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ffective design benefits from experience in a wide range of disciplines.
The broader your background, the greater your creative resource. |
| In a world of increasing specialisation, there comes a need for someone that can do it all. |
I am Mike Vlack. Despite having full-time employment in film and television, I've freelanced as a graphic designer, web designer, retoucher and photographer casually on and off since 1992.
At first I just did retouching. I had learnt Photoshop Version 2.o whilst working shifts as an animation cell painter; but we were working mainly with flat colour and I wanted to do photos. After a couple of years, the designers I retouched for, encouraged me to learn Quark and I started to work as an operator (i.e. Mac monkey). I built my prepress knowledge and skill set and eventually started to take on jobs as a designer. I started to create web sites in the mid-90s.
For the last five years I have been employed full-time at Panavision, designing and producing all the print and web-based marketing materials for the Panavision Asia Pacific group of companies. Panavision is the world's largest motion picture camera and lighting rental company. Panavision's recent feature film credits in Australia include: Australia, Wolverine and Superman Returns.
Freelance clients have included: Gear Head, Avent Photography, Minx Models, EFILive, World Watch Media, PureBred, Enigma Sound, The Starlight Foundation, The Bondi View, Dave Chami Photography, David Knight, Mark Goellnicht, John Brawley, DJ Nic Godoy, Steve Williams, Peter Vidulich, Daniel Mayne, Greg Hunter, Noel MacDonald, Seacam, Infinite Monkey, The Black Stars, Soap Star Joe, Foxtel, The Lens Service Centre, Fry Optics, Sphere Digital, The Frontline Agency, Desktop People, ANZ Bank, Commonwealth Bank, QANTAS Holidays, Mudfish Advertising, RooArt Records
Tertiary Training
Fast Track to Dreamweaver MX- Macromedia Certified Course
Fast Track to Flash MX- Macromedia Certified Course
Design Techniques using Flash MX- Macromedia Certified Course
Developing ASP Applications using Dreamweaver MX- Macromedia Certified Course
Macromedia Dreamweaver Level 1
Steadicam Operator's Certificate- Studied under Garrett Brown the inventor of the Steadicam
Sony HDW-F900 Preparation- Sony Certified Course
Film Techniques Advanced Certificate (Cinematography Major) NSCTAFE- 3 Years Study
Bachelor of Computer Science UNSW- 2 Years Study
The Bondi Wave- Music Industry Management and Performance
Applications
InDesign
Quark Express
Illustrator
Acrobat
Photoshop
Dreamweaver
Flash
Adobe Dreamweaver Developer Toolkit
Zoom Search Engine
QuickTime
Aperture
Lightroom
Photomatix Pro
Final Cut Pro
DVD Studio Pro
PowerPoint
Word
Excel
Mac & PC Platforms
Referees
Martin Cayzer- Managing Director Panavision Asia Pacific and Chairman of Ausfilm
Mob. 0414 361 844
E Mail. martin_cayzer@panavision.com.au
Paul Jackson- Marketing Manager Panavision Australia
Mob. 0414 361 488
E Mail. paul_jackson@panavision.com.au
Sean Glasson- General Manager John Barry Sales
Mob. 0438 698 723
E Mail. sean_glasson@johnbarry.com.au
Employment History
2004 - 2008
Group Graphic Designer and Web Designer at Panavision Asia Pacific
Duties include designing and producing all of the print, web and mixed media marketing for the following companies in the group:
- Panavision Australia (Motion Picture Camera Rentals)
- PANALUX (Film, Television & Event Lighting Rentals)
- John Barry Sales (Film & Television Equipment Sales)
- JBD (Product Distribution e.g. Manfrotto, Avenger)
- Panafreight (International & Domestic Freight Forwarding)
Additional graphic and web design support for:
- Panavision Inc. in the United States
- Panavision UK
- Panavision New Zealand
- Salon Hong Kong
- Sanwa Japan
- Prasads India
Typical projects included: print advertising, online advertising, web sites, catalogues, flyers, technical manuals, point of sale displays, posters, signage, T-shirts, caps, promotional gifts, corporate communications and branding.
2000 to 2003
Client Service at Panavision Australia
Duties included client service for motion picture camera rentals for television commercials and feature films.
Commercial clients included: Window, Independent, Pod, Silver Screen, 8 Commercials, Film Graphics, Ignite, Ozpan.
Feature film clients included: Mission: Impossible II, Red Planet, Farscape, Moulin Rouge!, Star Wars: Episode II, Rabbit-Proof Fence, The Quiet American, The Matrix Revolutions & Reloaded, Stealth.
1994 to 1999
Rentals Manager and Camera Assistant at Lemac Film & Video
I was employed in camera preparation, then worked at all facets of the rental operation including client service and as a camera assistant for the Melbourne based Lemac Productions. I finally left as Sydney rentals manager.
Duties included: Client service, management of rentals staff (10 employees), equipment preparation and maintenance, stock control and equipment acquisition, assistant cameraman on television commercials, documentaries and station promos.
Client service on productions such as: Murder Call, The Wiggles Movie, Muriel's Wedding, Blue Murder, Escape to Jupiter, Fire I & II, Big Sky, Dog Watch, Dog's Head Bay.
Camera assistant on productions such as:
Documentaries: Clive James Postcard from Bombay, Postcard from Hong Kong, Clive James at the F1 Grand Prix, Clive James at the Melbourne Cup, Equinox- The Wolf That Roared.
TVCs: Optus Vision, AJC Racing, British Premier League, Vuecast AFL, Robitussin, Logicin, Dick Smith Electronics, Family Circle, Flag Inns, Man Power Australia, Ra Records, Digital T.V.
Station Promos: This is Australia, I Am, Who's Who of News, Hey Hey It's Saturday, Midday Show, Superleague Tri Series, Friday Night Football, Central Park West, Sunday, 60 minutes, The Footy Show, Today Show, Meet the Press, The Great Debate.
Clients included: Watchmaker Productions, PBL, Southern Star, Beyond Productions, Film Graphics, Film Australia, LWT Television, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, AAMI, NRMA, The Commonwealth Bank, Optus, TCN-9, GTV-9, ATN-7, TEN-10, ABC, BBC.
1993
Program Manager for Australia Television International and Film Handler for ABC Television's National Film Library
Duties included the sourcing of programs, managing the program library, dubs, telecine transfers and satellite feeds and acquisition of stock and consumables for Australia Television International, the ABC's Asian broadcast wing. The handling and preservation of film components for ABC Television's national film library and the preparation and cataloging of archive materials for the Australian National Film and Sound Archive.
1992
Computer Animation Compositor for Unlimited Energee
Duties included: computer animation compositing, animated camera moves and visual effects. Most work was 2D cartoon style animation for television broadcast, but some jobs involved live action and 3D graphics.
Clients included: Burbank Animation, Toyota, SEGA
1989 - 1992
Drummer for The Barbarellas
In addition to countless live performances, The Barbarellas had four releases through Citadel Records produced by Rob Younger of Radio Birdman and The New Christs. |
