Blog

18.05.20

Lockdown Q&A: Barney Fagan on motion, AR & Alphabetical

Recently we started a series of lockdown candidate Q&A’s to celebrate some of the amazing talent on our books. With it, we’re hoping take a candid peek behind the curtain at the realities of creative’s current working lives, see how they’re coping in a tough time for the industry, and offer a platform to chat through their practice.

Next up is Barney Fagan, a multi-disciplined graphic designer who graduated from Kingston University in 2018. With a technical skill-set well beyond his years, his work leans towards interaction and motion, with typography and layout at its core. Since graduating his working experience has included NB Studio, Johnson Banks, Design by S-T and most recently Alphabetical. He’s one to watch, for sure.

Below, Barney chats to us about his love for motion design, exploring new technologies, and his lockdown successes as a football manager (ish)...

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Talk to us about your practice and working year so far, before lockdown…

In abstract terms my practice is reactive. My commercial practice primarily consists of working with other peoples content, attempting to elevate, accentuate, challenge and communicate their content's strongest elements and ideas. In my personal work I like to test and explore different subjects, mediums and technologies, interrogating and celebrating their quirks, limitations and contradictions.

I primarily work through motion design, a medium which both encompasses my interests and accentuates my strengths. Motion design is inherently narrative based and full of character. I love bringing design to life through motion, accentuating intricacies and amplifying individualities. It’s also a perfect vehicle for communicating the narratives of projects. I thrive off diving into a project, attempting to understand how it's been put together and telling its story in a way that accentuates its personality. As a field, motion is defined by technology. I enjoy exploring new softwares and techniques to see how they can push my practice and how I can test them. Motion also encompasses a lot of my personal interests - sound, illustration, cinema, illustration and animation - giving me the chance to work with and alongside them.

So far this year I have been lucky enough to work with Alphabetical, C-ll-ct-v-ly and Design by S-T as well as on my own personal projects. My projects have consisted of robust visual infrastructures as well as individual pieces of animation. I’ve particularly enjoyed working with Alphabetical, using motion to animate their identities for The National Autistic Society and Bespoke by Landmark. I’ve really enjoyed animating their assets and accentuating their ideas and character. I’ve also worked on the brand films for both projects, working with the team to work out how best to communicate the thoughts behind both brands has been an exciting challenge for me. I relish testing and distorting these narratives in attempt to tell them in the most exciting and engaging ways possible.

What’s your experience of work/the design industry since then?

I’ve been lucky enough to continue working with Alphabetical on a few projects since - though I miss being in the studio and speaking to the team on a daily basis, we’ve continued to work on some really exciting projects since. I’ve also been extremely fortunate to have a couple of personal clients that have kept me afloat.

I’ve really enjoyed having the time to explore a few new technologies. I’ve begun working with AR which has been really fun and could potentially be a really exciting avenue for my practice.

Primarily, I think It has been a really scary time for everyone. My thoughts are with all the amazing studios who are struggling at the moment, I really hope they can survive during this testing time and continue to make exciting work.

Have you got a daily routine in place? How have you been keeping motivated?

One of the positives of the virus has been that it has allowed me to define my own daily routine. I usually wake up early and start working at 7. I really like how my brain works in the morning, a lot of the time I’m still little confused which leads to exciting ideas. Starting at 7 also means I can finish slightly earlier and go for a cycle in the evening or get a head start on my night job, being QPR’s most successful manager in history on FIFA career mode.

Any side-projects/hobbies you’ve picked up, or intend to?

I’ve started working with some basic AR animation, it’s been great pushing my practice into a real world environment and I’m really excited to see where that might lead. I also run a small collective with some friends called Minute Books where we document events through illustration and produce live media from these outcomes - we’ve got a few projects in mind that we would like to develop.

What’s the first thing you’re looking forward to, once lockdown ends?

I’m really looking forward to being around people again - they are so integral to my practice and life as a whole. I love working with people and believe my most collaborative works is usually my most exciting. I also find most of my inspiration for personal projects from my interactions with people.

Asides from my practice I really can’t wait watch some live football again - I really miss it haha.

In an ideal world, what would the rest of the year look like for you, creatively?

