I am available for all your independent Web consulting needs, including Web design, community building, copy editing and some copy writing. Contact me for more information, including a copy of my résumé. My e-mail is nick {underscore} gehring at yahoo {dot} com.
What I know
Web: HTML, CSS, some PHP, little JavaScript, little Flash, quite a bit of WordPress
To survive on the copy desk at Plastics News, you have to get creative with artwork. Often this means creating a chart and a creative headline. Below are a few samples of the headlines and designs I’ve done so far at PN. To note: “LR” in a photo means “low resolution,” something we had to do in our old way of assembling news pages.
Name: Processor of the Year 2008, an annual award for the “best plastics company” Type of work: I shot it, edited it and did the interviews. The awards coordinator took care of all the background information that made my interviewing go more smoothly. And yes, that’s me narrating. Background: Every year Plastics News awards a U.S.-based plastics company an award called Processor of the Year. For 2008, I tagged along with a senior reporter to do video interviews and profiles of the finalist firms.
Each video runs around six minutes because they were shown at an awards reception. Normally I would not advise publications to run videos much longer than three.
This was my first set of feature-length video reports. I’ve never shot or edited anything this long. Among the many challenges:
Getting proper lighting in factories and offices
Capturing usable sound of machinery and executives
Making sure my subjects were comfortable in front of the camera
Making sure I could fake it and look comfortable myself
Narrating videos clearly and coherently
Braving below-zero conditions in Minnesota and keeping the equipment running
Although I could pick these videos apart in terms of production quality (from lighting to audio to framing), I won’t. I am proud of myself for completing them, and I learned a lot. I rarely get to leave the friendly confines of my desk in Akron, so this adventure presented an awesome opportunity to spread my wings.
It looks like I will be doing another set for 2009. I hope we pick finalists in warmer states.
Name/URL:Sara Depaola: Hair stylist, makeup artist Type of work: CSS, HTML, overall design CMS: WordPress Briefly: Sara is a hair stylist in Akron, Ohio, and she needed a Web site that would allow her to communicate with future and current clients. Most importantly she wanted it to feature real pictures of hair and makeup that she has done, unlike certain other sites, which use stock photography.
Sara is able to post brief blog items to update her clients. She can also easily post new photographs to her style gallery. Her clients can leave comments and even friend her on Myspace, another way to stay in-touch. Social networking is a valuable tool in retaining customers and catching new ones.
Name/URL:Kiawah Ocean Walk Type of work: CSS, HTML, minor PHP reworking, overall design, copy writing CMS: WordPress Briefly: My clients recently purchased a beautiful house near the beach and ocean along coastal South Carolina. They wanted a Web site that would convey basic information, including rates, attractions and amenities. Through text, links and pictures, the site shows what the house looks like and the many attractions surrounding the rental.
I bended WordPress to become a very basic CMS for the owners. With it, they can edit and add text, providing basic day-to-day maintenance for themselves.
