Film Scoring Program Site Redesign - $300

[arpeggio]

(Admin code added by Lang - 081570K)

Greetings!

This contest is to design a new template for the Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program (PNFSP) web site. You can see the current design and learn more about the program at http://www.pnwfilmmusic.com.

Here are more details for our contest:

Institution name: Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program

Prize amount: INCREASED TO $300.00

Institution profile: The Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program, with courses offered in Seattle, Washington, provides training to music composition students, composers and others interested in the art of modern film scoring. Founded in 1997 by a two time Emmy Award winning composer/arranger/conductor, the program teaches both theory and methods for writing dramatic music for motion pictures, television programs, and other video productions.

Domain name: www.pnwfilmmusic.com

What is the scope of this project? Redesign. When I did the first site design, the scope of the program was quite a bit smaller and more "local", and the design reflects that - later types of information are starting to look "cramped", and now the PNFSP has a cooperative program going with the Beijing Film Academy, more courses offered and instructors involved, and even more growth just around the next bend. It?s time to update our look to go along with that.

Who is the intended audience? Primarily music composers who wish to learn how to score films professionally; also music/film students, student/amateur musicians.

Mood or tone? Professional but not corporate; artistic but not avant garde; informational but not encyclopedic.

Color psychology? See "Givens" below.

Any dynamic elements? Our site includes contact forms, mailing list signups, Participant feedback "guest book", audio samples; soon we may add online course registration and ListServ.

What resources can you provide? Logo and some colors (See "Givens" below), pictures (samples already throughout site; we can provide more), fonts.

Websites you like: We'd love for our Seattle program's site to look at home among these other Seattle area arts sites: The film festival: http://www.seattlefilm.com; the symphony: http://www.seattlesymphony.org; and the art museum: http://www.seattleartmuseum.org.

?Givens?: Here are some givens the new design must take into account:

***Existing logo. The program already has this logo, which actually was created after the site was designed. I'll provide a source .psd or .png to the winner:

<img src='http://www.pnwfilmmusic.com/pnw500x375.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

This logo must be incorporated in your design - but we?re open to your ideas on how: small in a certain corner of every page? Generic top left banner space? As a light watermark behind the text? Other?....

***The font in the logo is Felix Titling. That should probably go into headings, etc. Can you dig it?

***Colors: The original site design incorporates a blue color hex #006699, but we need our blue now to match that in the logo: hex #00AAE8 (aka RGB 0,170,232; can't find the Pantone right now.). The design must also incorporate black and white, but we're not necessarily tied to any of the additional colors you'll see on our site. Surprise us.

***Our rollover 'run the credits' image buttons. We're too attached to our rollover button concept to let it go, though we don?t expect to be able to use the exact same design in the new site - we can update to a sharper-looking version. You don't have to create the new animated buttons themselves, but please design what the 'at rest' and static 'rollover effect' will look like.

***Both 'Home page' and 'Content page' designs. We have quite a few different types of pages, so your design should be flexible enough to handle them all. It'd be great if your Content page mockup could include a sample of several of our special element types (audio sample, course description, instructor bio, let's say). We're also thinking that the Home page needs to have a different layout/approach than Content pages - we've got quite a bit to link to from there, though we don't want it to look as 'busy' as the http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/ home page.

***Photo per page incorporated into the design. We like how http://www.seattlefilm.com has a different photo in the header of each page, and we'd like to do the same. Please account for that. Our photos will be of classroom sessions, studio recording sessions, audio lab work, and so on.

***CSS, please.

Deadline: CHANGED TO October 7th, 2003

If you have any questions before you get started, fire away - but be forewarned that there may be a day or so lag before we answer. We're pretty busy these days.

In any case, we're looking forward to seeing what you all come with!!!

Mark (the webmaster)

[Palmer]

Is it possible to attach to a post either a smaller version or a layered version of the logo?

[arpeggio]

Try >>this (http://www.pnwfilmmusic.com/pnfsp.zip)<<.

[arpeggio]

Hi, Folks,

My turn to wonder/ask if anyone will be entering this one. It's been a week since we posted the contest.

Thanks....

[Palmer]

I think everyone is going in order of when the next deadline is approaching. Hang in there. Sorry for the delay. :)

[Palmer]

I'm starting my entry. I'll have it for you soonish :)

[motiveX]

I just got back from LA and would love to work with this logo (I love it).

Not sure I will have the time, since I have some other projects looming as well as classes starting back up this week.

