the CREATIVE ISSUE the CREATIVE ISSUE Vol 11 (Sep/Oct 2023) Design and Creative Industries S P E C T R U M 2 0 2 4 ? ? ? ? ? ? ! " Play the crossword inside to reveal Spectrum 2023’s name!
CONTRIBUTORS Hello and welcome to an all-new installment and look for The Creative Issue! As a new batch of Spectrum students, we are honoured to be taking the reigns from our fellow seniors. For the 11th Volume of The Creative Issue, we are truly honing in on what being a student in the creative field is really about. From parody articles to fun-loving activities to student showcases, this issue is a good time from beginning to end! Included in this volume is a joke university guide, a memoir interview with FASS's late Dr Olive, a monkey-based personality guide, and a brand-new reoccuring segment called Unveil The Artist, where we set out to uncover students with ever-renowned talent! (There's even a crossword to fill out that includes all potential Spectrum names! Isn't looking behind the scenes so intriguing?) And to top it all off, covid-time students can reminisce their lockdown memories and feelings with a diary entry dedicated to the epidemic. We hope you had fun reading this issue as much we did making it. Enjoy! Designers: Faiz Juni, Basyir Junaidi, Nadhiroh Rosli, Syaza Hamani, Fuad Danny, Haziqah Othman, Izzat Zafirah Writers: Nyssa Sha’irah, Awayna Suzette, Nadhiroh Rosli, Syaza Hamani Cover by Haziqah Othman EDITOR’S NOTE
DCI’s Declassified University Anti-Guide 03 CONTENTS For You Page: 07 Izzat’s Page For You Page: 17 Nyssa’s Page Dear Diary: Covid 19 Interview With Dr. Olive 05 Fun Pages: Spectrum Crossword and Comic 09 Which Monkey Are You? 11 Unveil The Artist: Dani Iskandar 18
Are you a confused Freshie with zero clue on how to navigate the DCI sphere? Great! Welcome to DCI’s official guide on how NOT to be a top-notch student. With this list, we’ll do our best to get you from Bad to Worse! Here are the 13 things you shouldn’t keep in mind: 1) Procrastinate. Leave all your work to be done on the weekend. You definitely don't need the break! 3) Wake up after class starts. Set your alarm for 30 minutes after, you won't be late! 2) Never set up lecturer appointments. The lecturers will be at their office 24/7 just for you. 4) Traffic will never be an issue. Roads to campus are as clear as water, especially in the morning! Written by Nyssa Syahirah Illustrated by Haziqah Othman
8) Do your readings the night before. I mean. If you even do the readings, that is. 7) Don’t keep track of your MCs early. Taking 4 modules every semester is more than enough to graduate. Trust. 6) No need to repeatedly save your work. Your programs are reliable and will never crash! 5) Never keep a sketchbook. Your brain will surely remember all the ideas you have. 9) Sleep is for the weak. Why sleep when you can do more work in that hour? 10) Take criticism PERSONALLY. And dismiss all of them. They don’t know you like you do. 11) Don’t take notes in class. It’ll all be on Canvas for sure. Throw that pen away. 12) Don't reach out for help. Lecturers love when you don’t clarify anything and fail later. 13) Participation in group projects is optional. Someone else will do it anyway! And remember, if you follow this guide diligently, you’ll be sure to land your sorry self out of UBD for the rest of eternity. Good luck!
