe Dascenzo

Getting started

• Know the final intent
• Pick the right program
• Start from file templates if possible. Make them if you would use them frequently.
• Start with highest resolution file size or larger

While you’re working…

• Save a version of your files for each time you present it. Not just raster but your working document.
• Save often
• Back it up
• Use character styles
• Use keyboard shortcuts

Revisions

• Encourage clients to use a PDF workflow for edits/feedback
• Get edits as a batch and not a ton of emails with little edits on each one
• Get a sign-off on all presentations

Printing

• Take advantage of gang-run goodness. Can you have things printed together?
• Paper companies give away samples and even useful items demoing their products.
• Befriend your printer and they will help you out.
• Get new quotes often.
• Buy large amounts of your own paper if possible or prepay printer for paper in large amaount.
• Is there a house rate for printers?

Proofing

• Have the client send pre-proofed content. it is not your job to fix a ton of bad gramamar and misspellings unless it IS your job to fix.
• Check your files
• Proof it all
• Proof it again
• Have proof team proof it!
• Content is proofed by client, signed off, and all liability is on the client

Preflight

• All images need to be 300 dpi
• Color mode should be CMYK for color and Grayscale for b&W
• Does it bleed?
• Proof it again!

Production

• Typically a vendor will want a print-ready PDF with all fonts outlined
• Give printer actual print-outs - folded and cut - of your project for reference with any instructions on them
• Proof the match print

Printing

• What does the end user expect? What does our culture expect? Secular culture hands out full color for no good reason, so why are Christian pieces in Zerox B&W?

Finishing

• Paper selection
• Folds
• Bindery
• Die Cuts - Mark cuts with PMS 877
• Inks & Spot Colors
• Get Creative!
  • Gloss or Matte Varnishes
  • Metallic inks
  • Die Cuts
  • Embossing

Breakout 3 was pretty good. Again, good to see how people who live this stuff every day and have been doing it forever do video so well. I learned a lot, so here are my notes.

Breakout 3 Video from Concept to Completion
by Bob Gustafson, Randy Warren

How many people does it take to make a video? It depends on the video, but you should NOT make videos alone!

The more pre-production work you do the more stable the video process. It’s like an iceberg - 90% you don’t see.

Your success in video will be directly proportional to the quality of your work in Pre-Production

The Process of Creating a Video

Pre-Production - All the planning, everything leading up to the actual shoot. Everything before you press “record”.

1. Initial Questions
   • Who’s the ___audience___? (Hit the target hard and if it bleeds over, all the better.
   • What’s the ___goal___? (the call to action or decision)
   • What’s the ___content___? (Not creative concept. What is the lesson - the meat - of the message?)
2. Brainstorming
   • Define the STYLE and STRUCTURE
   • Get around creative stuff!
   • Schedule “Think Time”
   • “A man is not idle because he is absorbed in thought. There is a visible labor and there is an invisible labor.” Victor Hugo
   • “A Perfect Brainstorm” Article - http://www.inc.com/magazine/20031001/strategies.html
   • Production Time = Prod Time + Post Prod (2x Prod) + Pre Prod (2x Post-Prod)
     Example: 2 days prod + 4 days post-prod + 12 days pre-prod = 20 days needed for creation
3. Develop a Treatment or Script
4. Plan for the Shoot
   • Creative Prep: Pre-visualize
     • Storyboards
     • Edit an “Animatic”
     • Shot List
     • TIP : In lieu of hand-drawing storyboards, compose and take reference pictures with a digital camera or get them from the internet to “pre-vis” the kinds of shots you want BEFORE the shoot.
   • Logistic Prep: Plan the details
     • Assign the roles
     • Location Scout
     • SCHEDULE - don’t run and gun
     • Your success in video will be directly proportional to the quality of your work in Pre-Production

