Steve started off at Organic - flash animator for two years
then moved to Y&R - two years
and now ended up at TAXI
His advice for us to surviving in this industry
1. Remember all your guest speakers - the industry is small, keep in contact
2. Know your companies - always do your research before you go anywhere
Type of work
Organic - banners, websites, flash all the time (strictly web)
Y&R - A lot about dollars, less creativity. Clients don't allow too much freedom
TAXI - crazy creative shop, being different, work you to the bone.
Clients
Know your clients. Every company has a few major clients that pay the bills.
Location
Whether you like to drive downtown, commute to work up to you.
3. Beware the Boss
Depending on the boss, if they are a writer, they may not pay so much attention to the design
4. Find a mentor
- his mentor helped him grow
- he was his friend, was there to back you up
- he got a writing partner at Y&R - gives him a lot of advice
- they can help guide your path
- remember to return the favour and help someone else
5. Speak up
- make your passions known
- if you see an opportunity, jump at it
- if you see a project that intrigues you, jump at it
6. Never take shotgun
- control your career
- started out as a flash animator at Organic. received PSD files and applied flash. Realized that he liked designing from scratch. Let his supervisor know and started going a different direction.
- There's always a chance to go where you want to go, just let people know
7. Tweet
- it's always important to be up to date
- the industry is always changing
- follow things on twitter if you can't keep up to date all the time
8. If you learn, they will pay
- google some interests and ask to go
- great places to learn
- companies will pay if you are willing to learn
9. Drink beer
- the industry is small
- you're going to be building friendships with partners, copywriter, and art directors
- stay in touch with people
- go out and have fun when you can
- the social chunk of advertising is a lot of fun
10. Don't take yourself too seriously
- where ever you end up, it's not the end of the world if you don't like it
- don't take it too seriously or else you won't like it and you won't have fun
11. Be passionate and have fun
- If you're not passionate about your work, why are you doing it
- passion will get you through
- can't learn everything
- someone in the industry will always know something more than you
Things that have helped Steve along the way
1. inspiration folder
2. mashable
3. thefwa
4. creativity-online
5. engadget
6. youtube
7. bannerblog
8. noupe
9. linkedin
10. twitter
11. facebook
Friday, April 8, 2011
Guest Speakers: Nurun
Nadeem
Digital Strategist
- goes to clients and looks at what their business does
- tries to help them to come up with a better strategy for their products
- making sure its resonates with their customers
- brainstorming
- coming up with a better experience
Hilary
project coordinator
- TD and holtrenfrew account
- working with the creative and strategy team
- keeping their devices up to date
Dondy
associate creative director
- does almost everything
- works in the creative team
then..
- products were pushed to you
- shouting at people with ads
- traditional advertising
- website, banner ads
now...
- we listen now to what people want
- twitter, facebook are the tools
- gather information, make changes, and tailor to the consumer needs
future...
- we read minds
- we will know what consumers want before they even want it
- making sure they have consumers for their lifetime
we start by...asking the right questions
"what do you need and what do you want?"
Digital Strategist
- goes to clients and looks at what their business does
- tries to help them to come up with a better strategy for their products
- making sure its resonates with their customers
- brainstorming
- coming up with a better experience
Hilary
project coordinator
- TD and holtrenfrew account
- working with the creative and strategy team
- keeping their devices up to date
Dondy
associate creative director
- does almost everything
- works in the creative team
then..
- products were pushed to you
- shouting at people with ads
- traditional advertising
- website, banner ads
now...
- we listen now to what people want
- twitter, facebook are the tools
- gather information, make changes, and tailor to the consumer needs
future...
- we read minds
- we will know what consumers want before they even want it
- making sure they have consumers for their lifetime
we start by...asking the right questions
"what do you need and what do you want?"
