Help Beautify San Francisco: Pick Their New Bus Shelters!

If you're like many designers (or simply like those who notice and appreciate design), you may find yourself walking through cities complimenting or insulting public architecture like park benches, kiosks and bus shelters.

Well, here's your chance to be heard (by more than just the dog you are walking or by your best friend)and quite possibly, make a difference. You can actually help the City By The Bay (San Francisco) choose the latest design for their city bus shelters, both commercial and non-commercial. All you have to do is go to their site (http://www.sfmta.com/shelters) to see the candidate's designs and vote.


The SFMTA would like your feedback on the transit shelter models that they are considering. Go to their site to comment on any of the individual model shelters below in the spaces provided.

At the end, they will ask you for your most and least favorite designs.

Here are just a few of the options:







The SFMTA would like your feedback on the transit shelter models that they are considering. Go to their site to comment on any of the individual model shelters below in the spaces provided.

Meet Photographer Todd Baxter

So, I came upon a new talent today.
Photographer Todd Baxter was PDN's Guest Editor, Liz Miller Gershfeld's Pick.

In her own words, Liz states:

" -- Themes of taxidermy, disaffection and 70's era A/V equipment made me look twice at Todd Baxter's unique vision of the world around him. His vision is strong, but its execution subtle. I called in his book and there is more there: strong problem solving and a little more ferocity. All of it beautiful and in a palette that hangs together. His styling is quirky and smart and works really well. I love the woman with the skinned knees lying at the foot of a tree and the bird cupped in someone's hands. It makes me feel bittersweet, like Radiohead. I am excited he is in my own backyard of Chicago."

I took a look at his work ad he has the uncanny ability of combining the charming with the bizarre. Here are a few of my personal favorites:





To see his entire online portfolio, click here.
Some of Todd Baxter's clients are listed below:

Element 79
Energy BBDO
DDB
Cramer-Krasselt
AbelsonTaylor
Digitas
Jacobs Agency
STRATEGY.ONE
Kenya Airlines
I'm Smitten
Shawnimals
Taylor Cheng
Club Libby Lu /Saks Inc.
Chicago Creative Club
ACE Hardware
Condé Nast /GQ
Punk Planet
Pistil Magazine
Slam Magazine
Random House
Akashic Books

here's his contact info:
Todd Baxter
773.339.8281
todd@baxterphoto.com
workbook portfolio

represented by Somlo Talent
312.421.2229
somlotalent.com
carolyn@somlotalent.com

New Narrative Style of Online Documentaries

Announcing the launch of Minimovies.org, a site showcasing unique online documentaries brought to you by The Submarine Channel.

About Minimovies:
A Minimovie is an episodic documentary consisting of 8 to 10 episodes. Episodes are 7 to 10 minutes each. Put together, they form a self-contained story. With MiniMovies SubmarineChannel explores a new narrative and visual style of documentary filmmaking. You can watch the Minimovies here or simply download them to your digital device of choice.

"A Second Life", one of the movies you can view and/or download:
Synopsis:
In January 2007, a man named Molotov Alva disappeared from his California home. Recently, a series of seven video dispatches by a Traveler of the same name have appeared within a popular online world called Second Life. Filmmaker Douglas Gayeton put these video dispatches together into a documentary of seven episodes.

Director:
Douglas Gayeton, director
Douglas Gayeton wrote and directed, together with William Gibson, 'Johnny Mnemonic', the first interactive cd-rom based movie, for Sony Imagesoft. His digital animated series 'Delta State', was named best animated TV series of the year at the 2004 Annecy Film Festival. Gayeton has also created or designed online social networks for such clients as AOL, MSN, Vivendi and Napster.


above: A still from A Second Life



Just launched, minimovies.org has only two movies up right now. But more will be available soon. Below is just some of what's coming:



So be sure to bookmark www.minimovies.org and you can view (or upload, or embed or e-mail) original, creative episodic documentaries. Yet another wonderful creative avenue available to you through the internet.