Action Plan Essay- Professional Studies

In this action plan, I will discuss how I intend to embark on my career in the creative industry and also the processes I have already been through in order to help me gain success.
It is extremely difficult to find jobs at the current time, so I have thought carefully about how I can be proactive and create my own business and become a freelance designer, rather than relying on an employer.
I will be pursuing various aspects of design which are of particular interest to me and hopefully utilise my skills that I have been trained in to become a designer.
I intend to focus on two of these aspects in my action plan, namely event design and advertising photography set design.
Firstly I am going discuss my plans to become an event designer. My inspiration for becoming an event designer came from two drawing events called Subism and Secret Wars (street art events), that promoted up and coming artists, whilst having live drawing and music.
I thoroughly enjoyed these events, as I felt that even if people weren’t interested in the arts, there were plenty of things to entertain them, therefore taking away the stereotypical view that some people have of art exhibitions and events being mundane and boring. These events were on a relatively small scale and not particularly well attended. Whilst I enjoyed the events immensely, I was aware that some people may have felt intimidated and thst subtle changes to set and music would have had an appeal to a much broader audience, whilst still appealing to their target market. I also felt that by restricting these events to street art also reduced the audience. I felt this was a missed opportunity and would have loved the opportunity to make some changes, as I feel it could be a truly great event.
Another reason I have chosen to pursue event design is because I have already had some experience in this field. When I worked at a small night club, I organised some of the events. I had to arrange DJ’s and help promote the events via social networking sites and also design posters, all within a budget. These events were successful and were well attended.
Whilst there was no charge at the door for entry, takings in the club increased vastly, as so many people attended.
I also market events for the pub I am currently working at via social networking sites and by hand rendering my designs onto display boards. I have organised original and quirky events such as a cheese night and a brewery tour for the customers, which have all been very well received.
Although these kind of events aren’t the exact avenue I want to go down when embarking on my career as an events designer, I feel that they have helped me to understand how effectively marketing via social networking sites can really work. I have learned how original ideas and appropriate advertising and marketing, with the use of semiotics can attract a large audience. They have also helped me understand how to network, manage budgets, organise staff and entertainment and attract customers which are all key skills for an event designer.
I would like to design events to promote up and coming artists. I intend to do this by speaking to schools and colleges in order to promote them and their students. I hope to design exhibitions for
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members of the public and people within in the industry to visit. I would like to create a different environment to a usual exhibition setting, by having live drawing, music, the selling of artists own designs on tote bags and crafts sold, in turn attracting more attention.
I would like to break the barrier of the stereotypical exhibitions and people finding them boring, by introducing light and sound, live drawing, live make up and styling and live performance, so that even people who aren’t necessarily interested in the arts may find it entertaining.
I would also like the students to have a great involvement in the projects, as the events would be realised, which may also prepare them better for university.
I would like this concept to grow and to be recognised by councils, colleges and schools across the country.
I think colleges and schools are a great place to start with this project, as it will help promote them and their students and introduce something fresh to education before university.
I also feel that by setting up these events, it would be giving something back to the community, which would give me great job satisfaction and spur me to work harder and eventually broaden the kind of events I design and test the limits of the norm.
Photography and advertising design is something that I had never really thought about doing until recently. I was inspired to do this after discovering the work of Tim Walker and Finlay MacKay.
I saw these photography set design pieces and thought they were brilliant, exciting, creative and the surrealist effect culminated to produce pieces of stunning artwork.
I really enjoy photography, set design, fashion and surrealist art, so I decided this could definitely be something for me.
I have also had experience in advertising design after studying advertising in graphic communications for a short period. I now feel that I have a good understanding of semiotics and psychology within advertising, which I find to be very helpful when designing.
I have also had some experience in this area, as after finding the work of Tim Walker and Finlay MacKay, I decided that I would design and realise a high fashion photography set to advertise perfume.
I found this project interesting and exciting. I had to put many skills into place, as this was my first realised piece of set design.
Firstly, I came up with a concept, then I had to visualise the idea by designing it in detail, making the props, finding and styling the models to suit, organising a photographer and directing the shoot.
Time management was of the essence in this project, as I had to ensure that the set was ready and all the models were prepared. It was shot in one day, so I had to make sure that all the photos were taken before it went dark, as it was an outdoor set. I also had check weather reports in hope that it would be a clear day.
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I worked closely with the photographer and models, directing the shoot and I ensured that it was to the exact design specification I’d hoped for.
I also edited the photos afterwards on Photoshop and Illustrator to create a surreal effect. I really enjoyed this whole project and this is definitely something I have a passion for.
I have also chosen to create another advertising photography set for the project I’m currently working on, in order to gain more experience and also because I thoroughly enjoy it.
I have made a few contacts already in the photography, fashion and modelling industry who are extremely keen to collaborate. On finishing university, I already have two projects lined up, one with a fashion designer and another with a photographer who is well recognised and had works in ‘Front’ magazine.
I am extremely excited for both of these projects and working with these well-established people will hopefully get me recognition in the industry. My contacts are very happy for me to utilise their studios and costumes, which is extremely beneficial.
Both of these projects are scheduled to start in May and finish by September this year. Once shot and edited I intend to use these and my two university projects to send off to advertising companies in the hope of getting more work as a freelance designer.
I also feel that by doing projects such as this, I will be furthering my skills on Adobe programs which may also help me to gain work in the graphic design industry. This is also something that I’m extremely passionate about.
I’ve also branded myself as Kode23, which I think is an easy to remember recognisable name, and by branding myself in such a way, it gives people the impression that I’m a professional and that this is a business.
I have carried my branding, using logo and colour through all of my promotional material and webpages, which I feel will benefit me in the future.
I’m proud of my achievements so far and feel that I have great things in the pipeline for the future. I’m very optimistic for my career as a designer and I feel that my choice to be proactive and not rely on employers could really pay off in the current job climate.