Proposal

Major Assessment Project

Proposal

Client : Australian National University

Photographer: Ashley Jobson

Tables of contents

Table of contents: 1

Introduction: 2

Main Proposal and outline:

Timeline:

Summary:

Appendix: 

The Australian National University (ANU) was founded in 1945 with proposals for the University dating back to 1925 with the establishment of the Canberra University College (CUC), however the first ideas were floated in 1900 wherein the the new University was to buck the trend of the traditional UK based universities and primarily be set up as a research university.

Upon inception the ANU's philosophy was :

“envisaged to be of enduring significance in the life of the nation – to support the development of national unity and identity, to improve Australia’s understanding of itself and its neighbours, and to contribute to economic development and social cohesion” (ANU 2004:vi)

So in 1945 the Mills Committee (that was responsible for the birth of the ANU) called for a  University , that was primarily  focused on postgraduate studies with institutes to study social medicine and social sciences. It was shortly afterwards that it was proposed that the ANU was to have 5 institutes.:

Medical Research, Social Sciences, Pacific Affairs, Town and Regional Planning and Atomic Physics. Years end 1945 the first three on the list were unconditionally approved with the following mission statements

1. "To encourage, and provide facilities for, post-graduate research and study, both generally and in relation to subjects of national importance to Australia;
2. To provide facilities for university education for persons who elect to avail themselves of those facilities and are eligible so to do;
3. Subject to the Statutes, to award and confer degrees and diplomas."

Eventually it was decided that the University have two parts: 1)the Institute of Advanced Studies,  (research schools with research and graduate training) 2) the School of General Studies (now called The Faculties) that comprise faculties with undergraduate and graduate teaching and research.

Source : http://heritage.anu.edu.au/?pid=7

The Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering 

ANU Advertising

Source: http://www.anu.edu.au/mo/content/advertising

Current contemporary ANU advertising campaigns

The ANU has its own in house advertising and marketing team called the ANU Marketing Office Advertising Unit. This is a team of professionals who advise on marketing and advertising strategies and creative directions, as well as administer to media scheduling and intellectual property issues. Their duties range from one offs to full campaigns. 

They have the final approval for all ANU  advertising thus ensuring the consistency of the ANU branding . 

The ANU marketing department has two categories of advertising : they being: campaign and non-campaign.

The Non-campaign category deals typically with the one-off ads to promote a unique event.. Depending upon the scale of the event the ad may be placed in only one publication or if it has or needs a wider reach it may appear in several locations both print and online.

The Campaign advertising category aligns with more detailed and involved strategies. These  such  campaigns  may for example have a variety of and/or variations of an ad.  Typically placed across a wide range of diverse media and for an extended period of time.

An example of the Campaign type approach was seen in their  "achieve more" look and feel advertisements

ANU 2010 brand advertising campaign.

These are a strong series of images/advertisements as they have consistent design elements all the way through unifying them and immediately obvious as the brand even though all four images for the different disciplines  are entirely different. They are held together by the graphical design elements of the forward direction arrow banner, the black text area and of course the ANU logo. They are all imbued with a sense of liberty progress and creativity.

Target Audience

ANU's advertising main target audiences are under graduate school leavers and mature age people wishing to do a university degree,  and also  post graduate student who are wishing to further their studies or to enter into a field of research.

Either way the images used in the campaign need to convey a sense of future achievement that will potentially/likely lead the intended student to a rewarding  and lucrative career. Or, in the case of research students,  have it convey a message that they will be greatly contributing to the world, with all the respect and recognition that comes with it. Both directions also need to satisfy the potential candidates that the ANU delivers quality teaching and  well resourced modern  facilities.

So, professional well crafted, tight and sophisticated imagery  is ideal, whilst adding subtext to give them a sense of community and belonging. This  can likely be achieved by having a homogenous look and feel  to the photos whilst still retaining the individual characteristics of the each school/faculty where required.

Just as important to the images is the graphic design work images and text that would be required, further locking the images into a cohesive and recognisable set, that distinguishes the ANU outright and up next to other universities. As universities tend to compete for the best students so that they ultimately get greater  funding, the branding of ANU advertising, should also express and highlight where possible the lifestyle and benefits of the university and its city. So in Canberra's case, it would focus on the clean air, the un-congested open space (long Autumnal shadows), and generally relaxed way of life. All of these element going together to attract would be students from all over the country.

 I intend to incorporate colours in my images for the ANU that harmonise with the ANU's logo that will appear on every shot.

 This does not only mean using complementary shades but using a swatch of colours that at a conscious and subconscious level resonate with the viewer. This technique will give an air of integrity and familiarity that will assist the target audience in identifying with the ANU.

