Critical reflection, Sea the Truth, Jemima Roberts

Our project aimed to raise awareness about the pressing issues surrounding the ongoing
topic of Sea Pollution. As a team, this involved discovering the detrimental environmental
effects of polluted oceans, such as on wildlife and landscape. After considering alternative
topics, such as Men’s Mental Health and Sex positivity, we collectively decided on Sea
Pollution to raise awareness about this subject and to encourage others, such as students,
on how we can benefit our planet. We increased our knowledge through various mediums,
such as documentaries, podcasts, blogs and infographics, which offered audience
engagement and meaningful change.

Firstly, the choice of sea pollution was an important topic due to the lack of awareness
surrounding the ongoing crisis. Our target audience ranges from eighteen to fifty, mainly
focusing on the ages across campus. As a team, we learned a lot about leadership and
assigned different roles to each other, which began with a detailed presentation of our
project intentions. In my role, I focused on the design aspect of the project, which allowed
me to lead my team members and peers on the overall aesthetic which was first raised
within the presentation. The text communication studies: the Essentials resource addresses
this by understanding that "Leadership, then, is something more than just personality or
accident or appointment. It is intimately linked with behaviour. It is essentially a human
process at work in organisations". (Beck A., Bennett, P., & Wall, P., 2013, p.115). In addition,
my leadership role as design manager led me to research further company styles, such as
Surfers Against Sewage and Coral Gardeners. After examining the Newquay-based company
Surfers Against Sewage, we were inspired by their blue colour scheme and its simplistic yet
enticing approach to its target audience. This includes exploring visual images and videos
with an engaging aesthetic. I intend to further my knowledge for future projects by
venturing into websites beyond the young and trendy approach. This will involve comparing
a trendy site to a more structured design and working with it to achieve an equal balance.

In addition to this, as part of the creative process, our team was asked to choose an
approachable name and logo designs. Although we ended up choosing "Sea the Truth", we
began with other project names, such as "See A Better Sea" and "Sea A Better Future". After
looking at other companies' names, which involve different techniques such as Alliteration
and Metaphors, we decided to use the method of Pun as it conveys a double meaning for
the audience to grasp. The Pun of "sea" allows for varied interpretations, adding depth and
understanding to our project. This title encourages awareness as it conveys a message
which reveals the truth about seas. Therefore, we aimed to create something short and
sweet that is easy to recall without overwhelming the audience. As a team, we decided not
to peruse "See a Better Sea" and "Sea A Better Future" as although it reflects a forward-
looking perspective, "Sea the Truth" was preferred for its concise and impactful nature.
Similarly, we intended to symbolise the truth for the logo designs through the logos of
animals, waves, landscapes and transparency. We decide to settle on a design with darker
blue tones contrasting against the white light of the background. We believed that although
we are a young and new team, we wanted a bold and classic logo for the brand to represent
passion, seriousness, professionalism and determination for the topic of sea pollution.
Moreover, a documentary was designed as the centrepiece of our exhibition, the most
visually engaging part of the project. As head of design management, I started by creating a
script for our film, which showed the other team members the overall layout and intention
of the documentary. I aimed to include a visual narrative that explored the causes,
consequences, and potential solutions to sea pollution. Baden Euston's (2013) study on
Conflict management discusses that "The good negotiator is aware of the advantages and
disadvantages of negotiation via different channels of communication" (p.96). As I reflected
on this reading, I learnt that my negotiating skills played a crucial role in communicating
with my team the design goals I aspired to achieve for this film. We carefully curated litter
picking, images of the polluted coastal areas, project progression and used informative
graphics and a voiceover script to convey the problem's urgency. However, upon reflection,
our team recognised the urgency for more diverse perspectives in our documentary, such as
citizens venturing out from the university and social sector. This may have included voices
from frontline community members affected by marine pollution. Similarly, we could have
displayed a further example of our projects progression from start to finish empathising our
achievements as a team.

Likewise, the editing process of the documentary was crucial for enhancing the dramatic
effect of the state of our Marine environments. As part of the process, we used the CapCut
platform, which included several effects and cuts to incorporate a dramatic impact on the
project topic. Using mobile technology, such as the camera, we encapsulated the shocking
horrors of the rubbish on the beach. In addition, after editing the cuts and adding on the
non-diegetic sound, I included a voiceover, which consisted of special effects and
voiceovers, such as heart beats and “cave” sound effect aligned with voice over. In addition
to this, the dramatic language and structure caused a shuddering impact on what is going on
in our oceans. However, although CapCut was a handy platform, I could have ventured out
to some other software sites such as Imovie to edit the film and explore it with additional
effects.

Furthermore, we designed a highly visual infographic for the project's advertisement to

