incessant ramblings

Honestly, I am horrible at doing a process for a lot of things. When doing just a logo, I find it easy. Make a word list...sketch out the ideas (no matter how horrible I am at sketching)...and take it to the computer. With animation (the little bit that I've done), I will sit there and sketch out some key frames, characters, etc. But with websites...that's a whole other story.

Sketches? Wireframes? Oh no! I'm one of those people that likes to get an idea in their head, sit down, and fiddle with the idea straight on the computer. Often times, things get scrapped. But then I have a backbone for a possible future project, or at least something to show people. I never delete my scrapped work for that reason.

I'm not saying process is bad. Oh, quite the contrary. I am sure if I could get used to it I'd have a grand old time sketching out my ideas. But as someone who has done almost ALL her artwork digitally, it's almost intimidating. I know the sketches are just for ideation...but there's something about me that when i sit down with a pencil and paper, I better have an eraser handy. There's also just something about working in full color instead of just sketches...




As for audience, it's difficult to think of your audience when you are creating the whole concept and everything. I know who my main audience is on my personal sites...If I were to have a client they'd generally have an audience in mind as well. But when you have to decide for yourself, that's where it gets tricky.

With the film festival website it's especially difficult. If your film festival is general, then your site should be for the general public too. Then you get the dilemma I'm having. Having a general audience opens up a full can of design possibilities. But then there's also the fact that you can't please everyone. I can't see a design being liked by everyone of all ages...so instead I had to think further in to it.

If this is a family friendly festival, who is most likely going to be looking at the site? Parents perhaps, who want to SEE that it's a kid-friendly event. So it should be friendly as well. Maybe there is a teen who wants their parents to take them to the festival because they are in to that type of thing...so the site should be enticing for that age group. Trendy perhaps. Maybe college students who take interest in film or even just the arts in general.

I think when it comes to older people (50-60+), they might not be going for the festival itself, but to see a specific movie. So maybe the website won't matter so much to them (not to mention many people this age still aren't using computers as their source of information...they may appreciate a pamphlet instead).

It's sometimes difficult to design for all ages and still make it fun to look at for everyone. You don't want to make something completely boring (as I've seen many actual festival sites are...low budget doesn't mean it has to be bland!).