Tuesday, 1 June 2010
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
My Website Research
Initially when trying to start my work, I found looking at digital areas, such as the internet, a really tough obstacle to overcome. This kind of subject area is not what I’m normally used to looking at so when researching I found it quite an interesting but tough challenge.
I decided to start by looking at other cinematographer’s website designs, so that I could better plan out my own website's layout. Of all the websites looked at, I chose to use Eduard Grau's as my main inspiration. (available here: http://edugrau.com/)His website proved to be very easy to navigate and was very simple in design but also very beautiful to access. From looking at the way the pages were configured and composed, I mimicked a similar style to try and recreate a successful website layout.
The next challenge I faced were keywords. Making a half decent website for clients to access was one thing, getting traffic to my site is another. The better keywords I have, the more relevant my website is in Google’s searching. So, by doing this research I am ensuring that my site will be readily available to potential clients or employers.
For my research into key wording, I decided to try and find which keywords would link me to this blog. I found that searching "steve projections module" and "steve barrett projections" positioned my blog at the top of Google’s search.
(Examples of researched keywords working on a google search)
After doing a keyword test, I decided to think more along the lines of marketing my website: What would I type in to search for a camera operator's website if I were a potential client?
After struggling for a while with this question I chose to break down the queerie into a more managable segment. I did this by looking at what my website was actually about and making a list of its attributes as follows;
* To introduce myself to a potential client or employer.
* To indicate to them what it is that is my profession/specialism.
* Show examples of my work and experience.
* To contact me if they so choose to.
From looking at this I then decided to type in "steve barrett camera operator" on google to see if there was indeed a site that best matched these keywords; luckily there wasn't.
I then chose to search for "steve barrett cinematographer" to see if this was available as well. Again it was.
From looking at these "gaps in the keyword market" as it were, I would therefore chose either one of these keywords to direct traffic to my site, hopefully to lead to a far broader self promotion and getting my name industry recognised. Leading towards a far greater sucessful vocation.
I decided to start by looking at other cinematographer’s website designs, so that I could better plan out my own website's layout. Of all the websites looked at, I chose to use Eduard Grau's as my main inspiration. (available here: http://edugrau.com/)His website proved to be very easy to navigate and was very simple in design but also very beautiful to access. From looking at the way the pages were configured and composed, I mimicked a similar style to try and recreate a successful website layout.
The next challenge I faced were keywords. Making a half decent website for clients to access was one thing, getting traffic to my site is another. The better keywords I have, the more relevant my website is in Google’s searching. So, by doing this research I am ensuring that my site will be readily available to potential clients or employers.
For my research into key wording, I decided to try and find which keywords would link me to this blog. I found that searching "steve projections module" and "steve barrett projections" positioned my blog at the top of Google’s search.
(Examples of researched keywords working on a google search)
After doing a keyword test, I decided to think more along the lines of marketing my website: What would I type in to search for a camera operator's website if I were a potential client?
After struggling for a while with this question I chose to break down the queerie into a more managable segment. I did this by looking at what my website was actually about and making a list of its attributes as follows;
* To introduce myself to a potential client or employer.
* To indicate to them what it is that is my profession/specialism.
* Show examples of my work and experience.
* To contact me if they so choose to.
From looking at this I then decided to type in "steve barrett camera operator" on google to see if there was indeed a site that best matched these keywords; luckily there wasn't.
I then chose to search for "steve barrett cinematographer" to see if this was available as well. Again it was.
From looking at these "gaps in the keyword market" as it were, I would therefore chose either one of these keywords to direct traffic to my site, hopefully to lead to a far broader self promotion and getting my name industry recognised. Leading towards a far greater sucessful vocation.
Link to my website
Here is the link to my website:
http://megaswf.com/view/adc43a90c87e21bd91f39223dcf48535.html
The showreel page on the site will not work as it has not been embedded onto blogger;
Please to to either my youtube account, or my vimeo to see the video intended for the site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdkHFj68xI0
OR
http://vimeo.com/10558400
http://megaswf.com/view/adc43a90c87e21bd91f39223dcf48535.html
The showreel page on the site will not work as it has not been embedded onto blogger;
Please to to either my youtube account, or my vimeo to see the video intended for the site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdkHFj68xI0
OR
http://vimeo.com/10558400
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Saturday, 6 March 2010
Creating the Projections Module Blog
To create this blog, I chose to use Blogger.
I accessed the site and created an account, filling in details, giving the blog a title and picking a default layout.
I the decided that I wanted to change my blog's template, by going on Cocut.cn, then clickin ong Scripts> Blogger Template.
(http://www.cocut.cn/scripts/blogger-theme/3326-photoplus-blogger-template.html)
I think chose the template I wished to use, and downloaded. Then I went back to my blogger account, clicked Layout> Edit Html, then browse. I then uploaded the template onto blogger, remembering to keep widgets. I then saved the template and it was applied to my account.
To make my site a freedomain website, I used:
http://www.freedomain.co.nr/
I then filled out the relevent details, including putting keywords in my website name. I chose to called me freedomain site this: http://www.stevebarrettblog.co.nr/
Now it can be accessed away from blogger as well
I accessed the site and created an account, filling in details, giving the blog a title and picking a default layout.
I the decided that I wanted to change my blog's template, by going on Cocut.cn, then clickin ong Scripts> Blogger Template.
(http://www.cocut.cn/scripts/blogger-theme/3326-photoplus-blogger-template.html)
I think chose the template I wished to use, and downloaded. Then I went back to my blogger account, clicked Layout> Edit Html, then browse. I then uploaded the template onto blogger, remembering to keep widgets. I then saved the template and it was applied to my account.
