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 | Character Design and Development | Entrepreneurship | Strong Communication Skills | AI Visualnaut |
SOFTWARE AND ADDITIONAL SKILLS
Adobe Creative Suite Proficiency
Affinity Software suite Proficiency
Music composition and production
AI explorer and illustration
NOTABLE SELECT CLIENTS
Volkswagen | Target | Ben and Jerry's | Virgin Mobile | Comedy Central | BET | Vh1 | Nickelodeon | Showtime | Discovery Channel | HBO | ACLU
CLICK ON THIS BUTTON IF YOU WANT TO VIEW MY WORK
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.
UMANOID STUDIOS LLC
Principle • Creative Director • Graphic Designer
2003-PRESENTNew York, NY
This has been my freelance/creative entity for my entire career. Sometimes it's active, Sometimes it's dormant. All the skills from previous and current jobs apply.
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
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.
Here's my brand new AI site named Art of the Algorithm
with a selection of my text to image work.
Copyright 2013