I’ve really enjoyed my year of freelance motion so far. It has been great learning new skills, working with new people and tackling new challenges so frequently. I’d love to be in a position where I can continue to work with a variety of different studios and clients that can expand my practice and help me to explore and learn new skills and mindsets.

Thanks a lot Barney!

You can see more on his website here:
https://barneyfagan.com

Or follow him on Instagram here:
www.instagram.com/barneyfagan

04.05.20

FAQs & Updates on COVID-19

Updated: Monday 4th May

As we can all appreciate, there’s quite a lot of uncertainty in the industry at the moment caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. As a business Represent made the decision for each of us to work from home (starting Monday 16th March), and postpone any face-to-face candidate meetings for the time being. We’re sure you’ll agree it’s the best solution for the time being.

We've also had to furlough some staff members and reduce the active-working team. For now, here are the best people to contact:

Senior designers (Full-time): Mike, mike@represent.uk.com
Senior designers (Freelance): Sarina, sarina@represent.uk.com
Middleweight's (Freelance & Full-time): Rob, robert@represent.uk.com
Digital + junior designers (both FL & FT): Joe, joe@represent.uk.com
Design management (both FL & FT): Sean, sean@represent.uk.com

Rest assured, we’re still as keen as ever to meet new candidates, it’s just this time we’ll have to start the conversation with a phone/video call instead. Lucky you.

Over the few couple of weeks we’ve been keeping close tabs on the overall mood of the industry, as well as answering a lot of questions too, so to help we’ve pulled together a quick selection of FAQ’s!

We’ll continue to update this over the coming days/weeks…

How’s the market looking right now?

As it stands the industry is still in a very difficult period (w/c 4th May).

For those seeking full-time employment, there's very little going on, with almost all live briefs put on hold indefinitely.

The story has changed slightly with freelance, having received more briefs in the last few weeks (albiet still very few). Still a long way from a typical flow of work though, we're afraid, but we're doing all we can as a business to generate new business.

How can I be best set-up to take on new freelance bookings?

Right now, anyone who is set-up to work-from-home will most likely be at an advantage. If you’re in the process of looking for work as a freelancer, it’s worth checking in on any old clients where trust has already been built, to see if they need any assistance. Candidate’s who have trust to trade on are perhaps more likely to be offered work-from-home placements.

As ever, at Represent we’ll be doing all we can to re-ignite any old conversations, and run any new suitable briefs by you. Keep us posted on your movements too and if anything changes.

If I’ve already invoiced Represent, will I still be paid?

If you’ve invoiced us a Limited company or via an umbrella agency, then we will 100% continue to pay candidates regardless of clients cash flow at the other end.

If you’re one of the few Sole Traders invoicing a client directly, then speak to us and we’ll do all we can to help.

Is there any financial support for freelancers now without work?

There is, but it's a complex process that's constantly changing, and will depend on how you're set-up/how long you've been freelancing for.

For any specific questions reach out to Joe on joe@represent.uk.com.

Postponement of IR35 legislation:
In a statement on Tuesday 17th by Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Steve Barclay, any implementations of IR35 will be now delayed until at least 2021, which is great news.

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Contact:
As always we’re here to assist, support and nurture the creative industry, so if anyone has any further questions then don’t hesitate to get in touch with your consultant(s) or at info@represent.uk.com.

To everyone; stay safe, keep in touch, and more updates to follow…

17.04.20

Lockdown Q&A: Kieran Mistry Chats Numb-Arses and Hot Sauce

As we finish off another week of self-isolation, it’s hard to ignore the impact COVID-19 has had on the creative industry, designers’ working-careers, and everyone else associated. A sense of community seems more important than ever.

As the industry continues to adjust to life working from home, we’ll be running a series of candidate Q&A’s to celebrate some of the amazing talent we work with, and offer some candid insights into how they’re coping, working, grooming, and staying sane (or not).

First up is Kieran Mistry, a graphic designer whose career started at Frost*Design in Sydney, before moving back to the UK in mid-2018. Since then he’s worked with Havas, Wieden+Kennedy, Channel 4, Rosie Lee & Studio Koto, to name a few, but, as a freelancer, is one of many whose career is currently on hold.

