6 replies to this topic

[Aaron Scott]

I gave me website, andcuriouser.com, a much-needed refresh. I decided to go all HTML5 with it, and I'd love to hear some feedback -- it seems to be working beautifully in every browser now except Safari (where it works, but tends to bring the browser to its knees). If you visit the site and only see a back background, let me know.

With a new site also comes a new reel, which I'd also like to get some feedback on. I'm not as sure of the edit as I was with my last reel, and it came out shorter than just about every other reel I've seen. Even with it so short, though, I'm worried that I dwell too long on individual projects. Maybe I've just watched it too many times.

[beau+++]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I'm getting all kinds of site-rendering problems viewing your site in Chrome. It seems to vary on every load. A few screens of weirdness I'm seeing:

[Aaron Scott]

Woah, crazy. What OS, and do you have a script blocker running? I've looked at it in Chrome on four different computers (both OSX and Windows) and haven't seen anything like that.

Also, do you know why you have a giant DivX logo on the site? Chrome should be handling the video, not any third-party plugin... might be related to the issue.

If you have a minute, could you open the JavaScript console, reload the site, and let me know what it says?

Edited by Aaron Scott, 24 November 2011 - 07:08 PM.

[joedonaldson]

Viewing in Chrome on Snow Leopard here and it is looking great.

When it comes to the site I think it looks wonderful. I am a big fan of the full browser imagery that we are seeing more of now and I think the overall feel projects a very professional and competent image or you and your skillsets. The only comment I have would be to add some variety to the background imagery. I sat and watched it all the way through and when I went to check out the reel it was a bit of a let down to see the exact same thing but with sound. It felt a bit repetitive. I wouldn't change much just something along the lines of changing the sequence and possibly pushing the images to black and white. That way when you go to view the reel it is familiar imagery but not the exact same thing you were just viewing.

When it comes to the reel I enjoyed it and felt that it was short and sweet. There is one shot I would drop though, the first shot of Wolverine running towards the camera. The illustration is a bit off and every time I see it I cant help but thing it looks wrong. When working with imagery that is so iconic it has to be perfect or it just wont feel right. The other Marvel shots didnt bother me it is just that first one. I would also end the reel on the shot of the man getting shot in the head. It is a very powerful image and goes great to the music. The ending shot just feels a bit out of place after that.

[Aaron Scott]

There is one shot I would drop though, the first shot of Wolverine running towards the camera. The illustration is a bit off and every time I see it I cant help but thing it looks wrong. When working with imagery that is so iconic it has to be perfect or it just wont feel right. The other Marvel shots didnt bother me it is just that first one. I would also end the reel on the shot of the man getting shot in the head. It is a very powerful image and goes great to the music. The ending shot just feels a bit out of place after that.

Thanks -- it's nice to finally get another set of eyes on it. I think you're right -- I'll tweak the edit when I have some time.

[Binky]

The work looks nice. I was going to suggest something along the lines of what joe said, which is that the site presentation seems premised on unnecessary redundancies.

Upon site load, we're presented with a slightly low quality non-audio version of your reel. So really, we just sit there and watch it. With no sound. At low quality. What's the point of having a nicer version with sound and all of that? You've already blown your wad. So the background video should be considerably different from the reel. Maybe it's a series of super slowed-down shots selected from your work, perhaps in b/w, or whatever. But don't give us everything you have unless you want to add audio and do it like a gigantic reel.

Also, it doesn't seem necessary to make us click on "motion" or "interactive". We've already come to your site to see your work, so just show it to us. Your whole site could just be the one page with your name, the background video, and the full project list on top of that. Fewer clicks is fewer roadblocks.

[Aaron Scott]

I updated both the site and the reel -- the site background is now different from the reel. It's still driving me nuts that my demo reel is three clicks away when you visit the site, but I'm still trying to figure out the best way to retool things.

[joedonaldson]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but I am getting some funky play back on the site now. The background video is only playing at like 20% size at the top left corner.
Viewing on Chome 15.0.874.121 on Snow Leopard

On a better note, I like the re-cut of the reel a great deal. Everything flowed together nicely and was short and sweet leaving me wanting more.