am i a pro?

ast3r3x

i was thinking about what makes somone a professional. When it comes to software, i know how to use almot all commercial software that professionals use, and i can use it well.



photoshop/(working on illustrator)

dreamweaver/fireworks/flash/(want to learn director)

quark

...and several other apps that arn't huge but that do some good



just wondering who on these boards is good with these apps, as in u use them and get paid for using them. just lists the apps that you use and what you use them for. also list any that i dont have that are major in design/web



i have not mastered any of lightwave or maya, but when i get my new computer next yea i hope to get into video design because i am in the dark there

sizzle chest

I think that being a "professional" is not necessarily the same thing as being an expert or advanced user or authority. I know plenty of people who are technically "graphics professionals" but I wouldn't look to them for advice on tools or techniques. On the other hand, there are plenty of "advanced amateurs" with some serious knowledge and ability.

ast3r3x

yeah, i was kinda joking about being a pro, just think its weird to be pretty proficient in such software the professionals use

ghost_user_name

My background is in film and video, but I stepped away from that in the late 90's when I left Turner (after the Time Warner buyout) and sort of moved into interactive stuff as my bread and butter.



Web Tools:

BBEdit - Hand coding XHTML, CSS, PHP, Perl, etceteras

Illustrator - Working with vector images

Photoshop - Initial site design, slicing, etceteras

Flash MX - When the job calls for it

WebObjects - Whenever I need to dive into the dev tools to fix something when my programmer is away.



Video

Avid Media Composer - Video editing. I've been able to cut on an Avid my whole life, and I don't envy those that don't get the luxury of using one

After Effects - Mostly for motion graphics, not really my primary compositing application.

Combustion - I prefer discreet's 3d compositors



At Turner I learned to composite on Flint and Flame systems. Unfortunately, I can't really afford either of those, so Combustion works for me I'm currently evaluating shake.



I've also dabbled around in LightWave and Maya, but I wouldn't say I'm terribly proficient in either. I can make my way through the apps, and I play around, but I have a hard time thinking in three dimensions; doesn't come easy to me.

gordy

I think "professional" means that you use your skills in your profession, e.g., you get paid to use Illustrator, Photoshop, FCP, etc. Furthermore, that pay accounts to more than half of your income.



I don't consider myself a professional for the latter point. However, my work is comparable to professional-level work nonetheless, and I get paid for it.

bluesigns

"pro" = you do it for money.

ast3r3x

perhaps i should have named it something better, i understand that i'm nota professional because of the money factor (don't get paid very much) but i just mean this is professional software, and i know how to use it...and pretty well. I know there are a tone of other members with the same and more qualifications, just odd that it seems simple to do alot of stuff (though maybe time consuming) and we just do it for fun when people do it for a living.

stroszek

I know that this is somewhat off topic, but if you are serious about wanting to learn Director, get the book "Special Edition Using Macromedia Director [version number]" by Gary Rosenzweig. The MX version hasn't been published yet, but I would expect it soon. Gary Rosenzweig is an absolutely wonderful author, and I learnd more from this book than I did from any other Director resource. Good luck.

majormatt

Proffesional is a term too loosely thrown around today.

jmoney

Obviously the spelling of it is up for debate as well eh?



<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />

crawlingparanoia

I'm a pro. At least that's what she said.

mac's girl

PRO is what you are when your ego has surpassed your ability, and then you cant find real work anymore after Disney hires you to skate on ice.

defiant

[quote]Originally posted by crawlingparanoia:

<strong>I'm a pro. At least that's what she said. </strong><hr></blockquote>



she ? <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />

leonis

I find many people 'abuse' the word 'Pro'



Many people who call themselve a 'Pro' do a lot of shitty works

peve

i giving support everyday to so called pro's in apps like:



... no, i'm not gonna start.



if someone calls himself a pro - then he should take a look into other software then the 4 or 5 that he already knows.

spooky

what about lecturers or those that train staff / students?



we train students in:



Director, Flash, Photoshop, Freehand, MAX, Premiere, Quark, Poser, After Effects, Dreamweaver, etc