Many moons ago I attended design classes at U of H.  I remember not being able to fulfill my class obligations due to trips in and out of town to do photo shoots for bands.  Those were the good ole days of big budget, high concept, follow the passion visuals for the music industry. Things have changed since a decade ago when  I had hard working, musically progressive bands asking for marketing with budgets usually appropriated to just wardrobe and make-up.

So, how does a band or musical talent make it to the top of the search engines?  With the same passion, artistry, and road miles as  before, and above all by doing the unanticipated- keep your presentation fresh and well conceptualized.  You cannot be passive in this market; you need a promoter to work social media, connect with festivals, and also help you make your stage presence stronger and stage time more memorable.

Here are my favorite five points for live act excellence:

1.  Use the entire stage. Not everyone is in a circus parade mentality, but when you are solo, work the entire area!!!

2.  Invest some time in talking through the desired ambience of the set with your lighting guy.  He needs some motivation to do something that is unconventional.  Yes, you might need to bargain with him for attention, but that is what gift cards are for, friends!

3.  Remember to ask the audience to show you their cell phones.  High Five them at an appointed time to like your Facebook page for a chance to meet the band backstage post show. Tell them you will announce the #26 and #35 engager on the website.

4.  Make your mic time short and memorable.  Introduce the band, tell a funny fact for each member or add a moment for more celebrated members to have a 30 sec solo, etc.

5.  Change your positioning on stage once during your set.  Sure, that makes sound guy’s world nuts, but he is used to it.
Keep the stage presence dynamic and organically relate to the music.

I do an image backup each night – restoring the backup image saved my bacon.  The people that write these virus programs are up to no good. Identity theft, and other important information are on the top of their list.  Plus if infected your computer may become a hub for spam.  If you are connected to a company network then the damage can be widespread.

Tips:

• Make sure you have an up-to-date antivirus
  program installed – even if you run a Mac.
  Yes even Apple products get viruses. Scan at least every 24 hours.
• Backup often – a full image backup is best
  because it lets you do a bare metal restore.
• If you run Windows 7 – run UAC for added
  protection.

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I ride a scooter to work, yes a scooter, a big scooter.  It’s the biggest scooter made but it gets 45mpg.  Now instead of two wheels you could ride on one and not use any gas.  This electric powered unicycle uses motorcycle like steering through computers, accelerometers and gyros to accelerate, brake and stay balanced.  It’s only a prototype, but expected to be for sale in 2013,  It has a 20mpg top speed and wil go 20 miles before needing a recharge. It’s supposed to be more responsive and uber gentle compared to the Segway.  Pretty cool.  I’d say the jacket and boots are a must have too.

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Picture this … the app on Android or iOS smartphones lets users input their location on a map or using GPS. Then it messages by texts alerts the car’s arrival. Just hop in and head to your destination.

Once they drop off the passenger, drivers input the fare — gratuity and service fees included — and it’s automatically charged to the user’s credit card on file. What could be easier? A select group of Uber users in Chicago will have the app enabled on their smartphones before it rolls out to more people in the coming weeks. So this begs the question would you use this service?  Is this a good idea?

see – https://www.uber.com/

My wife wants one and so do I.  What do you think?

see – http://knucklecase.com/

…

Creatives have a bad reputation. Yes, it is true. Have you ever heard the phrase, “He is just being a sensitive artist?” As if artist are the only sensitive people about their work being critiqued! In my experience in the land of work and commerce, everyone likes to be applauded and valued.

Here is the key difference in any creative based idea initiative; it always means you are leading with an unproven concept. How can you present a logo and guarantee that it will be a successful brand identity mark? That is impossible. Congrats to the workforce that collects and distributes data, theirs is a linear, black and white path. Creative design by nature is a premiere release night over and over every day. Will the people like what I have toiled and slaved to conceive for them? Will they nap during the movie or throw popcorn at the screen?

I have the privilege of editing other contributors writing and design as a Creative Director. It’s a great job, but one that I worked into over the years from being in a lot of chairs along the advertising and design hallway. Each correction or prompt I offer comes with the knowledge that the provider of the work has made my life better, well most of the time. I am simply adding a pinch of salt or an accent pillow to the sofa. Even though I create the directive, someone gave of their creative spirit and history to make the project work. I need them. They deserve my support.

So, for all you creatives out there today that had someone not like their design work, I say,” Thanks for sharing your ideas.” I offer the encouragement, “Take a walk around the block and listen to your favorite music track, buy a Chai Latte and biscotti, maybe try another color next time. You will get it right.” By the way, there is another job waiting on your desktop for your brilliant ideas. This is a no crying zone.

As children, most of us relish the thought of an ice cream store full of flavors. Each delicious concoction is rich in flavor and variety. Forget the simple stately Vanilla, pass over the traditional Strawberry Cream, and head directly for the Moose Track or Passion Fruit Sorbet. Each exotic flavor beckons my taste buds for an international flavor-fest.

The result of this foray would often be a decidedly sick stomach. Overindulgence has a way of feeling fabulous as a concept, but quickly melds into a sick soup of stomach ache.

This was my reaction to the visual work on this seaworthy palace. As I entered and observed the lux interior with walls of python and mirror, animal skin furnishings, metal lined passages, and perfectly engineered and designed fixtures, I found myself wondering where was a simple room…the kind of room where you can relax and put your feet up without seeing yourself in the mirror.

For a moment, just a moment, I felt a little nauseous. Too much is just too much. For all of us out there who are constantly refining our work, while striving for the newest and most style-worthy, I say less really is more. It is my next mantra and hopefully my best balance. Enjoy the video and decide for yourself whether you will choose lux or less.

Even though most of life is now characterized by 140 characters, as creatives we need to use our whole vocabulary to communicate our best ideas. Sometimes less is not more. Push away and start again to approach your subject with a fresh perspective. If you typically lean into photography, try illustration. If you adore san serif, try calligraphy. Don’t stop until you get what works best. Discover and refine.

Today is a day for reinventing the wheel!

From the FBI:

source- ZDNet ]]> http://www.vividmix.com/2012/01/09/are-we-safe-fbi-warnhs-of-bank-id-theft/feed/ 0