Multimedia Designer
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi
Job Duties
Main areas include content creation, updating, and scheduling for the following media outlets:
1) website
2) Nexgen displays on slot machines
3) Paltronics displays (marketing channels for the floor and in-room displays)
4) pre-show DVD/movies for entertainment in Hard Rock Live
5) Gulf Coast coliseum electronic signage (animations)
6) digital billboards on I-110 and HWY 609.
Additional tasks involve audio recording and formatting for hotel phone wake-up messages; audio recording for promotional messages/MP3 conversion for slot tournaments; photography/video recording, graphic design for print, developing concepts for promotions, troubleshooting/assisting IT in streamlining the workflow for media outlets involving IT.
BREAKDOWN OF AREAS
1) Website (webmaster: www.hardrockbiloxi.com)
- creation and maintenance of all graphic imagery and text content throughout entire site
- daily/weekly updates for: employment page; entertainment includes copy/image editing for entertainment section and homepage; promotions
- continued expansion of existing template into new directions unique to HRB
- thorough revamping of all images for sharpness, color, and clarity; incorporating more relevant and original photography.
2) Nexgen
- regularly schedule additions/removals/edits of events and promotions. This involves the creation of GIF images using Photoshop, formatting the graphics via the IGT content workstation, and pushing the content to the floor via the Configuration Workstation in the IT Department.
- I am self-trained, having received only 4 hours of any formal training with the IGT system
3) Paltronics
- The creation of animations for all advertising/messaging.
- Managing the content for all displays including channels for the floor and in-room use. This requires updating with the addition/removal/update of an event or promotion.
- Assisting/collaborating with IT in forming a workflow for the creation of channels and troubleshooting issues that have arisen due to weather/power surges, technical issues due to quirks in hardware/software, and growing/maximizing the system.
- Coordinating live feed displays with IT for promotional drawings/events.
- I am self-trained, and work independently regarding channel/content creation, scheduliing, and management
Channel content-
The bulk of my workweek is spent creating, editing, and rendering new animations. The majority of content for the marketing channels is composed of original animated movies, varying in length from 10-30 seconds or more. Each animation requires initial graphic creation and layout in Photoshop. The actual animation is created and rendered in After Effects as a .MOV, then converted via VisualHub into MPEG-2 format. Movies are then transferred to the Paltronics server and scripted into the necessary channels and scheduled, if necessary.
To-date, I have created in excess of 200 animations, and average 5-10 a week. Since opening in July 2007, I have created all animations. I currently have over 8 minutes' worth of animated content playing.
The in-room channel requires additional updating and file conversion, and requires an edited audio track which runs continuously through the loop. It also requires being rendered with all sequences as one seamless .MOV, then going through the same conversion process as the other clips.
4) Pre-show/entertainment movies
Similar to the Paltronics marketing channel, with similar content, but is burned to DVD.
5) Coliseum digital signage
Involves the layout and rendering of 4-second movie clips for entertainment/events as per 4). There are 3 spots that play, and are updated as the entertainment schedule dictates.
6) Digital Lamar billboards (2) on I-110 and HWY 609 (Ocean Springs)
Requires specific layout and formatting unique to each board due to different dimensions. I currently have over 30 separate spots running, and I have created over 100+ to date. It also requires managing and scheduling all content via the Lamar interface. I spend as much time editing the schedule as I do in content creation.
Additional projects have included:
- Audio Recording for voiceovers and slot tournaments
- video/DVD projects
- a departmental collaborative project used for induction
- various archiving/copying/editing tasks
- print graphic design for in-house collateral, including menus
- several original design creatives, including the concept and design for Classic Rockers.