Here he chats to us about numb-arses, routines, hot sauce and jacuzzi suits below…

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Talk to us about your practice and working year so far, before lockdown...

It feels like a lot has happened and yet nothing at all this year. Its all felt a bit of a blur so far. Mid-last year I went freelance, so thats been a nice change of pace and scenery.

Practice wise, it’s probably similar to most designers and pretty similar to when I was full-time. It’s more the addition of jumping into a new environment, getting to know everyone, the way they work, the client etc. I enjoy it though, it’s a nice way of keeping me on my toes and a fun way to keep learning.

Project wise, I was working on a campaign for Coca-Cola X UEFA Euros at W+K, and the new Paralympics campaign at Channel 4. Sadly both of these have been put on the back burner, due to the Covid pandemic, Corona outbreak, current climate, however you best explain it…

What’s been your experience of work/the design industry since then?

Sadly, freelance work has come to a bit of pause at the moment. I did have a couple of weeks of working from my makeshift home set up. Which was surprising fun, aside from the numb arse that was bestowed upon me by my lovely plastic kitchen chair.

I guess lots of people are in a similar position. I’ve seen creative directors offering portfolio reviews and advice online, so its been nice seeing people reach-out to offer support.

It’s also great seeing what isolation and boredom leads an industry of creative people to. Everything from insightful live chats on Instagram, to hilarious side-projects and also some unreal Tik Tok creations.

Have you got a daily routine in place? How have you been keeping motivated?

My daily routine looks a little something like this at the moment:

Wake at a modest 11.30am, inhale a coffee while getting updated on the news, procrastinate for an hour before a pitiful attempt at a home workout, make a delicious sandwich, dabble in some design work, go for nice long wander around South London, make myself some cheese on toast, and Netflix myself to sleep. Sprinkle in far too much time on instagram between all of those points.

Also, having a bit of a break from thinking about design as work everyday has been quite motivating. It’s given me time to think about and start some side projects that usually get pushed to the side when things get busy.

Any side-projects/hobbies you’ve picked up, or intend to?

There’s been a few things I’ve been keeping myself entertained with. I’m working with a friend on a magazine about shitting your pants, yes it is as ridiculous as it sounds.

I’ve also been making my own hot sauce, learning Spanish, and I tried giving myself a haircut. Some things are going better than others.

What’s the first thing you’re looking forward to, once lockdown ends?

A pint of Guinness, and seeing my friends.

In an ideal world, what would the rest of the year look like for you, creatively?

In an ideal world, I’d make myself some sort of jacuzzi suit I could wear around my flat. Realistically though, if I can keep my side projects going and get them out into the world, I’d be one happy boy. I also can’t wait to jump back into working on some new briefs.

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Thanks so much Kieran!

You can see more about Kieran and his work here:
https://kieranmistry.com

More to follow from us on this series, and if you'd like to be a part do get in contact with joe@represent.uk.com.

04.03.20

DICE: fan-focussed rebrand

Dice first caught our eye back in 2014 with quite a clear manifesto; to get people out more, tackle ticket touts, and reduce exorbitant booking fees whacked on your tab by other ticketing platforms.

Since then they’ve launched in various countries around the world and grown into the go-to digital platform for anything from gigs, club nights, festivals, film screenings and arts events – you can even hook up your streaming service so you never miss a gig of your favourite band. Now, their in-house design team have released a brand refresh with a focus on their community, and trying to capture the energy found in a live music experience.

Headed-up by two old candidates of ours, Patrick Duffy (ex-Airbnb), and Stewart Walker (ex-Koto & Here Design), the rebrand focusses on their new manifesto of “Be the Fan”, putting customers and their experiences front and centre, captured in punk-inspired typography and glitchy animations.

In a conversation with It’s Nice That, Patrick explains the physical design process.

The textured animations start off as various forms of powder (flour, sand etc), poured across a Chladni plate (we didn’t know either) and hooked up to a tone generator. The outcome is three animation types based on various frequencies, which are then layered and coloured in the different ways necessary to work across multiple mediums and platforms.

As the creative output expands and evolves over time, they’re now looking to add new members to their East London-based design team, most notably a creative artworker with motion skills. Someone who's a stickler for detail, the ability to animate, and keen to join a music platform at the forefront of the industry.

