These weeks, my eyes are really opened to
T H E CREATIVE INDUSTRY,
you know the one we all have such idealistic and different perceptions on (previously).
When you are a student, it's all very surreal, whatever forms in your head about your possible future path ahead.
When you are an intern... it feels very surreal too. And you go, "Shit, is this it?, I'm spending so much time trying to do this..?"

Studio OFFICE
I said all my life that I don't want to be an OL (office lady) and work 9 to 5 routine boring job at the desk. Guess what? Designers are pretty much OLs too, just that we work 10 to 8, on good days 10 to 6ish and still sit at the desk behind a monitor whole day, just that we don't look at excel sheets or .ppt much, we look at the legendary Adobe programmes, which non-designers think are some powerful tools. They are no doubt, but this power ah, is given to everyone... need to keep finding new ways to be powerful with them.
Thus, OL in plain tee.

I guess when you own your studio it's different, loads of moving about, meeting new clients and all, that's more exciting :D

INTEGRITY.
If you know me, you will know I like to fight. HAHA.
I like to fight for what I think is right.

Lately...it's a struggle situation.
Sometimes the ideas put before me are not impressive.
But fighting = more work = less/no sleep.
Lately, I don't fight.

MY COLLEAGUES DON'T EAT
I haven't seen them gone out and eat like you know, a normal meal.
So amazing ah.
I do ah, at least to grab food.
They eat they eat!
Recently I saw them buying food.
So they only don't eat when it's crazy busy.

I think it also then becomes a choice to be a normal designer or the one that tries harder.
It is very easy doing what you know how to do for a job, say to use like polaroids and putting images in them, or like silhouettes, or you know, those things we all see before. It is effortless and done quickly. Meaningless too I guess.
I'm trying to fight this, and trying to be creative and do something new when the deadlines are completely in your face.

SEE



Oh yes tadaaa, I was watching this the other day,
nostalgic right, when I realise this familiar flash banner at the right and oh my, it's the one I animated a few days ago (I didn't design it ah). HAHA, interesting feeling.
I have very brave bosses that decided to lemme layout the final artwork for billboards.
The freaking big ones... we all have problems blowing up stuff and making it not pixelate in school...this one is like..........so big, I will pray more. HAHA. Have been printing them out on A3 and sticking all over our glass doors...to think they will really be so huge is.. hmm..can't imagine yet. Let's hope it works out and I don't get sacked (again. HAHA)
I feel very blessed, I will still be around to see it up there..! :D

MARKETING
Sad to say, I have been thriving in such an environment, where marketing/business is top priority. Art works (what an irony they call them that) or design is only there to support the big idea, the whole marketing campaign that is created to drive sales. That's design.
And following them on client meetings and whatnot makes me grow more cynical by the day.
You can come out with such a wonderful sincere campaign, but your dear client can still not believe in it, make you do all this funny retouching that goes against the campaign idea. And that's when I stand in awe at the Boss' charismatic clever arguments with the clients. Sometimes we win, sometimes they do.

SUB-DENOMINATIONS hahahaha
At one of those client meetings, a lady from a prestigious up-there Ad firm came and pass me her namecard, I sat there dumbfounded and took it HAHAHA so much for PcomD! My bosses smiled, stood up, shook hands and do all that formalities.
And I know why I like smaller firms. HAHA.
Up-there firm came in business wear with ties and heels, my boss was wearing a pink sweater with sneakers. So within this little industry, there's diverse cultures.

Haha, I'm sorry if you think what i am writing is crap,
I just want to journal down my first thoughts, and laugh about them when I have sank deep into this industry, or laugh about them when I have decided this is not what I want to do after all.
I hope not the latter.
I have been working 12 hours lately, but... I still like it. YIKES.