Memories

Work has started on design concepts for the Memories book. Now we have a few stories complete we have made a start on laying out the copy and putting our ideas to paper. Here a few mockup renders to wet your appetite.

Sometimes on creative projects, progress rests not only with actually having done some work but with getting decisions made. There’s also a lot to be said for knowing you’re on the same wavelength as the other people you’re working with. As a collaboration, Memories is a bit like that. None of us had ever met before yesterday.

So plans were made to meet in London face-to-face to assess progress, decide the road forward, and to iron out all those little things we might all have been unsure about. We had noodles at Wagamamas on the South Bank. And a few beers. Although someone suggested leaving business til after lunch we somehow launched into it shortly after the drinks arrived and straight away we were all definitely communicating at the same level.

On the charity front, Stuart reported back that Macmillan Cancer Support is going to be equally difficult to work with as Cancer Research UK. So we are now looking at donating the proceeds of Memories to something smaller and more personal. We’ve got a great idea and we’ll update on that soon.

For artists and illustrators considering contributing there’s lots of news. We have settled on a spec for the book and a layout strategy, which will lead to interesting briefs for anyone who creates an image for the book. With our approach, the briefs we are gonna be pretty interesting and exciting – trust me. Think of layered concepts, mixing in themes from the stories and your own creativity, and you’re starting to get the picture.

We’ve also got an idea of how to approach the cover, and we’re going to start scouting out printers who will help us in a way that will keep costs minimal. Each of us now has a few things to be getting on with, but we expect the first handful of artist commissions to go out early November. That’s hardly any time at all. Exciting stuff!

This morning I noticed a Twitter campaign to keep cancer up amongst the trending topics on the site. For non-tweeters, if you add a # to your Twitter post, it indicates that you’re using a keyword you want to highlight in your post. If enough people are posting messages about cancer and they include the phrase #BeatCancer as part of the message the phrase will appear as one of the top things people are talking about on Twitter.

So, this morning I’ve done a #BeatCancer tweet letting Twitter users who look at the #BeatCancer trending topic that we are here. If you’ve clicked through from Twitter then welcome to our blog. Basically this blog is documenting our project to put together a fantastic art book to raise money for a cancer charity. We’re all creative professionals doing it in our spare time… More details can be found at http://memories.subism.co.uk/about-the-project/

<Gasp> Thanks for that posting, Rishi. Don’t worry we know that you’re playing a big part in the Memories project, and it’s all coming along nicely.

On the copy side things are ticking over, to an extent. Five of the twelve stories are over to Antony now, and he’s exploring layout options. We’ve had a chat about it – shall we go for a square or A-format (A5, A4… etc)? We don’t really know yet but he’s looking into those ideas and also the typographic aspects. We’re also wondering whether to run each story on white and to keep the copy discreet from the images, or if we should get an image briefed for each section that allows us to run body copy over top of it.

No doubt we’ll get a clearer idea when we all sit down on Thursday to thrash out the specifications of the book. We’re also going to discuss the element of getting illustrators and designers on board for the visual contributions. And, of course, we need to talk about which charity we’re going to donate the money to, partner with, or what have you.

Right now, two stories are still being worked on and I have Antony’s copy waiting for me to sub-edit. Beyond that, we’re still looking for four interesting subjects who wish to have their ’memories’ in print. Two in the survivor category and two in the section about people lost to cancer. It sounds a little horrible but I’m trying to be quite selective about what we choose to go in. Every case of cancer is traumatic and tragic. For the sake of the book, however, and so that it is relevant and meaningful to as many people as possible, we’re now looking for stories that bring in unusual aspects, people of varying age ranges and circumstances, and new reflections and meanings.

It’s difficult to explain. I guess it’s about a drive to make this book broad, interesting and as brilliant as can be. For the sake of everyone who’s been touched by cancer.

A part of doing this blog, at least from a DAHRA (Designers Against Human Rights Abuse) point of view, and this project was to bring a level of transparency to how we operate, what goes into creating a project and how we take something through from concept to realisation. Ultimately, we are tackling an extremely sensitive subject and whilst our main goal is, and has always been, to raise awareness of cancer and funds for those who help those who have sadly been diagnosed with it, who have lost someone due to it and/or research into its causes and methods of prevention, the secondary goal has been to also inform people of the process of running a project. Perhaps in the hope that they will be able to take the mantle forward in future.

I apologise whole heartedly, my eloquence seems to have deserted me in the face of talking about such a powerful, humbling and sobering affliction, that I feel it is only right to leave the talking about cancer to my more talented collaborators. I apologise if my word choices cause any offence, it is certainly not my intention and I have nothing but respect and sympathy for those who battle with cancer everyday and my hopes are with each and every one of them.

Perhaps when I am not so awe-struck, I will share where my interests for this project came from and, as Garrick so eloquently wrote in the description of this project, my life has also been affected by this “pervaisve killer.”

