Hello my brand new best friend!
MY NAME IS MICHAEL
YOU CAN CALL ME MICHAEL. MIKE. MIKEY EVEN. I HAVE A FEW FRIENDS THAT JUST CALL ME UMAN.
I'M A CREATIVE DIRECTOR. CAN'T YOU TELL FROM MY ARTY, AND PRETENTIOUS PHOTO? IT'S A "SELFIE"!
I'm an award-winning creative director with over 15+ years experience in the advertising and television industries. An excellent organizer, project leader and team builder with a deep understanding of successful branding and marketing strategies. Adept at overseeing and collaborating with writers, designers, animators, and musicians to foster groundbreaking creative solutions. Excellent communicator, problem solver, and detail-oriented manager.
Having hands-on experience in multiple disciplines and a discerning eye for talent and ability, support and enhance my leadership and management roles. My skills as a director, illustrator, designer, animator, musician, were developed over the years to enhance my storytelling ability. I want to help you tell your stories.
I know this is a little dry and jargony but I read a lot of resume writing articles that told me this is how I should present myself. Lots of "keywords for SEO and to get past ATS gatekeepers". I wrote it in the hopes I impress you enough to hire me. Are you impressed? Not yet? Crap. Keep on reading.
MY TITLE IS "CREATIVE DIRECTOR"
That isn’t my whole story. Having been a partner in several businesses you need to have a range of skills and wear many hats. My diverse set of skills facilitate leading projects from conceptualization of brand and marketing strategies across media, through the production requirements needed to execute.
I AM NOT AN EXPERT OR A GURU,
BUT I KNOW A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS.
I've always been as interested in knowing about the far reaches of the underground. Many years of immersion in underground and pop culture ( Street Art, Urban Vinyl, Gaming, Animation, Music and more ) have given me a unique understanding of and affinity for youth brands. Subcultures eventually become the next big thing in pop culture. This is an important aspect of what makes my point of view and voice unique. Being entrepreneurial and running several businesses I've had to be resourceful and learn/perform multiple roles outside of my core skill set as a creative. The ability to research and learn is why I have such broad interests and skills. I love to learn new things and I'm not afraid to do it.
MY SUPERPOWERS ARE
Storytelling | Creative Direction | Strategic Brand Management | Graphic Design |Contract Negotiation and Budgeting | Character Design and Development | Entrepreneurship | Strong Communication Skills | Project Management |
SOFTWARE AND ADDITIONAL SKILLS
Adobe Creative Suite Proficiency
Social Media Marketing using best practices
- Hootsuite
- Buffer
- Tweetdeck
- Canva
Macintosh Computer Proficiency
- Light IT
- Computer and Software Installation
- Back up strategies
- Networking
- Consulting
NOTABLE PAST CLIENTS
Volkswagen | Target | Ben and Jerry's | Virgin Mobile | Comedy Central | BET | Vh1 | Nickelodeon | Showtime | Discovery Channel | HBO | ACLU
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Lots more industry jargon listing some job related skills and experience I have. Blah blah blah. Do you really want to read all this? Just hire me already.
METRO CHAI
Partner • Creative Director • Art Director
2014 - Present
Brooklyn, NY.
I'm now a Chai Wallah, a seller of chai teas.
Being an entrepreneur and having started three previous successful businesses I took the opportunity and challenge to develop and launch some new artisanal food products. Under my guidance, the company has been growing steadily in sales and brand awareness since the official launch in January 2014.- Brand development, strategy, and implementation
- Formulate, direct and coordinate marketing activities and policies to promote products
- Invent names for products and write the slogans that appear on packaging, brochures, and other promotional material.
- Write advertising copy for use by all media to promote the sale of products
- Write articles, bulletins, sales letters, newsletters and other related informative, marketing and promotional material.
- Art direction and design for all touch points, packaging, logos, websites, and collateral material.
- Product photography and editing
- Develop pricing strategies
- Business development, Identifying new sales outlets and partners.
INTERSPECTACULAR
Partner • Creative Director • Art Director • Producer
2003-2013
New York, NY
Interspectacular was launched in 2003 as a motion design boutique with the influential and award-winning rebrand of Comedy Central and quickly evolved into something entirely unique. It became part boutique agency specializing in humorous storytelling and part viral/underground character animation lab. For 10 years I ran the business as well as directed, selected, curated and led teams on campaigns for leading brands delivering quirky narrative and design solutions.
The right tool for the right project has always been my philosophy. Having deep relationships within the illustration and subculture arts communities I would frequently tap into them for innovative collaborative solutions.- Developed budgets, negotiated contracts and quotes to ensure projects were completed within financial constraints while ensuring a studio profit margin between 35-45%.
- Leveraged in-depth knowledge of production methods, motion graphics, character animation, music, and sound design.
- Managed writers, artists, designers and project managers with a hands-on approach in order to successfully accomplish daily work and special projects.
- Trained and mentored creatives, monitored and directed performance in key areas.
- Combined video, animation, audio and motion graphics to effectively convey each story.
- produced, directed network redesigns, advertising, show packages, and film titles.
- Met with clients to discuss their project goals and articulated specific objectives to the creative team.
FDG
Principle • Creative Director • Art Director • Graphic Designer
1998-2002New York, NY
Became a creative director and partner in my first mid-size design studio.
