采訪&文字&翻譯: Viking Wong@dmunion.com

校對: Vivian Peng@dmunion.com

(原創內容, 轉載請務必注明來自 數英網 | DIGITALING)

好作品千千萬萬，不過那些能觸發興趣，深究其背后故事的，或許寥寥無幾，但Resn絕對是其中之一。無論是FWA，OneShow，Webby還是其他國際獎項，我們都能從來自美英法這幾個出產創意的老牌大國中，看到Resn/NewZealand的大名。

要如何形容Resn才貼切？從極具強烈Resn風格的官網(www.resn.co.nz)和作品中，你就能得到答案。值得一說的是，Resn自身也喜歡制作一些帶有實驗性質的項目，從Threaded(link)開始到和Google+合作的Face Arcade，我們看到的不只是天馬行空的概念與創意，還有各種新技術，新趨勢的融合，正是創意+技術這樣的簡單組合，讓我們產生了對Resn團隊更進一步了解的想法。

Rikki Campbell，這個在自我介紹中注明了“喜歡可持續性的產品，whisky以及新西蘭本土動植物”的Resn創始人兼總經理認為，Resn是為了能夠讓更多制作精良，令人難忘的作品的誕生而誕生的。這是他和同樣身為創意總監的Steve Le Marquand，在10年前創立Resn時的共同初衷。

Rikki負責了Resn早期大部分作品的設計與美術指導，就像初創企業家們一樣，很多事都需要親力親為。

Q：為什么會取名為“Resn”？它的背后帶著何種的期望與目標呢？

Rikki：關于名字，我們曾想取名為“Resin”，但發現這已經被使用，所以我們去掉了“i”。正因為如此，在Google搜索我們時變得更加容易。

與一群充滿激情、有自己獨特想法的伙伴一起共事，獲得更多看似無稽可笑不合常理但卻能帶來快樂的傳播創意，這是令我們在一起工作的重要激勵因素。而提到Resn，我希望大家就能聯想到“驚人，美觀，注重細節”這些代名詞，而我們的每一個作品都可以觸及到用戶，以充滿交互式的體驗得到更多的溝通。

1顆心，24顆大腦，48只手臂以及240根手指，是Rikki對于目前Resn發展規模的形容。

Q：介紹一下目前Resn團隊的規模，以及他們各自的主要職能？

Rikki：目前Resn有兩個辦事處，新西蘭的惠靈頓以及荷蘭的阿姆斯特丹。我們之間經常會通過網絡相互溝通，分享信息。如果碰到比稿或者有項目時，兩個團隊就會在一起頭腦風暴，獲取創意靈感。如果涉及到項目需要一起合作完成的話，我們也會尋求最適合的工作方式，但大多數情況下，我們分工明確。

同時，每個團隊的項目進展都有即時的反饋。日后也會有一些項目需要兩地工作室的緊密地合作，充分利用12小時的時間差，來獲得24小時的工作效率，迸發出創意的魔法。

Q：回顧Resn之前的許多作品，請列舉出3個您最喜歡的。

“當我第一次把完成的作品呈現給agency時，即使是我看過無數次的項目，把說辭濫記于心，我還是緊張得都起雞皮疙瘩了。但即便如此，至今我依然認為這是個絕妙的idea+執行的作品。”

Poject：Flash Driving Game
Client：NZTA 新西蘭交通運輸局
URL：www.flashdrivinggame.com

“REI的社區用戶可以通過照片分享他們在戶外運動中的每時每刻。網站以時間軸為中心，1440分鐘等于一整天。純HTML5響應設設計，可以跨平臺瀏覽。”

Project：The 1440 project
Client：美國戶外零售品牌REI
URL：www.rei1440project.com

“Flash的魔法，徹頭徹尾的Resn風格。”

Project：Special Surprise
Client：Luke Buda (新西蘭音樂家)
URL：www.specialsurprise.co.nz

Q：Resn似乎很喜歡做一些帶有實驗性質的項目，比如Threaded 和 Face Arcade。可否介紹下與Google+一起合作的項目Face Arcade？

