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A Sense Of Loss

Having to say goodbye to someone is never easy. 

People come and go, work colleagues move onto new opportunities, university friends graduate, friends move countries and sometimes even continents, but for most people, parents stay. 

Parents stay, for the best part, because they are settled. They have made a home, your home, to bring you up, to give you a surrounding place of familiarity that when you do leave home, you have a place to return to. Its a place that brings a smile to your face whilst at University as it represents clean clothes and hot dinners. Its a place that when you are living in the big smoke it offers a welcome break of calmer waters and rustling of papers on a Sunday as you drink tea. It is and is always, your home.

Of course, not everyone has this luxury in life. Not everyone has a place of security they can return to. Not everyone has a mum.

The feeling of saying goodbye to a parent, to the one who helped build your home that you long for when you want to escape the world (and put in a cheeky request for a roast dinner and trifle), is the hardest. The most painful and the most confusing. 

As I write this, its been a couple of years since I said goodbye to my mum for the last time and I still don’t understand it. You try to apply logic but that doesn’t work. You talk (though I am pretty rubbish at that to be honest) to people but that just adds more confusion to your reasoning. The sense of loss is a void that just can’t be filled, by anything. And I have tried everything. 

There was a period of time that I thought film cliche’s where the only option. Drink alcohol, feel better. Take drugs, feel better. Don’t talk to anyone, feel better. Eat the devils food (McDonalds), feel better. The truth. None of this worked. The void remained. The pain still so sharp that it feels if a knife is constantly being placed on your heart, though you don’t dare move it. If you pull it out, the pain would be unbearable, if you push it in all the way, complete darkness. There is no escape.

Okay, we have gone dark here.

Where do you go from here when talking about a sense of loss?

Honestly, if you have read this far, there is light, honest.

In the darkness, there is light. This isn’t good vs evil, this is a feeling that even though you are surrounded by this dark cloud, a shinning light somehow is breaking through. What is this light? (It ain’t God incase you are wondering).

The light is the constant support of friends, girlfriend, brothers and my dad. Some of us where suffering the same pain of loss in our own ways but we had each other. Even at times when I wanted to left alone in the darkness, I wasn’t allowed. This frustrated me at times, but it worked. I cried…a lot. There was no judgement, there was no awkward silences. There was space. A moment to reflect and then to go back to whatever i was doing with the people I was with. The light got brighter.

Many people aren’t as fortunate. I was. Not to brag, but I was. I had friends that where not patronizing, who understood genuinely, a girlfriend who even till this day makes sure I stay on track and remains my backbone and a family that even though we are closer managed to get that little closer, though I could do better in Skyping Dad more often…sorry Dad.

Though there is one more aspect and this for me is very important so I hope you have reached this point. I found a sense of perspective for myself. Some people, good people will tell you “its going to be okay” and you “need to do this…” and that, they mean well, they truly do. But it’s not advice for you. You need to find your own perspective, so I believe.

For me, this was found looking back at that trifle bowl of mums. It is a shinny crystal bowl that was brought out when she made that one desert. If I opened the fridge and saw it glistening, I would get all excited. When I got older and returned home for weekends, I got the same excitement. It never went away. When sorting through mums stuff I told dad I wanted that bowl. I held it and I cried, a lot. I hadn’t cried for a long time, but I was broken by a crystal bowl. But it gave me my perspective, my one question to myself, “why am I trying to fill this void?”

Its then I realized, I can never fill that void. That void is my mum, WHY would I ever want to fill it. The void reminds me, every, single, day that she loved me. The void is dark and painful because she was an amazing mum.

Yes, we fought. Yes, as a kid I thought she was unfair, but she loved me. As I grew up I loved seeing her smile, seeing her as I opened the door for a weekend break at home. Watching a film with her and answer every single question about the plot of the film. She was an amazing mum. The void can’t be replaced and it never will. The void is my scar that I wear, proudly, to remind me of mum.

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AR Sandbox

Great case study of AR working in realtime to change the landscape of the environment, in this case, land and water...

