Federico Freschi, the Executive Dean of FADA at the University of Johannesburg opened the first ever Portfolio Night event in South Africa last night. He spoke about the importance of generosity and collaboration for creativity to flourish. These were fitting words for the event, hosted by McCann Johannesburg, which brought together some 37 creative directors, the industry leaders, who put aside agency rivalry to participate for the greater good of the creative industry.

Dozens of students braved the cold and attended the event to present their work in the hopes of making their first mark on the industry. The night followed the same structure as speed dating, where each young creative got the chance to present their portfolio to a different creative director in each of the three 15 minute rounds.

The evening was fast-paced and the space buzzed with energy and excitement. Students got to network with each other too, comparing portfolios as well as their hopes and aspirations for their future in advertising.

The fact that the night was so well attended by the students and supported by the creative directors is testament to the importance of the event, that being to create a bridge between college and industry. Portfolio Night proved itself an exciting welcome addition to the creative calendar, which promises to have a real impact on the industry.

Find more photos from the event in our Facebook album, and if you spot yourself or someone you know, feel free to tag them!

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Cape Town’s favourite craft beer destination, &Union, has recently started ArtUnion, a project to promote young artists through exhibions and silent auctions on Saturday afternoons. Curated by Yuliya Purkiss, the exhibition openings are a relaxed affair with good food, music, and beer (of course) usually taking place on the first or second Saturday of the month. The featured artist’s work then stays on display at &Union for the remainder of the month.

So far ArtUnion has held three events. Yuliya was the first artist up. She exhibited 12 pieces which she chose to auction off to raise money for the JessGetWellSoon Fund. The second artist to show was Anastasiya Yakunina. Her watercolour paintings were also auctioned for the same cause.

Photographer Philip van Niekerk’s ”Africa Diverse” exhibition is currently on show. He chose to support the Ikamva labantu charity organization.

Yuliya is always on the look out for new painters, illustrators or photographers that would like to get involved. Find more info and get in touch at www.artandunion.com.

Yuliya Purkiss:

Philip van Niekerk:

Anastasiya Yakunina:

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Portfolio Night is a global, annual event where aspiring young advertising copywriters, art directors and designers meet with several renowned advertising creative directors in a fast-paced evening of career-shaping advice, networking, and for some, recruitment offers.

The first ever South African Portfolio Night takes place in Johannesburg this week, hosted by advertising agency McCann. We’re quizzing some of the participating creative directors in the lead up. Read part 1 here.

In this instalment we hear from Rui Alves, executive creative director at Y&R South Africa.

What’s the best ad/campaign you’ve made? 

Well it’s hard to pick out a best but one of the more significant and fun and maybe even effective ones I ever worked on were the first and second Nando’s campaigns to come out of Hunt Lascaris. It set the humorous, tactical, topical, irreverent tone for everything that followed and the brand still speaks with the same voice today. The ads picked on things that were socially and politically red hot. Nothing was taboo and the work expressed what most people were thinking but were not saying openly. It obviously got lots of complaints.

This is one of those early ads that pokes fun at the genre of infomercials which pretty much swamped all TV channels in the early nineties and were just plain boring and annoying.

What made you want to be in the advertising industry in the first place? 

I could draw. I could write. I could use my imagination. It was the closest I could get to films and animation locally. And it looked like it was more fun than any other job.

What’s the one piece of advice you wished you’d received when you were starting out at the beginning of your career?

Use every hour of every day to push your portfolio forward. Don’t waste time. Stay hungry.

I also wish someone had told me to pretend I couldn’t draw. I enjoyed drawing very much and it got me into my first job, but I soon began to resent drawing and redrawing and redrawing storyboards. It also became the only kind of work I was given which slowed down my development as an art director working on briefs with a writer because it was all consuming. In those days Art Directors also had to do time in the studio. I remember pulling three all nighters in a row before pitches in those days just relentlessly rendering storyboards and print visuals, it was pretty much the norm. In my 2nd job I pretended I couldn’t draw.

What’s more important: a perfect portfolio or a personality?

I believe both are equally important. They tend to go hand in hand.

Find out all about Portfolio Night and how to get involved here.

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Portfolio Night is a global, annual event where aspiring young advertising copywriters, art directors and designers meet with several renowned advertising creative directors in a fast-paced evening of career-shaping advice, networking, and for some, recruitment offers.

The first ever South African Portfolio Night takes place in Johannesburg next week, hosted by advertising agency McCann. We quizzed some of the participating creative directors in the lead up. First up is Grame Jenner, Creative Founding Partner at King James II and Pierre Odendaal, Chief Creative Officer at McCann.

Graeme Jenner

What’s the best ad/campaign you’ve made?
‬
Shit, I dunno if they are the best, but I enjoyed doing the Corsa Lite “Raj & Raj2″ campaign and also pretty much everything we did on Chicken Licken. If I have to choose one Licken ad it’d be this one:

Click here to view the embedded video.