Rikki：Google邀請我們參加為期2周的編程馬拉松(hackathon)活動，利用Google+Hangouts臉部追蹤API。我們接受了。用我們的臉，不過該如何做？一開始，我們把它想的很復雜，以至于無從下手。最后我們把答案濃縮為一個簡單的概念，用“游戲”來表達。于是我們用4個小游戲，最終完成此次Google給予我們的任務。

一個與人工智能和刺激人類感官相關聯的實驗性網站。實驗一開始，你會感到暈眩，不過在完成4個階段之后，相信你會意猶未盡的再體驗一次！也正是這個作品，讓我們了解到了Resn團隊。

Q：Resn把自己稱之為一個充滿創意的“能量球”，Resn是如何往球里輸送源源不斷的能量？同時又是如何保持創意的新鮮，讓那些充滿怪誕的想法從雛形開始一步步走向發生？

Rikki：在我們的工作室中，笑聲扮演著催化劑的作用，有了它就好像出現了一條通往創意之路的管道。如果整個過程變得嚴肅那么就會制造出過度的壓力，經常把創意扼殺在搖籃里。與整個團隊在一起的創意討論環節對于Resn來說是一個不可或缺的組成部分，團隊中的每個人都可以發表自己獨特的想法，這對于我們來說很寶貴。

Resn會仔細的研究這些來自團隊內的不同觀點，尊重每一個能為項目激發創造性思維的好聲音，把這些額外得到的細節融入到我們的項目中。真正的自我批評則需要孕育出真正有趣的點子，并不只是形式。

今天我們還在討論如何制作更好的Flash網站，但是第二天HTML5的技術浪潮已經讓你措手不及，考慮著如何加快腳步。對于這個話題，大多數作品都基于Flash技術的Resn，給出了他自己的答案。

Rikki：HTML5和Flash一樣都是工具，他們既不是一種技術信仰，更不可能成為生活方式(對于技術開發人員而言)， 這些是我們與用戶溝通的有效手段。無論選擇哪種渠道，能夠將作品的最佳狀態100%呈現出來，就是最好的答案。

Q：觸摸手勢，媒體查詢(Media Queries)，響應試設計，視網膜顯示屏，實時網絡…您是如何看待這些日益成熟的技術以及他們日后的發展趨勢？

Rikki：這些技術的開發為用戶打造沉浸式及移動式體驗提供了良好的技術支持，但歸根結底，這些都只是為了大眾交流互相的想法而建立的一種媒介。如果偉大的想法是依靠新興技術而成形的，這的確不錯！但我認為，技術本身并不能成為一個偉大想法。

Q：2013年，我們能在layout以及UI設計中看到什么新的變化？是崇尚簡單的，還是以app風格為主的設計，或者是響應式設計，還是單頁網站…？

Rikki：我無法定義某個確切的方面，不過簡明單一的溝通與優雅的網站導航一直被看作設計中的重要點。可是，這些新興趨勢似乎讓設計變得喜愛追求安全，從而千篇一律，讓人有些失望。簡單干凈固然是好，但若顯得呆板而又枯燥，就實在令人難以接受。

網頁就像一個游樂場，讓各種想法在里面產生，碰撞，發酵。我希望自己每天都能被各種意想不到，而又充滿數字化的想法驚艷到。

說到新興技術，還有現在我們常掛在嘴邊的移動設備，社交媒體浪潮等，Rikki把這些在”互聯網世界里創造東西”形容為”在沙子上寫字”一樣——短暫的時效性。

Q：但是從目前來看，甚至在未來發展的很長一段時間內，無論是廣告商，代理商或是production house都將會把重點轉向移動和社交這塊領域，有的或許沒有制定成熟的計劃。

Rikki：“因為人們總是本能的將這類新生事物視為‘大事件’來對待。但說實話，這類新生事物的確在把創意人天馬行空的各種想法變的可行方面，起到了決定性的作用。“

于未來：

“我希望這些包含了新興趨勢，技術以及媒介途徑的大浪潮可以得到發展，能讓我們從中看到未來的發展雛形。那些或好或壞的高科技趨勢概念，能變得無關緊要。所有的這些都旨在提高改善我們共同的線上數字體驗。”Rikki對于未來5年內做出了如上的設想。

