Today I had my Portfolio Crit with the Managing Director of Seven Communications, Steve Bower. I got shown into the studio by one of the designers and Steve met me in there. He was very down to earth and asked about my course and how I found it so far. I explained how the course was very broad and focussed on many different area's of multimedia and how I enjoyed Motion Graphics and Web Design in particular.
He explained how the Studio consists of 3 permanent full times staff and a couple of freelancers who help out on certain projects. I asked about the situation about pitching to clients, but he said that many companies come to them because they have built up a successful client base over the years.
I went into the Crit very prepared with my laptop and my work on the desktop. I shown my portfolio website first and he really like the colour scheme and the clean aesthetics. Although the links didn't work due to files being moved around, he still said he liked the layout and style on the whole. I then shown him my New York City Museum website, and straight away he said he hated opening pages and pages that needed to be clicked before you even get into them. He said that user's get very bored easily with opening pages and advised to start my website with the home page. He also advised to get as much information about the museum on the home page, so viewers don't spend time navigating around the page. Again, he said he liked the style and layout of the website, and he said the black and white colour scheme worked well. I explained how I used Flash to create the websites on a mac, and he said that his company tend to use simple programs such as text pad to create a much simpler website that is easy to create and design to the clients needs.
I then shown him my self directed self portrait animation I created. He said he really liked the idea of having typography building up the face and thought the colours in the background worked well with the white typography on a black background. I explained how the tutors feedback said to maybe have moving shapes in the background instead of static imagery and using various typefaces and he agreed with these comments. He said that he doesn't do any moving image pieces or motion graphics work so he couldn't really suggest anything else. I also shown him my ident for the The Box music channel that I created in 3D in my 2nd year. He liked the colours I had chosen and the abstract lines that lead up to the logo.
He explained how the Studio consists of 3 permanent full times staff and a couple of freelancers who help out on certain projects. I asked about the situation about pitching to clients, but he said that many companies come to them because they have built up a successful client base over the years.
I went into the Crit very prepared with my laptop and my work on the desktop. I shown my portfolio website first and he really like the colour scheme and the clean aesthetics. Although the links didn't work due to files being moved around, he still said he liked the layout and style on the whole. I then shown him my New York City Museum website, and straight away he said he hated opening pages and pages that needed to be clicked before you even get into them. He said that user's get very bored easily with opening pages and advised to start my website with the home page. He also advised to get as much information about the museum on the home page, so viewers don't spend time navigating around the page. Again, he said he liked the style and layout of the website, and he said the black and white colour scheme worked well. I explained how I used Flash to create the websites on a mac, and he said that his company tend to use simple programs such as text pad to create a much simpler website that is easy to create and design to the clients needs.
I then shown him my self directed self portrait animation I created. He said he really liked the idea of having typography building up the face and thought the colours in the background worked well with the white typography on a black background. I explained how the tutors feedback said to maybe have moving shapes in the background instead of static imagery and using various typefaces and he agreed with these comments. He said that he doesn't do any moving image pieces or motion graphics work so he couldn't really suggest anything else. I also shown him my ident for the The Box music channel that I created in 3D in my 2nd year. He liked the colours I had chosen and the abstract lines that lead up to the logo.
I then explained that I am rebranding the channel E! Entertainment Television for my final major project and he asked to look at the existing logo and ident. He said straight away that the logo was awful and that the idents looked like they'd been crudely done. He explained that the shape of the exclamation mark and the typography underneath the logo is too tall and would be hard to place on static imagery for posters and even on websites. He said that when he creates logo's for companies he tends to keep them landscaped or squared so that the logo can be flexible when coming to place it on static or moving pieces. I also shown him the E! website, which he said was created really badly. He said the layout was terrible with no order or easy navigation and that the links were all in different positions, which is confusing for the viewer. He then suggested for me to look at Chris Savages work who works under the name of Japanese Freeware to have a look at the ideas and concepts he has created.
On the whole, I have come out of the Portfolio Crit full of confidence and can't wait to push my final major project as far as I can. I gained positive feedback and advice about the industry and how I need to tweak a few of my pieces. I will take all the things I have been told on board and come up with my best piece of work for my final major project.
