From the list of documentaries to watch and comment on this week, I decided that observing the life and career of the notorious Rick Morris would open my eyes and mind to the skills and expertise behind the digital media pioneer.
Going through, and watching each segment piece by piece, first beginning with the studio tour, I was very intrigued at the abundance of color and designer artifacts showcased in his personal studio. There were corky lamps, funky t-shirts and peculiar coffee table fixtures, but all of them added to his designer’s appeal and personality. It also made me realize as well how important a role that other designers have in helping one hone their own technique. It is blatantly obvious that all design has an attributed source of inspiration. For Rick, in particular, it was shaded lamps from France and a couple other knick-knacks acquired from European travels. In reflecting on this subject, I remember going to a meetup for designers, and how they stressed the significance in surrounding yourself with highly creative and productive people. Yes, birds of a feather flock together.
The most interesting of his videos was his reel, which blew me away with the perfect synchronization of motion typography and video scenes. Throughout the whole clip, all of the sequences blended together seamlessly, and his theme of pushing the envelope with rich typography and unsuspecting actions shined through. I especially loved his paper-cutouts of people paired with cartoon illustrations. If I was a CEO of a funky fresh design company, I would personally recruit him. However, since I am simply an aspiring professional, I would love to have a sit down with him to pick his brain. I am highly provoked by eccentric and still awe-inspiring design compositions.
Still interested in seeing the works of other field professionals, I went down the list and decided to watch the mini-documentary on the life of Harry Marks. In the beginning of the video, he alluded that he landed a job early in his career at the very prestigious Oxford Press media company in which he quickly learned the fundamentals behind good newspaper type. He referred to himself as a “type snob”, which I could only begin to understand, but he had just reason to be. This gentleman was definitely seasoned in the arena of typefaces and how type layout in media could change the perspective of a consumer. Since I have picked up a thing or two about newspaper layout since having worked at Creative Loafing in Atlanta, I instantly identified with him in justifying the correct use of leading, margins, and text alignment on a page.
I am excited that I had the chance to view these videos, so I receive insight into the man and mind behind the ever so famous TED conference. Prior to watching this clip, I had no idea what TED stood for, or that it was even founded as early as 1984. Wowsa!—I’m so thankful!
I am looking forward to the continued flush of creative genius for future works. And when my own fountains of inspiration are running dry, I’ll make it a more frequent habit to look to greats like these to aspire to.