I didn’t really. I studied Graphic Design and near the end of 3rd year Net#work called Wits Tech and asked them to send over 5 students for interviews. At the time I was about to get onto a cruise liner and work in a cheesy TV printing shop. Anyway, I was offered the job as an art director (I didn’t even know what that was at the time) and ended up staying at Net#work for 16 years, until very recently…
‪

What’s the one piece of advice you wished you’d received when you were starting out at the beginning of your career?

1. Don’t snort tequila.
2. Cut your hair before the guy in Cannes mistakes you for a girl and kisses you.
3. Beware Reply All’s
4. Don’t buy the turkish midget girl a cup of vodka.
5. Don’t write your answers to an interview that will be published online while you are very hungover.

What’s more important: a perfect portfolio or a personality? ‬

Nobody has a perfect portfolio do they?

Pierre Odendaal

What’s the best ad/campaign you’ve made?

It would be a campaign I did at Razorfish in NY whilst being the Group Creative Director there, for AXE “Anarchy”. A super cool idea combined with super cool execution.

Click here to view the embedded video.

What made you want to be in the advertising industry in the first place? ‬

It was the fact that I realised from an early age that when I was looking/reading magazines I would always be more interested in the brand ads than the actual content. I knew immediately that this was the kind of job I wanted to do, I wanted to be part of this world, I wanted to be the one creating this world.

What’s the one piece of advice you wished you’d received when you were starting out at the beginning of your career?

This would be work smarter, work harder and always remember it’s got be FUN.

What’s more important: a perfect portfolio or a personality? ‬

Both, the personality is behind the portfolio then the portfolio is there to sell the personality. But when one works with people the personality is what causes the magic to happen.

Find out all about Portfolio Night and how to get involved here.

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Too many good posters this week so let’s get this going.

Ben Rausch takes the Dune Rats on tour through SA. Super fun.

Kent Andreasen always adds a special touch to his posters, and this one looks majestic.

Lize-Marie Dreyer made this poster as part of the competition Arcade Empire is running for the Designers Rock event happening tomorrow.

Anthea Duce drops the latest Cold Turkey poster as they have a special guest this week. Therefore it’s called Gold Turkey. Join in on the fun.

Finally Bruno Morphet takes us back to Twin Peaks by the looks of it with this week’s Fiction Fridays poster.

Posters curated by Social Contract. Follow us @Social_Contract

Ben Rausch for Dune Rats (Tour)

Kent Andreasen

Lize-Marie Dreyer for Designers Rock (Arcade Empire)

Anthea Duce for Gold Turkey

Bruno Morphet for Fiction Fridays 35 (Fiction)

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The Winner: Estian Fourie

Last night eight of Joburg’s best designers were challenged to create film posters in just one hour for ‘Shotgun Garfunkel’, 3 Jozi production companies’ attempt at breaking The Fastest Film Ever Made record.

The event was hosted at Wolves in Illovo by The Fastest Film Ever Made team - Team Best, Localala and Ghost Sheep – along with their friends at Halo advertising. The action was streamed live on their Facebook page and the winner was voted for over social media.

Congrats to Estian Fourie for taking the prize!

These are the results:

Eras Gous

Shaun Hill

Chris Valentine

Shaun Botes

Sheldon Stewart

Koos Groenewald

Nicholas Christowitz

Pics of the event by Jeff Tyser -

Follow #FastestFilmSA on Twitter to keep updated and get info about the screenings. Check out www.facebook.com/FastestFilmEverMade to see what they’ve achieved so far.

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Last week we told you about the three Joburg production companies’ attempt to break the world record for The Fastest Film Ever Made. After 8 days of manic writing, planning, filming and editing, a new challenge is taking place: the fastest film poster ever made for the fastest film ever made.

The team - Team Best, Localala and Ghost Sheep – along with their friends at Halo advertising are embarking on a social media-enhanced, super fast, super fun method of making amazing movie posters.

Tonight at Wolves in Illovo, eight of Joburg’s top designers are gathering to test their skills against the clock.

The designers are:

Nic Christowitz

Koos Groenewald

Eras Gous

Chris Valentine

Shaun Hill

Sheldon Stewart

Estian Fourie

Shaun Botes

Here’s the plan:

At 19:20 the briefing begins. The designers will receive the necessary info – some images and some words. That is all.

At 19:30, they start furiously poster-creating until an hour later when the whistle blows and the posters have to be done.

Thanks to the power of modern technology and Vodacom you’ll be able to watch the whole thing live on their Facebook page by clicking on the Ustream Link, then vote for your favourite before 21:00 when the winner will be announced.

To vote, comment on the Facebook page or via Twitter using the hashtag #FastestFilmSA. A massive R5000 Ben Sherman voucher goes to the winner.

Follow #FastestFilmSA on Twitter to keep updated and get info about the screenings. Check out www.facebook.com/FastestFilmEverMade to see what they’ve achieved so far.

