Year of the Dragon

Happy Chinese New Year!!

In celebration of the Year of the Dragon and the commencement of the festival, here are my top 10 favourite dragons.

1.      Smaug from the Hobbit – Devious, smooth and terrifying. The Hobbit film is going to be made on the success of Peter Jackson’s interpretation, but with Benedict Cumberbatch voicing then I think it will be geekgasm central.

2.      Tiamat from Dungeons and Dragons – How many heads! Ok I think he may have been defeated as his many heads where tangle up ‘maypole’ style but look at all the heads that spew different energies!

3.     Enter the Dragon – Bruce Lee’s last film and him totally and utterly incredible. Enough said.

4.      Mushu from Mulan – Something for the kids.

5.    Norbert/Norberta the Norwegian Ridgeback from Harry Potter – Gender ambiguous, bad tempered dragon that added a new level of fantasy to the Potter Series.

6.     Lockheed from X-Men – Sidekick to Kitty Pryde who, due to overwhelming popularity gained increased role in the series and even featured in a creature based comic series.

7.      Gorwen from Though the Dragons Eye – Blast from the past. Perhaps it was based on the fact that I was young but the final battle between Gorwen had me genuinely scared for his safety.

    

8.      Charizard from Pokemon – He was an arse to train on the Gameboy but when I had him under my control there was no stopping us. Gotta Catch ‘Em All.

9.      Falkor from the NeverEnding Story – Giant dog like Luck Dragon. He’s just so cool and friendly what’s not to like?

10. Elliott from Pete’s Dragon – Fondly remembered as it made me think that it was possible to have an actual dragon as a friend!

January Sale and Rizzle Kicks

Happy New Year!!

I hope everyone is sticking to their resolutions, after chatting in the office we realised that we tend to fail so we decided avoid the disappointment by not setting any. In fact I don’t think I have achieved one since I decided to become 33% less angry back in 2001!

With the New Year comes the January sales and hopefully some amazing bargains. We are now at a point when further reductions are being added to further tempt you to part with you Christmas money (or vouchers if grandparents have been involved). Most of the large retail stores have lowered prices including Topshop and River Island. I nearly bought next year’s Christmas cards at Sainsbury’s but realised that I was turning into my mum so I put them back.

In order to get the best bargains there are a few tips that you could use:

1.     It is likely that many of the main stores will have been picked over as there have been a few weeks of sales already so it may be worth trying stores in quieter areas. This is easier in bigger cities but it is worth a shot (obviously you may want to check online too).

2.     There may be an item that you like but the colour isn’t quite right, don’t ignore that bright green top, dye it a darker colour. Granted there is a tiny bit more work involved but it’s worth it.

3.     If the size you want is gone then you could always try a size above or below. Sizing is often a bit hit and miss so you could get lucky but if not some simple sewing can help make the item fit perfectly.

4.      Some of the better deals will be on random styles or items. Why not take something that you wouldn’t normally wear and give it a go, what’s the worst that can happen?

5.      Independent stores also have some great sales so make sure you don’t stick to the bigger stores!

Hopefully these tips will help you jazz up your wardrobe for 2012.

I shall leave you with the Rizzle Kicks song because it’s amazing!!

O

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End of Year Piers Morgan Hating

Hi Everyone,

I think there is a lawyer deep inside me as I’ve been hooked on the Leveson Enquiry as I was the Conrad Murray trial.

With so many vested interests by so many different people it is fascinating watching the potential culprits squirm, double back on original statements and attempt to justify foolish comments. Piers Morgan was on fine form yesterday acting like a complete fool, comparing himself to a rock star, claiming to remember the exact content of a conversation but not remembering who said it and stating that hacking is not immoral. For the record, I really dislike this guy; it amazes me how he sleeps at night. He is a fame hungry media whore who feeds his ego by gloating and boasting and then seeming affronted when questioned about it. His attempt to be liked includes referencing the death of comedian Patrice O’Neal and referring to him as ‘her’ twice!

James Hipwell (former journalist at the Mirror where Morgan was editor) has also presented his evidence today which contradicts Piers Morgan’s account of things. Quelle surprise!

There is a part of me that wishes he gets found out for the jerk he is so his ego can take the hit it deserves for his unscrupulous behaviour but if he loses his job in the US he may end up coming back to the UK. What a dilemma!  

With more witnesses due it could be an exciting start to 2012 at the enquiry.

Other things I’m looking forward to in 2012:

Mass Effect 3

Batman The Dark Knight Rises

The Olympics

The Avalanches new album??

