In Brief

I’m a digital interactive creative specializing in developing Flash websites and application style website solutions. I work with designers to increase engagement and excitement through interaction in the interface design; and work with backend developers to provide rich content delivery.

I have an eye for great design and a background in backend development. This helps me collaborate with the team to produce award winning website solutions.

Currently I am freelancing and consulting. I am based in Melbourne, but I’m able to move around between Brisbane and Sydney.

History

Born in Fiji and raised in Brisbane, I’ve always wanted to defy and prove myself. It took me some time to realise who I was proving to – myself. Unfortunately I’m never really content with what I do, because when I get close to it – a new idea pops into my head and have the need to push the bar. I don’t think I’ll ever be completely satisfied with anything, as in life, you’re restricted by time, budget, resources and possibilities.

Being not satisfied doesn’t mean I’m not happy. Like most people, I’m happy, and appreciative of the world around us. In my mind, I will always know something more could be done. When it comes to my work, I love the experience of working on a project - from when the ideas are bubbling to the award submissions when the beer’s flowing. My satisfaction level has only been changed. I think it’s a good way to be. If you were satisfied, you wouldn’t have the desire to push yourself and your own limits. I think it’s a good way to be.

My adventure into the world of creative media began during high school in 2000. When Toowong State High School existed, they ran a trial partnership with QANTM (Queensland and Northern Territory Multimedia) where a Certificate 2 in Multimedia was offered as a Wednesday afternoon sport alternative. I wasn’t very athletic at the time, so I thought it was a brilliant idea!

The computers in the classrooms back then used the boxy CRT monitors and the systems were PC Windows 98 clients with a Windows NT server. I remembered opening Photoshop 5 and Flash 4 for the first time. I had no idea what anything meant, and how you could use any of these tools. It was all so daunting. It was really good being in a classroom situation where you were able to be guided through the basics and be able to answer questions. Because of the infinite possibilities of these applications, the instructors weren’t able to answer all the questions straight away, but be able to work it out. Seeing them working out the question with knowing the basics, made me realise I can work all this out myself in the future. This is when the fear of these programs was defeated.

I was very lucky, as shortly after my Cert 2 course, the Toowong High and QANTM partnership came to end from a lack of interest and other reasons.

This Certificate 2 in Multimedia could never get me a job, but it did give me a significant learning advantage when I started my Diploma of Multimedia and Certificate 4 in Information Technology after high school at QANTM fulltime in 2002. It gave me the ability to absorb what was being taught faster and more accurately as it was all familiar to me now.

I knew how to use Flash, but I wasn’t very interested in it, because I was getting bored by frame animation and tweening. I was right into Photoshop (much like everyone) and notepad (what I preferred to use over Dreamweaver at the time). I used to write my HTML and ASP all in notepad - I don’t do it anymore. I’m glad I did though, because it provided me with comprehensive knowledge of coding. I think I chose to use notepad to defy the rest of the class to prove I don’t need any fancy program to help me. I now use Dreamweaver, because it makes development a lot faster and easier. And because I don’t HTML or do much server-side work anymore, the code hinting helps job my memory.

I loved making these websites, because people were able to interact with it. Not just at a static website level, but dynamic. I was smitten by the fact data could be saved, and websites could change on the fly. My imagination had a field day of the possibilities.

My best friend Rob and I were ideas people. We were entrepreneurial and passionate. Rob too did the Certificate 2 in Multimedia, and he was doing a Diploma in IT, the same year as I did my Multimedia course, 2002. We decided to start Niron Media. We registered the ABN and whatever else we had to do to get this business going. It was total hands on touch and go learning experience. We had no idea what we were doing, or what we were in for, but we knew we could do it. I built websites of people and Rob built and serviced computers. We even sold computers off the website.

This made me even more interested in my course, as now it was my job. I was able to take in information on a different level. It wasn’t a real job, but a hobby job on the side. I was working for QANTM at the time as an after school tutor at the time, helping students with homework, etc – that was my main source of income.

With Niron Media I was able to experience the other aspects of running a creative business. I was confident with the production side, but the whole client interaction was new. I really enjoyed a lot of it. I got see how different businesses ran and I generally enjoyed the client interaction. It was never all smooth sailing, like anything. There were your usual problems of scope creep, because of lack of personal experience and misunderstanding. But there was one really bad experience that really taught me a lesson. A vulture that could befriend you with promises and simultaneously screw you deep. Deep enough to not forget how to keep an eye out for these types of clients and stay away and handle. I wish there was some way I could help young graduates safe from these kinds of people. I sometimes regret working with him on his Autofind.com.au project, but other times I don’t. I guess this lesson was bound to be learnt, and I’m glad it happened when I was younger and had less to lose.

In 2003, I was still tutoring and now doing my own lectures. I was going to businesses and up skilling their staff in Flash, Photoshop, Dreamweaver and the basic theory behind production. It was on a contract basis but a vital experience that I am very thankful for. Having that kind of understanding has really helped my ability to communicate with general people that aren’t very technical.

Rob and I at this time were around the 20’s and right into our cars - those hoon cars that the general public hate – Skylines, Supras, etc. We found the domain name autoshop.com.au available, and we created an online business around it. We sold DIY car parts off the site. We built the ecommerce and payment systems ourselves and before we knew it, we were making sales. We advertised through appropriate channels, like car forums, at car cruises and car shows. These were fun days, and the business was doing really well.

Both businesses, Niron Media and Autoshop.com.au were side projects. In 2005 Rob and I found ourselves making better money elsewhere, and we had lost interest. We were young and had different career goals. It was good at the time, but it didn’t suit us anymore. We sold both businesses and invested into property.

2005 was when I found a real job with Cru Creative (now Cru Digital). Mum was happy, even though I hadn’t gone to university and studied law or medicine. I wouldn’t go back and change it for the world. It was the start of my career.