The post Breaking News: Fastest Film Poster Ever Made appeared first on Between 10 and 5.

The first Winter Sculpture Fair presented by MasterCard took place over the weekend. The event offered visitors a new kind of experience – we’ve had food and wine, we’ve had art shows, we’ve even had food, wine and design– but an event with sculpture as its key focus is a first in South Africa. Internationally, sculpture as an arts medium is attracting more attention, with the likes of the Frieze Sculpture Park in New York now a prominent event on the arts calendar.

Kevin Brand – Blue Mask

Angus Taylor – Fractal I

Angus Taylor Layers of Being Edition 3/4

Unlike other disciplines of art, sculpture is tactile, three-dimensional, and often site-specific. The Winter Sculpture Fair provided visitors the chance to interact with art works in a way quite unlike a regular gallery setting. The picturesque Nirox Foundation in the Cradle of Humankind was the setting for the sculpture park, with the works dotted around the rolling lawns and meandering waterways. Visitors could wander through the larger-than-life sculptures, touching and interacting with them (even climbing on them – Richard Forbes’s giant Vortex I became a jungle-gym by mid afternoon).

Richard Forbes – Vortex I

Each work attracted a passing crowed, with firm favourites being Angus Taylor’s bloated bronze figure Disproportions of Inflation, Artist I and Gordon Froud’s neon orange Cone Virus. Other popular pieces were Frank van Reenen’s Sleeping Dog II and Beth Armstrong’s very climbable Surface Weight, which proved irresistible to children. Almost every visitor had a camera hanging from their neck, and avidly photographed the works, the scenery and their friends and family. The spectacular setting, coupled with the accompanying fair, brought the sculptures to life for the day.

Gordon Fround – Cone Virus

Marco Cianfanelli – From the Cradle to the Grave

Guy Du Toit – 34 Skulls

Angus Taylor – Disproportions of Inflation, Artist I

Angus Taylor – Disproportions of Deflation, Artist II

Beth Armstrong – Surface Weight

Frank van Reenen – Sleeping Dog II

The partnership with Fraschhoek provided the perfect accompaniment to the event. Everyone knows that it’s best to admire art with a glass of wine in hand, and if you’re doing so in one of the most beautiful private residences in Gauteng, why not have a glass of the Cape’s finest blend? All the region’s best vignerons and restaurants were present, offering visitors a literal taste of the famous Franschhoek Valley.

By mid afternoon, all the picnic blankets that were scattered around the grounds were occupied by groups of people relaxing and enjoying the day out in the Cradle. By this time most wines had also sold out, as well as cheese and other tasty snacks – a sign of success. A ‘Library’ retail space was also part of the event, but felt a little like an afterthought to the food, wine and sculpture.

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Adam Hill has kept us waiting for quite a while but his latest poster is well worth it. Simply beautiful.

Simon Berndt once again forces us to go to Psych Night at The Assembly.

Michael Dos Ramos shows us his darker side once more for Stomp in Durban. That lineup is massive.

I have no idea who made the last poster but it gave me gooseflesh when I first saw it. The DIY ethics fits so perfectly with that lineup.

Posters curated by Social Contract. Follow us @Social_Contract

Adam Hill for The Sleepers and WildernessKing (Aandklas)

Simon Berndt for Psych Night (The Assembly)

Michael Dos Ramos for Stomp (Origin)

The Dollfins and Black Lung (Carnival Court)

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To advertise this year’s event, Oppikoppi – South Africa’s biggest, thorniest, dustiest, craziest, 19-year-old music festival – has booked a whole smattering of billboards across the country. And they want you to feature in them.

The theme for Oppikoppi 2013 is Bewilderbeast inspired by Badly Drawn Boy’s album “The hour of the Bewilderbeast”. They got local Michael Taylor to bring the theme to life. Now they’re running the Oppikoppi Beastie-est boys (and girls) Billboard Competition and this is the call for entries.

Oppikoppi are looking for your faces/photos/artwork/creative offerings to feature on their billboards. Check out some examples above. 6 lucky beasts will be chosen – 2 in Joburg, 2 in Pretoria and 2 in Cape Town –  to be featured on a billboard and win 1 ticket to the festival.

Email your image to bewilderbeast@oppikoppi.co.za before Monday 13 May. The finalists will be chosen at www.facebook.com/oppikoppifestival.

Entry Info:

·         Please specify in which town you would like to be famous.

·         Originality, creativity and audacity wins.

·         Please email an image of no bigger than 1 meg (but original size must be high res enough for a billboard).

·          Image has to be in Landscape format.

·         Entrants need to be older than 18.

·         Entrants do not have to be pretty to be famous (Just think about Calla Scholtz all those years ago).

·         To be eligible for the competition, participants or entrants must reside in the Republic of District 9 for the duration of the festival.

Entries are officially open, so go wild!

Oppikoppi Bewilderbeast takes place over 8, 9 and 10 August 2013 in Northam, Limpopo.

www.oppikoppi.co.za

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