Have a good Christmas and New Year and we shall be back, refreshed and ready to shed our Christmas weight in January.

O

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Cold Weather and X-Factor Finals

Hi Everyone,

The mind is a powerful thing, in the Summer it is difficult to imagine it ever been cold and as I huddle over the fan heater I wonder what it was like to be warm. I may also be lamenting the loss of the moustache as a heating aid.

I genuinely enjoy the snow so I’m excited for some snaction (snow action) not to be confused with snacktion (snack action).

The BBC Song of 2012 long list is out which proves some interesting reading, I need to have a few more days with some of the acts before I can decide who my favourite is but the Superbad track from Flux Pavilion and Doctor P is immense.

As I’ve covered X-Factor once or twice I should probably reference the final which is this week. Prepare yourself for the hype machine and the fact that it is totally irrelevant who wins as they will all be pushed to see where money can be made.

The criteria of what makes someone successful is by no means scientific so no need to analyse at any depth

Year	Winner	Most Successful (position)
2004	Steve Brookstein	G4 (Runners-up). They were on the radio for a bit with some dodgy covers
2005	Shayne Ward	Andy Abraham (Runner-up). He represented England in the Eurovision song contest (and came last).
2006	Leona Lewis	Leona Lewis (Winner). A couple of really successful albums and making it in the US.
2007	Leon Jackson	Nobody
2008	Alexandra Burke	JLS (Runner-up). Now onto their third album.
2009	Joe McElderry	Olly Murs (Runner-up). Number One album in the charts this week. Stacey Solomon (3rd) and Jedward (6th). Both presenting in some capacity.
2010	Matt Cardle	One Direction (3rd). Mass hysteria tends to follow them around.
2011	Marcus Collins*	Misha B (4th)*

*Predicted

Whatever happens expect a jump in sales from all guests that appear and some over the top indoor fireworks.

Time to defrost my feet!

O

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Movember Update and Tanuary

Hi Everyone,

So we approach the end of Movember, and I can’t wait! I feel it is important to clarify that I think mass fundraising events are great and support them but I’m ready for December and the inevitable Christmas anarchy.

I am blessed with a pretty good coverage and density of facial hair so I headed into Movember with a little bit of confidence, additionally, as a bald man facial decoration helps liven up the blank canvass.

  

Unfortunately the moustache flatters nobody and to make matters worse it is pretty difficult to maintain. Trimming has been a time consuming affair, attempting to get both sides equal in length and girth is not helped by the fact that faces aren’t symmetrical. So when you relax the crazy face that you pull in order to trim the moustache accurately, you soon realise that it has been trimmed in the dark, with hedge cutters.

I normally bike into work so it wasn’t until mid-Movember when I got on the Underground that I realised how many people were taking part it also dawned on me how hard it is to pull off a good moustache. Standing on the tube and looking around, there was a look of acknowledgement from other participants, the look that says, “I know this isn’t working, I know my partner hates it, I don’t understand why the tache is a different colour to my hair, the coverage is uneven and I have aged 20years but Janine from accounts is paying 10p a day for this”. I think it’s fair to say I cannot work a moustache, unless it is required for a specific novelty event e.g. being a strongman at an old fashioned circus.

Would it not make more sense to have a shorter event, 31days is epic, the Olympics takes place in half that time.  I would also like to propose, for vanities sake a female alternative, Tanuary. This would involve having a ridiculously over the top fake tan for the whole of January. At least then the ridicule is shared and the charitable efforts are doubled!

Until next time Bat fans.

O

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Versace x H&M

Hi Everyone,

Versace x H&M appears to have been a success with the website crashing, people queuing overnight across the globe, additional security and photos of empty shelves being posted online. 

The marketing has been in overdrive for a while with the multi-coloured animal print images adorning London Underground and H&M stores with media coverage helping to increase the buzz. But what has the partnership achieved?

Possibly not suitable for the office party

The collection had been previewed and the vibrant colours and loud patterns will certainly brighten up the winter wardrobes. In all honesty the woman’s collection appears much more wearable than the men’s but the tie-in with a high street chain means that the collections get less opportunity to be ‘diluted’ from the catwalk creations. 

Bright vibrant and wearable

The result is that styles are being introduced that are slightly more extravagant/fun but in the era of Lady Gaga creations being slapped across all media what was once considered ostentatious seems relatively mundane. It is also good to see another top fashion icon reaching out to a new audience as opposed to a minor celebrity endorsed range of clothing (The Amy Childs Collection??)

