1 Please give us a brief bio of yourself and your background.

Hello, My name is Josh Loveridge, I am currently 21 years of age and live in the beautiful Wicklow, Ireland, I am also Managing director of Loveridge Digital a multiple award winning creative and marketing agency.

2 What made you become/why did you choose to become a digital designer/artist?

In the beginning, it was out of calling to be able to fulfill needs for clients but then i feel in love with the design process, Creating high quality content is something that not many people can do well and I am blessed to possess that knowledge.

3 Tell us more about your business/company, job profile, and what you do.

Same as above

4 What’s your favorite kind of digital design and why?

My favourite type of digital design has to be interactive media, I truly believe that through the use of innovative interactive media, peoples lives can be changed for the better, whether that be through entertainment or rehabilitative programs. To be able to change someone's life for the better is very powerful and is something which makes interactive mediums my favourite types of design!

5 To you, what makes a “good” design?

To me a " Good" design is a design that makes an impact, If a design can brighten someones day if only for a little while then it is a design that is worthwhile !

6 Describe your design style and its main characteristics.

I use a data-driven design style which is a design style that is backed by data and helps me understand the viewer of the content. It kind of “proves that our work is on the right track" and it also improves our design by adding objectivity and context to the piece. The main characteristics of a "Josh design" would be the following - Well made - follows good design practice - Accessible - Functional - Enduring - Narratively driven

7 Tell us about your design process.

At Loveridge Digital we have a 3 step process which is fast, efficient and accurate for all our clients and customers. Phase One: Pre-Production The first step in the process of creating a project is all about preparation and setting the groundwork. During this phase, we do the planning, research, problem-solving, and organization necessary to set the project up to be successful. The pre-production phase includes: Goal setting Budgeting Story selection Project timeline Script creation Talent/characters Location Scouting but to name a few, In order to nail down all of these elements, we conduct a series of meetings. Typically their is up to 4 meetings required in the pre-production phase. Fact Finding: All stakeholders are brought together to discuss the purpose, strategy, and goals for the project and how it will be used after it is finalized. Pre-Production Meeting: This meeting is typically held between the video producer and the primary contact for the project to finalize the timeline, identify the characters, and finalize any location details. This meeting can be done over the phone or in person. Site Visit (Optional): Depending on the complexity of the shoot, we sometimes do a site visit to the shoot location, especially if neither the producer or videographer has seen it. Shoot Preparation: Prior to showing up on-site, the producer will ensure that all documents have been reviewed and approved such as the shotlist or production schedule All these details will help ensure that the production phase goes smoothly. Phase Two: Production The meetings are over, the preparation is complete. Now, it's time to have some fun! The production phase is where we capture or create all the elements for the project, This is the stage where the story begins to come to life. The production phase can include: Setting up the sound/lighting/video equipment Conducting interviews Recording voiceovers Capturing b-roll Creating Animations or Motion Graphics Costume and Makeup & much more! Phase Three: Post-Production After the production phase is finished, the producer and editor go to work. During the post-production phase, the production team will begin the Ingest process to organize, plan, and edit the actual video. The producer will carefully review all the footage and then collaborate with the editing team to bring all the pieces together. The post-production phase can include items such as: Ingesting footage Producing the final story Mixing Video editing Color grading Motion graphics Reviews & approvals & final delivery While every project is different, our core framework listed above ensures the project is set up for success and will go as smoothly as possible.

8 Where do you draw inspiration from?

As the great quote goes " Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Those who do not remember their past are condemned to repeat their mistakes." Personally i draw a lot of inspiration from the greats that have came before me, I feel their is something to be learned form every single person and i always try to gain insight into historically successful designers/creators to see how potentially it could influence my work.

9 What current trends in digital design (or really anything digital related) are you most excited about?

We are really looking forward to seeing the use of interactive technologies within the design industries over the coming years whether that be through the use of AR applications or video games, It is where we feel the industry is headed and has the potential to take over traditional media if things keep advancing at the current pace!!

10 Congratulations! As the winner of the 2020 Vega Awards, what does it mean to you and your company and team to receive this award distinction?

First of all thank you to my team, family and my business partner Kyle without all of these people it would make it hard to achieve what we achieve at Loveridge Digital. To win a Vega award has been something we have all been aiming to achieve since we opened in 2017. To now be a Dual award winner we are lost for words and we can't thank everyone enough for their support and choosing to use our services! This award is truly for the team and our customers!!!