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Catherine Baird from Dashboard
Catherine's background
Sheridan graduate in 2001
Associate Creative Director at Dashboard
- worked at EcentricArts as a designer after grad
- went to Henderson Bas as a senior designer after
- became an art director there
- manage the entire team (9 designers and 3 flash developers)
- elevated to an Associate Creative Director
- started to learn how to manage people, manage clients
- Moved to France (got 4 interviews and was hired in 3 weeks)
- worked at 5emegauche as Sr. art director
- company had about 30 people
- stayed for 6 months
- Came back to Canada and was offered a job at DraftFCB as senior art director
- Went on to Dashboard as Associated Creative Director
- Shared her final project - showcase flash skills and wicked design that can impress someone
Some of her advice when she first stepped into the industry
- after you grad you may start off as a junior designer and junior art director
- supporting the intermediate art director or a senior art director
the difference between traditional and digital design
website is a massive thing - lots of content, pages (you need a task force)
- biggest mistake is not completing all the design and letting the developer create the entire website
Dashboard is a digital engagement agency
- moving into traditional, animation, illustration - constantly changing
- this industry is ever changing - facebook, youtube
- about engaging people from offline to online
Dashboard's new website design
YOU (top 5 secrets to getting infront of an art director)
1. be prepared - have all your work ready to show
- make it easy for people to see your work
- 6 page pdf including resume
- link it to online portfolio
2. do something unusual
- don't be boring
- show your creativity
- make a video
3. follow up and don't write long e-mails
- CD are busy, don't be discouraged so send some gentle reminders
- if you stalk someone, you're not going to get a job
- if you're e-mail is too long, no one will read it
4. show diversity
- if you've done things other than design, show it
- makes you well-rounded, interesting, and creative
- starts a conversation in an interview
5. network
- be nice, work hard
- don't burn down bridges
- respect your work and work ethics
- go to events, take people out for coffee
- it's a small industry
trick: if a Creative Director won't get you in for an interview, ask him/her to do a "portfolio review"
THE FUTURE
- touch screens
- airports - cars with glass boxes around them
- iPhone
- mobile will be the future
- every client wants an app for the iPhone
- skinning youtube and facebook pages
- cloud computering
- PC
- mini note
- notebook
- remote desktop
- remote server
- database
- mobile
- Unity - a plugin to play cinema quality videos, 3D videos online
- typekit
Sheridan graduate in 2001
Associate Creative Director at Dashboard
- worked at EcentricArts as a designer after grad
- went to Henderson Bas as a senior designer after
- became an art director there
- manage the entire team (9 designers and 3 flash developers)
- elevated to an Associate Creative Director
- started to learn how to manage people, manage clients
- Moved to France (got 4 interviews and was hired in 3 weeks)
- worked at 5emegauche as Sr. art director
- company had about 30 people
- stayed for 6 months
- Came back to Canada and was offered a job at DraftFCB as senior art director
- Went on to Dashboard as Associated Creative Director
- Shared her final project - showcase flash skills and wicked design that can impress someone
Some of her advice when she first stepped into the industry
- after you grad you may start off as a junior designer and junior art director
- supporting the intermediate art director or a senior art director
the difference between traditional and digital design
website is a massive thing - lots of content, pages (you need a task force)
- biggest mistake is not completing all the design and letting the developer create the entire website
Dashboard is a digital engagement agency
- moving into traditional, animation, illustration - constantly changing
- this industry is ever changing - facebook, youtube
- about engaging people from offline to online
Dashboard's new website design
YOU (top 5 secrets to getting infront of an art director)
1. be prepared - have all your work ready to show
- make it easy for people to see your work
- 6 page pdf including resume
- link it to online portfolio
2. do something unusual
- don't be boring
- show your creativity
- make a video
3. follow up and don't write long e-mails
- CD are busy, don't be discouraged so send some gentle reminders
- if you stalk someone, you're not going to get a job
- if you're e-mail is too long, no one will read it
4. show diversity
- if you've done things other than design, show it
- makes you well-rounded, interesting, and creative
- starts a conversation in an interview
5. network
- be nice, work hard
- don't burn down bridges
- respect your work and work ethics
- go to events, take people out for coffee
- it's a small industry
trick: if a Creative Director won't get you in for an interview, ask him/her to do a "portfolio review"
THE FUTURE
- touch screens
- airports - cars with glass boxes around them
- iPhone
- mobile will be the future
- every client wants an app for the iPhone
- skinning youtube and facebook pages
- cloud computering
- PC
- mini note
- notebook
- remote desktop
- remote server
- database
- mobile
- Unity - a plugin to play cinema quality videos, 3D videos online
- typekit
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Brendan Good from Leo Burnett
During his presentation, he mentions that it is very important to maintain your connections, dive deep into the things that you like and keep learning. He says that if you make your hobbie your passion you can definitely make a career out of it. Another very important idea he wanted to extend was passion. For everything and anything you do, passion can take you a long way. He also mentions that as a designer, it is great to always have a notebook and a pen around you. This is us to make notes and to jot down any ideas that we come up with.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Class for January 28, 2011
Unfortunately last week I was unable to attend class and missed out on a great guest speaker, Steve Miller from OneMethod.
