Bright Lights Protocol

Feature by Craig Lennie

Imagine that you are walking down a peaceful stretch of road in the middle of the country. Suddenly the bright sky turns black and a twister of epic proportions funnels down to the ground. The swirling mass of angry grey clouds sucks you into the air and you find yourself spinning circles next to a cow and an old lady in a rocking chair. Eventually that tornado is going to spit you out, but at the moment you’re not really thinking about sticking the landing.

Welcome to PC, where putting together your portfolio is a 17,520-hour job. But in the obsessive pursuit of a “killer” portfolio it’s easy to forget that there’s more to the industry than just ideas. If you don’t know how to present yourself or your work you’re in for a rough landing. That’s where Sam Harrison’s class, Bright Lights Protocol, picks up. But it’s just the beginning. Over the course of two years at PC a comfort level develops when it comes to presenting in front of peers and teachers, but the simple act of stepping up 18 inches onto a stage can quickly erase that confidence. Each week students take their turn in the spotlight as a motivational speaker, potential employee, or professional making a pitch and have their performances critiqued by the class. It’s a tough crowd and presenters learn the importance of preparation on top of gaining confidence as a speaker.

Students also spend time developing their personal brand and figuring out how they want to position themselves to employers. From defining success to writing a mantra statement to concepting a brand identity, students are pushed to explore what they want out of their career. It sounds obvious, but in the rush to get that first job it can become an afterthought.

All of this is important, but without a portfolio packed with great work it doesn’t mean much. So the rest of the class is devoted to reviewing work and discussing the future of the portfolio and mini book. After all that, it’s hard not to feel better about sticking the landing.