Digital Media Interest
I recall in my early years in grammar school, I had a propensity to try and organize articles I would read, images I liked, and information that I thought was important to remember. I would try to print (by hand) the text, and sketch out or paste in images, into a flyer style format. I had no idea I was designing layouts, I just wanted to better understand what I was learning.
Through my grammar and high school years I would design flyer layouts (still not knowing they were layouts) for the various bands that I was in, or for the my school's bake sales, bazaars, car washes, raffles, etc. …
In my work world, I was frequently asked to make flyers for sales, or to assist in explaining the benefits and features of various products, help wanted ads, or signs to direct people to events.
Along the way I graduated from pencils & magic markers, to press apply letters, to label machines and then the advent of computers that brought about the evolution of software publishing programs. My exposure was in the PC world, so I learned how to improvise layouts using MS WORKS and WORD, EXCEL and then happy days, MS Publisher was released.
Fast forwarding to more recent years, I have been focusing on the Adobe Creative Suite Collection. Santa Rosa Junior College is one of the only Adobe certified colleges in the state of California.
My interests have advanced into digital media (more specifically digital filmmaking) and I have gravitated toward the video editing program Adobe Premiere Pro, and the amazing special effects program Adobe After Effects.
After completing this semester, I will be two classes away from achieving my Digital Filmmaking Certificate at Santa Rosa Junior College.
I have really appreciated the exposure to many broader elements in media production, that the certificate program has made available to me.
This semester alone, I am learning about:
- How to create web documents and sites in HTML5 and CSS
- The Appreciation and Analysis of Filmmaking
- The organizational file browser Adobe Bridge CS5.1, and it’s robust ability to setup organizational file structures and easily locate files as well as populate their metadata
- The graphics editing program Photoshop CS5.1, its vast array of editing features. This program has many similarities to the Adobe After Effects CS5 program that I have previously studied. This compliments and supports my goal in becoming fluent in After Effects and 3D modeling programs.
- The web authoring program, Dreamweaver which helps to efficiently utilize creating and maintaining (as well as troubleshooting) websites. The program also assists in keeping the file structures organized, and with the built in FTP can provide time saving uploading local files to the remote server. The program also keeps track of user logins and passwords.
So these brief paragraphs provide you with an overview of my evolution and my goals.
I appreciate your taking the time to review my introduction.
Sam Euston