FREE video fly-throughs offer - July/August 2013

 * sensible restrictions:

1. This offer applies to all design / visuals work where billed time is agreed in advance for stills/image development
2. This offer is for confirmed work to be started in July & August 2013 only
3. This offer cannot be retrospectively applied after the project is completed (invoiced)

 
For further information please contact Mike Bell: call: +44 7970 646705 mail: mike@mikebell.eu
 freelance experiential designer - freelance event designer - freelance exhibition designer

"Go-Ogle" the new cloud-based design interace device app thing

So it has begun, the desk-bound designer has had his/her day, now, like almost everything else they have been usurped by the 'Cloud'. Even the design-by-committee days are over, it's now design-by-download, imagination summoned by Google Images.

Once upon a time ideas were generated from scratch, concepts and conclusions drawn from experience and excitement - generated by the design process. Now the web has been cast wide:

Client: we've had some great ideas on this project

Agency: super, so have we...

Client: yep our team have typed 'cool event design' into Google and found this.. (image pops up on Skype shared screen)

Agency: coooooool 

Client: obviously we can't copy it, but can you guys design it for us?

Agency: sure, we'll get the best designer to design that design for you.. it will be cool.

Client: and we want our own stamp on it too!

Agency: sure, we DO brand...

Client: have you got our brand guidelines?

Agency: we can download your logo from the web

Client: we need it designed for next week!

Agency: cool, no problem (agency forwards picture to designer, with note saying needed for tomorrow).

Of course it doesn't really work like that, but it could. It could if we accept devaluing our work by compromising creativity, by refusing to challenge, and end up rolling over because 'the client is always right'. 

Event design is about invention, not image-search and re-imaging. Design is at the heart of live communication - design asks for solutions as well as offering them. 

Next time your client offers a thought someone else has had try offering your own back. It feels cooooool.

Freelancing - You are what you are (worth)

Agency email, calling upon me to help last minute:
"Your costs do seem quite high versus some of the other visualisers that I have spoken to, so fingers crossed we won’t go over the £192.50"

My reply:
"I rarely go over the time I quote, however not knowing your working methods I have to allow some contingency, anything else would be naive and foolish.

I have many years of practical experience in creating, developing and designing a whole range of live projects - and my usual rate of £45/hour reflects this. I am charging you a higher rate because you have a short turnaround - as stated on my website - too many clients are pushing 24-hour turnarounds when it is not necessary, or they have failed to plan the production process.

I am big enough, bold enough and wise enough to work this way - with all my fingers uncrossed.

I am sure other people are cheaper - there is often a good reason, but it is not my concern and I don't really need being told that.

So on that basis I will leave it to you to find another, cheaper, and less tetchy designer who has no work and no clients."


For further information please contact Mike Bell: call: +44 7970 646705 mail: mike@mikebell.eu
 freelance experiential designer - freelance event designer - freelance exhibition designer

The Virtual Pear-handled Revolver

When you have had enough, and it seems that everything is going against you, its time for the Virtual Pearl-handled Revolver - smash the virtual glass, retrieve the virtual gun, and everything is virtually solved - just a single click away!

I provided this one for one of my customers, who was, yet again, bashing his real head against the real venue wall as another unreal 'Event Executive' was demanding-the-earth, without a clue, about what costs-the-earth. I told him it could be used on clients, or even on me (the far ends of his working life spectrum - both sometimes from another planet, but both very similar in holding their trajectories). On this point we reflected over emails..

A good client, I suggested, is like a good designer - they have experience, they can express themselves, and they are also willing to take direction. Clients always express their opinions loudly, but a good client listens too - much like a good designer does.

A good client thinks they know what they want, a good designer knows to think about what the client wants, ut the problem is sometimes matching up the outcomes.

I offered him this thought: To elevate a client to this status of 'good client' you may wish for a combination of factors - excellent communication, realistic budgets, a partnership, honesty, and a long-term relationship. To elevate your freelance designer to the status of 'good designer' you may want the same from him/her too.

And herein lies the rub - as an agency you need to match this pair up - with your own excellent communication, realistic budgets, honesty, and eye on the long-term relationship.

Once you have done that you can become a 'Great Agency' - and never again have to retrieve the Virtual Pearl-handled Revolver from the visualised case.