For You page Putting a creative spotlight on Spectrum’s very own
by Izzat Zafirah @chipzat on IG
Find out which of Find out which of the 10 pesky monkeys the 10 pesky monkeys hanging around FASS you are hanging around FASS you are with this neat little guide! with this neat little guide! illustrated by FAIZ & NADHiroh illustrated by FAIZ & NADHiroh written by nyssa written by nyssa
THE CLOWN CAPUCHIN t D h o e you thrive on making everyone in look class burst into laughter? Well, No at you, Class Clown Capuchin! tha thing is more uncomfortable for you bei n the dreaded dead silence. You love aro n u g funny and everybody loves being you nd you. Maybe lecturers wished wh took things more seriously, but you o cares! They’re lame and sad! And ’re young, wild and free! Are you earning those gains on top of those creative project grades? You’re likely the Athlete Ape, and that’s sick! Running toward finishing lines and deadlines, keeping up your muscle and art hustle, you’re a lot like Troy from High School Musical. When the semester gets tough, just remember your ape abs are tougher! But just don’t get your head too into the game. THE ATHLETE APE
THE BUSY BABOON So. You got a job outside university that makes it hard to liaise with you? Or maybe you’re taking a crazy amount of modules that take up all your time? You poor Busy Baboon, you! While everybody’s cruising through life on easy mode, you’re getting crushed under the weight of all those Google Docs and Excel sheets. Take it easy, man! After graduation, I think you’ll need a vacation straight to Bali! Smartypants Sakis are likely to ask all the questions in a lecture to show off. Is that you? Then shut up! I’m kidding. See, you’re like the extroverted cousin of the Go-Getter Gorilla. You’re the only student to read class notes and bring them up in class, but unlike the go-getter, you care about the attention more than the grades. No shame in that! Just don’t rub it in anyone’s faces, and we’re cool! THE SMARTYPANTS SAKI
Are you, like, the total opposite of the Messy Mandril? With a dash of levelheaded leadership in the mix? Awesome, Headstrong Howler! You’re like Sam from Totally Spies, or Leonardo from TMNT. Your coursemates all turn to you when you need a leader for the group project, and you don’t disappoint! And, let’s be honest, you're probably the real Teacher’s Pet, right? Oh, my. This monkey is the Clueless Capuchin cranked to the absolute max! You have nothing in order at all! You don’t take notes and you're always sitting on mountains of assignments. The grace period is probably your best friend, and to the lecturers’ misfortune, they’re used to that by now. You’re hanging from your branch on a thread, huh? Investing in a planner might help! THEMESSYMANDRILL
THE GO-GETTER GORILLA y A o r u e r y w o o u a crazy tryhard that bases curve? Y rth on your place on the bell Getter ou might just be the GoGorilla! respons Intelligent, success ible, and driven, you find that long nig i h n the classroom is worth the of caffe ts and the obscene amounts ahh at y ine. Your coursemates ooh and it’s just o a u n r prowess, but you know please other day for you. But, , go to sleep? For me? Do you find yourself at your lecturer’s side and wanting their approval so badly it hurts? Congratulations, you’re probably the Teacher’s Pet Monkey! LOL! You might be the envy of your fellow course mates for being the only one your lecturer remembers, but hey, at least you’ve got the grades to know your worth! Just don’t ask about that essay assignment at the end of the class, okay? TEACHERS’ PETMONKEY
Tsk tsk. Are you always waking up late? Or just getting stuck in w tr i a th ffi a c n ? i D ce o you feel like a zombie d coffee on hand? Wake up, Late-Comer Langur! y A o f u te r r le a c l t l, consistently strolling in starts ures 30 minutes after it Aren’t y i o s never a good look! you get w u sick of all the stares the door hen you walk through their bu ? People never mind good w siness! It’s okay, you’re r ith your assignments, ight? Right? s Q u u b e m stion: when people ask if you’ve y itted that overdue assignment, do m ou go, ‘Huh?’ Then you, my friend, ight just be the Clueless Proboscis. o It u ’s okay. We’ve all been there! Walking ta t of class head empty isn’t an easy Le sk, but somebody’s gotta do it. kn cturers call your name knowing you th ow nothing, because they’re evil like ev at. May you one day have erything click for you! THE CLUELESS PROBOSCIS
by Nyssa Sha'irah For You page Putting a creative spotlight on Spectrum’s very own