However, returning to my original intentions with this post, I have always strived to ensure that the unique aspect of DAHRA was that it never became a brand who only feigned transparency, in fact it was never really meant to be a “brand,” if that’s possible. My goal was that, no matter how big we grew, that we engaged with each and every one of our members and there was a real sense of community driving us forward in the work we do. Unfortunately, up to this point, I feel we have failed, and continue to fail, in this aspect due to a poor infrastructure in our web communications. Foreseeing this problem, I tried to put, various fail-safes in place, namely starting a blog like this, and a restructuring of our administration, what is known as the DAHRA team, and whilst this points to a better future, there is still much work to be done. It is fair to say serious time constraints have played havoc in our immediate plans for a new website and indeed introducing a new level of staff in DAHRA – namely an editorial team, but our attention has been focused on finishing our first season/round of projects and writing briefs for new ones for 2010.

So what part has DAHRA played, if any, in this project so far? Indeed what has been going on behind the scenes? Undoubtedly, visitors to this blog have seen the tireless and wonderful efforts Garrick has put it in, not only in updating the blog, but as chief editor of the project. He truly has been a credit to himself and this entire process, and the work he has done so far has been truly staggering.  I personally would like to extend a massive thanks to him for everything he has done, as well as the many interviewees and writers he has been working with! From what I have read so far, this could be one of the most powerful projects I’ve had the pleasure to work on.

DAHRA also has enjoyed a working and personal relationship with Subism for a while now and both Antony and Stuart deserve a huge thanks as well. Antony has been busy setting up and maintaining this blog (and doing a wonderful job), being interviewed for a story and started design concepts for the final outcome. Stuart has been busy forging contacts with potential artists, sourcing printers, talking to charities and will soon be starting the first round of press for the project.

So what has DAHRA been doing? Well, DAHRA’s involvement in this project is namely me so far  (or lack there of) and has been in a strategy capacity thus far.

A common folly people make is that they associate DAHRA with me or rather see me as the face of DAHRA. It is true that I am the founder and that I run the organisation, however I have a great team around me, without whom we would not be able to continue growing as an organisation. Those of you who have contacted us, I’m sure no doubt have had a response from one of the DAHRA team members, who comprise of two permanent members (Anton & Charlotte – superstars!), 4-5 volunteers on a project by project basis and we have taken on people for work experience in the past (although we don’t offer full blown internships yet). Furthermore we would be absolutely nothing without our great and talented members!

With such a great team behind me it is with huge regret that so far I’ve not involved them in the project so far, however with other projects culminating before the year is out, Anton and myself have been working on Play.Create, whilst Charlotte has been helping me brainstorm, research and work on briefs for 2010. In between I’ve been focussing on a revamp of our online presence and we all have to keep the bills paid, so have been working as well! It is not an excuse, but in this spirit of transparency I thought it would be worth sharing.

However the emphasis is beginning to change with Memories really coming into its own. We have a meeting set up on the 22nd, where we will be bringing together all elements thus far and analysing where we are, what is left to be done and where to go.

Things we will discuss will include:

• Updates
• Final Outcome
• Design concepts
• Funding
• Press
• Contributors
• Format
• Environmental Concerns & Materials
• Donation (similar to profit/loss but this affects our size of donation)
• Sensitivity and appropriateness (we want to make sure we do a job worthy of such a great cause)
• Introducing more of the DAHRA team into the project

Right, I’ve got to be in central London bright and early tomorrow so I’m off to finish some work and then get an hour or two’s sleep. I hope that this has been in some way informative rather than pointless waffle. As the strategy is finalised I will be posting about much of the above list in greater detail, about sourcing materials, printers, what funding is available out there for creative endeavours, keeping overheads down, planning etc.

Please note though that I will not be talking about contributors and how we go about approaching them, out of respect for them and their privacy. This is the most common question I get asked and one I always refuse to answer as it is extremely demeaning. We value every single member of DAHRA, whether old or new, and strive to treat each of them with the respect they deserve.

Best Wishes,

Rishi

For a while we had planned to interview my friend Tom Preston for the section of Memories where we talk to survivors. He’s an old buddy of mine back in Canada and he discovered he had leukemia when he went to give blood at the age of 18. I was with him at the time and when they tested his blood at the donors clinic they said straight away he had to go and see a doctor. A week or so later they were preparing him for treatment. I interviewed Tom for the book the other day and he talked about how much his mother helped him when he was ill… including driving him to the ward to have his sperm frozen. I’m not sure how many people realise this, but chemotherapy and radiation therapy can make a man sterile. I don’t know if it’s true for women as well – if you can say then please post a comment. Anyway, Tom’s ‘little soldiers’ had to be frozen in liquid nitrogen.

Later in life this has affected him and his wife a great deal. Once he was married and wanted to start a family the burden shifted to his wife as they needed IVF in order for her to become pregnant. All in all Tom’s story is one of miracles to say the least. I don’t want to give too much away as I’m still working on the text for this but I think when you see the book it will make for a touch of humour as well as the more serious side of what chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant mean.