With the counselling over my customer was happier. He told me for all my time, effort, and support on this matter I will be getting a virtual cheque in the post.



For further information please contact Mike Bell: call: +44 7970 646705 mail: mike@mikebell.eu
freelance experiential designer - freelance event designer - freelance exhibition designer

Microsoft Windows 8 Slide & Fun!

Excellent fun experiential project which I designed for Helix 3D last year - installed into Bluewater Shopping Centre in the UK, in a very tight turnaround by the Helix 3D team.

For further information please contact Mike Bell: call: +44 7970 646705 mail: mike@mikebell.eu freelance experiential designer - freelance event designer - freelance exhibition designer

Mike Bell is a Freelance Event Designer, Experiential Designer and Exhibition Designer - creating 3D renders, 2D layouts/plans, and sketches, as well as standalone 'video fly-throughs', or interactive 3D walk-throughs on-screen.

Mike's many, many years of experience in creating live productions on site helps him to provide you with real solutions which will work beautifully in any environment.

Mike's core work is in designing (award-winning) live events - in the UK, USA, Far, and Middle, East - working with various agencies creating memorable Events, Exhibitions and Experiential solutions all over the world - from the World's Biggest Bed Jump to the World's Smallest Milkfloat!

Mike Bell's design clients / projects include, among many corporate customers:

• Mobile World Congress (MWC) Designs 2011/12/13
• London 2012 Olympics - River Stage, Ticketing Structure, Weightlifting Backdrops
• Multi-millionaire's New Year's Eve Party 2011
• Buckingham Palace / LOCOG - Jubilee 2012 Route Visuals
• Barclays Wealth - Conferences
• Farnborough Air Show - Hospitality Structures, Exhibitions Stands
• Google - Laptop vending machine designs
• Vatican - Exhibition Designs
• Conservative Party - Conference Designs
• Gatwick / Heathrow Airport / BAA - Retail Spaces
• RBS - Conferences, Events, Structures
• Vitol - Gas Refinery, Africa
• European Royal Family - Wedding 2011 

RATES: see here

For further information please contact Mike Bell: call: +44 7970 646705 mail: mike@mikebell.eu 
freelance experiential designer - freelance event designer - freelance exhibition designer

Can’t Work Without #4: Love

 " Lover, lover, lover, lover..come back to me.."  Leonard Cohen.

A Leonard Cohen quote, you may think,  is not the best way to reflect upon the life of a freelancer - the life of a 'Bird on a Wire' - but perhaps the every-shifting lessons in love, preached by Mr Cohen, may give many freelancers  a useful guide to working this freelance (love) life:-

1. "Hallelujah"  = Yes, yes, yes..... a new client, new work, it is just like falling in love!
2. "I'm Your Man" = You have chosen me above all others, for that I am yours, together, forever!
3. "Tonight Will Be Fine" = Ah, yes, this new rush of love is also a rush of deadlines, I'm coming!
4. "If It Be Your Will" = Okay, can do what we didn't agree to do, again, and make more changes that you don't really want to pay for..
5. "Here It Is" = Voila - impressed baby?
6. "Is This What You Wanted" = Oh, more changes..
7. "Never Any Good" = But you were happy... All I did was say what I was thinking!
8. "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye" = You never email me, you never call me, you never paid me...........
   

Freelancing is a relationship thing and so requires respect, trust, and honesty, it ages and changes, but if it is worth it (above money) you all work at it.

For further information please contact Mike Bell:

call: +44 7970 646705 mail: mike@mikebell.eu freelance experiential designer - freelance event designer - freelance exhibition designer

Anything, Anywhere..

As a freelance 3D designer I am so lucky - working in the experiential world means that I have a wide range of briefs drop before me (pun to be inserted here if you wish). Looking back on 2012 the range of projects, for which I designed, visualised and drew up the solution, was huge. Here is a quick summary of the 'anything, anywhere' solutions which I worked on last year (excluding conferences, AGMs and exhibitions):

• A 5m head, to be driven around Westminster, for a financial services company
• Laptop vending machine for software company
• Gas refinery in Africa and Cyprus
• MacDonalds helter-skelter
• Re-branding London cabs
• The entire Mall route in 3D for Buckingham Palace
• Millionaire's party in the Caribbean
• Parking meters for MINIs
• A demountable sailing ship on top of a building for a drinks firm
• Temporary / pop-up Coffee shops
• A slide for Microsoft - no not Powerpoint, a real slide at Bluewater
• Cinema within a major venue
• Phone charger unit - powered by a water wheel - for a castle
• Pants (yes)
• & a few other things on top of all of that..