If you feel this might be your bag and would like to know more, then get in contact with joe@represent.uk.com.

And you can see more on Dice themselves here: https://dice.fm

Words: Joe Cooper

12.02.20

Flexible Working: Health

How to beat imposter syndrome

Ben Longden, Digital Design Director at The Guardian and a freelance, multidisciplinary designer works across websites, apps and designing online features alongside product launches or new developments needed for The Guardian digital product set. Previously he worked for branding agencies and studied a heavily print focused graphic design course at Falmouth University. After he graduated he transitioned from doing brand related work to digital. “I learned how to code at my first job. I then went onto freelance work at a studio and ended up going permanent there and then I actually got the job at The Guardian whilst I was working as a designer there. I was lucky to have a friend working at The Guardian who mentioned the opportunity to me. I sent over my portfolio and on the strength of that I got the job.”

Managing a full time role whilst taking on side projects can be a delicate balance, but one that Longden has refined over the years. “Right now I get the best of both worlds’; being able to explore design in a more free way outside the day job. But I think going to a place is really great; you’ve got the team around you and the support that this comes with to do things in a very different, more collaborative way. My role at the Guardian has evolved now - I am less hands on than I used to be, I’m managing a team so I can delegate a lot of work out. So really I only take on freelance work or extra projects that allow me to have a bit of a creative outlet. So I guess that’s the difference for me.”

Reflecting on a period in his life a few years ago when he was teaching on the Graphic Design Course at Shillington College in London, Longden says flexible working was key to managing the extra workload. “I was doing part time teaching in the evenings, from 5pm - 9.30pm, and leaving work slightly earlier so I could go and do that, and then coming in slightly earlier to counter balance that.” explains Longden, whose employers at The Guardian accommodated the slight shift in his working hours so that he could pursue what he felt was a ‘valuable career development, personal development opportunity’. Yet the experience of juggling this with a full time job eventually became overwhelming. “I got to the end of the second year and the teaching bit was quite intense and I did feel like I needed a bit of a break from it. I was teaching on the 9 month part time course, which I enjoyed - but to actually teach someone to be a graphic designer in 9 months is very intense, because you’re essentially starting from nothing. It’s not easy!”

This idea became the subject of his self published book “Graphic Design is Mental” - an exploration of creativity & mental health inspired in part by his conversations with students. “It’s aimed at young creatives, who like me might have suffered with mental health, anxiety and depression which can manifest itself in many ways. I wanted to try and help people to take the pressure off themselves, and relax a little, and know that if they want it, have an appetite to learn, to channel their creativity into what they love, it will happen.”

Starting out as an exploration of imposter syndrome frequently experienced by those working in the creative industry, the book gradually evolved into a more rounded self help guide to being a graphic designer, as Longden explains. “I had some ideas which I had been writing about, and at the time I was feeling quite burnt out after the redesign of the newspaper. For me it was a cathartic process to get these things on paper.”

For the next generation of designers, the added pressure of social media can make them even more vunerable to burn out. “There is a constant pressure to publish content; to share work and put it out there. Social media and instagram only fuel this idea. Illustrators and designers who are constantly sharing new work; they feel they have to be busy - or be seen to be busy, to build up a following.” adds Longden who has first-hand experience of working with people who feel that pressure of needing to be constantly sharing content. “I definitely saw the other side of it from students who have gone on to work at agencies, and other friends who left London because it was all getting a bit too much. The expectation of always being ‘on’ and always being able to deliver isn’t healthy. I think it’s important we as a creative industry can be forward thinking when it comes to taking care of people’s wellbeing. If you’ve got a creative drive outside of the day to day, actually knowing when to say yes and when to say no is important.”

Having worked in the industry for 10 years Longden has observed that creative people are perhaps more inclined to have moments when they feel alone too. “It can be quite tough sometimes and you do question yourself; ‘maybe I’m not good enough, maybe this isn’t the right job for me’. You’re always trying to please somebody; creating work to make somebody have an emotional response; so you put a lot of yourself into that.” The book also looks at key issues designers face, such as how to manage your time, and how to take feedback without taking it personally - essential to handle the ups and downs of being a designer. Longden argues that whilst working in the creative industry in some ways in a lifestyle choice, it isn’t always a healthy lifestyle. “It should be one that allows for freedom in thinking and exploring ideas which help to nurture the wellbeing of the person - not hinder or affect them.”

