July 19, 2011 from nathanbweller's blog
So this post is being published a bit later than all it's other counterparts but nevertheless, I can't pass up an opportunity to brag on something as cool as Weapons of Mass Creation Fest (WMC Fest), especially as an Ohio Native. So what is WMC Fest? It's an annual event held in Cleveland Ohio for those who "live to create!" It features 20 live bands, 20 inspiring speakers, and 20 incredibly skilled designers - most of which come from right here in the midwest.
This year, about a day or so before the event kicked off, I got a tweet from our very own Francois asking me if I'd like to go because he could get me a couple tickets. Of course I said yes right away and then trusted in fate to get me there because I had no car and there were no buses running from Columbus to Cleveland that weekend. I called around and of course no one could go because of the short notice. Then, the morning of the 11th, the first day of the event, one of my friends shoots me a text asking if I still wanted to go because their schedule had cleared. Obviously, this festival was meant to get a write up on Abduzeedo :)
So after a fun drive on a beautiful day up to Cleveland, my experience at WMC Fest was fantastic - even if short lived. I really wanted to stay for both days but the above mentioned friend could only stay for one; so we made the best of it. I got to see a few speakers that day, my favorite being Mig Reyes from Threadless/Humble Pied who had a lot of practical advice on making it not just as a designer but a creative type in general. Then, we went down to the corner pub where all the bands were playing. We had a few beers, ate a hot dog or two, and finally ended up over at the gallery where I was able to catch up with a friend of mine, graphic designer Brandon Rike.
At this point in the day I had about 50% power left on my phone battery and I'd been unsuccessful at rangling Jeff Finley, WMC founder, for an interview - so Brandon graciously agreed to step outside and share with me a few thoughts and opinions on why he feels WMC Fest is important - which you'll find below.
As it happens, it works out really well that Brandon was the designer I was able to snag for an interview because it gives you guys a sort of behind the scenes look at the designer who did all the custom title lettering in the WMC video recap by Aaron Freeder (below) that's been making it's way around the web. I'd also like to encourage you to make your way over to his blog where he has all these titles in color. Seriously, they're just gorgeous :)
Weapons of Mass Creation Fest 2011 from Weapons of Mass Creation on Vimeo.
In summation, as Brandon mentioned above and as it's clear to see in the video recap, the midwest (while not necessarily getting the attention that the big coastal communities do) has a lot to offer the design world. If you're from around here, or can get yourself here, I highly recommend going to Cleveland Ohio for the 2012 Weapons of Mass Creation Fest next June.
If you'd like more information, a roundup of other articles about WMC Fest, or to offer your input for next year's event, just click on the banner below and check out the WMC Fest event site.