11 Can you explain a bit about the winning work you entered into the 2020 Vega Awards, and why you chose to enter this project?

sure! The piece we created was the announcement trailer for Stratton Studios upcoming PS4 title "Costume Kingdom". Costume Kingdom is a Halloween themed turn based action-adventure game set in a open world environment and played from a third-person perspective. The player takes on the role of “Rain” a young child on a quest to beat the Apex Cup while unknowingly saving Halloween. The Apex Cup is a competition held on Halloween night where the children of Monkchester use their Hallowmon in a tournament to see who is the champion! Build your team of Hallowmon and trick-or-treat your way through the breathtaking Monkchester. It is essential to collect costumes & complete quests to unlock mystical abilities that will aid you in defeating Pineapple & saving Halloween, This is a holiday experience that will warm the hearts of adults and children alike. We chose to enter this project as we felt the quality was outstanding! (looks like we were right ;) )

12 What was the biggest challenge with this project?

The biggest challenge with this project was actually the conceptualization stage, Often times the hardest part of creating any piece is "Setting your boundaries" The implementation and technical challenges are something that can easily be overcome but if you do not know what the end goal is then it can be very difficult to know if you are on the right path!

13 How has winning an Award developed your practice/career?

Being an agency that focuses on our clients by winning awards we feel a little guilty as its not only our success but it is our clients success too without our customers and clients none of our award winning work would be on display! If anything the success of the awards will really show and cement our success as we continue to grow into the future!

14 What are your top three (3) favorite things about the digital industry?

Change- We love to adapt and change with all the new technology. Display- We love the fact that our work is always on show it really keeps us on our toes as we really want every piece to succeed Customers- We absolutely love all the challenges and the entire relationship we have with our customers.

15 What makes your country specifically, unique in the digital industry?

At Loveridge Digital we have two offices one in Ireland and the other in Australia while operating and providing work in over 32 countries. The unique aspect of the Digital industry in Ireland, Australia and the world is the aspect of how the digital industry during a worldwide pandemic is keeping some businesses in operation. Its astonishing to think the digital space is allowing businesses to stay in operation when ordinarily they would have had to close or worse go out of business completely. This is why we love the digital industry the endless opportunities for people and businesses to operate, grow or thrive.

16 Where do you see the evolution of digital industry going over the next 5-10 years?

as mentioned above i see a massive shift towards interactive mediums over the next few years! It is an exciting time to be in the industry!

17 If you were a student entering this industry or an aspiring Vega Award submitter, what advice would you give them?

I would say " It is ok to make mistakes, but it is not ok to not learn from them, Now is the time where you can make mistakes and grow as a designer, If the project fails that's ok!! But ensure you have at least 10 takeaways that you can use to make your next one even better and lastly never give up! "

18 What resources would you recommend to someone who wants to improve their skills in the digital industry?

Ahh good question... First of all subscribe to our Youtube channel or follow our social channels as we have a Getting into it series where we breakdown aspects within the digital industry. Google, Facebook and Udemy are always a good start but to further your career.... Hard work!! Success is not achieved overnight and define what success means to you as my business partner and I always say!

19 Tell us something you have never told anyone else.

Something i have never told anyone else is that the path to "success " seems extremely linear when looking from the "outside - In " but in fact it is not, It is full of highs and lows and is a rollercoaster!

20 Who has inspired you in your life and why?

My Mam(Caroline), Dad (Ger), Brother (Uriah), my business partner (Kyle) and of course my team inspire me every single day! They have the ability to adapt and overcome any challenges plus they put up with me hahah!

21 What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?

My key to success is something that i get asked about a lot and the answer never changes.... My key to success is an unrelentless drive to achieve better and better things everyday, I want to succeed just as much as i want to breathe, it is not something that i think about it is just part of who i am. If someone wanted some words of wisdom form me it would be " You get what you work for, not what you wish for!"

22 Do you have anything else you would like to add to the interview?

If anyone does have any questions or does want to just have a chat please reach out to me on twitter! - @josh_loveridge

WINNING ENTRY

2020
 
Costume Kingdom, Loveridge Design LTD - Vega Website Awards Winner
Stratton Studios

Entrant Company

Loveridge Design LTD

Category

Video / Online Video (Single) - Budget below $3000

2020
 
Costume Kingdom, Loveridge Design LTD - Vega Website Awards Winner
Stratton Studios

Entrant Company

Loveridge Design LTD

Category

Video / Online Video (Single) - Games