10 + 10 intervija ar Francijā dzīvojošu interaktīvo dizaineri no Rīgas Andreas Šabelnikov, kura specializācija ir izklaides industrijas interaktīvie projekti, turklāt kurš pamanījies izveidot uzņēmumus gan Maskavā, gan Francijā.

1. Who are you? Please tell about yourself.
I was born in 1985, in Riga. I spent like 20 years living in Latvia, but then I moved to Russia/Moscow, to found Arysmedia.ru. It was also started firstly in Latvia, we have managed a couple of projects in Riga, but then the target moved to Russian Entertainment Market.
Right now, I’m creative director of two agencies, one is in Moscow, second one is where I live, in French Riviera, South of France. We are currently opening an office here.
Since I was a kid, I used to draw a lot. During my school classes, at home, everywhere. Within some time, I started to realize that something like that could possibly tie with my possible occupation. I started to be more digital, started playing with Photoshop and other stuff. In a couple of years I was hired by several Latvian web agencies and  was working there as a junior web designer. This period of time gave me a good experience and opportunity to high range clients (British Airways). After some time, my life started to be more and more interesting. I started working as a freelance web designer. During these years, I had a chance to work with such clients like Paramount, MGM, Fox, Warner Bros, Bacardi, Samsung, Toyota and many others. Right now I am pretty happy with everything around me but one of my goals is to open a creative agency in South of France.

2. What is design for you?
Design is everything I do. My fears, my mind, my life, my inspiration and my beloved job :)

3. What do you consider worthy of attention in Latvian design?
At the early stage, when I began working for Latvian companies, I was completely stuck as I didn’t see much going on in design area around the Latvian market. I don;t really know how is it going now but I have a lot of friends who tell that things remain the same. Anyway there still is a lot of talented people whom I really respect (I can not really name any of them, cause maybe i will forger someone and then I will feel bad, bur for sure, there are plenty designers which i talk to, and of course i visit www.shout.lv, where Raitis Shevelis is the owner).

4. What are you busy with when not working?
I am trying to spend as much time as I can with my family, do sports, stay fit, play video games with my brother, watching movies and be a fan of a local soccer team. Oh, and photography, of course.

5. You have quite famous clients. How come?
I just had worked a lot. At the beginning, I was kind of concentrated and focused on improving my position in entertainment business area and this actually is what I like to do more. My future plans and goals are tied to increase possibility to work in this industry and to get more various clients and projects to work on.

6. What do you do when you are stuck?
I close my computer for a few days, go out, meet friends, have a couple of beers, relax. I have to change my lifestyle for a while. Maybe make a bike ride. After these stages I am OK. I hate to work by the computer when I am stuck and feel empty. I would rather go anywhere and switch to any other interesting things in life.

7. Three things you really like and would recommend to others.
Try to enjoy the work you do as much as you can. This makes life go interesting and you feel stronger. Imagine first — it’s a hobby. and second, let’s call it job. The third one — if you really like job and its direction, try to spend as much time as you can. One day something special will knock on your door. Maybe it’s gonna be a very famous client? Just keep doing it.

8. How to become a good designer?
It’s all about you. If you feel you have a talent, go on, don’t listen to anyone, just practice. Do follow what you have in mind, express yourself, show your works, get feedback, make people talk about your designs.

9. What’s important in design process? What’s important in general?
In design process, there always should be communication process between the manager, client and project director. This is actually a wire which goes directly to artist and the result of their conversations, hopefully dialogues are usually as good as we planned. I find this process being the worst case when design project is completed with plenty of mistakes — graphical or whatever.
In general, it’s great to live and work and love your family.

10. Where the world is going? And what are your plans?
My plans are to stop the world to go somewhere. I want to be steady at one place, working, enjoy life, maybe to open a new branch office in another country, but remain more stable.

www.itsandreas.com
www.digitalsoftbox.com
www.digitalabstracts.com
www.arysmedia.ru

Tagi: Andreas Shabelnikov, arysmedia.ru, bacardi, enterteinment market, interactive design, interview, rīga, web design

Šis raksts ievietots Trešdiena, oktobris 21st, 2009 16:35 kategorijā 10+10, grafikas dizains, interaktīvs, intervija, saites, ārzemes. Jūs variet sekot šī raksta diskusijām RSS 2.0 barotnē. Jūs variet rakstīt komentāru vai atpakaļsekot no savas mājas lapas.