To newcomers and natives alike, have you realized how lucky we are to live in a city that embraces art in public places to the extent that we do? I am constantly impressed with the accessibility our city provides to creative art and ventures.

Our once sleepy, quaint town has become an urban canvas for beautiful art and inspiring projects thanks to such initiatives like:

• Austin’s Art City, a weekend long event showcasing every medium of art imaginable.
• Fusebox Festival, an annual contemporary art event in April that highlights all mediums of art from visual to performance.
• E.A.S.T. (standing for, East Austin Studio Tour), A self-guided tour of the local studios spaces of resident artists in East Austin.

And while it is all very very cool (see: way cooler than me), from the knit bombs, to the Cow Parade, to the Pay Phone Revival Project, it takes a lot for a public art project to not only snag my attention, but keep me thinking about it.

Right now I am obsessed with The Red Swing Project. This is a public art/interactive performance, or as they call it, a “public intervention” that requires nothing from anyone but a good hearty sense of fun, combined with that never-ending quest of human, unaided flight. The project’s goal is to simply provide an attractive constant to varying and changing landscapes and atmospheres. Pretty simple idea, that has had me longing to find the biggest swing set with the tallest frame and longest chains and literally take off.

What public art inspires you? And who wants to meet me at Zilker for a quick flight?

(disclaimer: AMS Pictures does not endorse candidates)

The more I start to “grow my online presence” with this blog, the more likely it is you, privileged reader, will start to see the nerdy side of Kalinda.

Today’s nerd reveal: Kalinda the civics nerd.

I love voting. No really. I do not see anything cooler than the power of one to elect representation. And while I love elections and encouraging (see: harassing) my friends to get out to vote, and while I am completely tuned into the Presidential contest, nothing is more fun for me than local races.

Local races tend to allow for more creative expression in the campaigns to emerge, as well as can be rife with drama and good old-fashioned, heated campaigns. In essence, they’re just a bit wilder and a bit more fun.

On top of that, they are the decisions that will most affect you on a day-to-day basis. Solutions to community issues start at the polls, are bettered through public process, and this I believe to be true, the more we engage, the more our collective betters the city we live in.

SO! You may not have been tuned-in to your city council elections, but it’s never too late to start!

In order to make an informed decision, you must educate yourself. While it’s maybe too late to attend a council candidate forum, I encourage you to look to your local media, the Austin-American Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, and various other “local beat” publications who will start to publish endorsements and candidate information.

Did you know only 7% of the residents in Austin, who are registered to vote, vote in Municipal Elections? SEVEN. It’s like you’re more empowered because no one else is! (that’s what we call a silver lining)

Please keep in mind the following important dates regarding the May municipal elections:

Monday, April 30 through Tuesday, May 8, 2012: Early voting period.

Saturday, May 12, 2012: Election Day.

For more information on the City of Austin Elections: http://www.austintexas.gov/department/elections

But it’s not just technology start-ups that are committed to building businesses that make a difference in the world. Corporate giant Proctor & Gamble’s Pantene line of hair care products has created a program for cancer survivors called “Pantene Beautiful Lengths.” It encourages young women to donate their ponytails to the American Cancer Society for real-hair wigs that are given free of charge to cancer survivors. More than 270,000 ponytails have been donated to the program, which has greatly enhanced Pantene’s brand identity. At SXSW, P&G’s Pantene branding team presented a branded documentary that tells the story of the powerful emotions that wig donors and wig recipients feel about participating the program. “Pantene Beautiful Lengths” has generated significant ROI for the brand itself.

At another noteworthy panel, “What’s Good for the World is Good for the Agency,” the heads of leading digital media firms agreed that projects that benefit the social good are an important part of their culture. They described the strong desire among employees to apply their talents to projects that make a difference in the world. Companies that commit to giving back to the community also attract high-performing, loyal workers who feel good about their jobs. Panelists also noted that involvement in projects benefiting society often lead to unexpected referrals that fuel company growth.

A related phenomenon is the growing number of companies that develop products and services to address critical public sector needs. For example, Philippe Cousteau along with an R&D team from the University of Virginia created a simulation game whose goal is saving the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Other entrepreneurs are offering services that improve the effectiveness and efficiency of government agencies. Keynote speaker Jennifer Pahlka created “Code for America,” which awards fellowships to talented coders and programmers to create apps that help city governments work smarter and more productively. Biz Stone, founder of Twitter, explained how a focus on positive social change helps define his company’s culture.

