Fan To Pro - The Blog of Professional Geekery

Why You Shouldn’t Keep Your Projects A Secret

As someone who works with intellectual properties, and someone who knows a lot of people who also work with intellectual properties, I can safely say that a lot of us like to keep our ideas to ourselves.  There is a fear that if your idea is leaked, then there’s a team of coordinated and efficient coding enthusiasts that will take your idea and do it faster than you.  Probably better than you too.  And they all wear sunglasses and matching black leather uniforms with lightning bolts...

Where was I?  Oh, right, the fear of being copied.  This fear has a less-paranoid-but-still-paralyzing twin: the fear of someone coincidentally doing the same thing as you, making you look like the copycat nonetheless.

My advice to you is to fight that fear and show off (or at least talk about) your works in progress.  There are several reasons why this will help you rather than hurt you.

An Interview with David Paritsky of "Sailor Moon The Movie"

So where to begin.

While doing my usual online surfing, I came across an interview at Nerdcaliber on a fan-made Sailor Moon Movie.  My reactions went as follows:

1. What?  Really?
2. Eh.
3. They did this with what kind of budget?
4. I need to interview these people.

So let's meet David Paritsky, the mad man who got this working, and what it's done for him.  He's got a degree in film and is currently working after graduation to get the right career.  I rather imagine anyone capable of creating a film adaption on his own is going to do fine . . .

The Value Of Stupid Stuff

Recently in my viewings of various anime, I came across "Oh! Edo Rocket", a show that borders on the inexplicable, as it's an anime based on a play based on a legend that is loaded with parody elements.  I vaguely described it as "Excel Saga with a continuing plot" but it's hard to explain it.

One theme touched on, especially later in the series, is that sometimes things can be inspiring but aren't necessarily "useful" or "even lasting."  Sometimes big useless, even stupid stuff is indeed a good thing.

Big, giant, useless, crazy stuff can inspire people.

Stupid blatant nutty things can shock people out of complacency.

Huge insane efforts can help you explore your limits and yourself.

It can also be fun, and we usually need more of that.

2012 Predictions: It's Not The End of The World As We Know It

We have one big prediction hanging over our heads as we try to decide what lies ahead of us in the next 12 months, and it has to do with a certain calendar put together by a certain tribe a long, long time ago. Given the number of apocalypses that have come and gone over the years . . . this looks like yet another one.

So, given that it's not The End Of The World As We Know It, what's ahead of us during the coming year? Let me get out my crystal ball and figure this out . . .

Tales from the Ashcan: Proof Identity Design is Important

Merry Christmas!  Right now, you're probably drinking egg nog, cozying around the TV station playing the picture of the fireplace and beating that cousin you don't like and haven't seen in a while at Call of Duty, so you can ignore this.  For the rest of you who aren't, however (read: me), I've got a new Tales from the Ashcan for you.  This month, we're talking about identity design.

As a graphic designer and typographer, one thing that I've really noticed since my great wide entry into the world of comic publishing is exactly how horrifically bad some of the identity design (aka logos) some people have.  Seriously.  Granted, horrific logo design is something you see on a regular basis - it's everywhere.  But I've noticed that it's exceptionally bad in the realm of comic logos.  Without pointing fingers (because that's bad), I can find you within ten minutes some of the most afterthought (if even that much) series logos out there.  Likewise, aside from our own, I can point out what I think are some of the most incredible ones.  While the former are afterthoughts, the latter have clearly been thought out in terms with the scheme of the story, or are intentionally aping a particular style.  The difference between a monstrosity (you can find one within five minutes by looking at any webcomics aggregator) and something as beautiful as the logos for Woody After Hours or Powernap or Delve into Fantasy are immense.

But as a professional, it's even more important to have the proper identity for your business, regardless of whether or not your business is a comic artist, bookseller, travel agenty or coffee shop.  Why?  Well, it can really hit you hard, and I'll give two examples; the first one now, the second after the jump.

Take, for example, a conversation I had one day with an individual who handed me his business card. It was a simple affair, with black and blue ink and looked very sleek and stylish for a technology company. There was just one problem: the gentleman was in the food services industry, something that the average person would not have known by looking at the card. While his logo and branding needed work, the colors and fonts chosen did even more to confuse potential customers, thus making a simple food producer look like a great tech company (which was not even close to his intent.)  I ended up doing a much warmer and more accessible logo for their business, and their business is doing swimmingly.

But I had another customer who had an even bigger issue, and his I'd like to share with you.

What Fandom Has Given Me

This is the week of Speak Out With Your Geek Out, a time of celebrating fandom.  Because I am an active member of many fandoms, I couldn’t pick just one.  Therefore, I’m writing to you about all that my various fandoms have done for me.

Survey Sunday: From West To East And Back Again!

So let's get a bit more focused here - From 'Powerpuff Girls' to 'Supernatural' to 'Iron Man', we're seeing Western properties get adapted as Japanese anime.  Since we're always talking about potentially useful trends, what other Western properties do you see being a good adaption for anime - and would they "re-sell" well in the Western market?

Take the Survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VJDQGRG

- Steven Savage

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 5 - Boom! Goes Our Sanity: Process Lettering, Part Two

Well, here we go: five days left, and things are not getting any easier.  Again, it's time to scream.

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 6 - Will the Madness Ever End?: Process Lettering, Part One

So, here we go, process lettering part one.

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 7: One Week Left! - Toning: Dealing with the Earthquake Was Easier

Well, today, we had that 5.9 earthquake southeast of us and for Ayne, she really appreciated it; the distraction allowed her to actually take a break and field mails, tweets and posts from people freaked out about something that's considered a minor distraction in LA and/or Tokyo.  

It also let her relax and think about her toning a bit.