The palette chosen will add fresh coolness or relaxing warmth to the images. If the scene doesn't allow I may incorporate the use of colour keyed digital frames..

With the range of images required, I will also need a range of lenses, from a portrait type 50mm fast prime, to wide angle (interior) as well as macro lenses and/or extension tubes.  In terms of lighting for the studio images I will use the lighting facilities at our disposal at CIT. As well as using a portable lighting kit  for the  interior architecture and industrial shot (that I anticipate will be in doors as well).

For fill light purposes I will use my Speedlite on and off camera wirelessly triggered as the shot dictates.

Depending upon what I find in the science research labs, I would like to do an HDR image for the industrial submission. For the landscape I will use 3-5 images stitched together to create a panorama.

For the landscape image I will need to utilise my ND filters (grad and non grad..as well as a CPL when required

I might need a camera so I will using the trusty 450d and tripod.

Capture Requirements

Requirements for the capture of the location

Logistics

As the University is local to where I live and my equipment and borrowed lights will be easily transported in private transport. Like wise as there will be no models, other than background people in the shots, there is no need for other additional transportation requirements. Portable lights will be reserved from CIT and will be collected on the afternoon prior the shoot and transported with the rest of the equipment to the various locations.

Access

I have several contacts at the university so I will be approaching them to gain access and authorisation to the buildings, and faculty equipment that I will chose to shoot. If these contacts cannot authorise me directly , I have organised with them that they can arrange a meeting with the appropriate people. 

Additional Costs

Other than costs involved in using my own equipment, which ostensibly is minimal (shutter cost), Costs for the various location shoots will be 

1) fuel

2) parking 

3) lunches

Property releases

For the architecture shots I will research who the designers/architects were and, through releases gained from the ANU acknowledge/reference these architects accordingly.

Timeline

Once the proposal has been verified shooting will take place over 1 week (weather permitting)

Day 1 Exterior Architecture

Day 2 Exterior Landscape (stitch)

Day 3 Exterior

Taken over three days to enable shooting a variety of buildings

Day 4 Interior Architecture

Day 5 Interior Industrial (HDR)

Day 6/7 Additional shots

Studio Capture Requirements

Week 7 

Requirements for the capture of the studio images

Objects

Once I have been granted access to the various faculties (thinking engineering and school of art, medicine) I will scout the various objects required to be shot 

Macro (engineering or medicine)

Glassware (school of art)

Chrome/shiny (medicine)

Once located/decided I will seek to borrow these objects to take back to  shoot in the studio.

Props

Props will depend upon the objects that I choose to shoot and will be gathered borrowed or bought inexpensively as appropriate.

Equipment

Macro lens (borrowed from CIT)

Tilt Shift lens (borrowed from CIT)

Studio and studio lights (CIT studio)

Costs 

For the studio shots the only additional costs will be that any props that may be required to supplement the look and feel of the objects

Timeline

Once the proposal has been verified shooting will take place over 1 week, and will be dependant upon when I can borrow the required objects

Day 1 Macro object

Day 2 Glassware

Day 3 Chrome/shiny

Day 4 Camera movement

Days 5-7 Additional shots

Summary

Why should employer hire me?

I am a local photography that understands the nature of the light and the seasons in the ACT and how it can strengthen and emphasise the feeling and mood of the university, its objectives and the campus.

Having studied marketing I am also aware of the importance of branding that contribute to a cohesive look and feel for the series of shots proposed, whilst also recognising that within and under the parent brand there are the two main streams at the ANU. They being  the research stream and the undergraduate/postgraduate streams. Both of which have various unique disciplines (schools) that whilst have their own identity retain the overall homogeny and ethos and principles of the ANU.

Being able to see the university as more than a sum of its parts, I can infuse my photographic output with an inspirational and motivational quality rather than just a collection of images of buildings, equipment and other various academia. Like any business, the ANU needs a USP (unique sales proposition), and in the case of the ANU, it sees itself as a premium world class university, with the prestige associated with it being the nation's capital (National) University. So where as other somewhat more regional universities lay claim to a more local and friendly approach, the ANU sees itself at more of the down to business, National/International end of the spectrum, whilst still maintaining a professional convivial study environment.

Also as the ANU has a unique cross section of its past, its present and its future I will feature these elements  to impart a sense of posterity/history and reputation, the contemporary/the now and cutting edge, as well as a sence of progress, achievement and forward thinking

 These are all factors that I recognise and enable me to capture the true essence of the ANU both in a locational and studio capacity.