Whilst the benefits of flexible working are well established, less known are the potential pitfalls of being in charge of your own time - particularly when you work for yourself. For someone who straddles the line between full-time employment and self employment, Longden has first hand experience. “You can easily say yes to something; because you want to work on a project and it sounds great but actually the client is really intense, or the project is a lot more work than you realised.”

Freelancers have a tendency to overwork and not take regular breaks yet Longden has learnt the hard way that a healthy work schedule is key for a healthy mind. “I do treat my freelance work in the same way as I would if it were paying the rent. For me it’s this: stay on top of the admin, or at least make time for it, as it will pile up and you won’t be able to get rid of it. Send emails, do invoices, all the stuff that maybe we as creatives dont like to do.” says Longden, who also advises on the importance of adequate breaks. “Allow yourself a weekend, even if there is a deadline. Staying up all hours trying to get the work done will only make you feel terrible in the long run, and the work will slip.”

It may sound counterproductive, but the best thing that people can do for their mental health is to stop working, though Longden admits he found this difficult when he first started out. “I didn’t take a holiday, or at least a proper one for two or three years, and whilst I didn’t realise it at the time, that nearly finished me. As soon as you step outside of the working mindset and start to see the world, and go and see places you immediately become more inspired. I don’t think worrying about the work drying up should ever stop anyone from taking a break. If you allow yourself to burn out the work will dry up regardless, as you won’t have the drive or energy to go and find work, make connections and put yourself out there.”

There are a lot of intertwining aspects to being a creative person and managing your wellbeing says Longden. “It’s only graphic design. No-one dies. And I think that pressure of having to deliver work to a client; yes it’s important and there are challenges to overcome, but it is only a piece of design at the end of the day. It’s important to keep perspective.”

Longden understands that designers can sometimes feel isolated and stuck in a job they don’t enjoy, especially if they’re not producing the work they want to make. His advice? Take the pressure off. “It’s easy to get preoccupied with the work itself and get very low. You can feel like you are stuck in one place and like you’ll never do the work you want to do. It happened to me. But you have to believe that at some point you’ll get to a stage where you will balance out that desire and it will all fall into place.”

Graphic Design is Mental by Ben Longden is available for pre-order via his funding page Indiegogo.

Words: Lisa Hassell
Illustration: Michael Driver

17.01.20

Flexible Working: Equality

Flex Appeal and the fight for equality in the workplace

Anna Whitehouse is a Sunday Times Bestselling Author, Heart Radio Presenter & Founder of Mother Pukka; a platform created to share the trials and tribulations of parenthood and beyond. In 2015 she launched Flex Appeal to campaign for workplace flexibility.

“I have been freelance, or semi-freelance, for most of my working life, but it’s only as a parent that I’ve realised how important some flexibility is, and how hard it is for two parents to work full-time in office jobs.” says Whitehouse. “It’s rare to find a daycare that opens beyond 8am to 6pm, yet flexible working hasn’t been fully adopted or embraced yet because I think there is a fear, there is a fear of the unknown.”

Raised in Amsterdam with a Dutch mother and an English father, Whitehouse has a different perspective to most when it comes to working families. “In Amsterdam family comes first,” she says. “It is accepted that people have families and the support is there. In the UK it’s about pretending you don’t have a job when you are at home and pretending you don’t have a family when you are at work - it’s a lot to keep up.”

As a parent juggling full time employment, the turning point for Whitehouse came in 2015 when a series of events led her to quit her job as a Senior Copywriter. “I was coming back from work. I’d left the office at 4.59pm to go and collect my daughter from nursery and somebody got their briefcase trapped in the tube door and it put me about 12 minutes late for nursery pick up. And I got there and I was sat on one of those tiny primary coloured chairs meant for an infant and told off, and in that moment I felt I couldn’t apologise anymore because I didn’t feel like it was my fault. I felt like the system wasn’t working, not that I wasn’t working.” Whitehouse put in a flexible working request the next day to her employer and it was rejected on the basis that they felt it might open the ‘floodgates’ to others seeking flexible working. “That was when I quit. I posted on Instagram to say ‘today I quit’, with the hashtag #FlexAppeal which garnered an overwhelming response.”

