At the beginning of this year I launched a brand new site, an official portfolio at editingluke.com - you can see what the original site looked like in my first sneak peek here. Things were off to a great start, page views surpassed 1500 without me even doing anything. Well, the limelight faded quickly. Last month, the same site barely made 200 page views.
The sudden drop off in interest is a mixed bag, because although the traffic is now just a trickle of what it was, those who have told me they viewed my site were actually people offering editing projects. This was always the intended purpose of editingluke.com, so I began to rethink my presentation and who I was really trying to impress.The main problem I realized was that I was trying to be too broad, when in reality I already had everything I needed. Editing Luke as a blog provides re-occurring content, news, updates, and various production related tidbits surrounding my work - Editing Luke the portfolio (editingluke.com) really just needed/needs to be a business card.
I was trying to do too much with a space that didn't really need it. I've now redesigned and simplified a large portion of my portfolio site to breathe some new life into it. There's a more cohesive theme that not only ties the site together, but also compliments what I've already established with this blog. The new look is far more streamlined and easier to navigate (excess title pages were removed) this makes sampling my work faster and more enjoyable.
Whether I'm to be eliminated this week in the Yobi Filmmaking Competition or I'm to make the final two of the entire season, things have taken an interesting turn this round. After receiving a handful of negative comments both personally and on my profile, then realizing that the audio was out of sync in the highlight video recap for the round, I naturally began thinking that a few people were out to get me - and by that I mean just really wanted me to lose.
This has always been the issue with 'popular vote' contests as far as I've seen. People get their feelings hurt because the contest is really about who can best promote their work. I've experienced this time and time again where I've been sidelined - in fact, I felt this way in Yobi Film last year with my short the Gizmo Tree. I haven't discussed it much, but my choice behind pushing my short The Geology Student to the finals this year was as much about submitting something different as it was anything else. The Geology Student was first made for a film class as a character study, and more than anything it's a parody of itself. It's campy, it's amateur, it's completely out of context - it's why I enjoy it so much. A bad educational film has never required less facts or purpose; love it or hate it the short isn't trying to sway or convince you of anything and in this contest in particular, I think it's the projects strength.
If this was the only film I'd ever made I'd better understand the frustration from those who I've played a role in eliminating, but this is merely 1 out of 100 other projects I've done. It's as much an experiment and test for myself to see how this short will do in competition - and so far, it's done amazingly well. I understand completely why some throw their hands up in disgust (no one likes to lose) but like I said previously, this is about who can best promote their work. Individually, just like I'm doing now, we can all make cases for why we deserve the win, but it's actually nice to take comfort in the fact that winning here is pretty clearly defined - most votes wins. If you lose, you can sum it up to the fact you didn't get enough people to vote for you. Even if I lose this round, no one can say that I didn't make an effort to advertise - obviously. That is after all the point of the contest.
In addition to all this, from a creative standpoint the finals are technically about judging each filmmaker's entire Yobi profile. A platform that I've taken full advantage of by uploading over 10 shorts (massing over half a million views and counting). Anyone truly upset about The Geology Student advancing need only click my 'Other Entries' to see a range of other styles and edits that I've done. And hey, you've somehow found yourself on my blog, it's even easier to see what I'm talking about here - look around!
It's such a sensitive situation when you're competing with people that you can't even see. I at least put my face at the top of my blog so you have an idea who's writing. In any case, if this is the end of my finals experience this season I have no regrets. But, until I'm officially eliminated don't expect me to give up without a fight. Top 3 doesn't just happen by accident and I certainly won't apologize for it. In fact, let me instead say thank you to all of you who have supported and who continue to support me. This entire competition (win or lose) is just another great experience that you've helped me have.
To find yourself a world away in a foreign country for the first time is surreal. You quickly forget just what it took to get there when you're won over by the spectacle around you. For me, this was Singapore.
When I was asked in February if I'd like to go on a business trip with my co-worker Stephanie, I was elated. Not just because I'd be paid to travel, but because Singapore was a destination that I never really saw myself going to.
I'm fairly well travelled around North America, but this was to be my first time putting my feet in the other side of an ocean. It was my first time travelling for over a day in the air (combining all my flights that is). It was the first time I answered 'business' to the 'are you traveling for business or pleasure' question.
Singapore was a mix of welcome and unexpected surprises. Never did I think that we'd be able to see and do so much while still working during our days. Somehow, we still managed to cross all of the big highlights off of our list, leaving us both feeling like we were truly able to explore the variety and individuality the country/city had to offer.
From eating exotic seafood along the coast of the South China Sea to taking in the view of the city from the Singapore Flyer, from cruising up the river through the heart of the financial district to an afternoon in the sun at Universal Studios on Sentosa Island, to the Red Dot Design Museum, the famous Merlion landmarks, the Night Safari at the Zoo, exploring an ornate Hindu temple, raising our glasses of Tiger beer at restaurants and clubs, and shopping on Orchard Road - we managed to play just as much as we worked. I hoped, but never knew it would have turned out this good.
I was trying to do too much with a space that didn't really need it. I've now redesigned and simplified a large portion of my portfolio site to breathe some new life into it. There's a more cohesive theme that not only ties the site together, but also compliments what I've already established with this blog. The new look is far more streamlined and easier to navigate (excess title pages were removed) this makes sampling my work faster and more enjoyable.