Kudos goes to all involved as the partnership has only created winners, Versace and H&M have an increase in media exposure and sales and the customers are introduced to reasonably priced designer garments.

Best get down to the store and see what's left!

O

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Frankie Cocozza axed: Only Marks&Spencer affected?

Hi Everyone,

It seems Christmas wishes do come true!!

The entirely crappy Marks&Spencer’s advert that ran during The X-Factor bore all the normal trappings of a festive promo. Apparently women love getting clothes (don’t bother getting her anything she may find useful, get her a bra so you can enjoy it!), only attractive people celebrate Christmas and excessive flaring and smoky effects is what Christmas looks like. Before you get to that point though you will no doubt be enjoying the song by The X-Factor finalists, slow motion panning shots as average singers, dressed in black stare stupidly into space.

I don’t really get what the message is? Are M&S telling me that if you wish hard enough then I could end up on The X-Factor (regardless of talent) or if I wish hard enough then I will be bought some sexy underwear? Regardless of what they are attempting, if you were wishing Frankie would leave X-Factor… wish granted!

As the self-perpetuating money machine that X-Factor has become continues its vain attempts to claw back its viewers a new ‘controversy’ has begun. The arguing, racism and bullying claims, changing of band names, Kelly’s ‘sick’ voice and the changing of band members has obviously not been enough so Frankie Cocozza has been removed for breaking the “Golden Rule” (we didn’t know there was one either). The official statement refers to breaking competition rules, in my opinion he is owed some leeway as having no discernable talent meant that he was barely in competition with anyone in the first place. The statements also firmly lay the blame on his shoulders which is a bit strange as The X-Factor controls so many aspects of the show.

Has the show finally got to the point where they can see that having a show based on talent (Strictly Come Dancing) is what people want to see? I feel sorry for Frankie as the show put him in this position (he won’t have seen the judges unless executive producers had auditioned him) he was then exploited for headlines and he is now surplus to requirements. I would imagine that one of the more talented (not talented) acts will be back to attempt to give the show some respectability on Saturday but at this point who cares?

In the meantime I expect the producers of the M&S advert to be submitting the overtime requests as they will, no doubt be editing a new version of the advert to account for the changing line-up (good luck with that!) I’m hoping they just bring Twiggy back.

O

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Winter Survival Plan

Hi Everyone,

Winter is here! It’s colder, darker and wetter and no matter how much we want to resist it is definitely time to work on the winter fashion (this Halloween being the exception). In this instance a quick google search will tell you all the trends for the winter so instead of re-hashing what everyone is saying so below are four things that will get me through the cold winter nights.

Wooly hats – Fun and practical, what’s not to like?

    

Mulled wine – Tasty warm and so Christmassy I can literally feel Santa’s presence after a few glasses.

Winter Coat – So big they feel like they can shield you from bullets as well as the elements and if I’m running around London, I will be pretending I’m Sherlock.

Duvet days – There will be times you wake up and you can hear the wind howling, the rain hammering, at this point it is time to let the duvet consume you!

You all better get your winter survival plans prepped, because it’s happening!!

O

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Theft is not 'inspiration'

Hi Everyone,

Intellectual property is a precious thing, in a creative industry you want to protect your hard work. We have been confronted by potential clients who don’t value IP and want to see assets prior to paying. This is very frustrating, I’m pretty sure they don’t ask an accountant to do their finances for six months to determine if the will hire them. Anyway, when we do create something you want to protect it as if that thing is successful people will attempt to use that success.

Today we heard that a settlement had been reached between Rihanna and David LaChapelle for the use of images used in her S&M video. As you can see below the similarities are obvious so he was right to be upset.

This brings us nicely on to the new Beyonce video and the work of choreographers Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. Take a look below and, again, there is no doubt that there are strong similarities between the two.

There is a difference between paying homage with a variety of subtle nods or thematic choices and the exploitation of someone else’s property. The proliferation of the web means that if you utilise information it is no longer a case of finding a random book from a library and taking those influences and expecting nobody to notice. If artists want to be credited as more than just a performer then it appears that they will need to check all source material. Millions of online detectives are ready and waiting to dissect and determine where any similarities lie so there is little chance of escape!

It will be interesting to see if the Beyonce video becomes subject to legal proceedings of the owner of the IP (Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker) may have been asked for permission. If not, then it will be time to arm the lawyers.

