Design | The Athletic Nerd

Designing Web Sites Is Fun

January 25th, 2010 | Posted by jasonmckinnon in 17 West | Design | Technology | Web - (0 Comments)

The Wake Up Call

My alarm goes off every morning at 9:30 AM.

Usually, I head into my office to turn my computer on and go back to bed to watch either the show I worked on the previous night (Sportsnet Connected) or something informative like CNN or Food Network.

Actually Getting Up

Around 10 o’clock, I begin to work on my daily routine. I check my 5 email accounts, facebook, twitter and the day’s site statistics. Then it’s time for news. I have about 10-20 sites I check out on a daily basis that all revolve around film, television and technology.

From there I’ll usually write or edit a post on my blog.

The whole process usually takes around an hour.

Breaking New Ground

I usually have a list of things I HAVE to accomplish but for the most part, I spend the next hour making progress on screenplays, development work, photoshop projects and website maintenance.

Today, I used my time well.

Tons Of Updates

Last week I finished a million updates and new graphics etc…

Today, I spent my time networking and getting the word out.

I updated my twitter account with multiple tweets and links to 17west.ca.
Facebook is a valuable tool I use to drive traffic to my sites. Today I updated my status and uploaded new promotional graphics for our new short films. Beyond that, I also revisited our Facebook Group and basically updated the entire thing.
I also included a few more pics from The Climb’s first location scout. Check them out HERE.
I added a post on this site to announce the changes.
Even our YouTube channel got a status update.

It’s time consuming work that includes creating new and better graphics as well as dealing with various design challenges.

How much do I love Photoshop!

When I first began designing the sites, I figured my work would be over once the design was completed. I’ve since learned to embrace the marketing aspect of web design. It’s an important part of building an audience and it all adds up to a productive morning and hopefully some new fans of our websites and our films.

THINGS TO DO MONDAY JANUARY 25TH

THINGS TO DO TUESDAY JANUARY 26TH…

To be continued!

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17 West, 17 West Productions, Photoshop, site redesigns, Web design

17 West Has A New Look!

This coming April marks the two year anniversary of 17west.ca.

Here’s a rough idea of what it was supposed to looked like back then:

(Note: This version was never actually launched and clearly never completed.)

We eventually had to shoot Playing Through, so I uploaded a really simple version of the site. It was basically a single page blog that I updated throughout the production.

Zero graphics. Minimal design. Pretty ugly.

There’s no screenshot in existence in case you were wondering.

Fast Forward To…

A year ago. I finally launched the REAL 17west.ca. It was glorious! Finally, we had a home that showcased all of our movies. It included blogs, features and videos of our work.

Throughout the last year, I was constantly tweaking the look of the site. It became my 70,000th hobby.

After a while, things settled down and the site found it’s identity. For the last 8 months or so I haven’t changed much. Even now after the recent updates, the overall design hasn’t changed much. I like it.

Last week, I spent an afternoon updating the site and getting it ready for about 1.3 million updates we have planned in the coming months.

The site now features information on our two newest short films as well as full integration with the other sites in our network.

Check out all of our sites and let me know what you think.

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17 West, 17 West Productions, 17w, Eric Gamache, Jason McKinnon, Playing Through, Short Film, Strings, The Climb, Toronto

I Like Working: The Follow Up

Earlier in the week, I updated you on the gigantic strings meeting we had on Saturday. It was the main event of my huge list of tasks I wanted to get caught up on.

Click here to check out how epic the list actually was.

My days off are now behind me and here’s where we stand:

Strings

Strings now has a brand new shooting draft that I finished up yesterday. It’s always nice to finish a rewrite that doesn’t sacrifice story yet comes in 3.5 pages lighter. I spent a lot of time trying to think of more interesting ways to stage scenes and really strengthened my descriptions. Usually, I’ll tweak a lot of dialogue as well but those scenes worked really well so I left them alone.

We’ve also spent the last few days gathering paperwork together and composing letters with Ian overseeing the process. We’re definitely on our way with this short film.

The Climb

I really need the snow to melt so we can start the location scouting. Our two main actors have now read the new draft of the script and are just as excited to get started.

I spent some time over the last few days reading the script and really nailing down the visual style I have planned for the film.

Web Design

Here is a category that I destroyed over the last few days. There were a lot of housekeeping duties to perform on the sites. A lot of little things needed to be done and it adds up quickly. 17west.ca received the bulk of the work. (More on that later.) All in all, I’d say 70% of Tuesday was spent working on the websites.

