Digital Hitchhiker

LooseKeys - Project Recap - Temp Timesheets

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:02:00 -0500

LooseKeys - Project Recap - Temp Timesheets:

Looking to learn a little more about what goes into the projects at LooseKeys?

In this LooseKeys project recap, Brad Chmielewski and Jake Williams talk about designing and animating the explainer video, Tempo Timesheets. This video was a blast to work on and the team had a great time coming up with the artwork and creating interesting transitions. Because the software is very business focused it was fun to take the video in a more animated and cartoon world that you typically don’t see for this sort of software.

If you have any other questions about this project, feel free to contact Brad, or Jake . If you’re looking to have a video made for your company, LooseKeys is here to help.

Having issues listening to the audio? Try the MP3 (11.8 MB).

Type Tuesday #192

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:16:00 -0500

Each week I try and share five free fonts that I’ve come across for you to use and enjoy. I hope you like what I have picked out this time. Be sure to comeback next week for another great set.

Come on Apple, Add Video To The App Store!

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:07:41 -0500

I bounce back and forth between my iPhone and Nexus 7 and whenever I come across a new app that I’m interested in, I watch the video. You get a much better sense of what it does and how it works then just from the five screenshots you see in the app store. The Google Play Store allows you to add a YouTube video which is great for any business, they get additional view counts and it can give them a quick glimpse of how their app is doing.

In the iOS store there are just a few screenshots that have often been doctored to look amazing or to show off some of the cool features of an app. Apple tends to do their own thing and doesn’t follow what others are doing but in this case I think they need to be a follower and add video to their apps screenshots / preview page. I guess I’m a little biased because I know if Apple did have a way to add videos I might see a few more projects come LooseKeys way.

Google isn’t the only one offering video previews in their store. Yesterday I was interested in seeing what games were out there and so I installed Steam on my computer. I haven’t bought a game yet but I have noticed that just about every game has a preview or teaser with the game, sometimes both. Which is awesome for a game because screenshots just can’t do them justice.

How great would it be to see a video review or a teaser for every book in the iBookStore or even on Amazon. More video gives us all a better idea of what we’re getting or purchasing and of course it also makes more work for designers and artists out there like me.

Craft Beer, Pinball & The Rise Of The Barcade

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:54:00 -0500

Craft Beer, Pinball & The Rise Of The Barcade:

In Chicago, craft beer has an incredible presence, it’s hard not to find something “crafty” on tap when you walk into a bar. Since the explosion of craft beer in Chicago, its becoming increasingly important to offer more than just good craft beer to get people to crowd into a bar. Whether it’s a bunch of TV screens so people can watch the game, some great food, or even some arcade games.

I went to the arcade pretty often growing up. Many of those arcades were attached to a bowling alley where my parents were bowling with their league. The arcades of yesteryear don’t really exist anymore. The arcades of my youth were…

Read more at: http://www.hop-cast.com/?p=1954

In episode 209 of the Hop Cast, Ken Hunnemeder and Brad...

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 10:33:20 -0500

In episode 209 of the Hop Cast, Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski are joined by Taylor Munro Shaw, AKA TheArtOfBeer. In this episode the three of them crack open some beers from Prairie Ales in Oklahoma. Taylor Munro Shaw just started distributing to Chicago. The first beer they open is the Prairie Standard a 5.2% ABV Farmhouse Ale that’s been dry hopped with Motueka hops. Next up is the Prairie Noira 9.0% ABV bourbon barrel aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout. Both were fantastic beers and worth picking up if you see them on the shelf.

Cheers and thanks for watching the Hop Cast!

Photo

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:59:56 -0500

The last 52 weeks at LooseKeys illustrated!

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:30:17 -0500

The last 52 weeks at LooseKeys illustrated!

It’s been a week full of birthdays at LooseKeys, Happy...

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:05:00 -0500

It’s been a week full of birthdays at LooseKeys, Happy Birthday Jake & Maeve!

LooseKeys: LooseKeys - Project Recap - AnyCloud

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:50:00 -0500

LooseKeys: LooseKeys - Project Recap - AnyCloud:

Looking to learn a little more about what goes into the projects at LooseKeys?

In this LooseKeys project recap, Brad Chmielewski, Jake Williams and Erick Rohn talk about designing and animating the explainer video for AnyCloud. Erick, who hasn’t worked with the LooseKeys team in a while talked about the issues he ran into when Brad and Jake handed over the project to animate and how he solved them. Organization was key on this project especially since a number of people touched it.

If you have any other questions about this project, feel free to contact Brad, Jake or Erick. If you’re looking to have a video made for your company, LooseKeys is here to help.

ecoATMs, which can be found across the country, recycles old...

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:12:44 -0500

ecoATMs, which can be found across the country, recycles old phones, mp3 players, and tablets like iPads and Kindles, and pays cash instantly for them. Just like an ATM.