Helen, who was nice enough, updated me on some of the things he mentioned during his presentation. Steve graduated at Ryerson University with a degree of commerce. He mentioned that marketing is a very valuable asset to have in the web design industry. He says that it's very important to understand the demographic, brand, consumer behaviour and usability flow. When it comes to an interview, 50% of it is about your work and the rest is about yourself. He says that your portfolio should always be the most brilliant piece of work you have ever created. It should be something that sells yourself to the employer.
As for OneMethod, it is a company that bases around the idea of Digital + Design = One Method. It started with only 6 employees and has grown to 20. Some of their digital work includes, web, advertisement, mobile media, social media, digital content, and motion design. Their design work includes, branding, advertisement, print, interior design, strategy, and curriculum.
Helen, who was nice enough, updated me on some of the things he mentioned during his presentation. Steve graduated at Ryerson University with a degree of commerce. He mentioned that marketing is a very valuable asset to have in the web design industry. He says that it's very important to understand the demographic, brand, consumer behaviour and usability flow. When it comes to an interview, 50% of it is about your work and the rest is about yourself. He says that your portfolio should always be the most brilliant piece of work you have ever created. It should be something that sells yourself to the employer.
As for OneMethod, it is a company that bases around the idea of Digital + Design = One Method. It started with only 6 employees and has grown to 20. Some of their digital work includes, web, advertisement, mobile media, social media, digital content, and motion design. Their design work includes, branding, advertisement, print, interior design, strategy, and curriculum.
135 Liberty St. Suite 201
Toronto Ontario CAN M6K 1A7
steven@onemethod.com
Tel: 416.649.0191
Cell: 416.816.7077
Web: www.onemethod.com
Monday, January 24, 2011
Guest Speakers: Keith and Leslie from EcentricArts.
Last Friday, Keith and Leslie from EcentricArts came into our Career class to discuss a bit about the web design industry.
Keith is the Co-Founder of EcentricArts. He has been in the Interactive industry for over 20 years now. Before starting EcentricArts, he got achieved his MBA at York University and worked for Digital Renaissance for a few years before his leave of absence. He went on a vacation to Italy with his family afterwards and then after he came back, he gathered two other friends and started EcentricArts.
Leslie is currently the Art Director at EcentricArts. Her main job there includes working with the creative directors and designer. She has a Degree in fine arts and took the Sheridan Web Design program years ago. After graduating, she started working at EcentricArts and has been there for over ten years now.
Ecentric Arts has been around for over 10 years now. They have around 25 employees. Their work mainly focuses in arts and culture.
Their latest project was the kidshelpphone.com. When creating this project, they went about both ends, for teens, kids and regular visitors. They originally tarted off designs with 2 or 3 moodboards, thinking about the elements, typography, image treatments, and illustration associations. For the functionality side, they worked on wireframing and the specifications. After getting the wireframes approved, then they move the chosen moodboard elements into the design and building the actual website. One of their main program to replace action script and flash was JQuery. They say that this process will help prevent them from going down the wrong path.
When hiring and looking at portfolios, EcentricArts look for:
Keith is the Co-Founder of EcentricArts. He has been in the Interactive industry for over 20 years now. Before starting EcentricArts, he got achieved his MBA at York University and worked for Digital Renaissance for a few years before his leave of absence. He went on a vacation to Italy with his family afterwards and then after he came back, he gathered two other friends and started EcentricArts.
Leslie is currently the Art Director at EcentricArts. Her main job there includes working with the creative directors and designer. She has a Degree in fine arts and took the Sheridan Web Design program years ago. After graduating, she started working at EcentricArts and has been there for over ten years now.
Ecentric Arts has been around for over 10 years now. They have around 25 employees. Their work mainly focuses in arts and culture.
Their latest project was the kidshelpphone.com. When creating this project, they went about both ends, for teens, kids and regular visitors. They originally tarted off designs with 2 or 3 moodboards, thinking about the elements, typography, image treatments, and illustration associations. For the functionality side, they worked on wireframing and the specifications. After getting the wireframes approved, then they move the chosen moodboard elements into the design and building the actual website. One of their main program to replace action script and flash was JQuery. They say that this process will help prevent them from going down the wrong path.
When hiring and looking at portfolios, EcentricArts look for:
- Great personality in the person
- A designed resume – first impression
- Quality more than depth in their portfolios
- The designer to pay great attention to the details in their work
- Spell check is very important
- Like to see range and diversity in their projects.
- Being specific and focused with the position you are applying for.
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