:sick:

[Palmer]

Here we go. Let me know what you think about it :)

<img src='http://www.yourwebbuddy.com/templates/film/1.png' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[arpeggio]

Thanks, Palmer! There are some things I definitely like about this design. I especially like the filtering applied to the top image (piano keys), but I'm not too sure about how we've got the logo going in this one. It feels kind of "tacked on" in its current location and size.

Also, any ideas for the rollover "run-the-credits" effect on major nav buttons?

I hope it's not too odd to wait for a couple more entries to show up before providing more feedback, though. I'd like to see a few different baseline concepts and then bounce ideas off them all at once.

In the meantime, much obliged! B)

Mark

[Palmer]

This is purely my opinion, please don't be offended by it. After looking at all the other beautiful Seattle sites you linked me to, the rollover effect on the buttons looked kind of amateurish and tacky. Of course I could put it in but it just didn't go with the "classy" look I was attempting.

I tried to keep a balance with the logo so that it worked with the large image on the top left. I agree, it doesn't quite flow with the design. I'll make some adjustments after you get a few more entries and you give some feedback.

Thanks for the nice comments :)

[crimsondesigner]

Here is my entry.

Erika

[Severner]

:)

[motiveX]

I am working on something for this.

[arpeggio]

Looking forward to your entries, Severner and xteriormotive. I'll wait for them before starting the Feedback Fest.

Cheers,

Mark

[motiveX]

Here is my intial idea for an opening page for the site...with more room opening up in interior pages for content. Not too much information to overwhelm at first glance, but enough to provoke the viewer into actually clicking a link...

:blink:

*must goto bed...man 4:30am came fast*

:unsure:

[Severner]

Nice entry xteriotmotive :)

heres mine so far:

<img src='http://www.elusionstudios.com/clients/pwfsp/layout.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[marengo]

I'll post my entry tomottow morning too :tup:

[marengo]

voilà my entry:

<img src='http://site.voila.fr/freddi007/screen.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Tell me, please, if you like something here.

Thanks,
Nat :)

Edit: rollover you can see on "Faculty and staff" ---> color + text in the bottom cell

[Severner]

Nice design you got there :)

[arpeggio]

OK, I think everyone who said they would be entering has. We'll start looking closer at all the entries and providing some feedback in the next couple days or so.

If anyone else is thinking of entering, you're certainly invited to do so. This isn't a cutoff of any sort.

Thanks for your entries!! B)

Mark

[pod]

My Entry , ;)

[BrianDove]

watchout!
Im coooooommmmmmmiiiiinnnnnnggggg!
:blink:
Brian

[BrianDove]

huh, the trelix font is $22 :S...
:help:
Any other possibilities ??? please
:rolleyes:
Brian

[Palmer]

The font is called Felix Titling and you should have it.

[BrianDove]

***Brian picks out of this pocket this:


B)

[arpeggio]

Thanks again for everyone's submissions. We're taking a look at your entries this weekend and will have some feedback early next week.

THIS IS NOW A $300.00 CONTEST, and the deadline has been moved to Oct. 7th (bec. we're kind of busy and slow in moving these days).

Mark

[Severner]

Ill work on another submition.

[marengo]

<!--QuoteBegin-Severner+Sep 28 2003, 12:59 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Severner @ Sep 28 2003, 12:59 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Ill work on another submition. [/b][/quote]
may be more reasonable to wait some feed-back? ;)

[BrianDove]

I think same :ph34r:
Brian
:D

[lang]

<img src='http://www.mynics.net/pacific/Pacific_v1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[arpeggio]

As promised, here’s our Feedback Fest – and I hope everyone noticed that this is now a $300.00 contest.

Generally speaking, most entries struck us as “too dark”, and the logo also seems to have tripped up several people. Let’s say that it’s OK if you just use a small version of the reel (without the text) in some corner of your design. We’re open to other possibilities as well.

We also noticed this curious phenomenon: the more elements from our home page that a design tried to incorporate, the less excited we were by it. Part of that could be from our having too much on our home page now, which I’ve already alluded to, but I think that some of you focused so much on all those elements that it stifled your creativity. In Round 2, try to focus more on the visual side of things.

Keep in mind too that we’re looking for designs for both a home “jumping off” point page and a general content page. For the home page, be more inspired by the home page at http://www.seattlesymphony.org/ than by the one at http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/.

