Web by Gonzo

Challenge:

Create an original online presence for the voice actor behind a major video game and promote his related voiceover work.

Solution:

Because of the association to Halo, the award-winning video game by Bungie, Steve wanted to craft a site that captured the essence of the Halo art without simply copying a scene.from the game. Starting with the Master Chief, we crafted a Flash site that supported the marketing goals and offered quick access to Steve's additional work. Project management by WBG, graphic design and Flash development by Ex Dimension.

Visit stevedownesvo.com

Challenge:

Help an established author generate interest in a new book.

Solution:

Using existing artwork from the book, we built a site that provides visitors the tools they need to connect the free questionaire from the book to the web site and search engines with the materials they need for proper optimization and pagerank. Concept and design by WBG.

Visit compatiblelives.com

Challenge:

Help an established jewelry artist sell her products online and reach a wider audience.

Solution:

Create an online store using OSCommerce, an open-source e-commerce tool, with design elements from existing product cards and marketing materials. Integrate PayPal tools for credit card processing. Concept and design by WBG.

Visit traceellements.com

Challenge:

Create a user-driven social content website, like Digg.com, for the politically-active readers of BuzzFlash.com.

Solution:

Using the open-source code of a Spanish-language site, we translated the copy and modified the layout to meet the unique needs of BuzzFlash.com readers. Design elements by Julie Sigwart of Happy Chaos.

Visit buzzflash.net

Challenge:

Generate interest in and sales of a new travel book and create reasons for visitors to return to the web site.

Solution:

Using a design that incorporates the colors and fonts of the book and an abundance of photos from the author, visitors are offered a visual tour of the destinations they could see while using the book. A "RWK Recommends" section and page-specific entries provide fresh information about traveling in Rome. Future expansion includes an email newsletter for travel deals and PayPal integration for direct sales. Concept and design by WBG.

Visit romewithkids.com

Challenge:

Redesign a site using existing design elements, but build it to be more user- and search-engine friendly.

Solution:

Because the eye image is used prominently in supporting marketing materials, it is the centerpiece of the home page and, on interior pages, as the background. Demos are set to play when the page is loaded, providing quick access for the target audience. Navigation is simplified and text links at the bottom allow for better search-engine spidering. Redesign by WBG.

Visit ilyssafradin.com

Challenge:

Promote an established comedic actor's diverse talents and experience, without emphasizing one aspect over another, in a serious and classical manner.

Solution:

The site's design visually splits David's artistic pursuits, with the four images serving both as doorways to the content and the major design elements of the interior pages. The layout is clean and developed to be flexible, cross-browser compatible and search-engine friendly. Concept by WBG and design by Debi Giese.

Visit davidpasquesi.com

Challenge:

Bring to life a serial work of fiction and provide an opportunity for the readers to become part of the dialogue.

Solution:

The fictional cafe's menu offers a flexible and natural design. Wordpress, an open-source publishing platform, provides the author with simple content management tools for posting and editing episodes, as well as additional opportunities to provide comment. The site easily expands for inclusion of contributing writers and the built-in commenting system lets readers join the conversation. Concept by WBG, design by Debi Giese.

Visit lastchancedemocracycafe.com

Challenge:

Create an online identity for a Chicago actor, voiceover artist and musician that offers easy access to his available demos, and can be expanded to include more demos without redesigning the site.

Solution:

The acoustic guitar creates a dramatic single page design, while the subtitle "Spoken and sung" lets visitors know the site isn't only music. The guitar picks allow for the inclusion of new demos, which can also be accessed from the text links at the bottom. Concept and design by WBG.

Visit bencrabtree.com

Challenge:

In two week's time, design, develop and launch a fun and exciting site to pitch a new children's theater.

Solution:

The banner carries the weight of the design, employing the existing logo, aspects of the logo, bright and cheerful colors, and a wavy version of the theater's slogan. A simple, easily developed layout allows for quick content updates and modifications. Design by WBG.

Visit hotdogtheater.com

Challenge:

Develop a redesigned site for maximum search-engine friendliness.

Solution:

DHTML menus provide for easy navigation for visitors, and links throughout the copy and at the bottom of every page give search-engines a layout friendly to spidering. Reviews of referral and keyword statistics are incorporated into the copy allowing for stronger search-engine indexing. Design by Cardosi-Kiper Design Group.

Visit astonmet.com

Challenge:

Create a site that captures the fun and uniqueness of a community theater's live productions, emphasize the local actors, musicians and technicians who keep it running (as both a way to thank them and to introduce them to the community), and provide a means of purchasing tickets.

Solution:

Using a design reminiscent of a proscenium stage, the top-level links are always available to visitors. Every show lists all the people involved, linking their names to individual bio pages, which also list all their work at the theater and make it easy for visitors to surf through the theater's history. An e-commerce package offered by the hosting company and configured to match the site.

Challenge:

On a single-page, search-engine friendly site, present the portfolio of a graphic design firm, but develop it so the portfolio can be quickly and inexpensively updated.

Solution:

Using a design created by the client, javascript rotates a series of images at a fixed time interval. Updating the portfolio is easily done by modifying the script and adding/deleting images from the server.

Challenge:

Move a pre-existing flat design concept to the web and offer visitors quick access to the audio demos.

Solution:

Rollover effects and pop-up windows are stylized to match the CSI theme and the pop-up windows are set to automatically play the demo upon opening.

Challenge:

Redesign a talent agency's web site, give visitors different types of dynamic content for each of the agency's departments (voiceover, on-camera/theatrical, and print), and create a content management system that is simple to use and flexible for expansion.

Solution:

A proprietary MySQL/PHP-driven site provides each department with unique content management tools based on their specific client's needs, including an automatic PDF creation tool that merges two uploaded images into a single downloadable PDF of a headshot/resume. Additional functionality is built into the backend to generate uniquely-tailored talent lists for casting directors.

Challenge:

Redesign a moving company's web site to be more visually appealing and search-engine friendly.

Solution:

A simple design mirrors the colors of the moving company's affiliate, northAmerican, and additional images are incorporated to give the site more warmth. Navigation is clear and simple and mirrored at the bottom of each page for better search-engine indexing. Design by WBG and Matt Riddle.