It's that time of year again--the time of year when you need to wrack your brain for what to get those hard-to-buy-for friends and relatives. Since we are a group of designers, writers, photographers, parents, and newlyweds with some crazy-cool clients, we thought we'd put together a little gift guide to help you on your way. Up first is Tony's Guide with some terrific IFC clients!
Tony
How could I do a gift guide and not highlight some of our amazing clients?
1) Sidecar Coffee - The Coffee Lover's Gift Subscription ($150)
Keep the coffee lovers in your life caffeinated for 3 whole months with 6 x 1 lb deliveries to the coffee lover of your choice!
2) Joanna's Premium Tonic Syrup - Orange Fennel ($12)
Joanna’s is lovingly made in small quantities to elevate the natural essence of the ingredients and create a tonic that’s aesthetically beautiful. Add Joanna’s to practically any spirit in your liquor cabinet, including gin, silver tequila, sparkling wine, white rum, and vodka.
3.) Take Charge Financial Plan (From Steadyworth) ($275+)
Gift someone or grab yourself a financial planning course. Even better, we have a special coupon code for you to get 22% the course of your choice in 2022! (CODE: IFC22)
4) MYO Massage - Gift Card (custom amount available)
MYO has a solution for everyone. Give someone in your life the gift well-being with a relaxing massage from MYO.
5) Ninja U - Gift Card ($10+)
Grab an e-gift card or free passes for the little ninjas (or the big ninjas) in your life!
6) The Wash Bar - Gift Card ($50+)
Choose from any amount and send someone's dirty car to The Wash Bar for a car-washing experience like none other!
Amy
As IFC's resident messaging expert I (Amy) do a lot of writing, but I also write novels and help authors talk about their own books in my spare time. These are the tools that I use to make sure I get everything thing done well, and still have energy for my most important job: mom.
1.) Moleskine ($20+)
Ernest Hemingway. Pablo Picasso. What did they have in common? They both used Moleskine notebooks. Okay, not “Moleskine” the company. I’m pretty sure that was founded in the 90s. But that company designed their notebooks to model the very notebooks that Picasso, Van Gogh, Hemingway, and others used. They come in both hard and soft cover, with lines, with dots, or totally blank. My personal favorite is the softcover 5x7 lined. I’m pretty old school, having grown up without the internet, so I still like to write my notes by hand. Whether I’m thinking up story ideas or taking notes during a company meeting–Moleskine is my go-to.
2.) Evernote (free-$10.99/month)
My relationship with Evernote started when I was drawn to their branding–and then it turned out they had a product that was useful to my life. Not only that–but it has evolved as I have. Just around the time I took charge of the music admissions program at my previous employer, and was collecting business cards left and right, Evernote came up with a way to scan a business card and organize all the relevant information right in their app. The first year I did NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, which happens each November), they came up with all sorts of templates to help writers. I can sync information with my calendar, create checklists, transcribe notes, and so much more. If you are a client–know that Evernote has helped me complete your project.
3.) All Marketers Are Liars Tell Stories ($17)
Somewhat hilariously, this (short) book about storytelling in marketing had to be retitled and re-released. Apparently marketers didn’t think a book called “All Marketers Are Liars” was very nice. That aside, Seth Godin has put together an interesting, useful, thought-provoking book about marketing messages today in just 200 pages.
4.) ProWritingAid (free-$199)
As a messaging expert and novelist, I write a lot, but that doesn’t mean I’m grammatically infallible. That’s why I use ProWritingAid. I have a paid subscription because it’s worth its weight in GOLD but there’s even a free version. The Google Plugin aspect is fantastic because it catches grammatical errors in everything from Google Docs to social media posts. If you ever find yourself wondering things like, “What’s the difference between ‘effect’ and ‘affect?’” or “Should this be a comma or a semicolon?” ProWritingAid is for you.
5.) Magnolia Mug ($3.99)
My life is busy. I work at IFC all day, spend time with an energetic kiddo until he goes to bed, and then write books. So when the afternoon rolls around I’m already running on empty. That is, until I fill this gigantic matte black mug with coffee. Then I’m ready to go a few more rounds.
