CTN Spotlight on ... Shannon!
CTNX: Hello Shannon, it's a pleasure to speak with you! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
SO: I am a Cartoonist turned Graphic Designer who currently resides in the greater Los Angeles area.
CTNX: When and how did your relationship with CTN begin?
SO: When I was a student at CSUN, I volunteered at the university's table for a few hours, and realized very quickly that I wanted to be a part of CTN. When I returned home, I promptly emailed CTN to let them know how badly I wanted to work with them. (I am a person who thrives when surrounded by creative and intellectual people, I love being put to work, and enjoy being in a service position--and CTN satisfies all of those for me). The rest is history.
CTNX: What have your positions been with CTNX and what have you learned most from your experience working with CTN?
SO: I have been a Lead and a Manager. I have learned to always carry duct tape. Everyone needs it and there is might be only one roll floating around. In all seriousness, I have been given the awesome opportunity to learn how a large convention works from behind the scenes. I've been given access to problem-solve challenges to a large multi-part environment. This has allowed me to use my designer brain, and try to offer solutions that could help aid in future conventions. This also gives me insight if I ever were to run my own events in the future.
CTNX: What are your ultimate career goals?
SO: Ultimately, I would like to be someone who helps dreams be made. I hope to build up to a philanthropic level like the foundations that I would see on PBS when I was a small child. This is a goal that I will be working towards for the next 30 years... [And] ---I would like to work in children’s programming, and create animated content that embraces education in a fun and friendly way. I would want to create something that doesn’t talk down to children, and allows them to interact with the material they are learning. This may include interactive technologies, and old school bound books.
CTNX: How does working with CTN help you meet those goals?
SO: Last CTN, I was very lucky to have experienced Google Spotlight Stories during a quieter moment on my shift. I have never experienced storytelling created in the method of Rain or Shine, Help, Duet, etc., and my brain just exploded with the possibilities. This attitude led me to signing up for courses on Lynda.com to start learning special effects and other complex ideas. This thirst for new knowledge led me to finding work in the design field, while sharing my finds with my employers. The outside world is very interested in tapping into this new technology, and I hope to one day learn to make the bridge across. TL:TR: CTN introduced me go Google Spotlight. This experience led me to Lynda.com. My new found passion landed me a job. This position allows me to begin moving forward in my ultimate career goals.
CTNX: What have you learned most from your experience working with CTN?
SO: That if you don't know something, find out the answer. Someone else has it, so go dig for it. That by providing an excellent service, that we are paving the way for next generation of creatives. It sounds pretty cliche, but those who have a negative experience typically do not come back. Those who remember CTN with such fondness, have higher rates of returning, and even will pass the word on. Who knows, your good service could have put two people together who would have never met had an
CTNX: What do you look forward to most in the coming years regarding your career?
SO: The journey. Please don't rush me.
CTNX: It was a pleasure to talk with you Shannon!