I also continued working on the new look jaymckinnon.com. I don’t think I’ll be making any big changes until the summer but getting a start never hurts.

Beyond that, theathleticnerd.com got some new logos, graphics and posts. Many of which I’ll be rolling out in the next week or so.

I basically made sure I was fully caught up as we get closer to our deadlines for the films. I can honestly say, I’m completely caught up on all my web design work. It’s a great feeling.

Screenwriting

I managed to crank out the new draft of Strings which is a big check mark on my list.

Last night I spent a lot of time with my new feature. I didn’t finish the number of pages I wanted to but progress is always a plus. It helps that this project has no deadline.

In addition to that, I officially started gathering notes for a new short that may end up being Eric’s next short film. I’m not entirely sure when I’ll start writing it but the development is well on it’s way.

Whew!

“Find a job you love, never work a day in your life”

Weeks like this can get pretty crammed with work but they are important in order to stay on top of things. As of today, I have no more pressing work digging a whole in my brain. I now face about 6 weeks of relatively free time to be social and work on NEW material.

Until then, I’ll be updating often.

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17 West, 17 West Productions, films, Jason McKinnon, Movies, Short Film, Short Films, Strings, The Climb

I Like Working

Tomorrow, I’ll be heading to a gigantic meeting to help plan out another project 17 West is involved with. It’s a short film called Strings and it’s being produced by (Dir) Mat Cousineau and (Prod) Ian MacDonald.

I can’t wait for this meeting as we’ve been working on this project since June of last year and it’s really beginning to take shape. We had a similar meeting a few weeks ago regarding The Climb and I was extremely happy with the results. I’m a huge fan of the process and pre-production is definitely a fun time for me.

Check out Director Mat Cousineau’s blog here.

After that meeting, I’ve got 4 days off to accomplish a pretty lengthy list of tasks that I’m excited to tackle.

Yesterday, I finally locked the shooting draft of The Climb and sent it out to the cast. Now, it’s time to start the design process. Without spoiling much, one of the main characters has a pretty crazy looking tattoo and I’m super pumped (that’s my way of saying… very excited) to finally work on the look. Beyond that, I’ll be starting my unique storyboarding process.

I say unique because I can’t draw and pretty much describe the shots using complete sentences and stick figures. (Storyboard artists living in the GTA apply within.)

Writing

My main goal is to have at least one full day to write and break some new ground. I spent a lot of time over the last few weeks tweaking the script for The Climb and now that it’s locked, I’m excited to continue with other projects.

I’m hoping to put a big dent in the remaining pages of my new feature script. (Details coming soon.) I’m also considering writing another short film based on a pretty crazy concept that Eric may direct in the fall.

Web Design

Another goal I have over the next week is to finish working on a new graphic look for jaymckinnon.com. I’m happy with the overall look for now but I want to introduce an updated design that fully incorporates The Athletic Nerd. It’s not really a priority yet but I think it’s important to focus on the details while I have time to do so.

I’m also planning a series of new graphics for both 17 West and The Athletic Nerd. None of these projects are a priority but they still represent unfinished projects I’ve been working on lately.

It sounds like a lot to handle but I’m not under the gun as many of these projects are still months away from completion. It certainly helps that I have a blast working on them. I just think it’s important to stay on top of things before the deadlines get closer.

Ironically, when I was in school, I was a massive procrastinator and rarely started a project until the night before it was due. Times change.

The Goal

I have no intentions of completing everything on my list. (I haven’t even named everything I’m working on right now) My main concern is to stay ahead of the game with the films and write my brains out whenever I can find time.

And as always, I’ll be writing about all of it here. Bring it on!

PS: It’s also good to stay ahead because as I have a lot of fun plans coming up as well:) I can’t ALWAYS be working.

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17 West, 17 West Productions, 17w, films, Jason McKinnon, Movies, Screenwriting, Short Films, Strings, Strings Short Film, the athletic nerd, The Climb, The Climb Short Film

The Athletic Nerd In 2010

This week happens to be the 3 month anniversary of this website. (The 15th to be exact) While The Athletic Nerd is still in it’s infancy, I thought I’d talk a little bit about what’s in store for 2010. It’s been an incredibly fun journey so far sharing my thoughts on movies, television and technology but I’ve got bigger and nerdier plans for the future.

The Athletic Nerd Brand

A while back I wrote a 2 part post called Self Branding. The branding continues with the new logo I’m unveiling here today. I think it’s important for a site to establish it’s identity from the beginning so you’ll be seeing those blue and red letters around the site more and more. It’s a fairly simple logo but it will certainly evolve along with the blog. (Actually, I guarantee it. I love revisions and redesigns.)

