You could be an astronaut if you have enough determination and the balls. Life in general is about setting up clear personal goals and breaking them.

  Please give us a brief bio of yourself.

Paul Collins is a Web Director at Akestam.Holst, one of Sweden’s foremost independent advertising agencies. His passion lays in interactive advertising, and finding new ways of breaking traditional creative standards on the Internet.

Paul moved to Sweden from United Kingdom in the early 90s, after completing a degree in Visual Communications. He’s been working with the Internet since 96, at a number of interactive agencies including Framfab and Paregos.

  What do you do for inspiration?

My inspiration comes from life in general, surfing, reading and having a workplace that stimulates creativity.

  Please list 3 of your favourite sites.

Some old, and some new but they still rock.

neue-digitale.de/projects/originals_ss2005/

a-to-s.co.uk/

youtube.com

  What do you regard as being your biggest achievement?

Moving to Sweden, getting married and having two great kids.

  What software couldn't you live without?

Photoshop, Freehand and a browser…don’t forget excel?

  What projects do you have in the pipeline?

We have some nice projects for the Swedish Post office, ATG (Horse race betting) and Viking line (Boat cruises) on the go at the moment.

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

Living and working in Sweden I’m spoilt with choices, some of the best production houses in the world are based in Scandinavia, names such as North Kingdom, B-reel and Kokokaka.

  What effect on traffic do your new designs have?

Hopefully, we have visually constructed something for the target group; it should engage the users and create an emotional or a rational experience that delivers a message or simply leave an impression.

  Who is your target audience?

This depends totally on the project and the client we are advertising for.

  What area of web design lacks the most?

Understanding the target groups' needs. This is often not delivered, everyone has specific goals when surfing into a site.

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

Then it probably was great, now…I doubt it, but I’m happy to say it’s not online anymore :)

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

When I’m old, I'm planning on writing a book about the meaning of life…

  What was the toughest thing you ever did with Flash? How long did you spend on it? Is it still online?

We created an online application, where the user could manipulate speech in a mobile telephone. But it’s not online anymore.

  Do you think Flash is here to stay?

You bet!

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

Definitely, it's all about motivation and determination.

You could be an astronaut if you have enough determination and the balls. Life in general is about setting up clear personal goals and breaking them.

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

Sorry, but I’m more of a creative thinker.

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

A new mobile phone, which sucked.

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

I’m a bound fashion victim, a mainstream consumer of designer brands, sick I know!

  Any parting shots or pearls of wisdom?

“What we have here is a failure to communicate” a great quote from the film Cool hand Luke.

Communication breakdown is something we live with everyday, and it seems like we will never get it right.

  It's been a privilege, thanks very much.

It’s been my pleasure.