Nate
Welcome to the media section of our 2022 holiday gift guide. Here I will be going through my top 5 picks of how you should treat yourself to improve your quality of life as a photographer/videographer.
1.) Audio-Technica M50X Headphones ($149)
Are you still editing with your computer’s built-in speakers or worse, earbuds? If so, then you need to get yourself a good pair of headphones. I recommend the Audio-Technica M50X headphones because they have a flat frequency response rate which is critical when mixing your audio. They’re comfortable to wear for long sessions and the detachable cable means you don’t have to buy a whole new set if your cable gets damaged. I use these everyday when editing and filming and I think you should too.
2.) SD Card Case ($19.95)
Your files are your life so why are you tossing your loose SD cards in your bag? Get yourself and hardshell, waterproof SD card case. These will give you peace of mind that your photos will be safe until you can offload them. There’s a lot of these available and any will do, but I recommend buying one that’s brightly colored so it’s easy to locate.
3.) Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit ($39.95)
An expensive lens is worthless if the glass is covered in dust. That’s why I recommend picking up a lens cleaning kit. I use the one from Zeiss because it has everything I need to do a quick dust-off to a deep clean. And it comes in a handy pouch that fits nicely in your camera bag.
4.) Peak Design Everyday Sling Camera Bag ($159.95)
Speaking of camera bags–I like to have a few on hand for different sizes of productions, but my most used bag is the Peak Design Everyday Sling. Not only is the quality fantastic, but the sling form factor allows me to access my equipment without having to take it off. Sling the bag around and BOOM everything you need is right in front of you.
5.) Peak Design Camera Strap ($59.95)
Can you tell I’m a fan of Peak Design? Well you should be too. If you hate fiddling with camera straps then look into their Anchor Link system of quick release connectors. You can get one of their straps or a set of Anchor Links on their own to convert your existing strap. Time is money and these will save you so much time.
Payton
As a recent design gradate, these are a few things that I (Payton) lean on in both my personal and professional design life.
1.) Pretty Much Everything ($24.99)
Aaron James Draplin is one of the most influential designers in my life. His book not only teaches you about design but also life in general. I will often reference this book for inspiration and it is an incredible resource for designers.
2.) Field Notes ($9.95+)
As a designer, you need to be ready when inspiration strikes. I have had too many ideas wasted because I think, "I'll totally remember that for later." (I never do). That is why I always like to keep a sketchbook handy. What's nice about Field Notes is they fit in your pockets so you can take them anywhere you need to go.
3.) iPad Pro ($799+)
I recently got an iPad Pro and man was this thing an absolute game changer. It has really made a difference to my day-to-day workflow. The precision and capability of the Apple Pencil is unlike anything I have ever used digitally.
4.) True Grit Texture Supply Co. ($19+)
True Grit Texture Supply Co. makes brushes for Procreate, Photoshop, and Illustrator. If you know someone that likes making art that is a little rough around the edges then this would be the perfect gift. It pairs really well with the iPad Pro as well.
Noah
Do you have a budding young artist in your family? Or a graphic designer friend looking to up their design game? Check out some of these gift ideas. From stocking stuffers to bank breakers, these are sure to be well received this holiday.
1) PANTONE Rubik's Cube, ($15)
Let's face it: creative blocks are real, and they happen to 99.99% of artists everywhere. Help them work out those brain kinks with a designer-themed desktop fidget.
2.) Logo (hardcover)($21)
A fantastic branding reference bible for logos and symbols, and can help provide some inspiration as well.
3.) Color Muse Colorimeter ($70)
Accurate color is something every designer strives for. This entry-level colorimeter will have them color-matching to their heart's content (that, or helping Mom find that one color they used in the dining room 8 years ago).
4.) Beautiful Weirdo Holiday Gift Bundle ($250)
Is your artist more analog? We dig it. And they'll dig this set of top-shelf art supplies from Stuart Semple/Culture Hustle USA, an independent studio in the business of making their own unique art supplies. Best part? 100% of the profits go to Designs for Humanity, a fund for lower-income families to get aid for food, housing, and presents for their kids.
5.) iPad Pro ($799+)
Like Payton, I had to recommend the iPad Pro. The latest version is a serious workhorse. Combine it with the Apple Pencil and they'll be making digital designs in no time.
