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Ask yourself this, “am I ready to unleash my powers on the world just yet?”
First off, you’re in education learning the trade. The best thing about studying is the amount of independent learning you do. You can gather a style for yourself. Your own mark that will separate yourself from the rest. Ask yourself this, “am I ready to unleash my powers on the world just yet?”. Maybe your style could do with some more tweaking and refining, Maybe your tutor is an invaluable resource and your learning so much....If so you’re in the right place...for now.
But If you think that you’re ready to jump headfirst into the design industry, Great! What’s that I hear you say? You won’t be able to find a job without a degree? Trust me, It doesn’t matter how old you are or what qualification you have If your portfolio is good enough then so are you. There are jobs out there, just waiting for you. We at Flame are looking for a junior designer and Summer Interns as I speak.
So you have honed your skills, have a respectable portfolio and have curved your sleeping pattern back into shape. What to do now?
Send your CV and explain a little about yourself and what you can offer. Sending in a basket of cakes always goes down a treat and will at least get the person in charge to read your email twice-over.
Hopefully you will have some interviews lined up now, if not don’t give up. Keep going, its all about pushing on. Getting yourself into the office is the most important thing you can do. The idea is to be creative, and communicate your creativeness to your potential boss. Do this and you’ll soon be working in a exciting and rewarding studio.
Soon I’ll talk about asking for help making mistakes, asking for a pay-rise, being a active voice in creative meetings and other various tips which I haven’t come up with yet.
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Calling all Creatives in the North-west of England. Myself and some others at Flame Digital have organised football cup for creative/media firms for fun in the summer. All the proceeds going to the charity Children Today. By the way the PFA ultimate challenge in South Africa’s just been launched. (On there really slow server mind) Check that out here!
The inaugural Creative Cup is a charity football tournament taking place on Friday 25th July 2008.
The cream of Manchester’s creative and media scene will come together and do battle at Platt Lane training ground to a) raise money for charity Children Today b) have a jolly good time and c) see who really are the best agency!
We would like 16 lithe and fit 5-a-side teams to sign up and take part in what promises to be a great day. Its July, so there may even be a glimmer of sunshine for half an hour.
Children Today is sending down a number of special guest coaches from their raft of ex-pro footballers and Channel M will be there to cover the event and perhaps hand out the odd half time orange or two.
If you are interested in donning your shin pads and joining in please call or email Kate or Charlie at Flame..details below. A small entry fee which will go to the charity will be required from each team.
Thanks
Creative Cup team
p.s. closing date for entries is 20th June...but team entry spaces are limited. Official invitations will be issued in March.
and the view behind me
And finally me being silly
Flame’s grown again, We are now at about 17 staff (don’t quote me). Its amazing to think that I’ve nearly been at Flame for 3 years. I was the second full time member of staff not including the MD and the senior freelancer at the time who later joined the club. Its really surreal seeing so many people huddled round the table at the Monday morning breakfast meetings.
As busy as ever. This week at Flame we have all been flat out doing a big pitch. I’ve started to do more freelance in the music genre. I did the web site and booklet for a big one day music festival here in Manchester called Pangaea Festival. I’m doing a Big name DJ’s website soon also, so that’ll be fun.
- Throw more paint around (like the above)
Thats it! Happy New year! Try to throw more paint too!
]]>Unfortunately we didn’t win Freshest Digital Innovation at The Fresh awards. Fair play to McCann Interactive for the winning project. I’m confident when the Gate Lab is launched it will bloom. It was an interesting experience going to the awards, hopefully I’ll get plenty more chances to do it again in the future.
Apple did piss me off with thing. One small detail. Seems they dont trust me and declared I had to pay a hundred pound deposit after I had bought the phone when signing up to activating the contract through Itunes. I get the deposit back credited into my account after 3 months so not that bad. I don’t like how the iphone only takes certain headphones though. Now thats really underhand.
The Gate Lab been nominated for a design award. The results will be announced on Thursday 29th November at the Swanky Hilton hotel. The Award we are up for is Freshest Digital Innovation. I’m very excited, Hopefully we can scoop an award this year/or next.
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]]>I fancy doing something different. Something Original. Is this the right time to be experimenting though? Flickr’s a great source for inspiration. Here’s some great examples I found..
Download it and make your own mind up.
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On Saturday I did a sponsored event to raise money doing a BIGZIP across the quays. Marie Curie Nurses provide free nursing care to cancer patients and those with other terminal illnesses in their own homes. You can read more about the good work Marie Curie are doing by clicking here. Thanks to everyone that sponsored me.