Now onto some specifics:

Palmer:
The piano keys in the header and the effect applied to it are definitely good, though the header area itself seems a bit tall, and the text itself (“Training in the Art of Film Scoring” needs to be a bit more legible. It kind of gets lost over the white keys…though of course it would tend to get lost over the black keys if you darken it. Maybe some other color will look good over both? Also, I’ve already noted that the logo seems tacked on where and how it’s placed - though it’s by no means tacky and amateurish ;) .

The left nav column design is also great…but also too wide for our tastes. I’d like to see that trimmed down. In an update, I’d also like to see what you picture on mouseover for both sets of nav buttons.

Overall, I kind of feel the design leans a bit too “conservative”, and the main content area seems like it’s waiting for something to happen…maybe in Round 2? In any case, I’d definitely like to see an updated version of your design. Some nice things going on there….

crimsondesigner:
The way you have the treble clef superimposed over the entire page design is awesome. Seriously.

After that, though, it’s like someone turned out the lights. The design is way too dark, and I’m especially sure we won’t want dark text on a dark background for the main text areas. We should also stick with Felix Titling for the program name. One hates to say “Back to the drawing board,” but…do you have any other ideas for the design?

xteriormotive:
This seems like the best “match” so far for the designs on the sample sites I listed, and the basic design is a keeper, though things feel a bit too dark here as well. Could you try lightening the palette in an updated design?

Also, the logo seems a bit too “ghostly” superimposed where it is, and its text is also borderline “hard to read”. The image you’re using in the header area – love it – is too strong itself to be covered over by the logo. Maybe you could find a corner of the page design in which to place a smaller size version of the logo?
It also seems that the area on the left where you have the Beijing program info now would work well as a “What’s New” list of some sort.

Lastly, I think this is a great “default” page design, but am wondering what you picture for pages where we have more content, such as the Gallery page, Faculty and Staff page, and so on. Overall, definitely on a good track here. Looking forward to some fine-tuning.

Severner and pod:
Sorry, but these designs just didn’t do anything for us. They’re also leaning on the dark side, like other entries, and we’re just not crazy about orange and other colors in those palettes alongside the blue in the program logo. Any other ideas?

marengo and koolbrian:
On the other hand, a bit too heavy on the blues! - and also leaning on the dark side of things. Again, don’t feel you have to accommodate all the content you see on our home page right now. Focus more on the visuals for now.

lang:
I think the mass of content affected your design as well, but if I crop off the top part of your design (everything in the top white row except the “Home … Faculty & Staff” menu), it starts to look a lot better. Also, take our three icons away from the table linking to our enrollment, Courses, and Exchange program, make that column narrower, and things are better still. Try those changes, use our Felix Titling font instead for major titles, and see what else you can think of to throw some pizzazz into it.

-=***=-

Looking forward to everyone's Round 2 submissions…and fire away if you have any questions!

Thanks, everyone.

Mark

[Luc]

Hi! Count me in! I'll post my entry soon!

[Huhhso]

Hello Here is my entry to your contest
Thanks!

:D

[arpeggio]

Hi, Huhhso,

There are some great things to talk about in this design.

First, the handling of the logo and the musical staff nav bar are terrific. Well done! (By the way, would we be able to specify certain notes to appear on mouseover over each nav button? Tempting….)

Where you have the box on the right side of the page – and this applies to any and all designs – we don’t want to put so much text on the front page anymore, so please narrow the column, drop the icons, and shorten the text in examples, like this (just borrowing your colors and design for a conceptual example):

<img src='http://www.pnwfilmmusic.com/do_sidebarEG.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

We might have 5 to 7 blurbs there at any one time.

It’s good to see a brighter looking design, though the particular colors and “ray” effect they’re doing in the header remind me of imagery from the Hanna Barbera cartoons of the 70s (H.R. Puffinstuff – ring a bell for anyone)?. See if you can find another approach to that and we’ll take another look.

Thanks!

Mark

[Luc]

Here's my entry <img src='http://www.ei-corp.net/mockups/film.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /> Can I get some feedback :)

[arpeggio]

Hi, exoillusion,

Outstanding entry!

The only major area of change I'd like to see is in the header - I really don't care for the header design, and it's way too tall. Could you try another approach altogether for the header?

Other than that, though, the only changes I would want to see in your design were in the arrangement of items of the page. I hope you don't mind, but I just went ahead to move those around in a copy of your entry - it seemed easier than trying to describe them. I'll add it down below. I think you can see what the differences are by comparing the two.

