Friday, October 23, 2009
Apply to the Hyper Island Recruitment Tour at Hyper Island's Recruitment Tour is kicking off on November 7th, making stops in Amsterdam and Oslo.
Cas Lemmens, Interactive Art Director student who will be at the Recruitment Tour day in Amsterdam, answered some questions that those who are considering applying for the tour might ask themselves.
What's it like being a Hyper Island student?
Being a Hyper Island student is one of the best experiences in my life. In the three months I've been here, I learned so much about myself, how I work, how I act in groups and most of all how I can improve myself. Everyone at Hyper is really open, and can't wait to help you with problems you have. Each and every one of the student has a personal field of interest, which brings a great learning experience when you ask them for help.
And beside that you have the parties, gaming contests, daily laughs and unique experiences you'll cherish for the rest of you life.
Why should I go to the Recruitment Tour?
Because the day is just full of new experiences. First of all, you get the chance to meet really interesting people who have the same interests as you but with a different view on it. There's a lot of time to mingle with them, so by the end of the day, you go home with a bunch of new friends.
And secondly, you get a taste of how Hyper Island works, and how it is to study there. It's a small appetizer that gives you a sense of the main dish.
Is the interview scary?
It was one of the most difficult interviews I ever did actually. I didn't know what to expect, and the permanent pokerfaces didn't make it easier. But when you step out of the interview, you realize there is nothing to expect, nor to prepare. You just have to go in and be yourself.
What did you learn at your Recruitment Tour day?
The best thing about the Recruitment Tour were the other attendees. I met people from all around the world, and by the end of the day I knew a lot more about different cultures and countries. It was nice to meet those people, and you got a feeling how it would be to work in group with different cultures.
What have you learned from working with students from different countries?
It's very rewarding. You handle problems a lot more efficient since you see it from many different perspectives. And the creative process becomes a lot richer. You get inspired by stories, pictures, experiences that your friends will share. It's probably the most attractive thing of Hyper Island, in my opinion.
I'm really interested in Hyper Island, but I'm unsure if I have enough computer/software knowledge. What's your advice?
Hyper Island does not expect any great computer/software knowledge at all. They focus on group dynamics, and being a good leader. You work on several projects, every time with a different group. And the more diverse the group is, the more exciting the project will be. People who have a good computer knowledge are handy, but certainly not the only thing that is necessary. We need copywriters, actors, clothing designers, music specialists, sport fans, happy cookers, ... you name it! Any field of interest will come in handy what so ever. Be proud of what you know, it will be handled with all the respect it needs!
Top three reasons I should go to Recruitment Tour in Amsterdam?
1. You'll meet very interesting and awesome people.
2. You'll get a small taste of what Hyper Island has to offer you.
3. You'll just have a great day and a unique experience.
Thank you, Cas!
Apply to the Hyper Island Recruitment Tour at:
http://tour.hyperisland.se/
Friday, October 9, 2009
For the third year in a row Hyper Island will go on a unique World Recruitment Tour during the end of 2009 and early 2010.
Apply here:
http://tour.hyperisland.se
Together with current Hyper Island students, parts of our staff will tour the world visiting the cities cited below. In doing so we're hoping to meet up with creative people who are interested in becoming Hyper Island Diploma Program students in the fall of 2010.
November
Amsterdam: 7
Oslo: 7
Sao Paolo: 14
Barcelona: 14
New York: 21
London: 28
December
Stockholm: 5
January
Stockholm: 16
London: 23
Amsterdam: 30
February
Barcelona: 8
Oslo: 13
New York: 20
Stockholm: 27
March
Berlin: 6
Stockholm: 20
April
Stockholm: 17
To visit the Recruitment Tour in a city near you, apply now!
http://tour.hyperisland.se
Applying to the Recruitment Tour is your one and only chance to get accepted to the Diploma Programs at Hyper Island; considered to be one of the best digital media schools in the world! We have exactly 100 seats for the 2010 Diploma Programs, which means there will be competition.
A recruitment day takes approximately 10 hours and consists of:
· A personal interview.
· Meetings Hyper Island students and staff.
· An individual creative task.
· A team assignment.
You can apply to the following Hyper Island Diploma Programs:
· Interactive Art Director, Stockholm (1 year)
· Digital Media, Stockholm (2 years)
· Digital Media, Karlskrona (2 years)
In conclusion, Hyper Island is all about:
· Active participation and learning by experiencing, doing and reflecting.
· Trial and error. Mistakes are often the strongest learning experience.
· Working and progressing as an individual, and as part of a team.
· Using interactive media as a tool for implementing change and improvement.
· Guidance in self-perception and the power of group dynamics.
· Real clients, real needs - real learning.
