2001 February eBay Project 563KB

My first University project. I do not remember much about this project other than I remember being extremely pleased at editing an HTML page around a shockwave movie. The shockwave was created using Macromedia Director. I remember that this project used Lingo code to obtain text that was based on a user keyword. The code would search the website eBay for keywords then return its findings to my project site. At the time I knew very little Lingo coding at was extremely greatful for the help received by ex-students 'Limbomedia'. The actual images used were of my bedroom at home. Notice the jagged edges on the Jpegs used !

Software used: Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Director and HTML

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2001 March Saints Project 225KB

One of the modules in our first year at University was a statistics module. This tested our ability to understand statistics and to be able to read tables. I remember thinking at the time 'What does this have to do with multimedia computing?' but as a typical first year this remained a thought as I carried on with what was at the time one of the easiest modules. We simply had to 'illustrate' through multimedia a series of statistics of our choosing. I had no hesitation in introducing my love of Southampton Football Club and their season progress at that time. Again the graphics here leave alot to be desired !

Software used: Photoshop, Director, Dreamweaver

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2001 April Lingo Toy 776KB

Just what is a 'Lingo Toy'? Well, a 'Lingo Toy' had to be an application that the user could not put down. It could be a game, a toy, or something completely different but had to involve Lingo coding and interaction. As Lingo coding at this point was still not my strongest point I based my 'Lingo Toy' on the TV gameshow 'Catchphrase' which I was confident I could code correctly. My toy however was extremely limited as there were only a few images the user could guess before repeating itself and starting at the beginning again.

Software used: Photoshop, Director

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2001 May Bumper 2,279KB

Looking back through my work and my time at University I feel that this piece of work is the one piece I would have loved to have gone back and tried once more. A 'Bumper' is a short 'film' or piece of animation that doesnt necessarily have to have a meaning but be visually pleasing and interesting. A 'Bumper' is supposedly the short piece of footage that is shown before a movie maybe or during ad breaks particularly those shown on MTV. It is the short piece of animation that maybe advertisies the movie makers name before a movie. We could have produced something using any medium we felt necessary. My short Bumper was filmed using a regular 8mm video recorder (for that home-made video look), some pencils, ink and edited in Adobe Premier. It was my first experience using Premier and although only scratching the surface of its capabilities I found the application extremely powerful.

Software used: Adobe Premier, Quicktime, Illustrator

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2001 August Flash Website 172KB

August 2001 was the start of our second year at University. As our third year was a work placement year where we were required to find ourselves jobs within the industry for 12 months we were required to create a website. This would serve as a holder for any work we had produced and serve as an advertisement of ourselves to any future employer. As I had had a little experience in other software and web design packages I decided to produce a site using Flash, a software package I had no experience of. I found Flash an extremely powerful animation tool with extremely small file sizes. easily accessable through the web. As Director uses the scripting language of Lingo, Flash has its own scripting language called ActionScript. Only basic coding was needed to produce this small site and although I do not use Flash much nowadays I found it an extremely powerful and fun software package to use.

Software used: Macromedia Flash, Photoshop, Dreamweaver

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2001 October First Nanpean Website 650KB

Since around 1994, soon after leaving school, I had been creating work freelance in and around my local town of Wadebridge. This consisted of mainly graphic design. Letterheads, business cards, brochures, restaurant menus etc. Around the time of October 2001 during the course I tried to broaden my horizons by producing digital work commercially. As I had no experience in this field commercially I approached the local football team I was playing for at the time, Nanpean Rovers, with a view to producing for them a website. I thought that producing work involving something I am passionate about would prove less of a chore. The site was the only one of its kind in our league at the time and gained praise from the local press as well as fellow club members. I thoroughly enjoyed producing this site and maintaned the site for the entire 2001/2002 season.

