I AM LAURA.

Throughout the development of my project, the part I’ve enjoyed the most is interacting with key figures within the industry. It was a somewhat daunting process to begin with, particularly because I initially received little feedback. I began by writing up a template for an email that I’d tailor to each individual. It was difficult to explain who I am and what my project is about, while keeping it succinct. It had to be to the point. Absolutely no fluff. Sound familiar advertisers? 

Throughout the networking process I have felt mixed emotions. Doubt, hope, letdown, and satisfaction to name a few. But as it turns out, I’ve been quite successful. 

Here are some of the points I’ve learnt, or noticed:

Persistence is key, but find the balance between seeming eager and desperate.

Wording is everything; call me OCD but when you’re emailing significant figures in the business, every word counts.

Twitter can be a good way to talk directly to the person - in 140 characters or less. 

You’ve got to be clear and direct with what you want. I made the mistake of writing in one email for “a moment of your time” to which they responded: “how many moments? :)” Let’s just say that contact was short lived.

The weekend was a whirlwind of activity. Time goes by so quickly in New York. 

Come Friday I was in need of a bit of time away from my project, so I left it laying dormant while I soaked up the city by weekend. We barhopped our way through both Friday and Saturday nights, experiencing firsthand the city that never sleeps. It's true. I've been surprised at the extent to which there is always something going on. When shops close, others open. New York street life is continuous. 

http://www.cumminsandpartners.com/ :

Where do good ideas come from? Not how, but where are they formed? What is the ideal situation for good ideas to stem? I've centred todays work on these questions. The deeper I delve, an environment that houses the ultimate advertising system becomes more transparent. 

Steve Johnson has been looking at what kinds of environments induce good ideas for a number of years. He's the ultimate inspiration for this aspect of my documentary. If only he lived in New York! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU

The process of how ideas develop is complex. It's not a formula that can be passed on for others to adopt. The path which leads us there can't be articulated. Johnson demonstrates that the unveiling a good idea occurs in a particular setting. He explores what kind of environments facilitate the creation of truly great ideas.

The project is really gaining momentum now. Yesterday we stopped by Made in NY Media Centre to familiarise ourselves with the space.

  This morning we have hit the ground running. After a brief catch up to connect with some of the staff here, we were shown the desks we will call our own for the next two weeks.

  The Media Centre is a new kind of co-working space designed to connect the next generation of artists, innovators and entrepreneurs through education, events and industry resources. It’s the place to be, for me.

  The space is quite sterile in design, but I think this is what makes it such a thought-provoking arena. Comprising limited clutter and no loud music, there are no distractions. The space is filled with like-minded people in the sense that we’re all here to complete a distinct project, and to challenge current systems in our areas of expertise.

  It’s conducive for the development of ‘The Workshop’.

I’ve arrived in New York, at a particular moment in time when people, events, things, are in a state of flux. Though there’s nothing incidental about this venture. I’m embarking on a project that is in fact very deliberate. The opportunity to come here was planted in my mind one and a half years ago, and since then the idea has manifested. I’ve come to New York with the precise intention of discovering what it is that’s emerging in the advertising industry. I'm looking at the ‘here and now’. 

Although the voyage is planned, the discovery remains concealed. It’s the reason I’m here. I began thinking about my subject on the 10th of April 2014. 22 days later, on the 2nd of May, I had collected my thoughts into a 12-page document.  From this point, I have been conscious not to overdevelop my thoughts, since this would prohibit the true discovery of ‘the new’ in the New York advertising space.