UNVEILTHEARTIST UNVEILTHEARTIST UNVEILTHEARTIST UNVEILTHEARTIST UNVEILTHEARTIST UNVEILTHEARTIST U N VEILT HEA RTIS T U N VEILT HEA RTIS T U N VEILT HEA RTIS T U N VEILT HEA RTIS T U N VEILT HEA RTIS T U N VEILT HEA RTIS T U N VEILT HEA RTIS T U N VEILT HEA RTIS T UNVEIL THE ARTIST Dani Iskandar, a full-time third-year DCI student, is a filmmaker and cinematographer. His passion lies in the complex art of creating stories, evoking deep emotions, and transporting audiences to different realms through the lens of his camera, he continues to inspire those around him to go all out and unveil their potential within themselves while still being able to do his university work. Dani Iskandar, a full-time third-year DCI student, is a filmmaker and cinematographer. His passion lies in the complex art of creating stories, evoking deep emotions, and transporting audiences to different realms through the lens of his camera, he continues to inspire those around him to go all out and unveil their potential within themselves while still being able to do his university work. WHO IS DANI ISKANDAR? UBD CREATIVES R E W A R D REWARDS FOR FINDING THE LOST ‘WILL TO LIVE’ IS EXACTLY ONE PANCAKE MIX SPEACIALLY BOUGHT IN THE MARKET AT 2 AM IN THE MORNING WITH OUR TEARS. LOST ITEM I am not sure if anyone will read this part because it is honestly just a filler to make this look beautiful but hey to you who is reading this you are lovely and you are loved remember that. also, there might be some secrets within this page but you might not catch them, it is very hard to capture anyif at all the secrets left on this page. i, the author of this page might have left some clues for certain things but this could also be a red herring you would never know unless we said something.look really really closely at everything on this page. while you must remember that you are a fantastic person and capable of an immeasurable amount of potential you must always question everything.for all we know is that we know nothingdoes the butterfly to the left have anymeaning? is it a butterfly? is it amoth? is it some other species of an insect we know nothing of?maybe this has to do with the butterfly effect, where one small incident becomes the snowball to the avalanche that is to come. maybe this is to symbolize the slow but beautiful transitions for our DCI students to fully-fledged artists who have come into theworld now.maybe it is howIviewthe upcomingspectrumto be and how our spectrumwill be a beautiful descent toourmostmeaningful taskwithinour time in design andcreative industry.what doyou think? - pauper UNVEIL STUDENT FROM UBD WON FILM FESTIVAL STUDENT FROM UBD WON FILM FESTIVAL SpectrumPublication I S S U E # 1 1 ( S E P T ) DISCOVERINGTHETALENTSOFNEW-AGEARTISTS D E SIG N A N D C R EATIV EIN D U ST RY MAJ O R In the realm of cinematic artistry, Dani Iskandar takes great pride in the creation of "Nilai Part 1" (2023), Dani Iskandar initially harbored modest expectations regarding its reception beyond the confines of the academic sphere, especially within the realm of the film industry. Yet, the narrative of "Nilai Part 1" took an extraordinary turn when it achieved an unparalleled triumph— securing the coveted title of Best Short Film under IHL in the Open Category at the prestigious Brunei Content Festival of 2023. This remarkable feat, achieved amidst stiff competition, was all the more remarkable as "Nilai Part 1" outshone a selection of 96 films curated from a pool of over 130 submissions. In the spirit of humility and shared success, Dani Iskandar extends full credit to his dedicated team. He remains acutely aware that without their unwavering commitment and tireless diligence, the lofty heights of this achievement would have remained elusive. Dani Iskandar's scholastic journey has been nothing short of enriching. As a third-year student at DCI, he has embraced the opportunity to forge meaningful connections with peers and relish the student experience while simulataneously weaving the fabric of his cinematic dreams into reality in the company of kindred spirits, individuals who sharehis fervor for the artformand exhibit a congruent creative resonance, that makes Dani experience profoundjoy. Dani Iskandar's scholastic journey has been nothing short of enriching. As a third-year student at DCI, he has embraced the opportunity to forge meaningful connections with peers and relish the student experience while simulataneously weaving the fabric of his cinematic dreams into reality in the company of kindred spirits, individuals who sharehis fervor for the artformand exhibit a congruent creative resonance, that makes Dani experience profoundjoy. Having dual roles that he shoulders, as a student and a freelance filmmaker, occasionally causes a toll. The intricate dance of managing academic pursuits alongside the demands of filmmaking makes allocation of time and energy necessary. To strike a harmonious balance, Dani adeptly navigates this terrain by supplementing his schedule with additional weekend commitments, weighing