Derrick Segsby

Onto the second half of the bizarre days and we come to Rotovision.

Stumbling up the stairs and cursing under my breath at myself for not knowing which floor the office was on I let out a frustrated "Fuck." and felt glad the lack of sleep meant I wasn't lagging in exuburence. Noting more persistently this time on the complicated buzzer system doors the floor of Rotovision, I returned upstairs my legs starting to pang with a bit of lactic acid.

Six hours previously I was brushing away the mess of quaver-esque rolled double sided
tape cover to clear a path to my bed. I had done it. A day's consultation with Kit and finalisation of what to actually display, I had mounted onto Darren's board (of which he made no charge for and I am ever in debt. I need to get him some ryvita or something) what felt like my masterpiece for the day. Packed away into the portfolio, with uni's borrowed laptop, loaded with my flash project in case of catastrophic internet loss at Rotovision and subsequent loss of showing off you, Derrick, I stood proud and packed in two workbooks and various others. Time to sleep at last at 6am.

"Lewis it's ten'o clock." Train leaving at 11am - I rushed. If it wasn't for Francesca I don't believe today would have been half as successful. I would have got lost, fallen asleep on the train, and generally fucked up a lot and made a terrible first impression. Public transport of course managed to make a cock-up and make me late anyway but Tony's laid-back voice through the telephone on my call of such news let me at ease. And from that moment on I smiled.

It's quite strange that it was nothing like what I expected. I think I envisioned a modest 'Devil Wears Prada'-esque maze of glass and macintosh. I don't know why I was expecting this but I'm so glad it wasn't. The crappy gaffa-taped up carpet on the building's stairs and worn walkways gave the place character and humour. Realism. Upon stepping into the Rotovision office though, it definitely held more of a design sensibility than the other floors I had nervously peered into.

Wandering around I didn't know who to talk to or say hi to. It seems daft now but everyone was busy working away, and hadn't particularly noticed I was there. I guess that it was what a real office should be!? A few formalities later, I was sat in Tony's office ready for discussion. I was expecting a literary review style, walk around pointing and nodding "this is this, and that is that." but it wasn't at all. I'm so so glad it wasn't because was it was instead I enjoyed more so than I ever thought. It was more like going down the pub and talking to one of my dad's mates that just happens to know ten times more about design than I, so I made jokes and geeked out and it was appreciated, not disregarded. Tony was relaxing to talk to as a person alone, not corporately professional and not hyper-friendly-uncle-ish trying to seal over a underlying sadness. He seemed happy, and after Barnbrook his passion and content with his job and where he's at was, for lack of a better word, 'lovely'.

Personal stories of tutors tales and philosophical lessons learnt from them was mixed in with business strategy and economic balance affecting sales, punctuated every now and again with sincere life at home tales and jokes. Within minutes it wasn't an interview/meeting/explanation of the industry, it was just solidly enjoyable. I didn't have to try to be interested or focused on body before it got to the punch. It was straight-on career solidifying design natter. I say natter too because for me, suits don't laugh. Suits don't talk about super-spirograph with misty eyes. Suits definitely don't give you two free books in apology for not being able to supply a placement. Essentially suits don't show you who they are as a person, because they are just a cog in the machine of corporation. It was the lack of suit that made me smile uncontrollably afterwards.

The fact was that it is a family. People had names and conversations. Backgrounds. Lives within work. Relations and ambitions shared and nurtured by others simply because they cared for what each other did and subsequently became.

All I can say in revelation is that I want to be part of a working family like that. One exactly like that. I'm sure some days aren't idyllic and as harmonious as it seemed (Tony even said it was a particularly calm day) and I bet the company of has it's share of ups and downs, but for me it's what I imagine a workplace to be.


As for placement opportunities and prospects, their project lifespan is too long for a two-week stint to be worthwhile in experience. From looking at the work calendar it became apparent that titles can be worked on for 3-6months and a two-week splash in the deep end of that would only leave me damp I'm sure.

Tony suggested to maybe come back after vis-comm year two when I could have a whole summer (and possibly more) free, to do some presentations. I'm excited already. I have contact in the industry yes, but moreso somebody that I feel actually gives a shit. I might even be as bold to say a friend.

For now, I think I will persist and get some magazine design under my belt because of the fast-paced work nature of the short lifespan publication sector. Even Tony said the people that they've had from magazine backgrounds have met deadlines because if you don't, you're out and it's as simple as that. I think this push and stress would be good for me now. Sink my teeth into a challenge that will test me. I don't think I'm ready enough for the fast pace of magazine work, but it's the only chance now that I'll get where it won't really matter if I fail miserably. It won't affect the mortgage I don't have and job position because it will be experience, and why not take on as many things out of my league whilst I can?

As Tony and various others have quite truthfully said, it's not about the end point, it's what you learn getting there. Even if you fuck up you can still take something from it with pride knowing that if you hadn't of tried, you wouldn't of even got that tiny piece of consolation. So my mindset from here on in, in form of what I take and do?


Quite simply; bring it all the fuck on.