Software used: Flash, Photoshop, Dreamweaver

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2001 December Artificial Intelligence Varying sizes around 400KB

Out of all of the 'dry coding' modules encountered during my four years at University this was by far the most enjoyable. This was thanks to our Italian module leader Angelo Cangelosi. His methods were interesting, enjoyable and straight forward to grasp. I learned more about Lingo Scripting and OOP (Object Oriented Programming) in this module that in any other. The world of Artificial Intelligence is a fascinating world and although we merely scratched the surface with this module it has opened my eyes to what the future possibly holds within the world of Artificial Intelligence. I have misplaced all meaning behind these 5 mini-projects contained here but remember how much I enjoyed doing them and how much I learned doing them.

Software used: Director

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2002 February Optical Desire Website Varying sizes from 96KB to 7,859KB

To date this is still the largest and most varied project I have produced. This was an updated website from the Flash website produced during August 2001. The whole site featured a Shockwave site and an HTML alternative which was insisted upon by our tutors due to potential employers failing to have installed the necessary plug-ins. This site features a total of 29 HTML pages, 57 edited Photoshop images and consists of a Flash movie, within a Shockwave movie, within an HTML page. Although most of the information on the site is now dated (email address, CV, links etc) this was a fully working site until very recently. This site also featured my first ever attempt at 3D work using 3D Studio Max, another extremely powerful package. I was extremely pleased with my first attempt at 3D work although quite inferior compared to my fellow students. The site links to around seven seperate pieces of work and also covered some of my freelance work completed at the time.

Software used: HTML, Flash, Photoshop, Director, Word, Shockwave, Dreamweaver, 3d Studio Max and Illustrator

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2002 May Media Specific Website Varying between 400KB and 800KB

In preparation for our work placement year we also had to market our very own multimedia team in the form of a ficticious website. Myself and four other students produced 'Media Specific' and produced this mini-site. Although we all contributed to the entire site, my responsibilities in this project involved putting the pages together using Flash and also the Portfolio section. However I feel that the whole site owes much thanks to the artistic talented characatures drawn by Anthony Roberts which gives the site a very approachable and relaxed existence.

Software used: (By myself: Flash, Photoshop) (By the group: Flash, Illustrator, Photoshop and 3D Studio Max)

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2002 May The Weather CD Rom 4 sections varying from 500KB to 1,600KB

In the months leading up to May 2002 one module required the student to produce a multi-media CD Rom aimed at teaching children a certain subject. This project gained me one of the highest marks I recieved whilst at University and is a project I am still proud of today. The mark was even more remarkable as I recall the events leading up to the deadline for this project. I recall this project starting life as an astrology project, teaching children about their star signs and personality traits they might encounter. As the months passed my enthusiasm to this subject dwindled and it was clear to me that a change of direction was needed and needed fast. With around 3 weeks until the deadline I started this project again basing my subject on teaching children (and myself) how to predict the weather depending on certain elements. I met the deadline comfortably and as mentioned before gained one of my best marks. This showed me that no matter what your timescale if you tackle a project with enthusiasm and the project inspires you to learn more then it is very surprising how much work you can achieve. I like to think that although a very simplified weather predictor this simulator actually works based on knowledge I had gained reasearching the topic in a very short space of time. I later produced a similar CD Rom on predicting the weather aimed at slightly older children without the use of the awful cartoon clipart featured here.
PS The actual landscape view used in the project was the actual view from my bedroom window at the time.

Software used: Photoshop, Director.

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2002 May The London Project

This project was entitled 'A digital anthropology inside Englands 'disneyland''

For this project my aim was to try to capture the real london. not the pictures that everyone seems to capture on their visits to the great city but perhaps a view that many of us rarely see. Before visiting london I asked many people from across the world their views on the city and England in general. Their feelings, thoughts opinions etc. were all greatly valued and thanks must go to all those who have contributed their opnions. I receieved quotes from as far afield as North Carolina, to Australia and from many places here in the UK to Sweden.

It was clear after setting up the mini-site where people could post their opinions that their views all shared a common theme. The city was fast paced and grey with so many buildings which made the traditional red London buses and red telephone boxes stand out. I tried to focus on the fact that it is peoples opinions that shape a city and its appearance and how it is perceived by others.

