Matt Blank - Other Skills, CV, Jobs, Education, Photos, Downloads

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

2000 - 2003
LIPA (The Liverpool Institute For Performing Arts)
BA Honours Degree (2.1) Performing Arts – Acting Route

1993 – 2000
Watford Grammar School For Boys
A Levels (June 2000)
Theatre Studies; Music + 2 Year Course in Philosophy and Ethics.
G.C.S.E’s (June 1998)
Music; English Literature; English Language; Religious Studies; Drama
Maths; Business Studies; Science (double); German

1986 – 1993
Orley Farm School For Boys, Harrow

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

2006 - Present
I work for digital design agency AKQA in Central London for both the Xbox and the Nike websites.

As a Website Producer for Microsoft’s leading games console, www.xbox.com, I am part of a close knit team of people who form the production team for all Xbox European sites. As a team we share the responsibility of maintaining the websites on a day to day basis as publishers, editors, producers and designers. I create graphics, edit flash, as well as design the layouts for the pages used on the sites. I also regularly confer with other departments within Microsoft. To maintain the websites we use a bespoke XML based CMS, which was created by Microsoft exclusively for the Xbox sites.

As the lead Producer for Nike, I produce graphics, edit flash and use XML to update the content on the Nike Plus website www.nike.com/nikeplus. This work is for all of the EMEA, Brazilian and Canadian sites. This project promotes the collaboration between the famous sports brand and Apple’s iTunes. I am also creating documentation to provide training for future producers.

2001 - Present
As a freelance website designer I have designed, built and maintained many websites for various companies including music specialists, an architect practice, a West End musical and production companies. I have successfully set up an e-commerce site and helped companies effectively increase their revenue and secure significant contracts through their online presence. Websites I have created range in size from under five to more than six hundred pages. These sites all use a varied degree of complexity making the most of a broad range of scripts and forms of media. I have good search engine optimisation skills with most sites ranking very high in the top search engines. One website I created went from an average of 800,000 to six million hits per month. To view more details click here.

2004 - 2006
I worked closely with Sony Computer Entertainment as a Product Specialist for the PlayStation® One, PlayStation® 2 and PlayStation® Portable. I offered technical advice to consumers and staff as well as monitored agents on the PlayStation® Careline to help provide a better service to their consumers. I also presented new procedures and product knowledge to staff, as well as dealt with escalated queries regarding complicated technical issues or queries about the policies of Sony Computer Entertainment.

2003 - 2004
As an actor I performed in various theatre and television productions including tours around England and hosted documentaries for TV and Radio. I have also been involved in voice over and production work for various jingles and adverts (see my Radio page for more details).

See below two examples of my work. An excerpt from a radio play called 'Bedroom Farce' by Alan Ayckbourn (3 minutes, 57 seconds) and a radio documentary on the life of George Harrison (9 minutes, 41 seconds).

2002 - Present
I worked as a freelance DJ in Liverpool, mainly working in It's a Scream (part of a national chain of popular bars) as well as special nights at a nightclub. Since then I have DJ'd various events from Graduation Balls to other social events around London.

VOLUNTARY WORK AND OTHER INFORMATION

Since 1999 I have worked with Radio Northwick Park, becoming Programme Controller and a trustee of the thirty five year old charity in 2004. To view more information on my work with Radio Northwick Park, and other radio involvement click here.

I help run a large international fan club for a popstar. I organise press releases as well as liaise with management teams and Sony Music. I also research news, answer fan and press enquiries via email, help put together newsletters and write articles for magazines. I have helped co-ordinated parties and events for up to three thousand attendees and been involved in the advertising and running of the day. I have successfully worked to deadlines and my remit has included handling confidential information, leading as well as working within a team and working alongside other Fan Clubs from all over the world including Italy, Denmark, Germany, France and the USA.

Grade 8 Singing, and highly skilled pianist.

Full driving licence.

As well as the website design, sound and photo editing programmes I have listed on my Website Design page, I also have an excellent knowledge of many standard Microsoft Office packages, predominately in Word and Excel.

PHOTO GALLERY