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Job Release Guidelines:
What Should You Include When Shipping Us Your Project?
This must-read article reviews what you should remember to send us when providing us with a project to print.
GO TO THE JOB RELEASE GUIDELINES ARTICLE.
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Writers Take Stock:
Creating Great Case Studies
While there is certainly an art to creating the successful case study, there is a science to it as well. Here are some simple tips that can immediately improve yours.
GO TO THE CASE STUDY ARTICLE.
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File Noir (We Don't Use Film Anymore!):
Moving Beyond the Simple Drop Shadow
There are many minor, non-controversial holidays that you could consider building a marketing campaign around. Here are a few ideas.
GO TO DROP SHADOW ARTICLE.
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Production Guidelines:
What Should You Include
When Sending Us Your Project?
The Files We Need
When supplying us with files, there are a few industry-standard guidelines we would like to share with you. These simple procedures can help to ensure that your job is produced as quickly and as smoothly as possible. We would like to emphasize, however, that these are only guidelines. If they aren't realistic for you, don't worry about it. We pride ourselves in doing whatever it takes to make your project successful. In terms of files, we suggest you include the following:
Layout Files or PDF? You can send us either layout files from Quark, InDesign, Word, or other common application, or you can elect to create a PDF and send that to us. If you send us a PDF, we can process your project quicker and possibly at a lower price, but our ability to edit the files is limited. Layout files are more work for us but give us the flexibility to make changes. This is especially helpful if you have a lot of last-minute changes.
The PDF Option
To create a PDF you will need the Professional version of Acrobat. Make sure you embed your images and fonts. You can do this automatically by choosing the PDF X1/A profile; Acrobat creates a PDF with all of the options necessary for print when this profile is applied.
The Layout Files Option
When supplying Quark or InDesign files, it helps to have all of your document and graphics files loose in the same directory/folder to automate the link updating process. Put all of your fonts loose in a second directory/folder. Better yet, use the Collect for Output functionality built into both programs to collect and organize your project files.
Fonts. While most likely, we will already have them, remember there are many versions of the same font even if it is from the same foundry. Different versions can cause slight variations in the kerning and letter-spacing, which in turn can have disastrous results on your carefully-crafted line breaks. As we've pointed out before, without them your line breaks can change! This is why you should always include your fonts, especially if you have used system fonts, such as Helvetica and Times. If we catch the change, we can fix it for you, though making these changes takes time. It's best to try to avoid the problem in the first place by always supplying us with the fonts.
Illustrations and Other Artwork. While it may seem they have been "placed" in your layouts, in reality, they exist as separate documents that need to be sent along with layout files.
Scans and Digital Camera Files. If you are supplying high-resolution images with your files, remember to copy them separately. They are generally not embedded in your layout files, so put them on your CD.
Note that if you use collect for output functionality when submitting layout files, all of these elements are automatically collected into a single send folder.
Supporting Documentation
In addition to these files, provide us any supporting documentation that you can. It helps to have a list of all page elements. You might just print out your disk directory window.
Optional Color Output Print-Outs at 100%. If you plan on physically sending us your project, it is helpful, but not required, for you to include 100% lasers. It makes it easy to ensure that your line breaks have been maintained, all fonts have been rendered correctly and all placed graphics printed. If that's not realistic because of the output size of your desktop printer, feel free to tile a proof or send a low-resolution PDF. We can work with desktop proofs scaled to output on your printer. If your project includes areas of complexity such as die cuts or special folds, feel free to mark up your proofs with notes to help us understand what you intended, and to give us a standard to compare our work against.
Proofing Your Job
Avoid Major Gaffes. We can provide you with either a PDF or a hard copy proof. In either case, we create the proof from the final files from which we plan to print. The first priority is to examine the sheet for major problems. Check the overall project aesthetics.
Watch for Typographical Errors. Typos are easier to spot if the text is read aloud. When making changes, make sure the final proof reflects all corrections made on previous proofs by comparing the new proof to any proofs you reviewed earlier.
Variable Data Digital Print Projects
At the very least, we will need:
- A list of the variable placeholders found in your project and the corresponding value column in your data field
- a data file that includes the search key and the variable replacement value for each field you plan to make variable
If you plan on taking advantage of any advanced variable data functionality, such as image substitution based on a data file that has a corresponding image file for each record or map functionality tied to a record's address, you will need to supply us with the additional files and/or information to run your job. Please call us to review.