Q：Resn最新的一期作品“1440 Project”同時榮獲“site of the day”以及“mobile of the day”，從中看出Resn也在致力于跨平臺的開發。你們團隊有沒有自己的一套方法來平衡開發中會出現的一系列問題？

Rikki：除去必要的技術支持，我們會不斷地完善工作流程，以解決從一開始就會出現的跨平臺兼容問題。從項目開始到結束，相互間的溝通很重要。而我們所做的項目，也會在內部進行公開展示，以此獲得及時的反饋。

幾乎和所有的創意數字制作團隊一樣，Resn與許多的大型代理商都有過一定的合作。比如和Saatchi & Saatchi LA合作，為Toyota制作的Sponsafier與 The Camry Effect 這兩個作品, 以及及具藝術感的商業項目Hennessy—Never Stop Never Settle。Rikki說，他們想做世界上最cool的項目。

URL: http://sponsafier.resn.co.nz/

URL：http://www.toyota.com/camryeffect/

Q：與代理商自己內部的制作團隊相比，Resn有什么明顯的優勢？

Rikki：我想我們團隊的性質，從一開始起就定義了不同。我們喜歡做一些與眾不同，驚險刺激的東西，而這也正是許多客戶所尋求、所渴望的。這樣的“Resn效應”讓整個數字世界還有我們的客戶品牌，變得更加有趣。正如當你全身心的投入到工作中時，它就會帶你領略這個世界。

Q：Resn是如何挑選適合自己團隊的創意人才的？

Rikki：除了必要的專業技能外，他/她是否擁有正確的態度，對所做的工作有極大的激情。

當然，我們最看重的還是他/她與團隊的契合度，必須善于融入團隊。Resn是一個團隊，但團隊里的每一個人又是一個單個體，互相尊重。這對于創建一個充滿活力的創作環境至關重要。

Q：2012年，Resn選擇了阿姆斯特丹作為其海外發展的一個分支。能給我們講講Resn選擇這個城市的原因嗎？以及Resn的下一步打算？

Rikki：阿姆斯特丹作為Resn邁出的第一步幫助我們接觸到不同國家，地域文化的品牌和agency，從而制作出豐富，帶有特色的作品。這也是我們開始北半球計劃的起點。下一步計劃？我們希望能保持Resn的一貫風格就好。

Q：由于中西方文化的差異的存在，創意上同樣如此，可以說一下你眼中的“中國創意”？未來會有在中國發展的打算嗎？

Rikki：在創意中，文化的差異與多元化，總會碰撞出不同的火花，強烈充滿野性，又或者是那種不可形容的微妙感覺。這些都造就了另一個捉摸不透的的數字世界。中國是一個擁有巨大潛力的市場，隨著在數字領域的成長，我們希望未來能與這個充滿活力，創新的文化有更多的接觸，創造出不同但又真實的數字體驗。

Resn 2012作品集

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English Original: 

Interview to Rick Campbell, Co-founder and Managing Director of Resn

About Resn:

Q: Please introduce yourself to us briefly.

Rikki: My name is Rikki Campbell and I am the Co-founder and Managing Director here at Resn.Resn was founded nearly 10 years ago with my business partner and Creative Director Steve Le Marquand. We both had a simple collective desire to create stunning, memorable and bewildering interactive experiences.

I designed and Art Directed much of Resn’s early work which broke us onto the global scene including our much loved and at times maligned portfolio website – ResnDotConz. I enjoy sustainable seafood, whisky and native New Zealand fauna and flora.

Q: With what kind of expectations and objectives, you got started with Resn? Is there a different meaning behind the word “Resn”?

Rikki: Resn was birthed from a need to make amazing, beautiful, detailed, interactive experiences that delight our audience.Collaborating with passionate and brilliant people while having fun and spreading absurdity are important motivators in what we do. We build projects that touch people and communicate messages in engaging ways.

We tried to buy the domain for ‘Resin’ but it was already taken, so we dropped the ‘i’ and the rest is legend.