Software used: Photoshop, Premier, Director, HTML

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2002 August Second Nanpean Website 12 pages all less than 200KB

One of the valuable lessons I learned from producing work for a specific audience is obtaining valuable user feedback. After first producing Nanpean Football club's website back in October 2001 I insisted on club members being 100% honest about the sites good and bad points. As the site was created completely free of charge to the club this proved difficult to obtain criticism. However, after a little pursuasion I found that the audience for the site were people with very little new media knowledge and very little technological background. In an era and indeed area where broadband connections where few and far between users wanted less waiting times and wanted the ability to print out various statistics and reports which could not be done on a Flash website. I started about the new seasons site creating it totally using basic HTML which slashed download times and enabled reports etc to be printed. The site was far easier to maintain and taught me that as a designer the target audience must be involved and just because you know new technologies and methods it is not always called for.

Software used: Photoshop, HTML

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2002 November Wadebridge FC Website

After moving from Nanpean Football club to my home town of Wadebridge Football club I was asked if I could create their website. After discussions regarding the importance of my University work and my work placement I agreed to design the layout and graphics of the site, but because of commitments the sites content and maintenance be left in the hads of other club members. This site is live but, since my departure in 2003, is not updated. The club is a small club and simply does not have the know-how and man power to update the project.

Software used: Illustrator, Photoshop and Dreamweaver.

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2002 December Arenium CD Rom Various sections ranging from 123KB to 4,600KB

Between July 2002 and December 2002 I was placed on my work placement at Infrasoft Ltd. It was my job as Digital Media Specialist to market the companies products using a variety of methods. I updated the companies website and produced mush graphic design work ranging from corporate identity to exhibition banners. I also produced a series of promotional CD Roms for Infrasofts prodcuts. It was an amazing experience as I was never looked upon and treated as a student, simply one of the team. Unfortunately the company struggled and was taken over shortly after my departure therefore the Arenium CD Rom featured here was never actually marketed. I had been very fortunate in the fact that I worked with many talented people there and also on the CD Rom. Because this project was intended to be a CD Rom the file sizes are large and not meant for viewing over the web. I produced some of my best graphic design work during that time and found this work far more interesting due to the fact that I had to stick within existing company colours, fonts, identity which created interesting challenges.

Software used: Director, Flash, Photoshop, Premier, Illustrator, Quicktime.

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2003 May Wadebridge Football Club Programme

After completeing my work placement at Infrasoft I returned home to Wadebridge to work freelance until my final year at University began in September 2003. It was during this time that I was appointed Commercial Manager at Wadebridge Town Football Club. This involved raising much needed funds for the club. I also produced all graphic design for the club during this time. One of my duties as Commercial Manager was the creation and ongoing editing of the football clubs weekly programme. At the start of the season this would involve gaining sponsorship from the towns businesses in return for creating adverts within the programme. This raised record funds for the club as well as improving my Illustrator and Photoshop skills. I produced the programme from cover to cover, including all advertisements and content. The content would change on a week to week basis. This taught me to prioritise my time schedule each week as well as producing printer ready artwork. I had, in the past, produced the clubs programme for which I obtained an award for the best programme in the South Western League.

Software used: Photoshop and Illustrator

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2003 September Portfolio Site Various sections ranging from 24KB to 669KB

For the start of the final year at University it was necessary for students to create a new website that would serve as a portfolio site as well as a holding site for tutors to view existing peices of work and to ensure students were hitting targets set. This was extremely practical as students could upload progress reports etc without the need to 'hand-in' CD's and printed work to tutors whenever necessary. The site is predominently Shockwave and as you will probably see has problems with font issues not embedded and exported with the movie/site.

Software used: Director, Photoshop and Illustrator

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2003 October Wadebridge FC Newsletter February 16KB March 8KB

During my time as Commercial Manager for Wadebridge Town Football Club the club was under going many changes. One of which was the development of the main grandstand which the club had obtained Lottery funding for. As this was news that affected the whole town and not just those members of the public that attended match days it was felt necessary to create a newsletter each month so that all the towns people were informed on the clubs progress. This originally took the form of a simple black and white A4 printout in which could be obtained at various points within the town. As it was something I had not bene involved with before and a method new to me I decided to make the newsletter available via an HTML email. A mailing list was created and again was the first of its kind in the league where local people could be informed on the clubs progress from the comfort of their own PC. Although very simple the newsletters proved an invaluable source of information to those on the mailing list.

