How did you end up studying multimedia design?
By my senior year of high school, I already knew I wanted to study graphic design at ORT because every year my high school, Elbio Fernández, hosted career fairs with universities, and I always stopped by the booth. I stuck with that plan until it was time to enroll.
I enrolled in the Graphic Design program in 2012, and a week before classes started, I found out there was an informational session—specifically for Graphic Design. There was also one for another program called Multimedia Design, which I didn’t even know existed, so I went just to check it out, because I was curious to see what it was all about.
So, how did you end up choosing Multimedia?
They must have shown a lot of things at the information session, but I’ll never forget the presentation of Portfolio 2 by a multimedia student in an upper-level class—it really impressed me. He introduced himself through an animated interface featuring different sections and videos…
I wanted to acquire the necessary tools so that one day I could present myself in this way, without having to depend on anyone, and use my resources as I saw fit.
So I went right away, switched majors, and started studying Multimedia Design in 2012 when I was 17.
So, which areas were you planning to explore in more depth?
A multimedia designer can work in many areas—as the name suggests—across various media and through them.
I think the program gives you the tools you need to decide which area you'd like to focus on within a wide range of possibilities.
For example, web design, mobile app development, typography, and audiovisual production; within audiovisual production, you have camera work, shot composition, scene creation, and photography; or you might also explore more graphic-oriented fields like motion graphics; and, of course, there’s 3D modeling and illustration. Hand in hand with this comes marketing, as well as many other things that, while not the main focus of the degree program, are essential tools for complementing and conveying ideas through all other media.
Which of those areas interests you the most?
Personally, I'm fascinated by the web and audiovisual fields, particularly motion graphics.
When it comes to websites, I'm really interested in the various tools available for presenting and transforming what is essentially a web page into something completely different—such as creating a comic strip on a website using a technique called parallax scrolling.
There are many other things, of course, not to mention how nice it is to see a website optimized for mobile devices.
In the field of animation, motion graphics is a medium that lets you start from scratch and create whatever you want to convey: I really enjoy creating audiovisual content simply for the sake of experimenting with different software and producing artistic, visually striking videos. I draw a lot of inspiration from watching reels from agencies around the world; MTV videos are also always a source of inspiration.
You're currently working at the university.
Yes, I am currently a student and an employee at ORT.
As an employee, I hold the position of Multimedia Programmer in the Development department, where we are working on a redesign of the Student Management/Self-Service system.
My job is to design, lay out, and code the front end alongside other developers; on the back end, there are other developers working.
How long until you graduate?
Three credits: Integrative Project, Annual Portfolio 4 – Graduation Level, and Professional Presentation.
What are your career goals?
Looking ahead—because right now I plan to learn, grow, and gain a lot of experience where I am alongside my colleagues—I’d like to have the opportunity to gain a variety of work experiences, whether here or abroad.
If the opportunity arises for me to work abroad, I will consider it depending on the circumstances.
I plan to pursue a master’s degree or a graduate program abroad. I also want to explore more artistic aspects, develop that side of myself further, and combine the two.