Q: What is your company scale? How many people currently work at Resn? And would you mind sharing the teams major divisions of functions in company?

Rikki: We have one heart, 24 brains, 48 arms, and 240 fingers all working in astonishing synergy to make the web a better place.

We have two digital nodes, Wellington, New Zealand and Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Through the power of the internet we constantly communicate with each other. We often work as one team on creative pitches for agencies and projects. When it comes to production on projects we work together when it best suits the project, but the majority of our work is modular.

We are always providing feedback on each team’s progress on projects. We make good use of the 12 hour time difference to get that mystical 24 hour productivity model happening. Some of our future projects will require both studios to be working closely together to make magic happen.

Mind sharing sounds spooky, I don’t know if I’d like to mind share. Does it hurt?

The Philosophy of Resn’s creativity

Q: Looking back at the many works Resn has managed, could you list 3 that you most proud of?

Rikki: Flash Driving Game (www.flashdrivinggame.com) for NZTA (New Zealand Transport Authority) literally gives me goose bumps when I present this to agencies, even though I know the twist and have seen the project numerous times. I think this is a brilliant idea, brilliantly executed.

The 1440 project (www.rei1440project.com) allows the American outdoor retailer REI community to share their moments outdoors through photography. The site is designed around the 1440 minutes that make up a full day. The site is pure HTML5 responsive design it works across a large range of browsers, tablets and smartphones.

Special Surprise, the site we built for New Zealand musician Luke Buda (www.specialsurprise.co.nz) is pure ol’ school Flash magic. It’s engaging, visually playful, absurd and cheeky – It’s Resn through and through.

Q: We love the project you did like Threaded and Face Arcade. Could you give us a introduction about Face Arcade you co-operated with Google+?

Rikki: Google challenged us to a 2 week hackathon utilizing their new Google+Hangouts face tracking API. We accepted, with our faces, but how?

Simplicity was the answer. We realised, with the timeline being so short, we needed to keep it to a tight easy concept, 1 game. So we decided to make 5.  It was soon agreed that this was a ridiculous expectation to impose on ourselves. We were horrified. Answer, we made 4 games instead.

Answer – Face Arcade (http://facearcade.resn.co.nz/).

Q: How do these so creative and a little bit quirky ideas come from? Where does Resn team find their inspirations? And how about you?

Rikki: We try and make each other laugh, laughter is more often than not the goofy conduit to our creativity. Taking the process too seriously creates undue pressure and can often strangle your creativity and the self-criticism needed to develop truly interesting ideas.

Creative sessions with the whole team have always been important to Resn, everyone has a voice and a unique take on any given idea and this is very valuable to us.

Q: In such a competitive market, how do you manage to surprise and come up with new ideas that haven’t been done before?

Rikki: By presenting a unique voice and brand, investing in Resn R&D exploration, being respected enough to bring a lot of creative thinking to our projects, and going the extra to bring the loving details to our commercial projects, we attract people who are drawn to these qualities and who want to push things in both creative and interactive.

We have also bought a brand new whiteboard which is sweet as!

Web and New Tech Trends

Q: Since the beginning of HTML5, it has always been a hot topic. But we know most of Resn’s works are Flash-based. Can I ask your opinion on HTML5? And looking 5~10 years in to the future, what is the web trend in your views?

Rikki: HTML5 is a tool just like Flash, neither are a lifestyle, or a religion, they’re the means to an end, the end being effectively communicating with our audience.

Put simply we use whatever approach is the best approach for the project. We’re not crusaders, we’re lovers.

Q: Touch and gestures, media queries, responsive, retina display, webfonts, realtime web… How do you think these techniques and technologies will evolve and what will be next?

Rikki: It’s all gearing towards immersion and mobility, but this is ultimately just the delivery mechanism for the communication of ideas.

Ideas are what interest us, ideas are what capture the imagination. If great ideas are informed by an emerging technology, fantastic! But technology alone does not a great idea make.

Put another way: I’ll be happy if I never see another zombie themed game showcasing latest bit of new tech.

Q: What do you think we’ll see in layout and UI design in 2013? Simplicity, app-inspired design, responsive, single page websites, alternative navigation patterns…?

