neildenzilwalkerwells

It's been six months and it's been great. The decision to pick out three creative cities (Wellington, Copenhagen and Toronto) and take a leap to one has proven to be a great call. More to come...

More of his work here: http://pjbart.com/

When you're out there in the marketplace Social Media in its various incarnations can either be friend or foe, enemy or ally. The problem is, with the web connecting everyone fairly intimately, nobody really knows you do they? And so people and prospective employers sometimes try to get a feel for what you're about, compile a profile as it were. A living, breathing digitally-sourced you.

Well your Linkedin looks good, CV, resume, references etc. but what are you really like? 

Your webpage looks good, solid work, ooh you've got a blog! Interesting stuff, getting a feel for your interests, music taste, movies you like. 

You're starting to take shape now, flickering into life. (No, not flickr'ing).

Facebook you looks like a lot of fun, what a lovely wife and daughter! The Maldives looked stunning I have to say, I'd love to go one day too.

Looking good for you so far buddy. 

But wait, there's still Twitter to go. You follow some of the same people, great. Oh you had a barbeque last weekend, how nice. 

And so, you come fully alive, a little digital you in their eyes. 

And yet it can all go so wrong too. A bizarre picture on Facebook, an in-joke or photo between friends on Twitter and digital little you becomes tarnished. 

I think Twitter is the one to watch here. I've taken photos of illegally rude graffiti, had outrageous banter with good friends and colleagues, all of which, taken out of context might make digital me look bad. 

I'm not saying employers necessarily go to these lengths, but hey, hiring someone these days is a big step so the least you can do is look digitally presentable.

10 Tips on Writing Well from David Ogilvy. Read the Roman-Raphaelson book on writing. Read it three times. Write the way you talk. Naturally. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs. Never use jargon words like reconceptualize, demassification, attitudinally, judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass. Never write more than two pages on any subject. Check your quotations. Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning — and then edit it. If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it. Before you send your letter or your memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do. If you want ACTION, don’t write. Go and tell the guy what you want.

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

There's such an aversion to change and a need to justify our every move in life nowadays. We meekly accept our roles, terrified of falling short in this modern culture of fear. 

Logic screams at us to go from job to job, but if we do surely we never really take a step back and see the bigger picture, where we were, where we are now, and in doing so where we actually really want to be.

There's all kinds of advice and admonitions about this but as much as we may wonder where we'll end up and who we'll be working with, we know we'll be doing exactly what we want to.

we are the lucky ones

ideas are everywhere

don't do it for the money

share your ideas with as many people as possible, if they make it to the outside world it's a bonus

only be serious when you have to be, and then be good at it

the new ratio is 50% perspiration 50% inspiration

not everyone is creative

a writer is an art director is a designer is a whatever they want to be and vice-versa

we don't realise the power we have 

don't be precious but fight for what you love and believe in

take juniors under your wing, it passes on

make as many friends as possible

make people feel

craft it like it's the last thing you'll do

learn everything you can from your seniors

have fun, we are the lucky ones

LIke a moldering item in a dank basement the valley sits. Behind a sunny smile it beckons, skull and teeth gaunt beneath the bright pink skin of promised new beginnings. Beloved daughter and sister lost through poor fate and misfortune. Wild spirit and neighbour unwittingly executed by brothers, souls lost to ragged teeth in serene seas. Inspired soul and visionary discovered and uncovered years too late by chance. Surely the Hoek is the cauldron of death and all that enter beware, for life is never so flickering and fragile than between those peaks. 

Ok, I get it creators of Linkedin, golf as a networking tool is dead, fine.

Oh, some guy who builds sets in Guatemala has indicated that he's my friend, that's curious, having never been to South America or been introduced to a chap by the name of Jorge Ethetheth. But y'know Jorge, I'll let you get away with it and connect anyway, fib told, contact accepted, carry on, whatever.

What I really want to know though is what other professions use linked in out my own. Mercenaries? Imagine their contact groups and CV's. Imagine the recommendations...

"I worked with Col. Cotzee in Burundi and not only was he a reliable rifleman but when occassion presented itself took it upon himself to step up to the 50 calibre. I highly recommend him for any genocidal specific work."

Morticians? They must have a cheery group of colleagues, and maybe even reach out to potential clients, just in case.

The Grim Reaper? He's already invited everyone, you just haven't accepted yet.

Emoticons. Seriously. Surely the realm of the five year old? How seriously are you supposed to take an all-office memo about something tedious and dull like time sheets when there's a smiley face lurking at the bottom? Has the common employees usage of the english language really deteriorated to such an extent or are we trying to put a bit of personality into our messages? If so, surely words suffice, we've been using them for hundreds of years for fuck's sakes. Would Juliet text ' Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo? :/ ' Wouldn't really have the same impact would it. 

But on the subject if people really are so hung up on these emoticon things, why not make them more useful, serve a purpose. For example, emergency 911 emoticons for when you find yourself in a tight spot. If anyone has any idea what an animated impending rape, mugging or hijack face looks like, give me a shout.

No emoticon.

I spotted a security guard in our building the other day, two floors down, sitting by the exit staring into space. Occasionally someone entered and he asked them to sign in then returned to the gaze. I was saddened by the moment as I thought of how many people are unlucky or unfortunate enough to think their job mundane. From a guard to a lawyer so many people must just go through the motions, day in, day out. Are we just the lucky ones? The ones who were at the right place at the right time, or are we the ones who made it happen for ourselves? If it's the former then thank the stars for that, if the latter I wonder if you could teach it to people and how. Signing out.

Happy to say I've got some exciting things in progress for Cannes. The ariel ambient in particular should turn out really well. Sometimes I look around and wonder how some creatives do the 9 to 5 just getting by, is their salary the light at the ned of the tunnel, their motivation? If so I just cannot relate, surely a great, never-done-before idea that excites you and all around you shines brighter. To each their own I suppose.