Friday, June 15, 2007
In 2000, three Crew 4 students' Final Project named Project 40 brought 40 industry talents from the from all over the world together in Karlskrona. We caught up with Lisa Lindström, Maria Nohlström and Henrik Karlsson (all co-owners of Doberman) to find out more:
What was your goal with Project 40?
We wanted to explore the creative process in the new media industry and create a place for creative people from all over the world to meet. Was there something like the "perfect process"? This was seven years ago. The whole idea was actually like a huge live experiment.
How did you come up with the idea behind Project 40?
The three of us had decided that we wanted to do our final project at Hyper Island together. We were very ambitious and wanted the proof of concept part of the project to be something real, not just a prototype. So we brainstormed at Café Gitane (in New York) and ended up with three good ideas. Project 40 was the idea that we thought would be the most interesting. For both us and the industry at large.
What was the most difficult part of setting up the project?
Finding sponsors, co-ordinating all volunteers, delegates and speakers. And live up to our own expectations.
What was the most rewarding part of the project?
That people still remembers it. And that a lot of people who met at Project 40 still keep in contact. Some even work together!
What would you tell students to motivate them to do something similar?
You attend school for a few couple of years, make that time valuable. Create your own dream projects, no one else will do it for you. And if you would like to do something similar... prepare yourself for a lot of work!
We also wanted to find out more from some of the international guests of Project 40:
Mike Abbink, Currently freelance with experience from Method, Apple and Wolff Olins
Where were you working at the time?
Method
When you think back on Project 40, what do you remember most?
Very interested and focused students. Great group of lecturers. Great time at an early mid summer party.
Are you still in contact with people you met at Project 40?
Few. I am very close friends with Erik Engstöm. We also had 5 or 6 Hyper Island students work or intern at Method.
What did you think of Hyper Island after the visit?
Impressed with it. Loved Roger and David [Erixon, co founder of Hyper Island]. Came back for 2 other workshops (logo design).
What would you tell students to motivate them to do something similar?
Great way to bring people with ideas under one roof. Great dialog and a nice way to connect with peple in the industry all over the world.
Simon Waterfall, Poke
Where were you working at the time?
Deepend
When you think back on Project 40, what do you remember most?
Loads of fun, Tom Roope, Damien and myself jumping off the diving boards at 4 in the morning, the AIDS project almost causing a riot.
Are you still in contact with people you met at Project 40?
Yes loads.
What did you think of Hyper Island after the visit?
I still visit.
What would you tell students to motivate them to do something similar?
The people who organised it all have jobs.
Mat Mejia, Droppod
Where were you working at the time?
I was working for a huge interactive / online marketing agency called US Interactive that didn't make it through the dot com crash of 2001.
When you think back on Project 40, what do you remember most?
I have many fond memories of the trip mainly because it was my first time out of the US. The train ride from Stockholm across the beautiful green country into Karlskrona. The eerie feeling that we were all working out of a former prison in small rooms that were once prison cells. Eerie, but in a cool way. I felt like a fly on the wall in a place filled with extraordinary people from all over the world. It was definitely a culture shock.
Are you still in contact with people you met at Project 40?
I touch base now and then with a few people via email. While I was there a good friend of ours, Jens Karlsson, was going to school there. That was the first time I met him before I reeled him in to come work with us at DNA Studio. He looked like he was 12 then. hah
What did you think of Hyper Island after the visit?
I thought it was a really interesting place. I honestly think that its location and seclusion is a perfect place for young people to study. There isn't a lot of distractions around and I felt that the people there were really passionate about what they were doing.
What would you tell students to motivate them to do something similar?
Any event where students can be exposed to outside influences in the interest of learning new methodologies, processes, style and aesthetic, can only be a rewarding experience.
David Lai, Hello Design
Where were you working at the time?
I was working at Hello Design, which I co-founded in 1999 here in Los Angeles.
When you think back on Project 40, what do you remember most?
I remember after staying up most of the night seeing a few people take a dive into the lake next morning. To be honest, it was a fantastic experience. It was great meeting people from all over the world that had the same passion. We didn’t have any place to really go (it was a prison after all right?) which I think was good, so we all got to know each other quite well in those few days. I also enjoyed the pickled herring and the beer in the basement.
Are you still in contact with people you met at Project 40?
Yes, I'm still in touch with quite a few people.
What did you think of Hyper Island after the visit?
I was impressed. It really made me wonder why we don't have new media schools like this in the U.S. I have a lot of respect for Hyper Island grads and would love to go back one day to visit.
What would you tell students to motivate them to do something similar?
I've been to a lot of conferences and I must say that Project 40 was one of the best I've been to. It was small but not too small and I think it was smart that you had to apply and be selected to attend, anyone there could have been a speaker! It was also great that we got to work together in teams and not just sit and listen to a bunch of people talking. I think it was this aspect of real collaboration and getting our hands dirty that made it so worthwhile with the right mix of interesting topics to keep us all excited throughout. If there was another Project 40, I'd go in a heart beat.
Adobe article about Project 40 can be read here!
Thank you Lisa, Maria, Henrikk, David Lai, Mat Mejia, Simon Waterfall and Mike Abbink!