By Alex Mawby

Memoirs of a Mosher

Before I got completely run over with work, I kept a diary of my time at SCA.

Below are my entries for the first week, completely unedited and a little embarrassing.

Thought it might be interesting for you new lot, and even some of the old lot.

Day 1

• So, first day of SCA.  
• Hard to summarise.
• Mad busy in the studio.
• Don’t really feel l deserve to be there. Feel like a bit of an observer.
• Big intro talk from Marc, defines creativity as ‘the expression of an idea that brings value’
• Not sure about that. Spose it will do.
• To be honest the whole day has been a blur – hard to pin down exactly what happened.
• Arduino project very disappointing. Internet not working and then my code wouldn’t upload.
• Gutted as my project was much better than I thought – compared to some other peoples.
• Great to catch up with Marco who I met in San Francisco.
• Met some interesting art director dudes – Ben + Frazer.
• Very nice + cool.
• Do I need to start thinking about partnerships?
• Long day. Tired out.
• Listened to Nudge on the train home. Wasn’t really listening. Maybe some of it went in?

Day 2

• Today was much more positive.
• Improv in the morning which was a lot of fun.
• Back in my comfort zone.
• Got to know people a bit better.
• Martin or ‘mojo’
• Sam – lived in Cali
• Got chatting to a nice guy called Adam after improv. KCL English degree, but art director.
• Cool guy – gay?
• Feel quite aware of not finding my feet yet. Not being confident enough?
• Tried to write my first SCAB at lunch. Couldn’t finish it.
• Rest of the day spent with ‘Buddhist’ Ben.
• Interesting guy with a crazy background.
• Shaolin monk, lived in a monastery.
• Lectured on mindfulness – being in the here and now. Not confused by the past or future.
• Very interesting comments on the value of time and how obsessed we are with it in the Western world.
• I feel like I am quite a mindful person already.
• Meditating – IMPORTANT
• Need a mantra.
• Wrote a pretty rubbish SCAB when I got home.

Day 3

• Set my alarm for 7.20 as going to visit an agency in SW London – Brave
• Alarm didn’t go off!
• Woke up at 8.45 – jumped out of bed, pulled clothes on and ran out of the door.
• Quite stressful but I tried to remain MINDFUL and stayed calm.
• Only 2 mins late. Result.
• It was fine, Hannah (one of the mentors) was later than me.
• Brave a small agency in Parsons Green.
• Met executive creative director Bo Hellberg and senior art director Caroline Paris.
• They showed us their work on El Jimador.
• Bo was an interesting guy.
• Had to do vox pops with staff.
• Thrown in at the deep end. Ended up interviewing head of digital design despite not really having any idea what I’m talking about.
• Very nice guy though.
• People seem very open to talking to students which is great.
• Headed out to coffee shop – Hannah bought us all a drink.
• Finally felt more able to talk in a smaller group.
• Got talking to Clarissa. She seems lovely.
• The fact I’m a children’s entertainer came out. Everyone thought it was pretty funny.
• Met Edward – very funny, incredibly dry sense of humour.
• Mojo seems very honest and enthusiastic.
• Lucy and Anna also in my group.
• And Rob.
• Visited R/GA.
• Pretty dull tour of the offices.
• Incredible talk from James Temple though, ECD.
• Really liked their responsive attitude towards culture and topical stories.
• Interviews dragged afterwards, why didn’t I have lunch?
• Walked back to Angel with Ed and got the train home. Fav person from today.
• Passive aggressive note on my car about parking near someone’s house.
• So British. I should collect them all together and make an exhibition.

Day 4

• Woke up and Mum was having a go about making a mess.
• Felt like I dealt with it in a MINDFUL way. Just walked out of the kitchen.
• After a masterclass from Marc in branding and positioning we spent the day decorating ceramics.
• We all had to decorate a mug with our own personal brand and then attempt a joint task with 8 bowls.
• We were given Andy Warhol as a subject.
• It was a relaxing day. My mug was decorated with a (Y) sign. It didn’t look great but we’ll see after it gets blasted.
• Good way to get to know everyone better.
• Particularly like Sam – seems like a solid guy.
• Nina also a strong personality.
• Our bowls task was great, we stacked them up to look like a can of Campbell’s soup.
• Weirdly proud of our little bowl collection.
• Rushed out a reflection slide. Could have been better, should have asked someone first but still a bit intimidated by a few.
• Need to practice photoshop.
• French Fiona nice but quiet – I find it hard to talk to her cause I’m so bad with accents.
• Edwina a very odd one – can’t put my finger on it.
• Blowjobs in libraries?
• At the pub finally spoke to everyone properly.
• They all seem like an amazing group of people.
• Most preconceptions proved completely wrong.
• Went to KFC with Ed halfway through the night. Enjoyed that part a little bit too much.
• Marcella is lovely – hugely passionate, and I’m not just falling into Italian stereotypes.
• Elin is a massive flirt. Very smart though.
• Georgia really went for it with the dancing in the pub.
• Strange convo with Lawrence as I was leaving.
• Pugh is an enigma, don’t get him yet at all.
• Teddy seems pretty wise and honest about fucking up last year, which I respect him for.
• Shame my girlfriend couldn’t make it out. She has to meet these people who are going to take over my life.

***

Enjoy it SCA 15/16.

And cheers, MOSH.