Who can make me a website?

D

DDirector

Veteran
I am slacking in advertising myself out there.
I am currently making my business card and getting it printed really soon.
So, I'm down about $150 there.

Now, while I was making my card I realized that I don't even have a website up yet.
I just created a new Facebook Fan Site, which I will be expanding it later on as its just a blank site now.

But, I need a website too.
Unfortunately, I don't have a demo reel either.
So, the least I can do is have a website with stills from the films I've done so far.

I know exactly how I want my website to look like, I just need it made, and then put up on the web.
I need someone who can make the whole website for me.
But, what I am also asking is, once its completed, I have the freedom to tweak on updates and add photos and stuff.

Its not a difficult website design. Its mainly a slideshow of photos on the front page.
It needs to look fancy and glamorous like my business card I'm currently making.

Who can design and make it for me?
And how much would you charge and stuff?

*For a Cinematographer (Director of Photography)
 
I'm a designer. I'm not able to take this on at the time, but if helpful I thought I would throw some info at you. Be forewarned I have been operating on bare minimum sleep for days, so this is going to be hard to get through/very conversational ;)

If you want to be able to update this in the future and keep it cheap, you will probably have people want to set you up with Wordpress (or something like it). Wordpress is going to have custom canned cheap (or even free) themes you can install and customize minor-ly (like your current blogspot). You won't be able to materialize your vision exactly. It is nice that you have an idea of what you like, but unless you are extremely lucky and a pre-done custom layout matches your exact vision, prepare to make sacrifices on stuff. You knowing exactly what you want is actually a drawback IMO if you are trying to keep this cheap.

If you want something custom that is inline with your vision (and has a CMS so you can go back yourself and edit as necessary without knowledge of CSS/html/php/whatever else required on the site once they find out your needs) be prepared to pay much more (for something good). A site at this level I would expect you to get into the thousands for the necessary work (if done right - not going unnecessarily overboard when not many eyeballs will see it, but still realizing branding yourself is very very important and websites serve as storefronts/first impressions/etc etc). The fact that you are thinking of things in terms of $50 increments makes me think this isn't the direction you were expecting to go.

There are people that are newer to the design game that will get you something together for cheap. Awesome if this works out. I've found this can do more harm than good (if if paints you as very amateur due to low quality), or can be more expensive in the future if the site isn't built correctly/to scale with you and has to be built twice.

Being totally honest - I personally would not want with someone who was telling me what to design (mimicking a biz card they layed out not being a designer - or making the site to match their vision of what it should be). You are paying the designer for their expertise... not to actualize what you stylistically gravitate towards. My 2 cents. A lot of clients try that, pretty common.

Hope it works out - good luck! Glad to answer other questions when I have more than half my brain with me -
 
I don't really want a designer to design a new website for me.
I already have an idea of what I want, so I just need someone to make it.

Its not exactly copying my business card. Its just using the basic elements of it. Such as font and colour.

I've been searching yesterday for some examples and I found this: http://www.ralphkaechele.com/cms/index.php
Its pretty much what I am looking for. The BG picture would consist of stills from my projects. A new one on each link.
And maybe a slideshow of stills on the main page (if I have enough pictures) like this: http://cinema.davidcarstens.com/

The left side would have 5 links (Bio, Reel, Services, Blog, Contact) ~ Or something similar.

For the most part, everything would remain the same on the website, the only updates I would need to do is my reel and resume.
*I currently dont have a reel yet, so Id need to put it up. But, they would be linked to my YouTube channel which would have my reel.
 
Ok that is fine. What I hear is

* I want my site to look like/function like this site that was made by a professional design firm (who have client work for Dickies, Downy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo etc on their site) for likely thousands of dollars when you consider the technology utilized on it and time required to make it
* I want a designer with development skills to make it a specific way with minimal/no input creatively - so it likely will not look professional/be something that they will be able to use in their portfolio
* I want to give them less money (instead of more money as they would likely desire considering the above), because I don't need them to utilize their creative skills

To me you are not going to be happy with the end result when you have those expectations, without making some sacrifices (going to free a free CMS, templates, unscalable architecture, etc) but best of luck - maybe it can workout - just skeptical
 
are you willing to pay at all? If so, PM me your budget.

My rates go anywhere from $200 to $900 based on complexity.
 
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ghosteater said:
* I want to give them less money (instead of more money as they would likely desire considering the above), because I don't need them to utilize their creative skills
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Who ever said Im paying less or nothing at all?
Did I ever say that? Because I dont remember saying it... I just asked who can make it.
 
What you want is Wordpress. There are hundreds of thousands of Wordpress themes out there, with thousands for photographers alone. Some are free and some are for sale, but the really good ones are usually only around $100 or so.

It's the only way to go if you'ere looking for something you can manage and update yourself.
 
Phil1076 said:
What you want is Wordpress. There are hundreds of thousands of Wordpress themes out there, with thousands for photographers alone. Some are free and some are for sale, but the really good ones are usually only around $100 or so.

It's the only way to go if you'ere looking for something you can manage and update yourself.
Click to expand...


Sorry, but I personally think Wordpress is complete and utter garbage; in just about every regard. Almost every single wordpress site looks exactly like every other word press site. I've never in my life been impressed by a wordpress site.

Also, when it comes down to it, Wordpress is horrible when it comes to security.
 
Andrew McCarrick said:
Almost every single wordpress site looks exactly like every other word press site.
Click to expand...

Emphasis added. Almost...but not all. Here is just one example that doesn't look like every single wordpress site: http://aevumfresh.com/ It was built from this theme: http://standardtheme.com/ (which does look like every other site out there).

Andrew McCarrick said:
Also, when it comes down to it, Wordpress is horrible when it comes to security.
Click to expand...

If you simply set them up and leave everything as-per standard installation, yes, you are right. However, there are lots of things that can be done to make sites more secure, whether using wordpress or other tools/technology.
 
Andrew McCarrick said:
Sorry, but I personally think Wordpress is complete and utter garbage; in just about every regard. Almost every single wordpress site looks exactly like every other word press site. I've never in my life been impressed by a wordpress site.
Click to expand...

My guess is that many people would not recognize wordpress.org blogs if they saw one.

They now are many times indistinguishable from any other web site.

The new themes are extensively modifiable, and plug ins extend their functionality to incredible levels.

So I would disagree.

I also suggest that the OP take a look at some wordpress.org themes, such as those from this company
 
the site i love and use religously is yola.com. it's free and has free features. if you want to use the premium features it only cost a little money. good for a small budget. you also get to pick a domain name and i highly recomend it. i'd love to help you create a site. it's a hobby of mine. another site i recomend is domain.com which is always promoted by filmriot. i dont agree with blogs because it's not the same as your own website.
 
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