70
DIGITAL DESIGN & ANIMATION
Name: Annie Wilson Course: Digital Media AT WHAT POINT DID YOU DECIDE YOU WANTED TO PURSUE A CAREER IN DIGITAL MEDIA? I’ve always been content when working on a computer but also knew that I was a creative person, with a career in digital media you can work within so many different career options – from motion picture to web design – and it never limits you to what you can create, design and develop.
HOW MUCH OF YOUR JOB IS STORYTELLING? WHAT OTHER SKILLS ARE REQUIRED? Narrative can be an important factor in a digital media application, but key elements across all developments are the aesthetics and usability of the final artifact. If people are not attracted to it, or find they cannot engage with it in the ways they want to, they will quickly switch away and try another solution.
WHAT JOBS ARE OUT THERE NOWADAYS FOR DIGITAL MEDIA EXPERTS? With the continued growth in the web, and mobile computing developing massively, the need to be able to manipulate and embed digital media elements to create new applications is even more in demand. Its not just about developing websites or apps. For example developing motion graphics for marketing or creating online interactive TV applications using web technologies.
WHAT TIPS AND TRICKS CAN YOU GIVE TO YOUNG PEOPLE WANTING TO PURSUE A CAREER IN THIS FIELD? Make sure you keep up to date with all of the latest developments in technology and how they are being used, not only to keep yourself current, but also see what sparks your interest and may lead to new ideas for innovation. WHAT PROGRAMS AND TOOLS ARE USED IN YOUR STUDIES? We use software from across the digital domain, such as AVID Media Composer, Pro Tools, Adobe
Photoshop and Dreamweaver, as well as development kits like Phonegap. HOW DO YOUR SEE THIS CAREER DEVELOPING AND CHANGING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? Its a really exciting time with advances in displaying data like Google Glass, 3D and VR, as well as interconnectivity of devices and systems allowing applications to be more pro-active and helpful to users, as well as enriching the way information can be presented. My particular interest is in project management and how to work with teams of digital media experts to harness current and new technologies. I think the hardest part for me will be keeping sufficiently current in my understanding to enable me to work effectively with interdisciplinary teams and ‘speak their language’.