Océane Marcherat

After three years with Axéréal, it's time to bring my work-study experience to a close.

I've had the opportunity to carry out a number of projects that have enabled me to discover the profession of graphic designer and to get to grips with the world of work. The experience taught me a lot, both professionally and personally.

I'd like to extend my warmest thanks to all the people I worked with. Their support and expertise have been essential to my development. 
Thank you to Axéréal for these wonderful years.

Educap City is a point-to-point challenge aiming to show young people the importance of consideration for others, inquisitiveness, teamwork and citizenship.

Each year, dozens of towns and cities choose Educap City to help them organise a challenge day to get local pupils out and about, meeting local personalities. To win, they have to work as a team and be fast, enthusiastic and inquisitive. 

This unique initiative is backed by Olympic wheelchair rugby champion Ryadh Sallem and aims to show young people the value of inclusion and how they can push back their limits.

As part of our apprenticeships, Marina and I regularly work together on a range of projects. We’re creative and we complement each other well. That’s why we make such a good team 😉 Recently, we were tasked with working together on a new project, Educap City, and here’s how each of us contributed.

My job was to design a visual that would provide information for the children taking part and get them thinking about farming. It also helped them to answer the various questions they were asked on our stand. 

I designed a 3x4m panel, using fun, brightly-coloured graphics to attract their attention and help them take on board the information. I also created a motion graphic to publicise the partnership between Axereal and Educap City on our social media channels.

This was the first time we had been involved in Educap City and both the local stage and the final went very well for us. Our stand was a hit with the children and the organisers alike. We’re looking forward to taking part again in the future!

Hello, today I'm going to share with you my typical day as a part-time graphic designer at Axéréal. 

In the morning, I start between 8.30 and 9am. An essential step before starting the day: I go and get myself a little cappuccino to wake up my artistic soul!

At the start of each week, I check in with my tutor to discuss current and upcoming projects. Then I list my assignments in my notebook and plan my week in my diary, so that I can allocate time according to the deadline and the size of the project.

Until midday, for example, I work on After Effects to edit a video. After this productive morning, it's time for lunch. I eat a good meal, avoiding the temptations as much as possible.

Then it's off again for the afternoon! On the agenda: writing my blog post, designing posters and other projects. After a good day's work, I head home for a well-deserved evening, and take the opportunity to get on with my school projects.

There’s one part of my job that’s always guaranteed to put a smile on my face: motion design. Basically, it’s about adding movement to graphics, bringing the elements to life to put a message across in a more dynamic way. I create videos that can be used internally, such as tutorials, or externally, to present the group.

So grab a cup of tea and read on. I’m going to let you into the secret of making great videos.

1. Pin down the purpose and the message: I start by talking to the people involved about the topic and defining the brief. That gives me the purpose of the video, the message we’re aiming to put across and the key focuses.
    

2. Establish the creative direction: Once I have the inspiration, I choose the creative direction for the video, the colours and the graphic style.
    

3. Create the storyboard: I start by sketching out some ideas on paper, and then I create the storyboard on my computer to hone the details, giving me a more complete, polished version.
    

4. Import elements into After Effects: I create all the elements I need, like characters, icons, logos, etc. and import them into After Effects.
    

5. Animate the elements: I animate the various graphic and visual elements to bring the video to life and I play with parameters like position, opacity and rotation, plus lots of other effects which are my little secrets!
    

6. Finish editing as required in Premiere Pro: I put all the animated elements together in Premiere Pro and add music and sound effects, plus voice-overs and subtitles if the project requires them.
    

7. Export: Once I’ve finished editing, I export the video ready to be shared and circulated.

Interested in seeing the results of this wizardry? Here’s one of the videos that I’ve created by following these steps: https://vimeo.com/848656466/15199f097d?share=copy.

So now you’ve had a quick peep under the bonnet of motion design. With each project I do, I try out new things, expanding my creative horizons to make my videos more and more innovative. Just like good wine, my skills improve as time passes.

See you soon for more creative adventures! 

In this first article, I’ll talk you through the various tasks involved in my job as a graphic designer at Axereal.

My main task: making sure that communication within the Group and at head office is as sparkling as a mint fizz! 

To accomplish this, I create various graphic materials such as posters for events (e.g. inviting employees to sport a moustache for Movember) or for information (e.g. advice on cybersecurity to avoid being scammed), along with brochures and packaging (because even honey jars and beer bottle neck labels deserve a bit of style!). I also make sure Axereal’s visual identity is maintained by checking that all communication materials apply the same standards (the way you always stick to your grandmother’s secret recipes!).

Video production is another important part of my job, as it’s a fun way of sharing information on things like booking POOL vehicles or fire safety, and for presenting the highlights from 2022-23 in the now famous digital annual report.

I also take care of website updates for Axereal’s subsidiaries, including lentilleduberry.com, asperge-verte-chambord.fr, and axvigne.com.

I do the page layout for our super guides, like the Discover Guide and the Cybersecurity Guide, as well as the social media charter.

I also take photos at events and produce staff headshots. And of course, I keep an eye on what’s going in the world of design and the latest trends so I can continually produce modern, creative content.

See you soon for another article with more about my projects.