'What If...'- Research

Visual Language,

Channel 4 1982 ident.

 Channel 4 ident, 'Diner' 2004

Channel 4 ident, 'Tokyo'

C.C.T.V in Leeds

C.C.T.V in Leeds

I asked all of these people what their thoughts were on C.C.T.V in general.


-"I think people feel better knowing the cameras are there.  You feel safer, you are safer."
-"There's good points and bad to it all, i'm not sure what I think."
-"It's total Big Brother, we're being watched nearly all day every day.  I think it is a really scary thing."
-"I agree with the above statement, but I don't care enough.  I just accept it like the majority of society, you get on with life.  It's only when people actually think about it that you realise how unacceptable it is."
-"Think how many crimes have been stopped because of them!  It helps society, it doesn't hinder it.  Everyone loves a conspiracy, but the truth is they actually work, they do what they are made to do."
-"I think they help identify criminals and all that stuff, but they cost too much, and sometimes you can't even see who the criminal is because of the bad quality.  Money can be spent much more wisely."

C.C.T.V in Leeds

This whole subject area connotes;

Safety; Policing; Preventative; Reassurance; Crime Reduction; Surveillance; Protection; Loss of privacy; Intrusive; "Big Brother"; Secure; Controversy; Monitoring; "Watching Over"; Concern; Observing; Expense; "Spy in the Sky"; Reassurance; Security; Article 12; Surveillance Society; Monitoring; 

Closed circuit television in Leeds

Supposedly there's a huge demand for C.C.T.V within Leeds:

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Huge-demand-for-CCTV-in.3782653.jp

This article states that:

"The city centre occupies 16 square blocks and so there are, on average, almost 10 cameras per block," 
- I want to know why there is so much demand for them.  I understand their existence and the good that has come out of them so I get having enough for a reasonable amount of coverage- but why so much?  This seems excessive, seeing as later on in the article it states that "By contrast, there are only seven cameras per city block in the most highly surveilled neighbourhoods in New York City and Chicago, which are of course much larger cities." I am confused to say the least.

Below there are all the 'Leedswatch' scheme objectives, they seem like fairly reasonable justifications for using C.C.T.V- there have been many instances where it has helped in the capture of criminals- which, can never be a bad thing surely?

Perhaps not.  

Through my research i've found a lot of evidence that suggests surveillance cameras are not all we've been led to believe they are.

-'The National CCTV Strategy, published last October, found that more than eight out of 10 CCTV cameras fail to provide satisfactory images for the police. 
It revealed that the majority of cameras are not positioned in places where they can combat terrorism or serious crime.' 

-It costs £20,000 just to install one camera

-'Only 3% of crimes were solved by CCTV in 2008'


With regards to the amount it costs, i've found that it is a massively big business.  When typing in C.C.T.V into 'Google', the results annoyed me at first because there was very little information about it, there were just adverts for websites for businesses.  

Thinking about it further I was shocked that this was the case, then even further, it didn't surprise me- people are so scared nowadays they actually feel safer if they have surveillance cameras. 
-says something about our current societies mental state.


These businesses play on the fear of the type of person that can afford "nice things", or even worse, essentially threaten your family with the hypothetical situation of abduction or murder.  Not just physical safety but mental safety....-if they make you scared then they've got you.  
-I don't want to totally ignore the fact that times have changed and generally people feel a lot more unsafe.  But I think you have to ask the question, how much of that is this type of negative marketing?

However,
Supposedly, "Over 3,000 arrests were made last year due to CCTV in Leeds for offences ranging from anti-social behaviour to murder," said John Birkenshaw. 
"That shows it's working and that we are getting a good return on our investment." 
New CCTV cameras installed in Pudsey and Farsley have alone been credited with bringing nearly 200 prosecutions in the space of 18 months. 
"We are not catching people throwing cigarette ends," added Mr Birkenshaw. "We are dealing with serious criminal offences and the cameras are also backed up with extra patrols. 

The objectives of the Leedswatch scheme are:

To reduce the ‘fear of crime’ and offer ‘ reassurance’ to the public, by:

(1) Facilitating the apprehension and prosecution of offenders.

(2) Assisting in the prevention and detection of crime committed in public areas.

To achieve the above objectives, the main function and responsibilities of the CCTV operators are to:

(a) Work a shift pattern that provides the monitoring of Leedswatch CCTV on a 24 hour basis.

(b) Respond to incidents and report to the police & other agencies when necessary.

(c) Provide statements for Court purposes.

(d) Act as professional witnesses.

(e) Keep accurate records of incidents.

The full article is on this site:

http://www.leedsinitiative.org/safer/page.aspx?id=2488

Made me think- 

One of the aims of such surveillance is to make society 'behave' themselves because they could be being watched at any given time in the public eye.  This could be argued, I suppose, either way.  The fact that just the presence of C.C.T.V can make people second think stealing that stilton from the deli counter is surely a good thing?  Yet there's something quite scary about the mass manipulation of the whole thing without people even realising.  I guess it happens every day- i'm not quite sure of my stance on the subject just yet.