To make my site a freedomain website, I used:
http://www.freedomain.co.nr/
I then filled out the relevent details, including putting keywords in my website name. I chose to called me freedomain site this: http://www.stevebarrettblog.co.nr/
Now it can be accessed away from blogger as well
GOOGLE: Invisible Made Visible
THE WRATH OF GOOGLE:
Before creating this blog, I had always wondered how search engines like Google made their money and gain a profit; surely if they provide a free service they must be getting the money from somewhere else?
Then I found out how: Pay Per Click.
http://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/ads/
If you're a company gets 5000 hits (visits onto your website) a day, you can potentially make a decent profit if people choose to buy your product. This flock of consumers and searchers online are called traffic. This is where google come in. If during a search, a person types in "Muffins" and your website link is the number one search result on the list, 9 times out of 10 the potential customer is going to click on your website. This is the 'Organic' search aspect of google; if your site is deemed to be the most relevant by google (which searched through keywords, and reputatble site links, i.e. to a .gov or .ac.uk site) then you move up the rankings. HOWEVER...
Google will try exploit this. The organic search on google is free (the lefthand column), so google make no money. So, when you have had your moment of being higher up in the rankings, google will knock you off of the organic pedestal and to a lower rank (e.g. page 10). You're company's traffic to the site will dramatically fall and you will lose profit, potential buyers and customers...
BUT there is a lifeline thrown out by google, and of course it means reaching into your wallet;
AdWords and AdSense. Bidding on space for advertisement (on the right hand column of the search site) is where buisnesses compete with eachother for a prime position to get customers back and be on top of the rankings again. THIS is how google makes its money; through fierce competition and out bidding eachother for the number one spot.
Before creating this blog, I had always wondered how search engines like Google made their money and gain a profit; surely if they provide a free service they must be getting the money from somewhere else?
Then I found out how: Pay Per Click.
http://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/ads/
If you're a company gets 5000 hits (visits onto your website) a day, you can potentially make a decent profit if people choose to buy your product. This flock of consumers and searchers online are called traffic. This is where google come in. If during a search, a person types in "Muffins" and your website link is the number one search result on the list, 9 times out of 10 the potential customer is going to click on your website. This is the 'Organic' search aspect of google; if your site is deemed to be the most relevant by google (which searched through keywords, and reputatble site links, i.e. to a .gov or .ac.uk site) then you move up the rankings. HOWEVER...
Google will try exploit this. The organic search on google is free (the lefthand column), so google make no money. So, when you have had your moment of being higher up in the rankings, google will knock you off of the organic pedestal and to a lower rank (e.g. page 10). You're company's traffic to the site will dramatically fall and you will lose profit, potential buyers and customers...
BUT there is a lifeline thrown out by google, and of course it means reaching into your wallet;
AdWords and AdSense. Bidding on space for advertisement (on the right hand column of the search site) is where buisnesses compete with eachother for a prime position to get customers back and be on top of the rankings again. THIS is how google makes its money; through fierce competition and out bidding eachother for the number one spot.
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Here was my first attempt at creating a Shape Tween on Flash (opening with action script 2.0) I found this programme quite confusing at first, but as I had used Photoshop, some of the layout and tools available were very similar. Also the idea of key framing made things clearer in my mind, as this is a similar way of manipulating effects on Final Cut Pro or Premiere.
On the first layer, I used the rectangle and oval shape tool to create multiple shapes of various sizes and colours, duplicating the frame 24 times (for 24 FPS), by key framing.
I then drew further shapes using the same tools; I used the Shape Tween control on the first frame of the key framed sequence and tested the footage. I found it looked very much like a kaleidoscope, and was a very interesting experience.
I then decided to experiement with adding a second layer to the visuals. I used the text box and typed the word ALOHA and resized the font. I then looked at the amount of keyframes I had used for the kaleidoscope effect, and then used the same number of frames for the text moving.
I went to the last frame of the sequence and then edited the ALOHA text box, typing TEST in stead. After this I had to break apart BOTH text boxes (beginning and end of the keyframes) TWICE, so that I could edit individual letters and so that they could be shape tweened. I Also chose to stretch and maniplulate the letters, so that the transition between the frames would be the most dramatic.
After I had completed this I watched the footage back, exported the footage as a quicktime file (left the FPS at 12 and exported), and uploaded the footage onto my Blogger account. This will come in very useful if I chose to upload a showreel or film clips onto my future website.
.
On the first layer, I used the rectangle and oval shape tool to create multiple shapes of various sizes and colours, duplicating the frame 24 times (for 24 FPS), by key framing.
I then drew further shapes using the same tools; I used the Shape Tween control on the first frame of the key framed sequence and tested the footage. I found it looked very much like a kaleidoscope, and was a very interesting experience.
I then decided to experiement with adding a second layer to the visuals. I used the text box and typed the word ALOHA and resized the font. I then looked at the amount of keyframes I had used for the kaleidoscope effect, and then used the same number of frames for the text moving.
I went to the last frame of the sequence and then edited the ALOHA text box, typing TEST in stead. After this I had to break apart BOTH text boxes (beginning and end of the keyframes) TWICE, so that I could edit individual letters and so that they could be shape tweened. I Also chose to stretch and maniplulate the letters, so that the transition between the frames would be the most dramatic.
After I had completed this I watched the footage back, exported the footage as a quicktime file (left the FPS at 12 and exported), and uploaded the footage onto my Blogger account. This will come in very useful if I chose to upload a showreel or film clips onto my future website.
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