London Calling!

As a preview to the London trip review - two images which sum up the trip and the pleasure and hilarity experienced by the group.

Below left : a group of the FD lads pose with Trevor Beattie at the Crown at Seven Dials in Covent Garden after an amazing afternoon / evening in the company of the advertising guru of all gurus and the legend that is Antoinette de Lisser.

Below right : the boss aka  . . . . well you have a guess! To read about the whole experience go to London 2013. Enjoy.

Top-Up Triumphs

In the previous post (16 into 1) the litmus test was about to provide results. How many of the 16 students from FD2 would successfully achieve a single year top-up?

The Process
Just in case anyone is unclear how the Foundation Degree works - the ultimate is for students to opt for the cheaper - but in no way as far as study is concerned inferior two year course, working with The University of Salford modules, getting a huge slice of professional practice, being moulded to the way of the design industry talks and walks . . . then after full-on 100% commitment the objective is to secure a final year at the University to gain a BA(Hons) having had a hands-on education in a smaller pond.

On the return from a brilliant London trip (see London 2013) the interviews started. Admittedly the administration hiccups that seems to blight education did have one or two chasing around confirming times and dates - but with portfolios complete the interviews began . . .

On the afternoon of Wednesday 6 March two members of the Salford Team were heading over to the School of the Arts to meet with the Editor to discuss how as a partnership the final year top-up can be the rule rather than the exception with only 'Agent' Wilcock achieving a single year opportunity in September 2012.

The cost of University places are becoming very prohibitive, in the academic year 2014/15 students going on from WSA will have to stump up £8,750. The current 'crop' having registered with the University in September 2011 at the start of their first year of FD will only be paying the lower previous fee.

But as the Editors guests were pulling into the Art School car park news filtered through that the first four FD2 students had all been offered a single year top-up . . . result!!!

Since then another graphic communication student has been offered a single year, one of the group was offered two years and he acknowledged he needs the extra time to develop his skills further and three of the illustrators have been offered two years. There are a handful of the group still to arrive for interview -  they take place on 26 March

There is a definite pattern emerging . . . if students put a real 'shift' in from the first day they walk through the door of 201 it pays off. Go off the boil, spend more time being 'social' than hitting deadlines, don't turn up to sessions . . . then every day a student misses reduces the likelihood of securing a single year . . . and that can be expensive!!

STOP PRESS . . . STOP PRESS . . . STOP PRESS . . . STOP PRES

Return of the Ex . . . 
Matt Page a visitor to the FD shores since he set sail to the MINT course at Salford popped back into the studio to discuss with initially a few and then ALL FD2 about the pathway he has selected. It's a huge benefit for the class and the course to have ex-students like Matt, Janine, Emma Szoztok and Jordan Coombes all of whom have gone onto Salford come and give a student-eyed view of life at the University. Matt passed on a number of links for the group to see what he's been up to.

16 into 1 does go . . .
For the first time since FD started in 2009 ALL of FD2 want to progress to the University to complete their BA Hons. Whether all can achieve the goal of a single year has yet to be resolved - the interviews start in the first week of March!

London
It's almost time for the London trip again. 25 of the group along with the editor and sub-editor set off to the capital for the every-other-year pilgrimage to the world of the advertising agencies and the usual museums. On the agenda is the Design Museum, Creature, Tate Modern, BMB and Adam & EveDDB and in between times the students are hoping to get to the Natural History Museum and The Shard. Watch the Blog for a report on the five day frolic!!

Genius or W**ker?
In late March a group of students and the editor are heading to Manchester and a D&AD event  . . . with guest speaker Neville Brody - it should be quite a night out!!!!
Well, we don't know what happened but from a meeting with God suddenly students and editor are faced with 'The Digital Revolution Revisted'?!! While in London one eminent practioner did suggest that the D&AD had lost their way - it's a huge disappointment for all involved - a query has been aimed at the organisation to find out why. 