For more detailed information, regarding Hyper Island, the Recruitment Tour and how to apply, please visit:
http://tour.hyperisland.se
"This is miles away from boring interviews, or competitive sessions where you have to beat others. The recruitment day was a small slice of what Hyper Island really is; an unexpected and pleasant surprise, every day"
--Xavier Feliu, Spain, Digital Media student at Hyper Island
Friday, March 20, 2009
Myke Gerstein, Executive Interactive Producer at Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, held a lecture at Hyper Island Stockholm last week. We wanted to find out more.
What was your lecture at Hyper Island about?
I talked about the production process as it lives in an agency. Some of the differences that exist between digital and traditional agencies and also a bit about the way things work at a development shop.
What new ideas/points of view do you hope the Digital Media students brought with them from the lecture?
I think that the explanation of the basic agency structure was new. It certainly was to me before I got involved in it. I hope that getting into these specifics will help the students both decide if the agency way interests them and also gives them a leg up once they’re there.
What do you think the future holds for digital marketing?
I think there is great potential for digital marketing to not just innovate within its own field, but within the web as a whole. I think we’ll start to see ideas come out of marketers that don’t just use existing technology but trail blaze their own. Public APIs and open source I think is changing interactive the same way that cheap cameras and editing software changed film production. You don’t need a lot of money to make something that a lot of people will see. It puts even greater importance on the creative idea.
What do you think will happen to traditional ad agencies?
I think they’re going in a few directions. Some are trying to build out their interactive capabilities. Compete for their clients’ interactive business. I think a lot of them have a strong shot at doing that but of course it takes time and isn’t always successful. Some will keep doing what they do best and there will always be a need for it. Film production isn’t going anywhere. People are watching less of it on a tv but they are still watching. Same with print to a lesser extent. The publishing industry is getting smaller and the production of print materials doesn’t have the same type of analog as video on the web or another broadcast source.
How does Wieden+Kennedy stay up-to-date with what's happening in the digital world?
We have a lot of people here that are really interested in what’s happening both on an interactive marketing front and in the web as a whole. There is a lot of knowledge that people share with everyone else. I scan all the tech news several times a day and pass on things I think are relevant.
Are there any people / innovators / technologies / other sources of inspirations that have had strong impacts on the way you work?
Probably too many to mention. Every place I’ve worked has been filled with truly inspired and inspiring people. The people at CP+B, W+K, Campfire, Chelsea Pictures. All of them. The sophistication and capabilities of flash are of course influential both because of its predominance in the field and the many things it can do. Every RIA impacts our work. Also great jazz. I listen to Oscar Peterson on repeat.
Any final words of advice to Hyper Island's students?
Find a place whose work you think is great and that you want to contribute to. Do it with great gusto and fortitude. If it doesn’t make you happy find something else.
Thank you, Myke!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Digital Media 2010 Karlskrona students are currently focusing on the specialization of their choice; design, management or technology. Mathias Olofsson has chosen management as his specialization, and is currently in Amsterdam with six of his classmates on a shadowing assignment. Mathias tells us more about the assignment and how he found Hyper Island:
My Hyper Island story started in Australia actually, I was doing a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design at the University of the Sunshine Coast. During my second semester I had a German design teacher who asked me if I had heard about Hyper Island before going to Australia. So in a way I had to go across the world to find out about the school that is 2 hours away from my hometown! So I applied from Australia and went home for the recruitment days and a couple of weeks later I got the e-mail that said I had been accepted, happy days!
I am doing the Project Management specialization at Hyper Island and I am currently at Sid Lee in Amsterdam doing a work shadowing assignment, which means I am following a Project Manager around here to see how they work both internally at the agency and externally with clients and other agencies. After being here for a couple of days I have totally fallen in love with the atmosphere and the people here. The little Sid Lee collective shop right next door is awesome and the blackboard wall café is just a great idea. Every couple of weeks they get a local artist to come in and draw a piece of art all over the cafeteria walls which are made of a blackboard surface, so here artists create masterpieces with a piece of chalk. Guests can make their own little art pieces in the bathrooms. So after being here I am tempted to apply for my internship here, Amsterdam is a beautiful city and the atmosphere is just amazing.
What Hyper Island has given me the most is the ability to see challenges instead of obstacles, meaning that I critically and analytically try and solve problems instead of regarding them as obstacles to hard to get around. Instead I view them as a challenge I will learn something from. Of course learning how to give and accept feedback has been a huge part of the learning experience as well.
When I am done at Hyper I would like to work being a Project Manager, working with group dynamics and the client/agency contact is something I like doing. And the feeling after a big project you have led is finished is just great. Seeing people work on a project with a huge amount of energy just keeps yourself motivated to go on.
If you are a self-managing person, or want to be, Hyper Island is a great opportunity. Digital Management is a two-year long experience you go through with a lot of stress, frustration, and of course good times too. After two years, if you have managed to reach your learning goals and expectations, you will be ready for the work environment in a totally different way than any other education can prepare you.
Thank you, Mathias!