Production - The video shoot – camera, audio and lighting disciplines

1. Lighting 101
   • Color Temp
   • Quality – hard/soft
   • Control: 3 point Lighting
     • Key light at 45 degree angle to camera on side they are facing
     • Fill light (or reflector) is not to fill the shadows, but control them
     • Back light directly across from key light
   • Study composition without audio so there are no distractions
2. Camera
   • Shooting Tips
     • Turn of Auto: Auto-Focus, Auto-Iris
     • Focus First: zoom in on the eyes
     • Compse Your Shots Using “The Rule of Thirds”
     • Record Extra Heads & Tails
       • Roll tape
       • Speed
       • Action
       • Cut
       • Stop tape
     • A Tripod is Your Friend
     • Interview Tips
       • Position interviewer at eye level, as close to the lens as possible
       • Dress mic cables
       • Vary composition between takes to avoid jumps in the position of the person.
       • Include a portion of the question in the answer, (forming a full sentence)
3. Audio
   • Use an External Mic: lav or boom, wireless vs. wired
   • Control levels: field mixer vs. cam controls (mixpre)
   • Use headphones!
   • Record ambient presence into same mics used on subjects with silence in the room. The ambient room noises will help to pad breaks and coverups.

Camera Buying Tips

• Obtain a camera with jacks. (Input for an external microphone and a headphone jack).
• Insist on manual controls, especially manual focus and manual iris.
• Don’t be lured by special effects. (Effects are best applied during post-production).
• When budgeting for video gear, plan for all THREE production components: Lights, Camera, and Audio!

Post-Production - The logging, editing, graphic creation, any animation, music scoring. Everything after the cameras are in the bags.

1. The Editing Process
   • Logging & Digitizing (Capturing)
   • Assemble Rough Cut
   • B-roll
   • Pacing & Flow
   • Trim, trim, trim
     • Use only Grade A material. Grade B should go.
   • Use music & effects tastefully
2. After the Edit
   1. DVD Authoring
   2. Mastering to tape
   3. Compressing for web
   4. Archiving

I loved my first breakout today. We went through the design process from start to finish for series art design.

Each table then had the task of coming up with a title and series art design based off of information given by the “pastors”. The verse it was based on was Matthew 5:13 - “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Our table won the $15 iTunes gift cards for our ideas. We went with Shake it Up. Here’s my design for Shake It Up.

I took a ton of notes in the session which lasted the length of two. It was good to see design professionals who have worked in, with, and for the church as well as in the secular realm.

Photoshop and Idea Generation for Services
Led by Mark Wells, Joe Dascenzo

Do I want absolute free reign or a sandbox to play in?

Get into your creative space. Go into your cave with no communication to the outside world. NO INTERRUPTIONS.

Seek inspiration constantly

• Design annuals.
• Websites
• Clippings

Project Clarity

• Follow a Specific process to gain understanding
• Develop a creative brief for the project
• Kick off the project with more than just you
• Gather resources and inspiration to fee your creativity
• Logical and predictable are boring - don’t have any "stopping power". Logical and unpredictable cause people to stop and think

Good Process

• Project request
• Discovery
• Creative Brief (sign off/validate it)
• Kick off
  • Hold a brainstorming meeting
  • Outline piece specs - web, print, screen,
  • Talk with vendors about production, tips, pricing
• Concept design
• Internal Review (second opinions of both creative and regular people)
• Polish design
• Presentation w/ Rationale (Helps get their minds ready for your design and reduces their preference towards what they envisioned)
• Produce Final Files
  • web - 72ppi, RGB
  • print - 300dpi, CMYK
  • screen, projection - 140ppi, RGB
• Autopsy
  • How did that go?
  • How can we make the process better?

Resources

• Photospin.com
• www.antistatic.com/resources

I mentioned over here that the conference was opened by a drumline. It was pretty freakin’ sweet I’ll tell you that much.

Well another guy named Tyler got it on video. I’ve embedded it below but pay him a visit to get his perspectives on the conference and to say thanks for the rad video.

Wanna see all of my Willow Arts Conference 2008 recaps?

After the conference today we met up with Travis’ sister and her family for dinner at Ted’s Montana Grill. It was really good food though service was off a tad. For instance, my Bison Kansas City Strip tasted amazing on the outside but my “medium” steak was far from it. Almost well done. Same story for the rest of the table. I sent mine back and accidentally got a Demonico Ribeye instead - a better cut of meat - cooked medium rare which was really, well, medium. No complaints there. I got what I wanted. They apologized for giving me a better steak for the same price which I forgave.

Then we went to the city to walk around downtown and see some of the landmarks including the Cloud Gate (like a silver kidney bean), an LED waterfall, and Millennium Park. Bo ended up meeting a guy who worked at the Cloister on Sea Island, GA and had common friends with him. Small world.

Also, the Cubs beat the Braves. Glad we didn’t go.

Wanna see all of my Willow Arts Conference 2008 recaps?