If there is anything I’ve learned about blogging during these last few months, it’s the importance of setting yourself apart from similar blogs. I’ll be dedicating a lot of time and research to continue refining the type of content I create and the audience I want to reach.

In terms of overall design, I think the site has finally found a good look and I’ll be sticking with it until a completely customized site can be designed. For now I want to focus on content and gaining more readers.

Film, TV and Technology from a personal and professional perspective.

This is the style I strive to achieve in my writing. You’ll never see a post that just regurgitates the news of the day. Instead, you’ll get a personal look into how the subject inspires creativity. Over the past 3 months, I’ve introduced a variety of different features that strenghten that idea.

Rainy Sundays – Probably the most popular feature on the site right now. Once a week, I dig into the past and pull out a movie you could easily watch on those lazy days when you just want to sit back and enjoy a classic. Throughout 2010, I’m planning to keep adding films to the Rainy Sunday list regularily with a couple added twists here and there. Click here for more…

What!? – Surprising news. Trailer debuts. Shocking announcements. It’s the closest thing you’ll find to a news article on this site but it’s reserved only for those special moments I just have to write about. Click here for more…

Really!? – A look at the little details about the industry that annoy. The beauty of the subjects on this site is they can both excite and frustrate. Films can flop. Equipment breaks. Hear about my personal encounters here. Click here for more…

10 Flicks – A relatively new feature that’s still evolving. At first, I wanted to have a countdown feature on this site. As time went on, I decided to take a different approach. So they are no longer countdowns and instead, will be carefully selected picks that fit the hot topic of the day. Click here for more…

Spotlight - Many blogs have reviews of popular sites, movies, blogs and technology but many do not detail how it affects their lives professionally and creatively. Why not give a personal account in addition to the normal review structure. Here is where I’ll be sharing what inspires me in my career. Click here for more…

iPhone FX – This is a rare feature that won’t show up often but it’s a fun side project of mine. Currently, I do not own a video camera and I have a deep obsession with motion graphics. When I got my iPhone, I saw an opportunity to add some effects to the videos I take. Once in a while when I have some time to mess around, I’ll be posting some shots with some added style and effects. Click here for more…

All of these features will remain and a few more will be added in the coming months. (I’m actually pretty excited about the newest features.)

17 West Productions Returns

First and foremost, I’m a professional editor at a major sports network in Canada. Beyond that, I also co-own a production company with my business partner Eric Gamache. Since The Athletic Nerd launched, there hasn’t been much to report in terms of new projects but that will be changing in a matter of weeks.

I’ll be directing a new short film beginning in January and I’ll be updating daily on the production. Every aspect of the film will be detailed with behind the scenes videos and stills.

In addition to that, we have 2 more productions ready to get underway. One is currently casting and I’m preparing to write the other in January. Expect regular updates on those projects as well.

You’ll also be seeing better integration with 17west.ca. The site will be getting a series of updates once these productions begin and I’ll be using The Athletic Nerd as a compliment to the stories on that site. Head over to 17W for the news and check out this site for rest!

A Screenwriter At Work

A few weeks ago, I started posting more and more about screenwriting. I don’t claim to be an expert but I will be posting personal accounts while I’m grinding out the pages. It’s my number 1 passion on this planet. I love screenwriting.

The Expansion Team

In 2010, you can expect to see contributions from other bloggers and people in the industry. I’ll be adding posts from a variety of working professionals as well as dedicated fans of film. Both sides of the industry in one place.

The Goal

Obviously, the goal is to gain a steady stream of traffic to the site. The Athletic Nerd is still young but there is a lot of content here already. 2010 will be about generating more and better content for the readers I have and the readers I have yet to encounter.

This site has given me an excuse to write everyday. I may not have time to work on my latest script or a new revision but there is always twenty minutes here and there to write about what I love and why I love it. All the best in 2010. Visit often. Tell your friends.

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17 West, 17 West Productions, 17w, Directing, Editing, Filmmaking, films, Movies, Screenwriting, Short Films, the athletic nerd, Web design

Designing Web Sites Is Fun

The Wake Up Call

Actually Getting Up

Breaking New Ground

Tons Of Updates

17 West Has A New Look!

Fast Forward To…

I Like Working: The Follow Up

Strings

The Climb

Web Design

Screenwriting

Whew!

I Like Working

Writing

Web Design

The Goal

The Athletic Nerd In 2010

The Athletic Nerd Brand

17 West Productions Returns

A Screenwriter At Work

The Expansion Team

The Goal

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