michelle FRENCH
I love a smorgasbord – that’s my general approach to life!
So further to the smorgasbord idea – I’ve worked in art departments on feature films… headed up a television graphics department… created large screen graphics for a big events company… lots of design for television (childrens, arts, science, sport, documentary)… and there’s the internet (and interactive)… and projection for theatre… meanwhile more websites, documentaries and books…
I’m all about visual communication and design thinking. I love the big picture – creating the whole experience across any platform/media. I also love the possibilities that new technology can offer.
I’m a can-do kind of person. I’m process driven and I enjoy collaborating with a team or working autonomously. I take a multidisciplinary approach, inspired by anything and everything …
I like working on projects that help or entertain or educate – or all 3 🙂
my skills range across: graphic design: branding, books and publications, creative direction/producing and mixed media illustration.
digital design: UI/UX for web and interactive, digital marketing, social media.
motion design: design and production for opening titles for film & TV, editorial animation/motion graphics, infographics, projection design.
my experience
BA design (media), WA Institute of Technology
>>Feature films/art department, Barron Films
>> Broadcast Designer/Head of Graphics, ABC TV Perth
>> Events graphics designer/event crew, Creative Technology, London
>> Senior Designer ABC TV & UI designer ABC New Media, Sydney
>> Website and game UI designer, Nickelodeon, Sydney
>> Creative Director SBS New Media, Sydney
>> FrenchCurve design
>> FrenchBaker design partnership
awards
1996 New York Festivals tv series opening titles for http://, ABC TV
1997 Telstra Internet Awards, Best media website for Triple j, ABC Radio
1998 Australian Teachers of Media Awards for The Lab, ABC Science gateway
2007 IDFA Amsterdam TNT Planet Me finalist Best short environmental film hot trolley
things I’m interested in
food
I’m into cooking and food – in particular the idea of fresh (or unprocessed), local food. And I’m interested in the ethics around food. I’m a keen member of my local community garden MBCG (yes and I do the design and comms!)
bicycles
I love bicycles. I get around by bike and I’m very interested in supporting active and public transport – and the bigger issue of livability of cities. I’ve done many design projects for bicycle related orgs, user groups, and for festivals/events. I also love to do a bit of bicycle touring. I’ve rolled around parts of Tasmania, QLD, NSW, New Zealand, New Caledonia, France and Japan.
Actually, I’ve made a little short film – hot trolley – combining the messages of shopping locally and active transport.
go to PROJECTS and see SUSTAINABILITY section for more.
Adding to the smorgasbord idea:Â I like to do a bit of kayaking, poking around the harbour… I have a bit of a fascination with learning to tango… I’m a bit of a Japan-o-phile… I’m a maker: like to make/reconstruct clothes… cooking and eating (of course)… playing the surrealist making paper collages
See our services & client list!
betsy BAKER
I’m someone who loves to play with ideas and to experiment on and off the computer. It might be filming mustard seeds moving on a light-box for an NITV ident or animating particles using data from an audio file. Any technique that makes the brief work and brings clarity to an idea is integral to my creative process.
From a young age I was interested in photography and design. After leaving art school (the Ontario College of Art in Toronto and the School of Visual Arts in New York), I was offered a job working as the media photographer for the cult classic TV show, Saturday Night Live. It was while assisting the designer to create titles for the show that I developed a taste for animation and title design.
When I relocated to Sydney in 1990 the world of television opened up to me. I began at SBS in the news department working to hard and fast deadlines. I then moved to the ABC, which offered the kind of work I craved; title design. Unlike the US, there was very little in the way of public broadcasting so working in an environment that fostered creativity was like being in heaven! Limited resources at the ABC were a constant problem but in the end, a blessing in disguise as I often found myself multi-tasking because of this; producing as well as directing live action, designing websites, photography, video, overseeing print campaigns, and of course mixing the drinks. As a consequence I have a broad range of skills.
We are hard wired to have fun and intend on dragging you along with us!