attract a broader audience to the Exhibit. For the poster, I used Canva, which included
several visual elements and colour schemes to design a prominent piece. The theme for the
poster was Under the Sea to demonstrate where sea pollution leads and its most
resounding effects. The idea was not to have a depressing or aggressive poster but one that
is approachable and friendly, as we felt this would create more of an engaging approach. As
a result of this effort, we had several comments and admirers on the poster, which led our
audience to focus and read up on the issues. This served as a point of entry for guests to the
exhibition, offering a snapshot of the problems and enticing them to learn more about the
pressing issue of marine life. Given that this was a design element of the project,
disagreement was still part of the process of what designs would be put in place. We made
several different drafts of different posters before we concluded with our final image.
Moreover, Cole Gerald (2015) notes that "disagreement is an essential element in working
through problems and overcoming difficulties"(P.92). As a reflection of this, the infographic
could have been a more team interactive process, as well as incorporating a QR code or
real-life images to provide additional information and sense of reality to the cause.
A podcast was edited and designed as an audio experience that complemented the other
components of the exhibition. We interviewed Clive Roberts, a highly educated individual
with first-hand knowledge of pollution. Although he is only the chairman of the West Wales
Rivers Trust, we wanted to broaden our understanding of pollution. By doing so, Clive
explains that if the rivers are polluted, this pollution is transferred into the ocean due to the
geographical connections between the two. We also intended to interview someone of
older age as they have seen the deuteration of our planet throughout further years,
compared to someone who has a little less exposure to the rising issue. Additionally,
Christopher Drew (2017) argues that "transmissive podcasts may help to maximise the
potential of education podcasts in institutional contexts and lead to new and unique
learning opportunities" (p.61). This allowed me to reflect on the fact that through
interviews, storytelling and soundscape, it is essential to evoke empathy and emotional and
intellectual connections with the issue you are raising. I did this by setting up the podcast
with my teammate and ensuring the interview and the interviewee were prepared for the
discussion. I also ensured all equipment was intact and ready to go on time and efficiently.
For future projects, I intend to contact a larger company that may be more educated on sea
pollution, leaving us with guidance as young adults on improving our oceans. Our previous
interviewee, Louie Psihoyos, recommended by the Oceanic Preservation Society, could not
attend on such short notice. Therefore, we acknowledge that accessibility might have been
a limitation for some visitors, as not everyone has access to or prefers consuming audio
content.

As a result of all our work and efforts, we were left to present and exhibit our campaign to
the university. As part of the experience, my team and I set up a stand that included several
sea-related items to entice visitors to come and look at our campaign. For example, we
followed our blue colour scheme and the engaging and enticing infographic behind our
desk. Similarly, we had several on-theme items, such as blue-themed food and a net filled
with litter and shells to encapsulate the polluted oceans. Furthermore, Dernie (2007) Argues
that "Making exhibitions is increasingly recognised as a significant form of creative
expression". (p.6). This signifies to us as creators that the process was not just an
educational project but also highly artistic. We also included flyers with factual content and
a QR code for our Social Media page, which distributes our efforts and projects throughout
this champagne. Within the hours of the exhibition, we had several different visitors who
were intrigued to know the current situation of the polluted oceans. In addition to this, we
also gained a further following on our social page, as that is something a younger
demographic is most likely to follow and listen to. In the future, I intend to engage more
with our audience by questioning their efforts with the oceans and perhaps organising a
beach clean-up for students to encourage cleaner oceans.

Finally, to document our project progress, our team designed a blog to enrich our
knowledge on the topic further. Each group member contributed articles discussing
different issues, ranging from the impact of plastic waste on marine life to the role of
government policies in mitigating pollution. While the blog allowed for more audience
engagement, we wished for more encouraging comments and facilitated online discussion
amongst the Exeter community as a team.
Overall, the experience was a collaborative effort to raise awareness and spark dialogue
about urgent environmental issues such as sea pollution. Our project aimed to raise
awareness about the pressing issues surrounding the ongoing topic of Sea Pollution. As a
team, we are incredibly proud of our efforts and accomplishments throughout the process.
My most successful role in the project was design and management, which let me explore
my talents and encouraged further exploration into a field I intend to work on and be a part
of. We shall commit to working on our approach by advocating a positive change in our
community and world. As a team, this involved discovering the detrimental environmental
effects of polluted oceans, such as on wildlife and landscape. Our mission was to raise
awareness about this subject and to encourage others, such as students, on how we can
benefit our planet. We increased our knowledge through various mediums, such as
documentaries, podcasts, blogs and infographics, which offered audience engagement and
meaningful change.

Bibliography:

Cole, Gerard. 2015. Groups and Teams. Management: Theory and Practice. 8th Edition.
Andover: Engage Learning EMEA, pp. 79-93.

Eunson, Baden 2011, Conflict Management, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, Newark.
Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [6 March 2024]. Pp. 96-104.

Context: Beck, A., Bennett, P. and Wall, P. (2013) Communication Studies: The Essential
Resource. 1st edn. London: Taylor and Francis Online. Pp. 110-120.

Christopher Drew (2017) Educating audio: an exploration of education podcast design

possibilities, Taylor and Francis Online, 54:1, pp. 48-62, DOI.

Dernie, D. (2007). Exhibition Design. London: Laurence King Publishing. (Pp. 6-25).

Coral Gardeners. (n.d.). Coral Gardeners. [online] Available at: https://coralgardeners.org/?

gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwYSwBhDcARIsAOyL0fjQU75pyLNzGIqO6mIdYysNZOywTYEc
K1HkaoaLeG_O1pxNzubdADMaAvgAEALw_wcB [Accessed 25 Mar. 2024].

Surfers Against Sewage. (n.d.). Fund our fight for the ocean. [online] Available at:
https://www.sas.org.uk/donate/ [Accessed 2 Mar. 2024].

West Wales Rivers Trust. (n.d.). West Wales Rivers Trust | Restoring the Wildlife Habitats of
Rivers, Lakes & Wetlands. [online] Available at: https://westwalesriverstrust.org/ [Accessed
28 Feb. 2024].

Oceanic Preservation Society. (N.d.) Oceanic Preservation Society / [online] Available at:
https://opsociety.org / [Accessed 3 March. 2024].