Brook Platteter

New Media

Graduating Spring 2021

As I conclude my last semester here at the University of Tampa, I can fully reflect on what aspects of my education have brought me to my current level of experience and skill. Delving into the possibilities of New Media and creating interactive pieces in classes such as FMX 310 and 311 helped to expand my skillset to include HTML and Javascript experience. With these tools I have learned that I enjoy creating content for the Web, and having a general understanding of how sites are constructed has been useful. By taking so many project-based classes, I have been exposed to many programs I had never used before- such as InDesign, AVID Media Composer and Maya. By trying out so many different aspects of media production- from music, filmmaking, and web design to 3D modeling and graphic design, I feel like I have a varied toolset to allow myself flexibility in the future.

Out of these categories, I have primarily focused on graphic design and interactive design, as well as digital illustration. By supplementing FMX courses I took with internships that focused primarily on graphic design, I have the most professional experience in this category. I feel confident in conforming to a brand’s style and creating graphics fitting for their social media, videos, and sites. The software programs that I feel most confident using are Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. My internships also touched lightly in the field of web design, so I feel confident in approaching the front-end development of sites. Making pages that are appealing to look at and intuitive to interact with is challenging but rewarding. Lastly, while I have not applied this skill as much in a professional environment, I have found digital illustration to be a useful strength to have in any FMX related class as making custom graphics/drawings adds a touch of personalization to any project.

In terms of weaknesses, I would say that the fields of music and video production are things I have not focused on as much throughout my scholastic career. Although I have taken some electronic music classes required for my degree, I think I lack the “musical ear” to produce my own pieces, and much prefer to add preexisting music to my projects when needed. In terms of video production, the field is so expansive that I feel like there is a lot of knowledge I lack since I’ve only taken a few video-related classes. Since this isn’t a field I plan on pursuing I don’t regret this, but I do wish I was able to have focused more on the post-production aspect. I would have liked to learn how to use Adobe AfterEffects in particular, but did not have a chance to take that type of class. To fix this weakness I may work on some personal projects that require more advanced video editing so I can gain some experience in the program.

After I graduate, I hope to find myself working in a creativity-driven position such as graphic design or web design. I’m open to experimenting with what type of position I wish to have as well as where I would like to be located. However, I hope to use the connections and experience I have made here in Tampa regardless of where I go. Due to the flexible nature of my degree and the broad experience I’ve obtained, I would love to find a starting position at a company that will allow me to find a niche and dig further into a specialized set of skills. In the meantime, I plan on obtaining a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate to further expand my horizons and potentially pursue jobs abroad.