To recycle a gadget in an ecoATM, just tap the screen, ecoATM verifies your ID, and put your phone, mp3 player or tablet inside. The ecoATM will figure out what it is, what condition it’s in, and how much it’s worth. Then it pays you cash, on the spot.

Thanks to ecoATM, Tom’s new-gadget habit has a happy ending.

Discover your own happy ending. Find an ecoATM at ecoATM.com today.

ecoATM. It’s good for your wallet. It’s good for the planet.

Client: ecoATM
Production Company: LooseKeys
Creative Director: Brad Chmielewski
 Copywriter: Alice Oglethorpe
Illustration: Jake Williams
 Animation: Jake Williams, Brad Chmielewski & Rob Rossi
 Sound Design: Maeve Price
Voice Over: Jessica Fields
Software: Adobe After Effects & Final Cut Pro

Worry Less About The Next Project

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:16:12 -0500

When you’re freelancing or running your own business you can quickly get caught up in trying to get the next project booked and not being focused on what you’re doing now. Getting stuck in this constant state of living for what’s next. Since you’re working for yourself, if you don’t think about what’s coming next, you could find yourself without work; which is something you definitely don’t want. However, you also don’t want to lose focus on what you have now.

If you’re always worried about the next job, it can create a strain on yourself and the work, you can become less worried about making what your currently working on the best it can be and more worried about lining up the next project. Being fully invested and present in a project is important creatively, so that you put all your effort into it. If you’re not focusing on the present and spending too much time thinking about the future, you risk making yourself never content with what you have now.

I’m constantly guilty of this, there is a high you get as a creative when you get a new job, it’s shiny and new, all you want to do is focus on that one. What’s even better then that new high is the satisfaction you feel when a job is done and you can step back and see what your hard work has created.

Worry less on the next one and focus on what you have now and make it great. The work will come in. Good work brings in more good work.

Type Tuesday #191

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 22:48:34 -0500

Each week I try and share five free fonts that I’ve come across for you to use and enjoy. I hope you like what I have picked out this time. Be sure to comeback next week for another great set.

Spotlite is changing the way employees shop for...

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 21:48:12 -0500

Spotlite is changing the way employees shop for benefits.

Client: Spotlite
Production Company: LooseKeys
Animation: Brad Chmielewski & Jake Williams
Sound Design: Maeve Price
Voice Over: John McClain
Software: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator & Final Cut Pro

Stepping Forward For You

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:13:58 -0500

Stepping Forward For You

Cat Professor

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 23:50:34 -0500

Cat Professor

Just Dance

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 17:55:00 -0500

Just Dance

National Donut Day!

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:21:00 -0500

National Donut Day!

Somehow at LooseKeys we’ve started a quest to try all the...

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:21:45 -0500

Somehow at LooseKeys we’ve started a quest to try all the great burgers that Chicago has to offer. With all the donuts, beer and burgers we might pack on the pounds this summer but it will be oh, so delicious.

Getting Emails From Recent Graduates

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 09:51:43 -0500

The amount of emails from people asking to work with LooseKeys has been on the rise lately; I’d like to think that’s because we’re killing it.

The truth is school is ending so most of those emails are from students who are graduating and looking for work. It’s great to see that they came across LooseKeys and are interested in what we’re doing, plus I like to see who’s out there. I try to respond back to everyone, even if it’s a simple “Thanks but we’re not looking for someone now.” I do make sure I follow them on Vimeo or Twitter just to keep up with their work and let them know I saw their stuff.

I’ve received a dozen or so emails from folks over the last couple of weeks and they all look the same, which is a bit annoying. They look like a form letter, where they just replaced the studio name and hit send. I get it, I’m sure they send out dozens of emails and hardly ever hear back. Spending the time crafting a unique email for each one is time consuming. However, it would mean a lot more if they would mention a project or something they saw on the LooseKeys site. Something as simple as I loved this one job. It at least lets me know they looked at the work we did and it gives us something else to talk about. I suggest when you email about a possible job, you think of it as an opportunity to build a connection with a person or company and a way to start a conversation. There’s no way I’d hire someone blindly just based off an email, in particular one that seemed to be pretty generic. If I take the time to read your email and look at your work, I think its a good idea that you take the time to make the email a little more personal or particular to my company. Even if it’s just a line or two in the email and the rest of the email is copy and pasted.

Also, if you’re sending your work to a small team, especially as small as LooseKeys don’t attach a long cover letter. I’m not going to read it, all I really want to see after a brief introduction is a reel & website. And if you are just out of school, go ahead and include what school you went to in the email, maybe I know some of the teachers, faculty or alumni. Its another way to get the conversation started.

This is just my take on the emails I get and if you have your own studio or are in charge of hiring people, please chime in. I’d love to hear what someone else thinks when they get these types of emails

You don’t need to have a 100-person company to develop that...

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 23:44:10 -0500

You don’t need to have a 100-person company to develop that idea. - Larry Page