Conference Day, Take Two

The next two days of the conference are packed with motivational glimpses into the future trajectory of design. Many big names from big companies are scheduled to speak and share their expertise on our creative world. Moved and inspired, I'm taking pictures of this whole experience and uploading them to my flickr page under the set called Gain Conference 2010. So check them out!!

At last ...

The AIGA "GAIN" conference has begun! Took the subway into Midtown at 9 am to register for it. Six months of waiting are over! I follow the event signs down the hotel stairs to a large desk where a water table is set up and an associate in a yellow fleece zip-up and jeans asks my name. He hands me a badge on a lanyard and a tote bag full of goodies! Then explains the contents of my bounty and what to take with me to the studio tour later in the evening. "So after registration, where do I go next?" I ask. I'm told that that's it for today, just open registration. I nod to show understanding, but the inside of my head is stunned. "Isn't there something going on from 10am–3pm?" Clearly I had not been awake when I read the conference itinerary emails. 10am to 1pm is open registration time and 1pm to 3pm is reserved for the Pre-Conference Workshops (which I had read about, decided to think about, then forgotten about until this very morning). Ok, so that means free time until the studio tour. Hmmmmmm ... whaaaaaat toooooo dooooo ... ?

So after shopping I decided to head back to the hostel to rest before heading to the event that I actually did reserve a spot for: the studio tour of 2x4.

I get to the studio a half hour early. A tall man with a kind voice invites me to sit in an empty conference room with glass walls. When the other guests arrive, I learn that this man is founding partner, Michael Rock. He shows us a short presentation of past and current projects, then opens the floor to our many questions. Before we know it our hour is up. Hadn't really gotten to the actual tour part, so Michael encourages us to walk around on our own, observe, and converse if people weren't too busy. But everybody at the studio seemed pretty busy, so with permission i shot a couple of pics of the rain from their office windows. I posted my favorite below. I circled the studio a few times, asked for Michael's business card and headed out into the rain.



On the train I noticed how people tend not to follow instructions :)


And here's the content of my goody bag from earlier today. A sweet tote and official badge, magazines, passes, and perfect-bound booklets of the event attendees and itinerary.


But this little thing I liked best of all. It's an old poster that's been folded and glued into a package.


Inside are accordian-style fold outs and perforated cardstocks encouraging sustainability.



These are four sheets of sustainability vocabulary cards! Just cut along the dotted edges and begin use.



Continuing with the interactive theme, these sheets (from left to right) pop out and fold into a vocabulary card storage box and a bird-in-flight animation game.


Last but not least is a call to action for designers to consider the large impact of small actions. For example, printing less can reduce other things.

And in local weather ...

The tour started at 11am. I arrive at 10:56. I made good time despite oversleeping and missing the 10:09 train. Also, I was supposed to meet up with Dominic before i left for the tour, a fellow lodger I met at the hostel, but I ditched him in favor of making it downtown on time. As I headed to the second floor observation deck, out of breath and slinging my camera bag, I spotted Dominic already standing in line!

So the tour starts with a short film on NBC studio history and an announcement that there will be no photography for the next hour. $@&%! After an elevator ride we exit onto a floor where the ceiling is lined with cable wires. We follow the Pages through various studios and learn how things run behind the scenes. We spend a considerable amount of time in the studio for the NBC nightly news. Brian Williams was not there of course, but in the event of breaking news he could be there and ready in under 50 seconds.

Our tour ends with a the pages asking for two volunteers. Awkward silence, then Dominic raises my hand and his own. "We'll do it!" OMG, what are we about to do?? We all walk into a studio equipped with a camera, a desk, a green screen and rows of seats. As the audience takes their seats, Dominic and I divvy up responsibilities. I volunteer to do weather because it looked easier. Wrong. I stand in front of the green screen as the Page points out my tele-prompter and second screen. Problem is that everything I see on the second screen is backwards to what viewers see at home, so I have to keep that in mind too. Got it. Dominic does pretty well with his monologue! And then I hear my queue. A cold read on tape with no rehearsal bodes but my sense of direction's all screwed up! Aaaaand they got it on tape. Yup. And thirty bucks later, I own a copy for my very own amusement.

sweet deal

Visited 30 Rockefeller Plaza to go on an NBC studios' Walking Tour. Their website highly recommended reserving a spot ahead of time, which I did not do. You see, I picked up a coupon from the hostel for two dollars off of admission. I was to show it at time of payment to receive the discount. Buuuuut flashing the coupon plus paying online equals dilemma! "But India, why not just pay online and get refunded two dollars at the tour site?" Didn't want to chance it, so I decided to try my luck of just showing up and paying in person.