Software used: Illustrator, Photoshop, HTML and Outlook

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2003 November Coastal Developments Website

Unfortunately, this site, although live, is a site that remains unfinished and lacking in content due to the small business itself unable to commit the necessary time and effort needed to create and maintain a working website. After repeated efforts proved fruitless this proved a valuable lesson in that the designer should gain sufficient content prior to creating a website.

Software used: Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver

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2004 February New Media Presentation Paper

This project entitled 'Investigate the issues and complications effecting small traditional non media companies wishing to fully integrate themselves with new media practices and technologies, such as an online presence, online marketing and bespoke software development. Suggest possible solution and discuss the benefits/problems of each.' was produced in conjunction with fellow student Martin Felgate.

The idea for this presentation came after a friend of ours, who runs his own small business locally in Plymouth, described what he wanted his computer to do and asked us if it was possible. What he described was a content management system so the answer we gave him was “yes”. After questioning him some more about his business (he runs environmental awareness projects for young people) it turns out his need for new media technologies is ever increasing including network setup and maintenance, remote document retrieval when out of the office, video conferencing, the digital documentation, preparation and installation online of the projects he runs and the production of marketing materials for various meetings and events.

It soon became obvious that although having a need for digital technologies he was unsure as to exactly what technologies he needed, how to implement them and subsequently how to use the them. Although aware of new media agencies he was concerned that, although extremely competent within the digital world, non of them made him aware that they particularly understood the specific needs of his own business or business sector. Our paper looked at the options available to small non media companies wishing to implement new media practices.

Software used: Photoshop, Illustrator, Director, Word

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2004 March Cultural Industries Presentation Talk

‘The Role of Urban art, graffiti and in particular Billboards as acts of ‘Resistance’

Cultural Jamming as a form of Resistance is at large in our community and what’s more it’s happening right in front of your very eyes, literally. Resistance can take on many forms; it can be the spoken word it can, in this day and age, be totally digital, but something you can barely avoid is something visual. The form of resistance this project focused on uses the enemy’s own resources against itself.
Advertising imagery in its early stages was about promotion, informing the consumer about the product. Now its task is not to portray the product but the people who use the product, it sells an idea, a feeling, a dream the fundamental issues are not true or false, but pleasure or pain, sexy or geeky, quality or rip-off. The advertiser brought the Ad to the consumer. Desire, self worth, self-image and hope all find their genesis in the Ad. The media and the advertisers have undoubtedly poisoned the mind of the masses with empty promises and far-fetched dreams of a lifestyle we continually strive for but rarely achieve.

Billboard advertising and indeed the intrusion of public space by the advertisers has exploded in recent years. What we see in the billboard are corporate logos, marketing psychology and global domination, poison to the innocent consumers eye. Despite the multitude of products they display, one really has very few choices in this day and age: to buy or not to buy.
This project takes an existing corporate message, in this case the advertising slogan or tag line, is creatively altered to reach the meaningful truth or deeper meaning. It takes, what would be, an unacceptable sales pitch and turns it into an intentionally annoying statement.

Software used: Photoshop, Director

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2004 April Public Information Film CD Rom

The role of the 'Public Information Film', and certainly the appearence, has changed dramatically through the years. Public Information Films are commissioned by the government to tell the nation about things they should know.

To see a PIF today you have to watch the breaks late at night or very early in the morning on ITV1 and Channel 4 when they can't sell the advertising space!
Generally, it is of the general opinion, that PIF's are a valuable source of good advice. Today's films can be graphic and hard hitting and certainly get the message across, whether its the perrenial drink driving campaigns or child abuse.