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The Invisible Bike Helmet

They said it couldn't be done. They said it wouldn't work. They said it was impossible. They where wrong. Two female entrepreneurs have developed, designed and created the worlds first invisible bike helmet. Like the seatbelt before it, this invention could save lives as with biking, there is a culture that decide to not wear helmets (much like a previous generation didn't wear seat belts). With this brilliant invention, those fashion conscience cyclists might have a new product that could prevent them meeting a premature early exist on the dangerous city roads. Though hopefully, more citys across the globe will become more cycle friendly and continue to increase cycle lanes to help prevent 'accidents' and increase the use of this eco friendly way of getting from point A to point B.

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Gravity - A true Space masterpiece Every now and then a film comes along and in one way or another, gives you a glimpse of what life was/is like or takes you to a place that feels so real your mind is genuinely blown. In the first instance, Saving Private Ryan showed audiences the true scale of the Normandy landings and the sacrifice that a generation gave in brutal detail. Steven Spielberg surrounded himself with a team who would ensure nothing was left out of context and that audiences experienced a fraction of what happened on D-Day. In the second instance, James Cameron showed the full extent of what 3D film could bring to a film screen in Avatar, with the heavily CGI but beautifully crafted world of Pandora. It was a shift in the technology that has since been widely used but mainly seen more as a gimmick than adding another textural layer to the cinema experience.

Gravity uses both these instances. A film that is insightful to give a glimpse to what Space must look and feel to the millions who will watch it and incorporating IMAX panning shots and 3D technology a truly wonderfully art directed piece of filmography. 

The pace of the film might not be everyones cup of tea, but the attention to detail, the vision from Alfonso Cuaron is a cut above anything else created this year or for the last 5 years. This is a work of passion and dedication. Research and development. Love and nurture. It is a film that leaves you speechless as you gaze down upon Earth and take in its sheer beauty. The story on top adds to the experience, but in this rare case, you can watch this film just for the visual experience alone and feel satisfied.

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3D Printing - Arm for a boy

With latest technology moving at almost the speed of light, advances in technology and its uses are always evolving. In this case, a boy has been given a new arm by using the technology of a 3D printer and the passion of those who want to help. The online community can bring people from across the globe together, and with a developer in America and South Africa, a blue print for the self assembling prosthetic arm was born.

Hopefully this is just the beginning to such collaborations and with more 3D printers becoming accessible to the general public, the limitations to the technology are potentially endless. 

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UTEC - Portable Water Generator Campaign Based in the dry desert of Lima, Peru. In this location there is a sever lack of portable water and many have to travel to wells where the water can be polluted as its untreated.  With this in mind, and with research showing that the humidity in the air was around 98%, this gave UTEC a starting point to create a billboard that not only showcased their work in pushing the boundaries of technology, but also in providing clean, drinkable water.  Producing thousand of litres of water in 3 months, the campaign, but more importantly the technology has been a massive success in providing clean water for those who need it most. The next question is, when can more of these billboards be produced and put up across places like Lima and further afield in villages where access to water is even more precious. What this does show that the technology is out there and when minds come together, great things can be achieved and produced to not just help in the promotion of a company or brand, but also it's local people and the children of the future.

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The future of gaming - Watch Dog Gaming has developed at a rate that can no longer be measured clearly in the last 4-5 years. We have seen the return of handheld devices in the form of the PSP Vita, the iPad mini and its new core processor, and prior to this the launches of gaming platforms Xbox Kinect and the Wii which changed the way we interacted with our games. Of course, visually and content has changed. Developers and Art Directors are now able to give a much richer experience with vast stories. The game series Assassins Creed featured flowing free running. MW3 saw players play around a war torn New York and EA continue to make their latest version of FIFA as realistic as possible with true collision and individual player attributes. We are living in a golden generation of gaming. Now, comes the launch that brings todays technology incorporated into the story alongside a world, Chicago, which apparently has countless possibilities and engagement can take you anywhere.  Watch Dog on the surface looks gorgeous, the small details have all been enhanced from the way rain drips down characters, people interact with each other, surround ambience sounds and how your character moves. This looks like the complete game. The potential of this game on a suped up PC or MAC, surpassing the Xbox360 or PS3 powers could enhance these features further but from initial glances leaked on YouTube, gamers, designers, art directors and storytellers are in for a real treat.

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The Smiths (Willow + AcE + Jaden) Not that I post tunes here often and not that its often that there is a tune created by a family I like nor is it often it is one family who seem to breed success but this track deserves a shout out.