Whitehouse decided she wanted to challenge the system and launched Flex Appeal soon after. A campaign to push for flexible working for all in a bid to reduce stress related burnout and increase productivity, her Flex Appeal campaign has worked hard to raise awareness, and encourage employers to improve access to flexible working, whether part-time, remotely, job sharing or ‘irregular’ hours for parents and non-parents alike.

“I started Flex Appeal pretty much as soon as I quit my job. I had around 140 comments from my ‘I quit’ post, so it had gone outside of my organic network I realised I definitely wasn’t alone.”

Flex Appeal quickly gained momentum on social media, yet for Whitehouse it was a challenge to get her voice heard outside the online space. “I felt I was looked at as just this woman shouting on the street saying ‘do this, it’s a great thing, it’s good for business’. I had all the stats, I could back up everything I was saying but I wasn’t being listened to up to that point.” says Whitehouse.

Following the Gender Pay Gap reporting in 2018, finally things started to shift. In 2017, the Government introduced world-leading legislation that made it statutory for organisations with 250 or more employees to report annually on their gender pay gap. “The day that the reporting came out, I had an influx of emails from comms departments from the very companies that had kept their doors firmly closed to me.” continues Whitehouse. “It suddently felt like the world actually is changing, and I can help these companies to adapt so there’s nothing to fear, and that’s when things shifted.”

According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission flexible working is the ‘primary way’ to close the Gender Pay Gap. McKinsey estimated that flexible working will help boost the UK economy by £148 million by 2030. Regus commissioned a survey around commuter times, and found that flexible working can help reduce carbon dioxide by 7.8 million tonnes by 2030.

According to the NHS, there are fewer deaths on wards that work flexibly. “Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust trialled ward-led rostering and the biggest breakthrough was a problem for the matron turning into a solution. Her nurses would text to say, “I’ve switched my shift with X, just letting you know” instead of “can I switch my shift with X?” If found this such a simple win for an employer. In a world that is already under resourced, flexible working - specifically empowering your employees to work around each other’s personal needs - offered a cost-effective solution.”

One of her proudest moments came when she delivered evidence to the Welsh Assembly on a link between flexible working and the gender pay gap, and how maternity discrimination feeds into it. “It was a huge opportunity to pool together all of the voices and frustrations that I’d heard behind the scenes from those following the campaign, and be able to actually ‘put it somewhere’.” continues Whitehouse. “We were no longer just talking to an echo chamber, and the week after that, flexible working was pinpointed as the primary way to close the gender pay gap in Wales – a huge achievement.”

Whitehouse acknowledges the challenges that some employees face in their request for flexible working. “I think a lot of people give up when they’re given an initial ‘no’. My advice would be to really consider how you approach the situation. Think about what’s best for both you and the business and present your request in the most powerful way possible. If that doesn’t work - wield the gender pay gap reporting at your employers. There are very few companies who wouldn’t want to be seen as trying to help fix this. Flexible working must be open to all, with people being judged on their productivity rather than presenteeism.”

Flex Appeal teamed up with three other organisations to form the Flex For All campaign last year, calling on the UK government to demand flexible working, meaning that all job roles must be advertised as flexible from day one (currently just one in 10 jobs are advertised as such). Last July this bill was read in Parliament. “Flexible working is finally being seen as something for all people, not just parents, but people wanting to live, people with responsibilities beyond their control.” explains Whitehouse. “People who want to get off the 9-5 hamster wheel, those who need or want to work the odd day from home, those living with disabilities, those with medical conditions, those with caring responsibilities. Getting funding for Flex Appeal is a huge deal for us and follows months of relentless pitching and outreach. We finally have a backer – a multi-million pound company who believe as much as we do that change has to happen. It’s a long road but we are finally being heard.”

For more information about the Flex Appeal campaign, see @mother_pukka on Instagram.

Words: Lisa Hassell
Illustration: Michael Driver