Rikki: Simplicity of communication and elegance of site navigation have always been of the upmost importance to us but here is an emerging trend for safe sameness which is disappointing, clean is fine but clean and boring – Unacceptable and dull.

The web should be a playground for ideas, I want to be surprised everyday by the digitally unexpected… That’s my dream.

Part 2

Q: Mobile device and social media gain a lot of attention, whether advertiser, agency or production house wants get in maybe with a half-baked plan. So what do you think of this phenomenon?

Rikki: It both comes as no surprise and is completely understandable, creating something online is like writing in sand, it’s transitory and there will always be a knee jerk reaction to what is perceived as the new ‘big thing’.

The truth about mediocrity is that it allows the truly remarkable concepts to shine through and the online is no different in this respect.

Q: If we said mobile device and social media were synonymous with the term ‘new media’ in the past five years, what do you think we will see in the years to come?

Rikki: My hope is that the current flood of emerging trends, technologies and approaches will educate and inform our future. Perceived notions of good or bad tech-trends will become irrelevant and serve only to improve our collective online digital experience.

Q: Multi-platform seems a ‘trouble guy’ for developers to deal with. Does Resn itself have a better process way?

Rikki: We are constantly refining our work processes to address issues born from the multiplatform world we live in.Every project we undertake helps inform and ultimately strengthen our process. We achieve this through a democratic review at the end of each project allowing us to openly and honestly critique the work and our approach.

Resn and Resn’s Partner

Q: Knowing Resn is a creative digital partner to some of the world’s leading advertising agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi LA, BBDO NY, Droga5 NY. However, most agencies have their own production team/dept. So comparing to their own, what part do you play during the working process and what is the major advantage Resn has?

Rikki: We do things a bit differently to the usual suspects and lots of clients crave this – we supply the ‘Resn Effect’ to make the digital world, and our clients brands, more interesting and more loved by our audience.

You attract the work you make and the work you put out into the world. We balance large projects, such as our work for Toyota – Sponsafier and The Camry Effect (http:// www.toyota.com/camryeffect/), with our Resn funded, digital drugs such as Threaded (http:// www.resn.co.nz/threaded/) and PULS (http://puls.resn.co.nz).

We are getting a nice overlap with our commercial work and our art in some recent projects such as Hennessy – Never Stop Never Settle (http://www.neverstopneversettle.com/) and Face Arcade.

Q: Does Resn have the criteria to select the partner or project? When choosing, which part does Resn most value?

Rikki: We look for the coolest digital projects in the world.

Others

Q: There is no doubt that Resn is a team with some creative talents. How Resn seeks talents? What is your most required characters?

Rikki: Having the right attitude and the ability to gel with the Resn team is of great importance to us. Resn is a group of people who have all become friends. Everyone gets along and has respect for each other. This is crucial for a vibrant creative environment.

Everyone is interacting with each other creatively on a daily basis. We have recently been calling out for all types of creative freelancers within New Zealand and across the globe. So far the response has been fantastic.

Q: In 2012，Resn has chosen Amsterdam for its new European base. So could you tell us the reason why you choose Amsterdam? And what is Resn next plan?

Rikki: The goal of the new outpost is to bring the Resn approach of creating narratively rich, experiential content and style to interactive media projects, brands and agencies across the UK, Euro zones and the east coast of the USA.

The Amsterdam node has also allowed us to be better equipped to service the northern hemisphere time zone.We also wanted to have an accent and live under the sea.

Q: Because of the difference of eastern and western cultures, creative as well, so could you tell us something about the ‘Chinese creative’ in your eyes?

Rikki: The cultural differences in creative approach can be wild and varied, or subtle and nuanced, providing an exciting and unexpected digital landscape. It’s exciting to see an explosion of unique self expression and vitality coming out of China thanks to an exponential growth in the digital and the online.

Q: Does Resn has plan towards China in near future?

Rikki: Yes. China is a huge market and Resn is genuinely excited about the possibilities of working with such an energetic, innovative and design oriented culture.The prospect of combing our two approaches and sensibilities is where we will create some true experiential magic!