Other Web Functions

Level

Title

Function

Skills

Software

I

Illustrator

Creates illustrations from scratch; or, more commonly, integrates illustrational, photographic, and navigational elements.

Can draw well from photos, life, or without any reference. Can draw and paint directly onscreen. Knowledge of both paint and draw software.

Photoshop / Painter

Illustrator / FreeHand

II

Icon Illustrator

 Creates small, tight, polished illustrations for buttons and other design elements. Cross between illustration and logo design. Hard to do well because of need for clarity in very small space.

Same as above, but perhaps less emphasis on personal style and spontaneity, more emphasis on clarity, precision, and economy.

Photoshop

Illustrator / FreeHand

III

Digital Video
Producer

Creates movies in QuickTime or other formats. Typically these are small, short, and highly focused. Often brief clips rather than highly produced pieces.

Knowledge of general video issues, but especially of compression and file-compatibility issues (for example, codecs and mime types).

Premiere / After Effects

Proprietary Software

IV

Music Composer

Creates music for site—either background music or soundtrack to be synchronized with animation (the latter is unusual on the Web at this time).

Ability to write or play music. Probable knowledge of midi.

Performer

Master Tracks Pro

V

 Sound Engineer Records and optimizes background sounds or soundtracks. Knowledge of codecs (compression / decompression methods), file formats, streaming, and conversion issues. Probable knowledge of midi.

As above, plus:
Pro tools, Sound Designer, Deck II, Soundedit 16

VI

 2-D Animator Creates cartoons or other cel animation. May work in pixmap (bitmap) form, with vector animation, or both. Drawing, motion study, and anatomy / animation skills. Knowledge of file type and compression issues.

Director / Flash
Gifbuilder or Gifmation

VII

 3-D Animator Creates 3-D or virtual-reality animation, such as tumbling logos, rotating “block” type, imaginary worlds, etc. Knowledge of modeling, animation and related timing issues, procedural shading, texture maps, bump maps, rendering, file-format conversions and optimization, streaming, and plug-ins.

VRML. Various operating systems, Web server
software, application development

environments, and database systems

VIII

 Technical Advisor Advises creative director or project manager on feasibility and tradeoffs inherent in different Web technologies. Evaluates programmers’ proposals or work. This is really a catchall category for any technical oversight that doesn’t fall into any of the other categories. Knowledge of operating system that server runs on, HTML, advanced Web technologies, database connectivity, etc. Exact skill set depends on nature of the Web site. Various operating systems, Web server software, application development environments, and database systems