Until next time, I shall be learning some new dance moves!!

O

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A Week of Battles

Hi Everyone,

As we beaver away in Originals HQ it appears that battle lines are being drawn across the globe, Dr Conrad Murray vs the people, Dr Liam Fox vs media rumours and smartphone companies vs each other.

To be honest the live feed of the trial of Doctor Conrad Murray has raised expectations for similar drama when it comes to the UK although it may affect Jeremy Kyle’s ratings. The media hounding of Dr Liam Fox is interesting if only for the fact he is doing absolutely nothing to help bury any of the revelations that keep being unearthed, a novel approach which is enjoyable as it can only get messier.

The biggest fracas appears to be between the technological companies, BlackBerry are in a pickle as Apple reach for the iClouds. The technological battlefield is always a dangerous place with Twitter trends giving a real-time feedback for what the populous are feeling, each vying for the ultimate prize of being market leader. We doubt the result will be as clear cut as the Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD battle but it appears with BlackBerry on the ropes they could be ripe for a takeover which could throw a cat among the proverbial pigeons.

O

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Can an Icon be replaced?

Hi Everyone,

So sad that Steve Jobs has died, the guy is pretty much a legend for all the reasons that you are likely to have read about already. It won’t be long until discussion will turn to how Apple will cope in his absence. It is clear that Steve Jobs was the talisman for the company and when he was forced out in the 80’s the company suffered. This situation is different from his previous departure but it got me thinking about how companies react to the loss of an icon.

Entertainment

Within the vastness of the entertainment industry there are a number of occasions where the figure head has been lost. In music, Diana Ross left The Supremes and Michael Jackson left The Jacksons, both groups attempted to continue either with a replacement or in blissful ignorance but the impact was felt and neither group repeated the success they’d had with their leads. The death of a singer normally increases the number of records sold and posthumous releases are extremely common, with demo tracks re-produced, live tracks bolted into an album or simply re-packaging existing albums.

In film the biggest case I can think of is when Brandon Lee died before filming had been completed on ‘The Crow’. Ultimately the film was completed with some re-writes but this may have not been possible if at the beginning of the shoot. Alternatives do exist, a computer generated version of Oliver Reed was included in Gladiator, Liam McIntyre was re-cast as Spartacus after the unfortunate death of Andy Whitfield and Bob Monkhouse was reanimated for an advert! It appears that the show really does go on.

Fashion

The most recent case is probably the suicide of Alexander McQueen, like Steve Jobs, he was undoubtedly a genius in his field, creating numerous iconic collections and being responsible for a number of trends. Perhaps where the differed was in business acumen, the fashion house was reported to be in considerable debt at the time of McQueen’s death - the same cannot be said for Apple. The McQueen brand continues without its founder and amid continued success under a new Creative Director.

Business

It is difficult to find someone within business who has been as iconic as Steve Jobs. It is arguable that the loss of Bill Gates at his prime as the head of Microsoft would have created a similar impact but as he now has a limited role any potential issue is reduced. Perhaps businesses are now designed to prevent any one person having such a key aspect thus mitigating against their loss.

I have no doubt that Apple will remain successful at least in the short term but the long term plans seem a little less bright without Steve Jobs. One thing is for certain the techniques used in other industries means will not be possible to replace Steve Jobs.

O

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Happy Friday

Hi Everyone,

It is too hot to write a long blog so I just want to capitalise on the feel good factor with further ‘goodness’.

Firstly the weather! Here is a shot of a cheeky little break on the roof of Originals HQ, the flip flops are not standard but it’s too hot for socks (you can use that catchphrase if you wish).

The second thing that cheered me up was another celeb attempting to get their hair back, I know it’s subtle but see if you can spot the difference.

Brownie points to those who spotted the before and after shot.

Thirdly is a very funny clip from Celebrity Juice, the final shot is amazing!

Finally, I have only just seen Failbook but I think it could be the funniest site I’ve ever seen. Keep it bookmarked in case the sunny weather doesn’t last throughout Winter!!

Have a great weekend.

O

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A slice of London Fashion Week

Hi Everyone,

The Fashion Weeks are coming thick and fast with New York complete, London coming to an end and Milan about to kick-off we thought we would report back with some of our favourites so far.

In response to the days getting shorter and the fact that the weather has taken a turn, our favourite collections from this year’s myriad of styles are the ‘fun’ collections. By ‘fun’ we are talking, bright, loud and ostentatious creations.