This generation of entrepreneurs is making a strong stand that building a better society is an essential part of building a successful business. They have nothing in common with the ruthless, soulless, “greed is good” character Gordon Gekko from the 1987 movie Wall Street. Folks of his ilk were nowhere to be found at South By 2012.

FYI…

http://www.pantene.com/en-us/beautiful-lengths-cause/Pages/default.aspx

Of course, innovative thinking was as pervasive as Apple products throughout all of SXSWi. Your mind could be expanded (or blown) by discussion of hundreds of topics throughout each day. But being a bit of a content junkie myself, my top three key takeaways fell squarely in that arena:

1. Short has never been sweeter. At least that was the prevailing opinion when it came to conversations about all things content-related at the fest. “Snackable” was the official content buzzword being bandied about in panel discussions, hallway walk-and-talks, and happy hour meetings of the minds. In an age where audiences are a mere finger swipe away from moving on to other content (being “a click away” is positively retro now), no one has the time or interest to get bogged down in content that drags on and on and on… Get in, get to the point, and get out.

2. There’s no point in telling a story if you can’t tell it well. We creatives here at AMS Pictures have long prided ourselves on being master storytellers. And it seems that now the rest of the world is slowly catching up to the need to tell stories to truly engage audiences. (Yes, we’re looking at you, marketing department people.)  But if your story isn’t compelling enough to hook your audience, then it’s basically a bust. Winning the Story Wars author Jonah Sachs introduced his interesting-yet-logical Freaks, Cheats and Familiars method of structuring a tale that will suck any viewer/reader in. Although it’s certainly not a must to do it his way. Following one specific method of storytelling is less crucial than just figuring out how you can craft a story that will dazzle as much as it educates.

3. Get rid of the stapler. Newsflash: The next generation (of employees, consumers, philanthropists and pretty much everyone in between) is definitely more comfortable with a touchscreen than with a stapled booklet. Presenting complex data? It should be in the form of entertaining and easily-digestible media. Hyping a TV show? It should have a variety of interactive activities (think apps, exclusive content, special promotions) paired with it that keep the audience engaged throughout the entire week, because transmedia turns viewers into users in ways that traditional print media alone could only dream of. Your clients, constituents and donors aren’t planning on unplugging, so you don’t want to be the one that makes them.

And in keeping with the new rules of the game, I now exit page right—short, sweet and decidedly staple-free…

http://flic.kr/p/bonWzQ

SXSWedu was inspiring on a number of levels, but there was one big takeaway for me.

I’ve been working in the education space as a communicator for almost a decade now, and never before have I seen a higher level of public/private melding on this topic. No doubt there have been many amazing partnerships happening for many years (and we’ve been fortunate to be a part of some great ones), but this year proved to me that big business, small start-ups, government agencies, foundations and associations in the education space all recognize that we’ve got to play ball as a team to solve the challenges we face in preparing our youth for the workforce of tomorrow.

It was very exciting to see all the passion, ideas and collaboration.

http://bit.ly/HpTkU8

As my SXSW experienced concluded, my big Interactive takeaway was clear-ish.

There is no longer a digital world and a physical world—at least not at SXSW and not in our future. There is only one ever-expanding world where the physical and digital realities are intrinsically tied together and ever-present. This isn’t a new idea, but this SXSW felt like we hit a tipping point or, depending on your perspective, a point of no return into the new 4D world.

Our access to technology, to one another and to real-time information from around the world has created a new reality that is already the new norm. I’m personally a little conflicted because I do love parts of my untethered old-world lifestyle. That said, I love my technology more than I worry about losing my ability to live in the moment. For example, my iPhone, “Sprout,” and I are one. We go everywhere together. He’s the one that wakes me up in the morning, tells me where to go next and answers the hundreds of questions I have everyday. Now, after listening to the insights of this year’s SXSW speakers, I have come to the conclusion that I am, in fact, a cyborg.

http://bit.ly/HqbzFy

How exactly does this all relate to digital media and communication besides making us all superhuman consumers of it? Answer: It’s a huge game changer. It means that we have to be even more savvy and more thoughtful about the way media is consumed. Due to the new multi-dimensional, inescapable world of digital media, our messages require a new filter for audience customization, location-based relevance, engagement and more. We must meet users where they are, in that moment in time—on their laptops, iPhones, Kindles or augmented-reality glasses. These are the challenges and exciting opportunities we face in today’s digital media landscape.

