Website No.1: http://brendanbarnes.com/
Design Elements
The design for this chosen website is very mature; the use of colour is rather reserved. However, for what colour is present there is a clear contrast between itself and the back drop. The design of the logo is one of the aspects of the overall house style which is most memorable as it is a n unusually shaped car with vivid yellow tire tracks. The text is clear and professional therefore allowing the reader to keep informed of all information available on the website. The font used for the title is particularly unique as it achieves a very futuristic effect however it does not lose any quality as it is easy to understand and read regardless of its alterations to certain letters.
Contents of each page:
On the home page there is a display of video-based projects the owner of the website, Brendan Barnes, is responsible for. Each project is in order of the year it was made so as to make it easier for visitors to locate specific projects they are looking to observe.
On the page titled, ‘Commercials’ there is a series of videos depicting the promotion of numerous different products. These are also in order of when they were made, the year specifically. It seems there is quite a variety of products Barnes has helped promote purely from looking at the thumbnails used; Some seem to depict sport-based activities whilst others promote Alcoholic beverages.
The next page, titled, ‘Narrative’ depicts several entertainment-based media products such as short films, both fiction and non-fiction, and even documentaries encouraging tourism. The layout is the same as the previous two pages analysed; a series of thumbnails for videos listed in terms of the year they were made and/or uploaded. There does not appear to be any backdrop changes and this can only be to indicate that the most important information on the chosen page(s) is the collection of videos.
Next, there is the page, ‘Showreel’ which is pretty self-explanatory; it contains one singular video which is a collection of Barnes’ video-based works leading up to 2016. Once again, the backdrop is white leaving the most important features in the form of the showreel and the navigation bar above.
The page, ‘Music Video’ contains a series of videos from 2012-2016 containing low profile music artists performing their works. This, again, is largely similar to the layout of previous pages containing video-based projects.
The ‘About’ page is largely text-based as opposed to the previous four pages. There are no images or videos linked to this particular page therefore the attention is directed to the factual information which, in some respects, is the main purpose for the page. At the very bottom of the page there are a series of awards listed which Barnes has been awarded.
And finally, the page titled, ‘Contact’ is another page largely dedicated to text and features no images or videos. Instead it features a series of comment boxes for visitors of the site to contact Barnes with. Above these are emails and contact numbers of representatives who can be contacted in the absence of Barnes. Clearly, a lot of attention to factual detail.
What works & What does not:
The pages containing videos work well as they are direct and do not attempt to distract the viewer with graphics. However, a subtle backdrop would give the pages an extra dimension and give the viewer another reason to be attracted to the website.
I think the pages containing factual information could be more interesting with images and videos added just to continue establishing the professional overview of the website. The house style is simplistic and, when on the home page, it works well however the minimalism grows more noticeable in the absence of backdrops and/or images and interactive distractions. Of course, a good website does not have to contain these however it pays to contain a moderate amount of interactive elements.
Website No.2: http://mattscottvisuals.com/portfolio/
Design Elements
Looking at the homepage there is a clear sense of professionalism; The house style is complimentary to the information in the foreground. The background consists of black and dark grey therefore pushing forward the navigation bar and all information on the pages. There is even a background image used as a backdrop or the title of the website.
The text is fully understandable and of a professional standard. There is even a list of the films Matthew Scott has worked on over the years. Being that this information is on the homepage rather than on one of the pages dedicated to work history and projects we can expect there to be an exceptional amount of information yet to be revealed.
The colour of the font rarely changes throughout the pages however, with regards to separate pages there is a change in colour to make the most important pages stand out, in this case the font was changed to a light shade of blue.
Each page has a different background image located at the top center where the navigation bar is also located. Each time, the image is relevant to the topic of the page clearing displaying the artistic talent of the author, Matthew Scott.
The main text for the title of the website is also well presented; there is an abbreviation of Matthew’s full name above and then below it his forename and surname along with his job role in brackets. Normally, this would be considered minimalistic but considering the set out of the text and the fact that the colour is gradient this does not seem to apply in any negative way.
Contents of each page:
One page is titled, ‘Blog’ which contains a short film Matthew had taken part in making along with a display of the equipment and methods used on-set along with explanations and progress reports. It is clear to see that Matthew has paid attention to detail with this website and made sure his audience were constantly updated on what stages his projects were in. There are links visible throughout on this page showing just how thoroughly the project, ‘Resurgence’ was discussed.
Another page titled, ‘Lighting’ shows a display of Scott’s work on lighting. There are a number of images of the equipment Matthew used in order to light the scenes correctly for each project he worked on. Again, the information is very thorough and accompanied by videos of the short films.
Matthew also has a page titled, ‘Tutorials’ which is rather self-explanatory and features a number of tutorials ranging from how to manage noise reduction to how to colour grade. Much like with the previous website there are a number of videos regarding the concept of the ‘Tutorials’ however this time around there is also more information and text on the page. There is a definite contrast between the two chosen websites, especially when considering the sheer quantity of information to video and imagery.
Under the page titled, ‘Colour’ there is a small paragraph of information regarding an external site which discusses Scott’s work on colour. This is accompanied by a link at the bottom center of the page. This is the page which consists of the least amount of information however it contains a link therefore is showing an extensive collection of information resides elsewhere.
What works & What does not:
This site certainly sets a high standard and proves to be of a professional nature. However what fails to meet-the-mark with this site is the page titled, ‘Downloads’. When navigated to this page you are greeted with the phrase, ‘Download that shit’ which instantly exposes a break in formality. It is also likely to cause offense to certain viewers and even break the connection created between Scott and his audience.
What works about the site is the amount of detail that Scott goes into when discussing his various projects. Though he may have only assisted on certain films he still manages to inject a substantial amount of images and details regarding the production of them. He even has step-by-step videos which teach you specific editing and filming techniques. Needless to say, as the audience you are not deprived of anything.
Skill Requirements:
To create my own website there are a number of skills that are needed in order to feel confident and to work to the best of my ability. For one, I would have to be aware of the codes and conventions of a professional website layout in order to achieve the look I wanted. I would also have to know how I aim to advertise my media-based products. For example, know whether or not films and posters would be on one singular page or whether they would have a page dedicated to themselves.
Building on the previous comments regarding the two sites I analysed, I would also have to make sure I establish how I am going to communicate with my audience; will I be informal and attempt to speak to them on a personal level or will I maintain a sensible and formal way of discussing projects? These are the questions I would have to ask myself early on in the process of setting up my own site.
Again, relating back to Matthew Scott’s website, I would have to make sure I was capable of collecting together large quantities of information and even know how I would attempt to transfer the information onto my site. Knowing how you will manage data on your site is always a skill requirement as it is one of the many key purposes for you setting up a site in the first place; to inform people of your work and to advertise your skills however many projects you have taken part in.
Brandon Hobson 
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