What do you regard as being your biggest achievement?

Getting over a million hits a month for "Leader of The Free World" or, getting my first ever full-time job at 37!!

  Please give us a brief bio of yourself.

Graphic Design Degree back in pre-desktop days - bummed around the world and London for years scraping a living as a photographer - back to college in 98 to do multimedia - got good and walked straight into my first job upon leaving. Flashing ever since......

  What do you do for inspiration?

Play around with the program. Watch films.

  Please list 3 of your favourite sites.

www.Linkdup.com - www.google.com - www.turux.org

  What do you regard as being your biggest achievement?

Getting over a million hits a month for "Leader of The Free World" or, getting my first ever full-time job at 37!!

  What software couldn't you live without?

Flash - Photoshop - Dreamweaver, in that order.

  What projects do you have in the pipeline?

More "Amusements"...some freelance stuff...

  Who do you rate as being the top 3 design companies?

Hi-Res!, Attik, StudioAKA.

  What effect on traffic do your new designs have?

The new design doubled the traffic but "Leader of The Free World" quadrupled it and some!

  Who is your target audience?

Don't really have one. I get all sorts.

  What did your very first site look like? Is it still online?

Some of the ideas were good I think and stayed in V1 until the end but the design and typography was crap - I was re-learning. Hell no! It’s long gone.

  Have you written any books, if not do you plan to?

No. I get enquires so maybe, one day?

  What was the toughest thing you ever did with Flash?

"The Marble Maze". Doesn't look so clever now but ActionScript was new then and we were all groping in the dark.

  Do you think Flash is here to stay?

Definitely.

  What are your views on design/graphic school. Do you think someone can get into the field without educational experience in a school environment?

I think someone can get into the field without formal training, I know some who have, but it certainly helps.

  When your company was just getting started, what did you find was most effective for getting new clients?

I think the most effective thing was just putting stuff out there that people liked! Sounds simple but it worked for me. Do stuff to please yourself, don't try to second-guess your potential customers. I found a healthy dose of topical humour drove up the hits as well.

  What is the most expensive thing you've bought in the last week?

Funnily enough it was a long-overdue new PC. 3000$NZ.

  How have you learned so many Flash/design skills and techniques and can you offer any advice for newbies?

Just by jumping in and floundering around really. That would be my advice as well; have fun!

  What type of overcoat do you wear when Flashing, basically are you a labels man?

Nah.

  Any parting shots or pearls of wisdom?

When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.......

  It's been a privilege, Andy, thanks!

Thanks for asking!