Category Archives: video

Typography, cold?

Posted on by Sarah Cooley
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So I’ve been asking people what they think of my new theme, and most people like it. However I did get one comment on twitter that threw me for a bit.

@danlavelle said:

@sarahcooley love the format, very simple and easy to read. What don’t I like? The fonts. Too industrial and not enough personality conveyed

I mentioned in my last post that both themes (old and new) have had the same font. Helvetica.

It’s the type of font that does display anything, no personality, no emotion, and yet…it says everything. It’s clean, simple, timeless.

I never really noticed Helvetica has a font until I saw the documentary film, Helvetica.

From the website:

Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which celebrated its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type.

The film showed me how much this simple little font had already affected my life. It’s everywhere!

So I stand by my choice of font, and I think it says a lot about me!

:)

If you are on iTunes to check out Helvetica, you should also check out the other documentary by Gary Hustwit, Objectified. They are both really interesting.

Also from the website:

Objectified is a feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them. It’s a look at the creativity at work behind everything from toothbrushes to tech gadgets. It’s about the designers who re-examine, re-evaluate and re-invent our manufactured environment on a daily basis. It’s about personal expression, identity, consumerism, and sustainability.

I am a geek: user generated edition

Posted on by Sarah Cooley
32

So I know that there are more people who would love to proclaim on video that they are geeks.

I need to get a copy of the I AM A GEEK script (or someone can transcribe it and send me the text)

Then record your video and place the file (MPEG 4 please) in the drop at drop.io/iamageek (the password should be iamageek)

UPDATE:

I got a copy of the official script. It seems like we might want to add our own lines so here is what I am proposing. If you want to read the original script (or just parts of it) please do so, and if you want to come up with your own original lines to put in then that’s great. We will have to just work it all out in the editing.

I got the script from Lon Harris who co-wrote it with Shira Lazar. Also the official twitter account for I am a Geek tweeted this yesterday:

Which brought a ton of interest to what we are trying to do. They are excited to see the finished product.

So here is the script:

Hey.

My name is _______ and I am a geek!

I’m not a nerd or a spaz…

and I don’t hang out all day in my parent’s basement…

and drink Mountain Dew and energy drinks…

and I don’t play Dungeons and Dragons or Magic the Gathering,

although I’m sure they’re really really fun.

Don’t judge me based on my lifecast

I have a Tumblr blog,

not a MySpace account.

I speak Python and CSS, not Klingon,

Java Script is not a play about coffee

I can proudly help you leverage your personal brand.

I believe in communicating, not Super-Poking…

I have followers not friends

And by the way tweet is a verb, twitter is a noun

Just owning a Nintendo Wii does not make you a “gamer”

Just because I’m constantly connected to my iphone doesn’t mean I’m not listening.

And yes, there is an app for that.

You write a blog post, not “a blog”

And it is pronounced “meem,” not “mimi”

This is already way over 140 characters

The Internet will not steal your identity

The World Wide Web connects 1 trillion web pages, 2 billion Flickr photos, 150 million blogs, 36 million Facebook profiles and 5 million Twitter accounts

And I just got all that data on Wikipedia, but you don’t have to take my word for it.

end script

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments or email me

I AM A GEEK

Posted on by Sarah Cooley
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Just thought I would share this video with you all. It was put together by a group of people calling themselves THE SOCIETY FOR GEEK ADVANCEMENT

THE SOCIETY FOR GEEK ADVANCEMENT was founded upon the principles that we should all embrace our inner and outer geek and have fun while doing it. As individuals who love learning, innovating and believe in possibility as well as change, the second step of responsibility is to “be the geek that keeps on giving”. As a member of SGA, we work together as a global community to provide the tools and help others realize their true potential too!

“I AM A GEEK!” is a collaborative video project bringing together some of the biggest creators, personalities and web celebs taking on the online world.

“I AM A GEEK”, like all geeky side projects, started out as a tongue and cheek video we spent way too much time on and were going to simply throw out to the wild wild interwebs. But as more people came on board, the question of using “social media for social good” seemed to become more relevant. With Twitter and other social networking sites like Facebook blowing up by the second, it’s not only possible to get noticed and create “social capital”, but to use that for a greater good. Individuals now have the opportunity to be heard and bring awareness and attention to causes like they never had before.

After watching, “I AM A GEEK!”, we hope you are entertained, laugh a little or a lot.

We also encourage everyone to “be the geek that keeps on giving”. We’ve connected with a Room to Read, a great charity started by former Microsoft exec, John Wood, which builds libraries and schools for children in developing countries. You can give in many ways- by RT, blogging and passing on this Geek Advancement message to others, buying an “I AM A GEEK” t-shirt with proceeds going to Room to Read and/or by donating what you can now.

And if you would like to be a part of a user generated edition of this video there are instructions here

update on my life

Posted on by Sarah Cooley
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The Thunder Cruise was a lot of fun, and I will have more on those contest details soon.

LaidOffCampNYC is today (registration is closed, sorry)

BarCampNYC4 is Saturday, May 30, 2009 - Sunday, May 31, 2009 (It’s free so please come!)

Internet Week in NYC is June 1st- June 8th 2009 (when it gets closer I will post my full event schedule for that week)

140 Characters Conference (I’m a part of the ‘cast of 140 characters’) is June 16th – June 17th 2009

Check out the new What’s it all About episodes from SXSW