their worth against his limited time & resources accepting those which align with his goals. Having dual roles that he shoulders, as a student and a freelance filmmaker, occasionally causes a toll. The intricate dance of managing academic pursuits alongside the demands of filmmaking makes allocation of time and energy necessary. To strike a harmonious balance, Dani adeptly navigates this terrain by supplementing his schedule with additional weekend commitments, weighing their worth against his limited time & resources accepting those which align with his goals. D a ni Iska n d ar's cinem atic jo urney h as been enriched by the tutela ge of Dr. Yo n g, a seaso ned ed ucator in film m a kin g. D a ni a n d his peers at D CI h ave absorbed a wealth of kn owled ge, inclu din g the intricacies of cinem ato gra p hy, the structure of pre-pro d uctio n fro m Act 1 to Act 3, insights into vario us roles within film pro d uctio n, a n d the art of film a n alysis. IllustratedByThatGirlSuzette | WrittenbyPauper
But… then again, I was literally my own boss. I had work to do. I had responsibility and no one to hold me accountable for it. I couldn’t even see my own coursemates. I mean, I’m in my final year and I still don’t know more than half my graduating class of 60, if it even is 60. Gosh, I don’t even know how many people I’m graduating with. That's awful. I was lucky to have lecturers that cared about doing roll call attendance. And being holed up in my room most of time, with nobody new to see? That was even worse. Let me explain. Maybe I liked going to class in pyjama pants, alright? Maybe I enjoyed not having to worry about gas for my car to drive to my lectures and I enjoyed not getting caught slacking in mini theatres. That element of freedom was something I actually really liked. I was my own boss! Wasn’t that awesome? Man! The COVID era is basically over, huh? That transition from working from home to actually going on campus is still tripping me out. Going from seeing nobody to seeing everybody all the time? Wow. Looking back, it was a whole rollercoaster of an experience. Am I crazy for saying that there are some parts that I miss? Dear Diary, munch munch Written by: Nyssa Sha’irah | Illustrated by: Basyir Junaidi
I know what I felt was what a lot of my peers felt, too. Not all of them. Maybe some of them were lucky enough to adore the COVID era. I know people that even felt productive staying at home. But, most of the time, the burnout? The loneliness? Feeling lost in your own room? So many people know what that’s like. And the worst part is, there isn’t much you can do to change that. What would it have been like to be a wide-eyed first-year bumbling in and out of classes, making clumsy friendships, learning to navigate the world, without the threat of a widespread outbreak looming over your shoulders? I will never get to know that. So. The people were the first to go. That connection that tethered me to my academic life, the lecturers I never talked to and the friends I didn’t get to make. Then? The motivation. I lost it. For everything. Not just for my piling assignments, but also, for creativity in general. It was barely hanging on by a thread, even. And as a design student? That really sucked. I almost couldn’t see the light at the end of the lockdown tunnel. *sigh* ID:__ __ __ SARsCov C T
But, hey. I do know what I can change. And that’s my present. My future. I’m on campus now, baby! I don’t have to feel so down about the past when I have a whole life ahead of me. You know what they say? One door closes, another one opens. Ignite the light and let it shine, that’s what Katy Perry said! Maybe I can’t condense two years of lost memories into two semesters, but am I gonna sit here and mope about that? No! I’m here to make the most of it! And you know what? You will, too. To whoever wants to hear it, Good Luck Charlie. I’ll see you next entry. From, A hopeful kid in the 20B COVID batch. irreparable damage to my social skills and emotional stability, whatever! Look, when we wake up everyday, we’re declaring to the world that we’re trying one more time to make it right for ourselves. We take every hour given to us and hold it close to our chests for the betterment of our lives! When we sit in our class chairs and our computer lab setups and our lecture halls, we do it with the knowledge that we’ll leave those classes one day, understanding wholeheartedly that we tried our best. Because that’s what life is, isn’t it? It’s about standing tall in the face of adversity, even when it’s easier to do nothing at all. So, COVID might have won some battles. But I know for a fact that I’ll win the war. Sure. Maybe I don’t know what the future holds. Maybe COVID 2: Electric Boogaloo is ready to strike at any moment. And maybe COVID caused