For full article check this link out:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/nov/21/sam-leith-documentary-tv

General Facts on C.C.T.V:
-There are more cameras per person in the UK than anywhere else.

-They run to a desired amount of monitors so the person viewing can see what the camera sees- it is 'closed circuit' (C.C) so not anyone can see.
-There are 'around 4.2 million surveillance cameras within the UK.'
-There are 'around 1.5 million surveillance cameras within city centers.'

Specific ways in which we in Britain have been watched through surveillance:

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6108496.stm

No News Is Good News- Mailing List Research

MAILING LIST

My audience is anyone who would have (or had) influence on the Iraq War.  I've designed this mailshot with it in mind that they will read it and think twice about letting this situation get to the point it has.  I need to research into who I am going to send it to to have the most effect.

I checked out the U.S Army site to get contact information as it is clear that they would have a lot of impact where this torture is happening.

This torture being committed is a breach of human rights.  No one should have to endure what some of these people have gone through.  I know that Amnesty International fight for human rights and could possibly help in this situation by forcing global pressure.

Below: A success story from A.I, showing that they can achieve.

The papers can get information out in high levels.  It can speak volumes even if it just reaches a few- people talk.  Because there was so little coverage in the U.S a paper from the country would be a good choice to get the word out.

http://www.thepaperboy.com/usa-top-100-newspapers.cfm

I researched into the top 10 newspapers in the U.S and I felt that The New York Times would be the most appropriate.

Shows he is clued up, and could possibly get him on the "right side".

No News Is Good News- Part 2. Message and Delivery, Research

Paper folding and nets:


'The Packaging and Design Templates Sourcebook'
Compiled by Luke Herriott

Possibility.  The viewer has to construct and interact with the mailshot.  Forces them to engage and makes the message stronger.

Simplicity- perhaps the way to go?
The message is simple yet effective so the design could reflect this.




COIN ENVELOPE TEMPLATE


Looks like it contains official documents.  Looks important, rather than the usual junk mail- people will actually look at it and be interested in its contents.

TEMPLATE

TEMPLATE 2

Official look.  Reflects my audience- could relate to it.

Visual Literacy, Design Principles

Semiotics

Visual Metaphor,

A visual metaphor is used to transfer the meaning from one image to another.  Although the images may have no close relationship, a metaphor conveys an impression about something relatively unfamiliar by drawing a comparison between it and something familiar.

Visual Metonym,

A visual metonym is a symbolic image that is used to reference to something with a more literal meaning.  By way of association the viewer makes a connection between the image and the intended subject.  Unlike a visual synecdoche, the two images bear a close relationship, but are not intrinsically linked.  And unlike visual metaphors, metonyms do not transfer the characteristics of one image to the other.

Visual Synecdoche,

This term is applied when a part is used to represent the whole, or vice versa.  Quite simply, the main subject is substituted for something that is inherently connected to it.  The substitution only works if what the synecdoche represents is universally recognised and understood, rather than taken at face value for its literal meaning.  The ability to refer to a group or class of objects through a visual device enables a designer to convey an idea in a clean and unfettered manner.

Paul Pensom

Paul Pensom came in today to give a lecture on his work and experiences within different magazines and agencies.

To begin with he was basically into music and magazines as they are "never complete and always transient", which i totally agree with and find pretty inspiring for a fairly obvious observation.  He spoke about the responsibility and power you have when you work on these projects.  You can make such a massive point because of the nature of the magazine- you have a chance on the front cover to put across what you want with little or no interruption.  He brought up the 1966 infamous issue of esquire:

It's a quote from a soldier in Vietnam.  Even though it is so short, you get so much from it.  It makes me feel shocked; compassionate; angry; upset.  I think you've got it right for sure when emotion comes into the situation, if you're able to make someone feel something then you've already got them engaged, and thus, you've got them- you've done your job at selling the magazine.  

Pensoms' career began in impressive and innovative areas.  One of his first placements after his degree was with 'I.D' magazine, which at that point (around 1996) had a fairly provoking yet innocent nature about it, before high- end fashion ads drowned its pages.  

He also worked on the music fanzine: 'FACT magazine'.

'Creative Review' is another one on Pensoms' extensive list.  He's been working with them from 2007- present and has been involved in numerous aspects of re-design.  He redesigned the magazines title to the 'C.R' initial encased in the square format which he "didn't like personally, but it was easily recognisable because of its' simplicity and allows itself to be manipulated".  

However they felt that after this it looked too isolated, like it wouldn't make sense to those who didn't know what it was.  -And they didn't want that.  It had to be open to anyone, the tone had to be that of "a peer, and not a boss telling you what to think is good or not".  So, Pensom came up with a re- design.

The cover is supposed to symbolise a 'New dawn", which I think in context of the redesigning works really well.  It is simple and effective.