If Your Project Requires a You to Be On-Site
You may elect to watch the job print, at least at the beginning of the run until you have signed off (typically for critical-color jobs). To ensure that your project prints just as you envision, it's best to make the most of your press check. This is the last possible opportunity to make corrections and very few of our customers elect to perform a "press check". It can increase your costs, slow the process, and we are responsible for incorporating any requested changes into the final product.
These may or may not be billed as an author's alterations depending upon the nature of the request.
Scheduling and Planning a Press Check. Try to keep a flexible schedule. After the initial proofs have been finalized, we will inform you of a tentative press time. Keep in mind that our schedules can change unexpectedly. Once a press date and time is set, let your sales rep or customer service rep (CSR) know if we can expect you. That's your call, since a press check is of course not always necessary for a quality job. If you have concerns about your job, such as color builds, areas of heavy ink coverage, or how certain images print, tell your sales rep or CSR before the press check. We will alert the pressroom on your preferences. it is a good idea to bring something to do during the down times while on press. Your sales rep or CSR can spend whatever time you need working with you ensure your final printed piece meets or exceeds your expectations.
Finally, remember that changing even minor details could be very costly at this phase. Once the piece has met your satisfaction, you will be asked to sign a press sheet. This sheet will supersede any previous instructions or proofs, and will serve as the standard for the press run. If you have been thorough, you can rest easy; our experienced press crew will take it from there.
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Writing Great Case Studies
The Best Cases Follow These Simple Rules
Case studies are a powerful tool for print flyers, Web pages and of course print and email newsletters that can help your audience see the value you can add while telling a short, relevant and compelling story. Here are some thoughts to keep in mind.
1. Keep your decision-maker in mind. Remember, you are writing for customers and prospects. They may not completely familiar with industry jargon. Or, alternatively, they may resent a narrative that is too simplisticistic and below an implied level of understanding on their part.
2. Bone up on your short-story writing. The more your case study has flesh-and-blood characters, the better it will be. In other words, humanize your case study. Each character to whom you refer should move your story forward.
3. Think of your case study as a short study with three main parts: The opening or set-up; the story details that engage the reader; and the benefits and justification the customer achieved. If you plan to promote your own product or service, the middle section is the place to do it. Relevant details and challenges (and how they were overcome) can help you look good without sounding overly self-promotional.
4. Utilize as much dialog as possible with your characters. Rather than relying on straight narrative which may sound like your or your company's biased opinion rather than read with third-party credibility, use the voice of a happy customer.
Conclude with those project benefits and any lessons learned by your characters that may involve them increasing the integration of your organization and theirs.
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Moving Beyond
The Simple Drop Shadow
Whether text or images, it's amazing what you can do with drop shadows!
This is the basic silhouette. Here is a quick overview of what the settings do:
- Blend Mode generally works best as either Normal or Multiply for a simple silhouette
- Opacity is how much see-though you would like. We find a lower opacity works best with a lower size setting
- As both the distance as size grow in tandem, you maintain the "look" of a simple silhouette.
- Angle is tricky. To keep all elements in your image at the same angle, set the angle and make sure Use Global Light is checked. Beware that this will change any layer whose Global Light is checked, for all functions, not just drop shadows!
This image uses a color and slightly modified settings to create a drop shadow, for use in contrasting it with an outline stroke applied to the image (below).
If you want to create a silhouette of the shape of your layer than use this trick. Use the drop shadow settings to create your silo, and set the distance to a value large enough to position it outside the live area of the image. For users who don't want and soft, feathered edge, but rather an exact silhouette of the shape of the layer, what other technique could you use to accomplish the same effect?Scroll down to the end of the article for at least one answer.
The same concepts can be applied to typographic elements, while keeping them editable.
Very close settings to those applied to the first image.
Setting your size to zero and the distance to whatever your preference is an easy way to add a hard-edged shadow that is partially transparent to your headline or text. With almost no exceptions, make sure anti-aliased is clicked.
For a text outline, use the stroke function in the same pull-down as drop shadow. Note that both the third and fourth lines have a two-pixel stroke applied; the only difference is the third line has the stroke set to outside, where the fourth line has it set to center.
This has the stroke positioned to center.
Answer/Alternative: In the Layers Palette, set the Fill to 0% and create a drop shadow where both the distance and size are set to 0.
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Franklin Communications provides custom-manufactured solutions for a client base that includes non-profit organizations, publishers, and corporations of all sizes. This project, which is distributed to customers and others with whom we have enjoyed a prior relationship, is an example of our commitment to provide a higher standard of quality and service. Questions or comments always welcome.
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