/Interview/ Shane Mielke
05/09/2007 | Filed under Discover > Interview
Meet Shane Seminole Mielke, the man whose web design output is bigger than that of most agencies! And despite his hard work as creative director at 2Advanced Studios, he still finds time to coach a local American Football high school team
.net: How did you get into web design?
SSM: In college, a friend of mine used Photoshop to create
fake IDs. He also experimented a lot with print, 3D and video. I was always
looking over his shoulder when he was designing, and the things he created captivated
me. After I graduated, a close friend of mine was working for a small web
company and I started learning things from him. The rest is history.
.net: Why Flash?
SSM: I love Flash because it enables artists and developers
of various skills and backgrounds to create things based on how their minds
work. The application is so diverse that you can literally develop the same
project 100 different ways. Some people love the timeline, others think and
move in code, while some of us are ambidextrous. The strength of Flash is that
there’s no perfect way to develop your project, which enables people to
continually push the limits.
.net: Have you played with Adobe Apollo yet, and what
excites you about it?
SSM: Unfortunately, I haven’t made the time to start playing
with Apollo. Most of the projects I’m involved with these days are large
marketing sites focused primarily on design, motion and effects. There hasn’t been
a need for me to really tap into Apollo, since most of these projects are not
applications or widgets requiring the interaction of multiple technologies.
.net: What part do web standards play in your work?
SSM: I’ve been coding since 1996, so I’m not exactly a web
standards zealot who feels that all sites need to be CSS-only. I believe that
every technique (old and new) has a place in the bag of tricks we use to
develop sites. The key is looking at each project individually and evaluating
all of the goals and limitations. Numerous factors play a part in how strictly
a site should be developed. Just because you’re trying to code by standards
doesn’t mean the code is going to be cleaner or that the site is going to be
easier to update in the future.
.net: Other than Flash, what tools make up your web design
arsenal?
SSM: Photoshop, Dreamweaver, After Effects and my trusty
Canon 5D camera and lenses. I take pictures everywhere I go, and I’m constantly
trying to use those pictures in my work. Using photos I’ve taken in the past or
going out to take photos specifically for a project enables me to control more
of the creative.
.net: What do you do when you’re not designing?
SSM: Spending time with my wife and daughter is my most
important activity outside of work. When I was younger, a lot of my free time
was focused on work and establishing myself. Now that I have a child and some
success, the focus has changed and I’m away from the computer more often.
Outside of my family, I fit in photography, working out and coaching high school
football.
.net: Are there any parallels between your athletic endeavours
and your work in web design?
SSM: I’d say that the hard work, teamwork, problem-solving and
pain tolerance I learned in American Football has directly translated to how I
handle work. I’ve had some crazy football coaches, so it takes a lot to rattle
me on a project. I once stayed up 56 hours to meet a deadline, but it felt easy
compared to what I went through on the football field.
.net: What’s with the interesting name?
SSM: My middle name (Seminole) comes from the name of a
tribe of Native American Indians who never signed a peace treaty with the US
Government. My father wanted me to have the same “never give up” attitude in
life.
.net: Which work are you most proud of?
SSM: I’m happy with everything I’ve done, but I cannot say
that any single project stands out as my best work. I don’t think I’ve
completed that project yet. If I had to pick favourites, I’d say Nintendo
Metroid Prime Pinball and Nintendo Game Boy micro.
.net: What annoys you about the web design industry, and
what inspires you the most?
SSM: Anonymous trolls who sit behind message board names
with no work to back up their comments. They’re annoying. I’m inspired by
people who use their free time to pursue their personal dreams, explore art,
photography, sports or hobbies that are not everyday activities. It’s so easy
to get caught up in only doing the work that pays us money.
.net: What one piece of advice do you have for us?
SSM: Surround yourself with people who have the skills you
want and are the type of people you want to be. Misery loves company and that
goes for the good-hearted successful people who are at the top of their game,
and the negative people who sit at the bottom wondering why they never
accomplish anything significant.
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Comments
Nikolai / 25/11/2007 / 04:03 / http://www.1qcc.com/unblock-websites.php
I wold totally agree with what is said in this interview. Even though I do not like flash myself (for many reasons), I would like to say that it is great that you found something you really like.
Frank / 28/11/2007 / 00:43 / http://www.gojiking.co.uk/
I am a software developer, really I am NOT a creative person, but always admire creative persons such as web designers. I think the artistic work by web designers make a website really look attractvie. I have done a <a href="http://www.gojiking.co.uk/">goji berries</a> website, but it is not creative, in particular the header image needs to re-designed, however, I don't know how to make it look better visually.
James / 11/12/2007 / 03:15 / http://www.jamesflorentino.com
Shane is such a great person. I've always looked up on him since.
Claire / 24/12/2007 / 05:55 / http://www.naturallygreen.co.uk
Great interview. Its nice to hear from other like-minded web designers. I also try to incorporate all different web technologies into my websites rather than being forced into pure css/html/flash etc so it's nice to hear the same from a true pro. I just can't get my head around flash though!
Tabish Bhimani / 29/03/2008 / 12:26 / http://destogate.wordpress.com
What a down to eath guy, man! mad respects! ive been following his stuff since 2000 and i've always been intrigued.
Safwan Ahmedmia / 09/06/2008 / 00:45 / http://www.ahmedmia.com
Total legend,, his work is truely inspritational. I hope I can be half as good.
Saf
http://www.ahmedmia.com
sad but true / 06/09/2008 / 19:23
this chump is totally full of himself. yea, legendary. legendary jack ass.
Jon Ell / 22/09/2008 / 07:34
@sad but true
Having spoken to him on a personal level on more than one occassion, including requesting some insight into some design theory, I can honestly say Shane Mielke is far from being full of himself. In fact, he is probably one of the most humble people I've ever met.
Perhaps it is time to reexamine yourself in the mirror first before casting judgement on someone you've never met. Jealousy is a powerful motivator for those suffering from hypocracy.
Johnny Waterman / 04/06/2009 / 22:04 / http://www.mrvao.com
A truly awesome dude in the industry, inside the workplace and out. Pulling off a balanced life in such a time demanding industry is tough work. I've always enjoyed his work and seeing him grow as a photographer.