So this year commences and my first wacky instruction comes in - when it is called 'The World's .....' you know you are going to be challenged.

Ever onwards, designing anything, anywhere!

For further information please contact Mike Bell: call: +44 7970 646705 mail: mike@mikebell.eu freelance experiential designer - freelance event designer - freelance exhibition designer

Happy Holidays !!

Well what a year!!!

Final project of 2012 was visualising a pair of men's underpants for a glue brand!! And I have just heard that a big pitch design I recently completed - for an exhibition and party/meeting/dining environment - was won by a new client, so less pants of an ending after all!

It has been the usual mix for me of experiential designs, exhibition development and visuals, and a huge range of event concepts - ranging in size from meeting of 20 guests up to tens of thousands for the Jubilee and Olympics.

Already a few projects lined up for 2013, so onwards!

Thank you to all my customers for supporting me with daft briefs, last minute requests, and extremely odd emails at odd hours - long may it continue.

For further information please contact Mike Bell: call: +44 7970 646705 mail: mike@mikebell.eu freelance experiential designer - freelance event designer - freelance exhibition designer

Twitter Ye Not? #Not

Twitter Ye Not (Recycle Bin)

My name is Mike Bell and I am a Twitterholic... #not.

I have given up with Twitter (and also Facebook, although I never really tried hard with that one). I have been twittering since the early days - adopting Tweetdeck, moving back/from the Twitter web interface, and then running it on my tablet and 'phone. It has, they have, all gone - binned. What have I given up? Well I could moan about many Twitter / social networking bad things (admit it, there are lots), and still cheer for twice as many good things about Twitter: I will keep it brief. 

With shutting down the incoming streams of others-consciousness (via social networking) - and the channel for my own outgoing self(ish) conciousness - I suddenly feel more at ease, less involved in so many things that do not involve me, switched off from the chatter. It is akin to diving under the surface of a noisy public pool. All the visceral responses are dulled - sight blurred softly, hearing reduced, and the splashing and shouting far away. 

My experiments with time tracking (see previous post) have opened my eyes to the amount of real time spent pontificating and being rather self-centred (okay, I will shut up soon) in less than 140 characters. So shutting off the social machinery seemed the simplest step.

Has it worked? I think so. My stress levels are way-down. I care more about the things that others don't care about at all - my life and family, my work and my creative partners. I now work harder at promoting my skills, creating contacts, calling people - by doing that and not expecting Twitter to do it for me. 

Am I happier? In less than 140 characters - #yes.

For further information please contact Mike Bell:
call: +44 7970 646705
mail: mike@mikebell.eu
freelance experiential designer - freelance event designer - freelance exhibition designer

Week 46 in the Big Bother House..

From a quiet week to full-on again, hmm, work-life-balance seems to be see-sawing a wee bit. In the past week I have worked on the following design projects:

• IT client venue concepts - pitch design work for London agency
• Retail structure interiors development - reinventing the normal
• PR stunt props - creating ideas in 3D for promotion
• Experiential telecomms event - Covent garden - working out brand and activity in 3D
• Experiential automotive event - developing how it can really work - for press and public
• Exhibition - redesign an installation for new purpose

So, lesson-learnt, stop moaning about quiet times (albeit 5 days) and relax!

For further information please contact Mike Bell: call: +44 7970 646705 mail: mike@mikebell.eu freelance experiential designer - freelance event designer - freelance exhibition designer

Back with a Bang!

The blasted tumble weed has blown away after 6 days! A new client and a new experiential brief after sending out my newsletter last week. Exhibition re-development under way as well for an existing client - turning something we built for a brand activity installation into an exhibition unit - could be a nice re-use of materials and design work.

Windows Experiential Nov 12

I have updated my experiential portfolio with some recent fully commissioned and concept work. The exhibition portfolio is also showing some more updates.

Ever onwards!