Credit: Catwalking.com

Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection by Louise Gray makes us smile a lot. The collection has an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ feel mixed with some 60’s chic. If nothing else we want one of the head pieces so we can bring our packed lunch in to Originals HQ in style.

Credit: Catwalking.com

The sheer beauty and opulence of the Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection from Mary Katrantzou caught our eye.

The ornate print on the structured bodices and the flowing lines help create outfits that would look at home on a mantelpiece as well as on the catwalk.

Have a good weekend!

O

Originals Production Process

Hey Everyone,

Last week I provided an insight into the Originals creative design process; the next phase is production which is a much trickier beast.

Figure 1: Production can be tricksy

Like many things in life (e.g. delays on public transportation, queuing at the Post Office etc) we become frustrated when we are no longer in control of a situation and through production we relinquish much of the control.

The first step of production is liaison with the factory. It normally helps if you have existing experience with the factory especially if you are using one from another country, in our case the factory is based in China. Research in to the factory is essential to ensure that the processes that are used and the conditions of the workers is in line with your own corporate and social responsibilities. After receiving the drawings there may be some deliberation, if there is a tricky element to the design. A round of negotiations is normally undertaken to ensure that the cost is suitable for all parties, timescales are agreed and any late fees and terms and conditions are also stated. It is then a case of sorting invoices, purchase orders and payments are made.

Then the waiting game begins.

It is always important to receive regular updates during production, ensuring that pre-production samples are received on time prior to the large order being delivered. There are still a number of elements that can go wrong, the freight forwarder can be troublesome, the factory may be late or samples are incorrect. There are many things out of control and planning will only go so far. Business relationships and your ability to handle these ‘curve balls’ is the key to minimising any impact, especially if you have a customer waiting for goods.

There is always a sense of relief when the items are correct, on time and all funds are cleared and at that point you can have a therapeutic cup of tea and start the process again!!

Here’s a viral to cheer you up on a wet Tuesday afternoon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjckqAU8IkM

O

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Originals Design Process

Hi Everyone,

In the midst of some new artwork going up in the office (I did insist on a dog poster and some Justice League of America) it has been a busy old time.

We are currently working on some new concepts and as ever, creative meetings are an excellent opportunity to debate. We do not believe in violence and if tensions rise too much then action is taken.

Figure 1: Dispute settling, Gladiators style

The design process in Originals HQ is a pretty enjoyable experience. We clear some wall and table space, get some food in and start working through what worked previously, lessons learned and successes. We then get together a trend and mood area to determine the direction which we want to take. This may involve tearing out articles from magazines, pinning up sketches/doodles that have accumulated on our desks and stills from recent fashion shows and music events. Any textures, colour samples or items we just bloody well like, will also be added into the mix.

At this point there will be very few (if any) limitations placed on the concept design. The team then starts to put concepts together. With music on in the background and healthy snacks we will create a range of concepts. The saturation point comes when we look at the work and originality is no longer seen.

The most important step occurs next when we stick the ideas up take a step back. There will be all manner of designs on the wall. They will range from serious tat to potentially great.

Figure 2: The dog glasses concept was vetoed.

These ideas will get chance to ‘breath’ and we will not make any decisions until we have had time to assess over the following days. The questionable concepts may be tweaked and become contenders and strong concepts may be problematic from a manufacturing process perspective and will lose Brownie points.

Figure 3: Brownie points are key to progressing a concept.

We will then have a powow and finalise which designs we will be developed as technical drawings. The decision may be based on materials, production processes, lead times, potential job profitability and belief in the design.

Figure 4: Final design selection process.

Depending on the intended user there may be some tweaking and engineering required to ensure that the designs are not only comfortable but fit accordingly!

The next bit tends to be the tricky bit… production!!

Insert your own dramatic cliff-hanger music and I will be back tomorrow to finish the tale!

O

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A-level Thanks From Jason Donovan

Hi Everyone,

Firstly congratulations to those celebrating successful A-level and AS-level results. Even if you didn’t get what you want there are lots of other avenues available, so no need to panic!

Whether it’s clearing, re-sitting, gap years, University preparation, switching to an apprenticeship or looking forward to the second year of A-levels enjoy the rest of Summer (responsibly, of course). I won’t regale/bore you with the Original Teams tales from results day, it’s just enough to say relief was the overriding emotion.

In light of the celebratory occasion I saw this advert and felt it may be appropriate. I can’t think of a better gift to someone then a tailored ‘Thank You’ from Jason Donovan.

Have fun tonight!!!

O

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