Catchy beats, smooth lyrics and some funky (that's right, i said funky) moves.  Listen, honestly, it's actually good. 

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Google Glass - One step closer The computer super giant is that one step closer to launching their interactive eyewear called 'glass'. The device can be worn like a pare of glasses and allows users to use controls such as camera, video capture, internet and call services. Presently in a trial version, Google is now looking to expand this trial to 8,000 people world wide by offering sets to those who login to their site and are willing to pay upfront the $1,500 asking price (though this is not a set retail price).

This potentially could establish a new wave in how we interact with our surroundings and each other. Accessing information will also allow brands a new approach in 'on the move' advertising which so far has been more recently led by augmented reality, with companies such as Blippar leading the wave. In the case of Google Glass, hotspots can be brought on Google Maps and when the lens eye 'rollover' such a location, this will trigger a interaction. This is all early days but the technology is here and with a society forever embracing new tech, the path ahead is an exciting one. 

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Ram Super Bowl Ad - The power of imagery The 2013 Super Bowl is a time that America comes to a stand still for one day and part take in a ritual that dates back to 1967 and has since become as famous for its half time advertising than the sporting event itself. This is prime retail space, some of the most expensive in global TV, selling in the region of $1million per second. To buy a slot and to create work that captivates and stands out from the rest is a tall order. Some brands such as Budweiser, Pepsi and Ford have been creating ads for the Super Bowl for decades, adding suspense and almost a following in what the brand will do next. To be part of this group os a tall order. Ram trucks however took a bold step. Using imagery as the main focal point of the ad with a voice over to sell the idea of the importance of farmers. There are some 2 million farms in the US, employing millions of farmers and build a large part of the American way. Focusing their ad to that demographic, with the almost biblical speech ticked several cultural boxes.  The end piece is a well polished, visually engaging and thoroughly enjoyable ad. A piece of work that people will seek out and watch again, a piece that can potentially make people fall for the brand. 

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Vine Twitter  The evolution of twitter has been monitored for sometime. Where would the 140 character count social network go and how could it keep itself fresh and original in a ever expanding and changing market? Some said that change was not required, having seen Facebook interface change on a more regular basis over the last 5 years, adding features to timelines and ad placements have gone on to irritate many of its 700million users. Twitter was not one to twiddle its fingers and sit back and hopefully watch people tweet away as the dollar signs slowly ticked upwards. They needed a better social experience, not just for everyday users but for brands who would produce the much needed revenue. This has happened by adding media links to tweets and tiny urls save on valuable character counts. However, the new big shift in twitter is Vine. Video content with a twitter feel. Actually, a 6 second feel to be precise. And though some initial porn issues which have caused some media concern groups to question the open access of this format, it seems that some brands have already started to explore the potential of video tweets. A collection of these where recently posted by The Wall (http://wallblog.co.uk/2013/01/29/as-twitter-deals-with-the-porn-issue-on-vine-20-brands-begin-to-experiment-with-video-ads/) showing how brands/agencies are best using this outlet. With time, and the right brief, this format will grow in 2013 giving fans of brands, followers of trends and most of all agencies a even closer inside look into the brand at hand.

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Interactive Presentation - "Electronic University" A team at the Far Eastern Federal University have developed a Interactive Presentation screen using technologies such as Unity3D, C# and Flash to give a well polished, high end user experience that is often seem in SciFi films. Users can push content onto the screen and interact with the 3 screen display. Though the screen layout is 3 panels and not a curve not a direct projection, the working sample is something that shows the potential of future media tools for corporate presentations. The visual aspect has not been overlooked. The 'touch screen' had been well crafted and has a SciFi visual feel to it that comes straight from Hollywood while the on screen projects are more playful and colourful but still pixel perfect in their formation. If this is the beginning of mass interaction presentation tools and if 3rd party technologies such as Kinect can be introduced, then those meetings could no longer have the dull grey tag that is often associated with them.  