So SXSWedu and Interactive have renewed my faith in our ability to collaborate in developing a well-educated society and refined my thinking about how we as digital storytellers must further customize our messages to meet media consumers in today’s 4D world.

Welcome to the exciting new world, fellow cyborgs!  Let’s use our superhuman powers to create a more perfect world.

http://bit.ly/2h9bEZ

Bond Election. While that may be a four-letter word in Ron Swanson’s book, it’s also the ways and means we as tax payers get to decide how we reinvest our tax dollars back into our community. Politics doesn’t get more local than your city bond elections, and this is your chance to give input as to what you’d like to see happen next in our fine city!

You may ask yourself, “Why would I dedicate two hours to a public input process? Will it even matter?” The answer is, simply, yes! IT TOTALLY MATTERS…and your time and dedication should be seen as an investment in the community you are a part of. It’s like a more impactful way of saying, “Don’t vote, don’t complain.” Don’t participate in the democratic process, don’t gripe because your park infrastructure or mass transit under-serves you!

So, without further ado… Yep, that’s right! It’s time to divvy up the dollars at Austin’s Bond Development Workshops! Brace yourselves, it’s gonna be one heckuva ride. (Okay, maybe not, but really, it IS important.)

How would you turn $1.49 billion worth of potential bond projects into a bond package of up to $400 million? For the next two weeks, the City of Austin will host interactive community exercises that allow citizens to decide how potential bond funds should be spent.

The events will include: an overview of the Bond Development process, the Needs Assessment Project and Program Report (a list of projects proposed by city departments), tabletop allocation exercises, one-on-one staff engagement opportunities, results from the Guiding Principles community engagement and Imagine Austin, as well as additional opportunities for public input.

Attendees should plan to be at the meetings (approximately two hours) from start to finish to complete the exercise and to reap the most benefit for themselves and the city. Really, there is an art to the process, and the longer and more you participate, the more robust the information the workshop coordinators have to work with.

Events are being held around Austin in order to make travel as minimal as possible. Sites were also selected with close proximity to public transportation.

If you are unable to attend in-person, an online allocation exercise is available on the city’s website. Additional information on the Bond Development process, including the dates and times of the Bond Election Advisory Task Force and their committee meetings, is available here.

Residents may also contact the Bond Development Hotline at (512) 539-0060.

Dates:

Tuesday, March 20 at 6:30 PM, First Evangelical Free Church, 4220 Monterey Oaks Blvd.

Bus route: #311-Stassney

Wednesday March 21 at 6:30 PM, Gus Garcia Recreation Center, 1201 E. Rundberg Ln.

Bus routes: #325-Ohlen, #142-Metric Flyer, #10-South 1st / Red River

Monday, March 26 at 6:30 PM, English and En Español, Dove Springs Recreation Center, 5801 Ainez Dr.

Bus routes: #311-Stassney, #7-Duval/Dove Springs, #127-Dove Springs Flyer

Saturday, March 31 at 2:00 PM, Anderson High School, 8403 Mesa Drive Bus route: #19-Bull Creek

Since AMS Pictures not only participated in the inaugural conference, but also was one of its sponsors, Ron didn’t have to tell us about the hundreds of educators, business leaders and policy makers who were all abuzz about the groundbreaking event in 2011 or the high expectations for 2012. Our goal for the video was to not only announce the dates and conference theme, “Innovations in Learning,” but also showcase the wide range of topics that will be covered. Most importantly, we wanted to give viewers a taste of the SXSWedu experience. The video, which is now running on the SXSWedu website, met all of Ron’s needs. And we were happy to hear that the SXSWedu team was very pleased with the end product. In the interest of full disclosure, we confess to missing the mark on just one thing—running time. Though it exceeds the target length, Ron let us get away with it because the it feels like a 60-second video….or less. You be the judge.

When you’re one of thousands of nonprofits trying to raise awareness for your cause, it makes sense to think outside the box. But sometimes, creative ideas can spring from just one simple, familiar, iconic image. When developing these spots we drew a direct connection between some of the staggering statistics about diabetes and one of the most recognizable (and talked about) buildings in Texas – Cowboys Stadium.