I hear "NBC" and think "*gasp!!* 30ROCK!" So I was über excited to see the location of one of my favorite shows in person.

And see? It's the ice rink in the Rockefeller Plaza ... just like on the show! :D

"Doo doo, do-do-do-do doo doo, do-do-do-do-do, DO! do!"

Going upstairs to buy tour tickets!

CRAP! So while I'm graciously reserving my spot for Wednesday's tour, I slide my coupon across the counter. The cashier chuckles and knocks two dollars off my ticket price. I smile, stuff my tour ticket into my wallet, then pout as I head back downstairs.

But hold it! The day is not all lost. As I'm leaving an intern hands me an invitation to view the 3pm monologue rehearsal for Jimmy Fallon's late night show. Sweet!

Viewing the rehearsal was great! We the audience just had to laugh at the lines we found funny. That show has some witty writers (we got to meet a few of them while waiting to enter the studio). Very talented folks.

This is the monologue that we got to view as the test audience!

***

Just wanted to share this: the NBC gift shop is thorough! Their logo appeared in so many creative places, including worked into the pattern on the ceiling! Here's the logo as part of the stair banister.

What a girl wants, what a girl needs is a pair of flip flops

I'm on my way back to the hostel after hours of wandering around the Upper West side, when I realize that I forgot to pack shower shoes. I turn on my heels and head to the corner drugstore, we'll call it VCS. After searching the isles, I ask the guy at the counter if they sold flip flops here. He looks at me sideways and shakes his head a slow-mo "no". I ask where I could find some and he suggests I head to Broadway where the clothing stores are. Then I look at him sideways and say I'm looking for shower shoes, but okay. On Broadway I find VCS's competitor stores, MiteAid and DrainReade, both also coming up short. I exit to the street and begin to consider showering in socks when I spot a Payless! If THEY don't have what I'm looking for then ...

I'm walking down the isles and realize that all they have are fall/winter shoes. How hard is it to find some flip flops up in here? It is at this point that I start to realize just how Californian I really am. Where I grew up, flip flops are sold rain or shine. Shoe stores, drugstores, no wait, supermarkets will have them on one clearance isle or another ... even in October. But this was like ordering a custom burger at the drive through; the result is falling waaaaay short of the expectation. So as a last resort I ask the sales associate what is the closest flip flop-esque shoe that she has in the store. "Here," she said, surfacing a lone pair of white and glitter gray Women's C9 sandals by Champion.

That'll work.

Fifteen dollars later I'm a happy camper, speed racing it back to the hostel before the sun goes down. All clean and ready for bed, I told the roommates my shoe story, and they informed me that I could've gotten shower shoes at the hostel. Womp womp.

Touchdown 6:45am

Landed sleepy and bleary-eyed in New York this morning at a quarter to seven after an all-night flight. The sunrise was beautiful. The assault of the sudden cabin lights on my senses was not. After the pilot announced our arrival at JFK, I gathered my carry-ons and proceeded the mass exodus to baggage claim. On the way I managed to snap a quick pic (above) through the terminal window.

The hostel where I'm staying is much nicer than I thought it would be (which I am sure my Mom would be relieved to know). Its filled with international travelers, many of whom speak French. (FRENCH! Dare I test my abilities with these experts?? But if I'm left looking stupid, at least I tried, right?) The hostel has a mini cafe, a game room, an internet room (where I'm currently seated) and a reading room on the lobby floor. AND this place is only a 15min train ride from the design conference site ... sweet.

Ok, I'm off exploring now.