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Nike + Ronaldo The brand and the sportsman seemed to have formed a perfect relationship. With various campaigns over the last few years including the widely spread viral for the build up to the 2010 World Cup which included a host of football stars, Nike and Ronaldo have gone from strength to strength in their marketing campaign. Adidas where the kings of tv spots and branding and though their style has taken on a new look that moves beyond just sport by bringing in music and tv stars, Nike has been producing well polished, high end material. Websites (digital), print and TV has all developed considerably in the last 5-8years. The current Nike + Ronaldo video is a prime example of this and the level their production levels go to. So whether you are a fan of the brand or not or whether you love or hate Ronaldo, one thing you can appreciate is the final outcome is as good as it gets in high production tv spots. 

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NRA Propaganda or realistic view? The tragic events in Sandy in which  20 children and 6 adults where gunned down brought gun culture to the forefront of news once again. Not just on a national stage, but international as well. In recent times, America has seen innocent members of the public gunned down and though tragic, gun law seemed to not enter the agenda of American politics to the degree that people outside of the US thought it should be. With children being the victims this time, there was no escape and the debate on gun control has taken centre stage. The NRA argue that guns should be available in schools or with armed guards. Some in congress, including Obama want a complete overall of the gun legislation that gives all Americans the right to bare arms. This is one of the oldest bills in American history and has its routes berried deep within the culture that has built the country. The NRA have recently suggested through a YouTube video that the President is a hypocrite but saying that schools shouldn't have armed guards while his own children have special security. This is true, but his children are the kids of the President of the United States and security on such family members is key against potential terrorists and kidnappers that might see the children as a target. To think that schools need to consider having armed security is a sad day. To call Obama a hypocrite also beggars belief. Views will be divided greatly in a nation where many feel that gun control lays in the hands in the user. Whatever the next step the country takes, hopefully they came move on together and to stop such tragedies such as Sandy ever occurring again. 

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R'ha...coming to a cinema near you soon? YouTube gives the power to every man, woman and child with a camera or smart phone the opportunity to create something and share with a global audience. In a nut shell, anyone can be a star. Though sometimes these stars are born out of embrassements caught, slurs shouted and star melt downs. Of course its not all bad. We have people like FreddieW and crew producing A grade material and currently establishing season 2 of their well reseved VGHS series. In the UK, The Sneaky Zebra chaps have worked tirelessly to produce new content and though dont have the same viewing numbers as the likes of FreddieW, they content is original, fresh and more importantly, there own. The one thing these guys(and girls) all share in common is that they are not bound by studio needs, mass budgets and diva actors and actresses. They make content through sweat and tears and a recent example of this is R'ha.

A student by the name of Kaleb Lechowski wrote, designed and animated the 6 minute piece and it makes for impressive viewing. There are elements torn from the pages of Terminator, Battlestar Galactica and Moon but this should not take away from the overal end result.  The clip quickly establishes a easily to follow and intriguing plot. The design is sharp, detailed and well thought through. The animation is well polished and gives the impression that a team of animators created this, not one student. If this is a new dawn of CGI movies and to this level of production, then YouTube could look to help push these forward as mini series built for online content as this is where the future of youth entertainment sits.  

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Ramayana FWA viewers recently voted Ramayana site of the year for 2012 and from the clip showing their "best bits" you can see why. Built to work in Chrome and partly developed by Google and created by Ogilvy Asia, the final piece is a slick, beautiful piece of design and function as well as telling the story of Ramayana in a unique way which has not been seen before.  Though unclear on the full story of Ramayana and its implications on Asian culture, the site does take you on a journey that draw you in that many sites fail to do who also try to tell a story. There are moments when the development allows you to interact to a level that is brilliant and well thought threw. It's easy to see why this for many, especially those who regularly visit FWA or in web development would vote such a site for their Site of the Year. With the bench mark set so high, 2013 should be a interesting time for designers, developers and end users. 

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Time for a change for ITV For years, ITV has used their branding across all formats, not just TV and have felt it is time to fresh the brands look as well as their indents that are sometimes shown before a feature film or major programme on the British network channel. 

The the logo is a big leap forward and a complete move away from their more conventional look, the 15second to 30second TV spots are to showcase what the channel represents as well as keeping a British feel across all of the spots. ITV also have several channels and while before a variation of the main ITV logo was used, the new design will be kept with a number at the end to indicate what ITV channel the user is on. Overall this is a bold but well thought out move for ITV and though the content of the channel is questionable (sorry, but surely X-Factor has run its course?), they are bringing their brand into the digital age.