While diabetes is a national health epidemic, it has a profound impact on our state, affecting one out of ten Texans. To put these astounding statistics into perspective, we used the empty seats in the NFL’s third-largest stadium to illustrate the shocking number of Texans who succumb to diabetes every year. Produced in both English and Spanish, the core message conveyed is undeniably clear. For those Texans who feel their risk isn’t urgent or relevant, this ad awakens them to the possibility that they or someone close to them could easily fill one of those empty seats.

For AMS, this spot demonstrates the power of digital storytelling for social good. Crafting the right story, message, and visual approach is one of, if not the most, powerful ways for nonprofits to raise awareness for their efforts and generate more visibility for their organization.

The AMS Pictures creative team developed not only the memorable “live large, spend small” tag, but also a fun-to-watch spot that captures the lifestyle, spirit and attitude of the Lone Star State. The spot is like a series of picture postcards brought to life in scenes of a retired couple enjoying the good life in Texas—boating on the lake, bicycling along a bluebonnet-lined roadway, touring a winery, and enjoying time with their grandchildren. For each scene, wordplay in the form of a text graphic puts a Texas spin on the featured activity. For example, as couple splashes through the water in their motorboat, the caption reads “Texas Hair Spray.” At the end of the spot, former NASA astronaut Tom Henricks delivers a call to action and reminds the audience that you can live large and spend small in “Certified Retirement Communities” throughout Texas.

The “Retire in Texas” campaign is part of the much larger GO TEXAN program that promotes a wide variety of Texas-grown and Texas-made products, including foods, leather goods, clothing, jewelry, artwork, baked goods, wines and flowers. Entire towns now participate in GO TEXAN through TDA’s Certified Retirement Community Program that encourages retirees to move to Texas. The “Retire in Texas” spot supports the overall CRC program.

The multifaceted GO TEXAN program is one of the cornerstone economic development initiatives of the Texas Department of Agriculture, and over the years AMS has been proud to be TDA’s creative partner who helps tell the world about the Texas way of life.

SXSW and all of its interactive, film and music madness is right around the corner and that means the conference’s newest endeavor, SXSWedu, is even closer!

Starting on March 6^th, folks from around the world will be rallying in Austin to talk about innovations in learning. This one-of-a-kind conference brings together educators, policymakers, parents, students, business leaders, and passionate education stakeholders, all of whom want to be part of the most stimulating discussion about the future of education you’ll find anywhere on the planet.  There is no shortage of people who recognize that conversations about innovations in learning are crucial to the future of our society.

It feels like just a few weeks ago that I wrote this blog post about SXSWedu PanelPicker launching and the announcement of the first keynote speaker, LeVar Burton. The excitement and energy around the conference has definitely grown since then. In fact, the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, was recently added to the roster along with an incredibly impressive lineup of distinguished speakers. Over the two and a half days of SXSWedu, this powerhouse group of leaders from education, industry and government will be sharing their insights and sparking countless conversations about innovations in learning. Beyond the phenomenal lineup of speakers, panel discussions and (of course!) parties, my team and I are particularly excited about our role this year!  As an official SXSWedu partner, the AMS Public Interest team will be on-site capturing all the great energy of the conference, along with personal insights in interviews with some of the best of the best minds in learning and education.

Talk about getting a front-row seat to the future of education!

In addition, we’re very pleased to announce that our panel submission, Inform, Educate, Motivate: Digital Storytelling as a Change Agent,  was accepted by SXSWedu for a presentation on Wednesday, March 7th at 2pm in room 400.  I’ll be driving a discussion with a highly-esteemed panel of some of my favorite education-focused colleagues to explore the principles of great storytelling and the use of digital tools to create positive change in the education landscape.

Johnny Veselka, the Executive Director of the Texas Association of School Administrators, will talk about the importance of knowing your message and how that’s impacting the way he’s communicating with members of his organization as they work to create a new vision for public education in Texas.

Torrence Robinson, Founder of The Compelling Why, will highlight how his nonprofit is garnering success by recognizing the power of knowing your audience and telling hyper-relevant stories

Ann McMullan, Executive Director of Educational Technology in Klein ISD, will share her thoughts on how quality storytelling and new technology can dramatically expand a school district’s ability to share best practices nationally.

It’s sure to be sixty minutes jam-packed with thought-provoking ideas, best-practice takeaways and, of course, a little bit of great digital storytelling! If you’re at SXSWedu, I do hope that you’ll come to our panel.  Feel free to shoot me an email in advance so I know to look for you afterward!