But do PIF's highlight a problem, or put into the public view, issues that are otherwise oblivious?
This project addresses these issues and question just what is . . .
'The role of modern day Public Information Films?'
I will leave the answer to you, the viewer

Software used: Adobe Premier, Photoshop, Director,

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2004 May Dissertation

In this paper entitled ‘Producer vs Consumer: The power shift is about to change’, I argued that under the watchful eye of consumerism, which undoubtedly bears little escape, comes the greatest variety of choice the consumer has ever experienced. In their writings ‘The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception’ from Dialectic of Enlightenment, Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer recognised the power that the producer has over the consumer, the hold capitalism has over the masses, and the influence the state has over the general public. However, in the advent of all new media the choice that is ‘offered them’ is massively more substantial. Adorno and Horkheimer also state that power is taken from the consumer and given to the producer, all freedom of choice has disintegrated and choices are made on the consumer’s part. The relationship is purely one-way. I argued that with the new wave of technology in the 21st century, this becomes more of a two-way relationship; more of a consumer fight back. The consumer has the chance to voice his or her opinion and to be heard; for example ‘Interactive Television’ with ‘choose your own adventure’ style films is an example of the power being shifted back to the consumer, albeit to a certain extent.

Software used: Word

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2004 May The Viral Marketer Digital Presspack

This project was my main final year project and I owe much thanks to Andy at 'Hardcore Monkey Crash' for his help in realising this project.

Through the introduction of interactive TV, satellite and cable TV, personal video recorders, and of course the internet, the producer is receiving more and more feedback from the consumer and acting accordingly. In this era the consumer is having more and more say into what he or she is being subjected to. This era has seen the shift from broadcasting to the masses to targeting the individual.
Individualism was a key element to this project. By choosing your individual cable TV channels you are making a choice and the advertisements you will be subjected to are more individual to you. By taking part in audience participation game shows and ‘choose you own adventure’ style films you are dictating future episodes to the producer based on your own tastes and opinions. By being targeted through past behaviour and individual preferences by such global companies as Amazon you are defining yourself as an individual and not part of the masses.

My project, therefore, tries to harness this individuality, and uses one of the most powerful marketing methods in the western world, viral marketing through e-mail. Viral marketing is widely touted as the new way to increase market penetration and build brand awareness in the Internet space.

I have designed an web-based e-mail client that, once signed up, will allow the consumer to submit any number of advertisements or messages to send to friends, family and producers based on their interests.

Please read the Digital Presspack for more background information.

Software used: Photoshop, Dreamweaver

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2004 June Buskers Restaurant Website

To date this is probably an example of one of my best websites in the given time that I have produced. I feel this site works well due to its simplicity and lack of the need of complicated plugins. The restaurants exisiting identity made it easy to create a website as I already had logos and colours to go by. I had visited the establishment on many occasions prior to my creating the site which I feel helped me capture the contrasting atmosphere of the daytime and nighttime occasions. The site is indeed created with this in mind by simply switching colour schemes. All photographs were taken by myself (I even had to order the food in order to take the pictures) and all graphics were created using Illustrator. The general appearence and feel of the site was left entirely to myself and the content was well contributed by the proprietors.

Software used: Photshop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver

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2004 December Davids Patisserie Website

After viewing the Buskers restaurants website David Pope of Davids Patisserie contacted me wishing his business to have a web presence. I had less to work with in this project as this small (although very popular and succesful) home run business had very little corporate identity. What I did have was a substantial array of beautiful photographs which I feel sell Davids work itself. This small site is just what the client requested and again is simple in its appearance and is accessible to a large market.

Software used: Photoshop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver

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2005 January The St. Enodoc Hotel Website

My most recent work, although not considered by myself to be my best, is the St. Enodoc Hotel website. Although this popular hotel on the North Cornish coast already had a website, the manager required a revamp to bring the site forward to the 21st century. The hotel literally had 100's of fantastic photographs which captured the scenic environment in which this family hotel sits. Rather than simply list or thumbnail the many photographs the simple but effective shockwave movie creates a smooth transition between photographs depending on the site section you are viewing. This is also reflected in the menu bar down the left which background fades in and out depending on where the mouse lies. The site has a simple clean and smart feel to it but again, due to the client being busy took an amazing 10 months to complete.

Software used: Director, Photoshop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver

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