- Oversaw and managed all creative aspects of the studio leading our creative teams to award-winning solutions
- Brought in significant new business through great work and great relationships to increase billings to 2.25 million.
- Assembled, led and managed creative teams for television and advertising campaigns, Network packages, Short film projects.
- Met client needs and accomplished creative visions by overseeing strategic, focused campaigns.
- Designed, story-boarded and animated projects
- Worked closely with publicists and developed company brand, marketing strategies and campaigns.
- Discovered, trained and mentored creative staff and developed new talent
I LOVE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. I LOVE TO LAUGH AND TELL FUNNY STORIES. IF WE CAN LAUGH AND TELL FUNNY STORIES TOGETHER TO SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS EVEN BETTER!
INTERspectacular In our own words
Adobe Artist Profile: Directed by Hillman Curtis
Adobe commissioned the late Hillman Curtis to create a series of short films interviewing various artists that used Adobe products. I always loved this film. It captures a moment in time and does a great job of explaining what INTERspectacular was.
NOW THAT YOU KNOW ME A LITTLE BETTER MAYBE I CAN DO SOMETHING FOR YOU? LET'S COLLABORATE AND HAVE SOME FUN. CALL ME UP WITH A NEW PROJECT.
Or just contact me to hang out. I like meeting new people too.
PROJECTS
Metro Chai - An Ongoing Design and Branding Project
Political Posters
If you see something, say something
NICKELODEON - NICKTOONS - THREE-HEADED MONSTER
Three Headed Monster was a programming block on Nickelodeons sister channel Nicktoons. When INTERspectacular was approached about this project it was to create a package and promo system in another studio's style, add to something that had been created the previous year. We weren't keen on this idea and suggested they go back to the original studio. One of our big no-no's was copying other artists and designers. Our approach was always why not hire them and collaborate with them? Nickelodeon then wanted to see what we would do with the project our way. We created our three-headed host character to act as ids and interstitial material between shows. This was pure kiddie humor inspired by the Three Stooges, and cartoons like Bugs Bunny and Rocky and Bullwinkle. Our studio philosophy was always to write something funny strange not funny ha-ha whenever possible. Our opinion was strange stayed funny longer.
Three-headed monster case study
One of my favorite projects
Nickelodeon
3HM - Juggle
produced at INTERspectacular
Nickelodeon
3HM - Kafka
produced at INTERspectacular
Nickelodeon
3HM - Sunday
produced at INTERspectacular
Nickelodeon
3HM - Yoga
produced at INTERspectacular
Nickelodeon
3HM - Rollcall
produced at INTERspectacular
Nickelodeon
3HM - Vacuum
produced at INTERspectacular
Nickelodeon
3HM - Hook
produced at INTERspectacular
Nickelodeon
3HM - Mirror Mirror
produced at INTERspectacular
Nickelodeon
3HM - Circus
produced at INTERspectacular
Nickelodeon
3HM - Captain Saturday
produced at INTERspectacular
Project Case Study
produced at INTERspectacular
PROJECTS
Video
Get A CLU
ACLU
Constitution Day Promo
Game of Threats
corporate animation
BET
Redesign Montage
Produced at INTERspectacular
Comedy Central
Redesign Montage
Produced at INTERspectacular
Character Animation
Montage
Produced at INTERspectacular
Munny - Sprout
Kidrobot
concept, story and direction INTERspectacular
Produced at Wildbrain
Munny - Village
Kidrobot
concept, story and direction INTERspectacular
Produced at Wildbrain
The Art of Navigation
Discovery Channel
Produced at INTERspectacular
The Miracle of Flight
Discovery Channel
Produced at INTERspectacular
Moon or Bust
Discovery Channel
Produced at INTERspectacular
Moon or Bust 2
Discovery Channel
Produced at INTERspectacular
The Wonder of Cloning
Discovery Channel
Produced at INTERspectacular
Nobody's Perfect
Clearasil
Produced at INTERspectacular
All in a Name
Clearasil
Produced at INTERspectacular
That Voice
Clearasil
Produced at INTERspectacular
Accessorize
Clearasil
Produced at INTERspectacular
Fair Trade
Ben and Jerry
Produced at INTERspectacular
MUSIC
Half of the storytelling in film and video is done through music and sound design. Creating the right mood and atmosphere by sound is an important part of my creative process. I've had a very close relationship to music and sound all of my life. I worked in a record store for several years., I DJed. I designed, illustrated and animated projects in the music industry. I've written music reviews and done interviews with some of my favorite electronic artists. I've also been composing electronic music since college. Here are a few of my latest tracks.
SO TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOU!
Lets meet in IRL. Have a coffee. A lunch, Or maybe even a cocktail. You won't be sorry you did. Well... maybe you will, but I might make you laugh at least.
Send me an email and lets get together. You know you want to.
Here's that linkedin profile. Go on click it if you want to find out even more awesome things about me. It's not as fun as this site though. it's linkedin. So be warned.
INTERspectacular
If you want to see more projects go here. I know the interspectacular site is old and isn't as shiny and new as this resume is. Just think of it as a moment in time on the internet instead of a janky old company site. I'm still very proud of my little design and animation studio.
Copyright 2013