Studio Days

The editor normally grabs a few studio snaps before heading towards the annual St John Rigby 6th Form College presentation to promote FD. Trying to capture the atmosphere and the ambiance of 201 can be difficult - so images, in which no student was harmed, 'kind-of' starts the ball rolling.

First years busy discussing their work with the sub-editor, the second years debating current affairs in the newspaper review which is an extension of year one soapbox where they are expected to get up in front of their peers and give their opinion.

With the imminent presentation to Tony Lythgoe in mid December weighing heavily [believe it or not] on their minds, continue to work through their group Design & Production module where in selecting their future pathway's a Graphic Communicator/Web designer/Illustrator join forces to rebrand a company. See 'BRANDED' [a post yet come further up the page] for images of the groups work.

First Cut is the Deepest?

As Christmas approached and with the European Market in full 'gas' in the middle of Manchester, it was time for the group to enjoy the festive period.

Under their own steam and with the first year lads forgetting to get off at Salford Central - too busy playing Angry-Birds (ed: how old are you?) and starting their adventure from Victoria FD1 headed to the Manchester Gallery to view The First Cut. If anyone has championed this type of artwork it has to be Rob Ryan . . . although he wasn't the first.

Starting slowly on the ground floor - it wasn't until the top gallery was reached that the real quality and breath-taking examples could be viewed. As MA said in it's promo . . . "Wonder at giant sculptures inspired by far away galaxies that spiral from the wall, explore a walk-through forest of paper trees and marvel at miniature worlds that explode from vintage staple boxes or emerge from the page of a book . . .
flocks of birds and butterflies cut from maps appear alongside artworks that feature dark fairytale imagery. Guns and grenades fashioned from paper currency and sinister silhouettes comment on social, political and economic issues." 

Once the viewing was done . . . with rumbling-tums, some more than others, off down the road to the Market. Crépes, Coffee liquors, Frankfurters, Hot-Pot, Pork Roasts, Strudels, Mulled Wine . . . CHIPS!

It is hoped that FD1 have noted their adventure in their Activity Log.

Teaching? It's easy!!!

During his twenty odd years in the design industry, the Editor was very aware of the old and often quoted adage of "those who can do . . . those that can't teach!" Not for one minute did he ever think he'd need to defend the noble art. Anyone not involved in education bang on about the holiday's, the short working hours, no pressure, sitting in staff rooms drinking tea and long lunches.

Although determined never to 'study' again having left college in the late 70's and receiving the best education at the 'coal-face', returning to the class room was both a 'U-turn' and a shock to his system.

Running a company billing over £1m for several years, having on occasions arrived at the office almost sick with worry as to whether a job would get delivered on time or a client would go with the ideas the company had dedicated so many hours to . . . did nothing to prepare him for the shock of education!!

Longer hours, paperwork that must strip the earth of forests, being a social worker, carrying responsibilities beyond those a graphic designer would ever consider in their domain, never being able to figure out why students who say they want to be designers then spend all their time doing everything they can to disprove this theory . . . and sitting at a computer writing feedback into the wee-small hours!

And just to prove what the 'pack-horse' has to carry home, and not do what others do assess during sessions, a 'fly-on-the-wall' look at a often repeated view of his kitchen and lounge!

A word of advice passed on to all those under his charge . . . never go into teaching!!!

Long & Winding Road

So, a few weeks after the visit to the Quay's the group came back together and assembled at Allerton Studios for a Pathway chat with Tash [3rd year leader], Jo [2nd year leader], Gary [MINT]*. In a separate studio Robert met with the artist to explain the specifics of his pathway.

All gathered into the common room for a digital presentation Tash/Jo/Gary explained the intricacies of their years and the technical aspect of the MINT option.

As always it was engaging, the students' quizzing the lecturers [although not as much as they should have]  probed to get a better feel for the requirements and had the chance to look around the studios. It really must have worked as all 16 of FD2  - albeit at the last bl**dy minute needed references for their UCAS applications!

Next step . . . the interviews
*MINT : Motion and Interactivity