(OK, one more thing: the links in the footer are a bit hard to read as is.)

So, try this arrangement of items, take another stab at the header and make the footer links more legible. Looking forward to your revision!

Thanks,

Mark

<img src='http://www.pnwfilmmusic.com/do_exoillusion2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[Luc]

Thanks for the comment. I'll make the changes as soon as possible. I'm glad you like it :clap:

[Luc]

<img src='http://www.ei-corp.net/mockups/film2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[arpeggio]

Hi All,

Tomorrow is the deadline for this contest, and we're just wondering if we should be on the lookout for any new or revised designs...not a lot of "Round 2" action, it turned out - was it something we said? :(

Thanks,

Mark

[Huhhso]

I'm still finishing up the revision, I still plan to post a 2nd revised template
Thanks!

[arpeggio]

Thanks, Huhhso, we'll keep an eye out for it!

Cheers,

Mark

[Palmer]

I will be happy to make any revisions in the unlikely event I am chosen as the winner but I am too busy to make any revisions at this time.

I also have heard from Sean (xteriormotive) and he is in the same situation. I can't speak for him but he mentioned just today he most likely would not be able to revise his entry due to several ongoing projects and exams. I'm sure he can make revisions if chosen as the winner as well.

[Luc]

Me too. I'm making another header design. It was late last night so..

[motiveX]

<!--QuoteBegin-Palmer+Oct 6 2003, 09:42 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Palmer @ Oct 6 2003, 09:42 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I will be happy to make any revisions in the unlikely event I am chosen as the winner but I am too busy to make any revisions at this time.

I also have heard from Sean (xteriormotive) and he is in the same situation. I can't speak for him but he mentioned just today he most likely would not be able to revise his entry due to several ongoing projects and exams. I'm sure he can make revisions if chosen as the winner as well. [/b][/quote]
Ya, you can speak for me.

I sent Mark a PM informing him that I just don't have the time to make the changes, but if they decided to go with my design I would be happy to work with them to get the template to them in the format which makes them the happiest.

Nothing like taking a break to watch the Red Sox and having to pull an all nighter now.

:blink: :( :help:

[Luc]

Here's my final entry. However I can still make revisions if ever I win :)
<img src='http://www.ei-corp.net/mockups/film3.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[Palmer]

<!--QuoteBegin-xteriormotive+Oct 7 2003, 01:51 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (xteriormotive @ Oct 7 2003, 01:51 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I sent Mark a PM informing him that I just don't have the time to make the changes [/b][/quote]
I realize that you were simply replying to his pm to you which is ok. Just to get things out in the open and not give any of the designers ideas that private converstations are ok now. :)

[arpeggio]

Does that happen very often, that a design is chosen before it's "just right" and then gets a good deal more tweaking after the fact?

[Palmer]

A "good deal of tweaking" sounds like a lot of changes to me. They will make revisions to the template after the contest (while it's still a graphic) before converting it to html. If something needs changed after it's converted to html that may pose a problem.

[arpeggio]

I did mean while still a graphic, so sounds like I'm on the right page with that.

Thanks,

Mark

[arpeggio]

exoillusion:

I missed your latest revision,- sorry about that.

That approach to the header is definitely a step in the right direction. The exact images aren't necessarily what we want, but that's no big deal. We could change those later. Good job on the filtering. You can let that entry stand.

Everyone:

If you have revisions to submit, please do so by - kind of arbitrary - midnight tonight Pacific Time (or let us know if you're cranking to get something done by tomorrow A.M.). We'll look at all entries again tomorrow and have a decision soon after that.

Thanks,

Mark

[Luc]

Great! Looking forward to your decision :) Goodluck everyone!

[Huhhso]

Hi Here is my revision
The notes can be whatever you'd like btw
Thanks!

[zstepek]

Here's my entry... sorry so late!

<img src='http://www.irqzero.net/pnfsp_comp2.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[arpeggio]

And the Oscar goes to...

exoillusion! B)

We liked more than one of the entries, but in the end, the colors that exoillusion's design pulled out of the logo to use in the rest of the design seemed to give a new life to the logo - something we hadn't come up with - which is why we're here. ;-)

Thanks to everyone for your entries, and I'll be in touch with you by PM, exoillusion, to take it from here.

Regards,

Mark

[Luc]

Great! Thank you very much Mark! :clap:

[marengo]

Congratulation, Ex ! :tup:

[Luc]

Yeah thanks! That was a tough competition ;) Phew!