ok, it’s not quite as exciting as dropping out of life and moving to paris for a year, but i’ve already done that, so i had to do something different this time.  i’m doing “leaving usc and starting my own business.”

some of you know that i’ve done freelance work off and on for several years—everything from web design to training the los angeles times web site’s new hires to writing. i came to a heady realization this summer. all those freelance projects were things i didn’t have to do, and yet i was doing them anyway. i thought about it and realized that design, site conception and project management, writing and teaching reflect my real interests. i was doing these extra projects because that was really fulfilling work for me.

i’ve decided to take on that work full time by making hop studios a small business. i think this is going to be a great experience for me, though of course it’s a little scary to strike out on my own!

one of the things that lends me a little courage, however, is all the great people i’ve met in the past 10 years. i hope you’ll keep me in mind if you run into people who need some work of the kind i’ll be doing.

i’m a one-stop shop—site planning, design, production, animation, video, audio, programming, writing, training, teaching, whatever. i’m something of a veteran of site “redesigns,” where a company has a web site that was done several years ago and needs an overhaul, or needs some user testing or user interface analysis. and, of course, i’m hoping to use at least some of my time to do some real writing, especially about site redesigns and online journalism issues.

in case you’re interested, here are a couple of things i did this year:
http://www.easton.com/je_index.html
http://www.pattirayne.com/
http://www.digitalmedialaw.com/

here is one that is in development right now (it won’t work completely):
http://www.hopstudios.com/clients/peoplestories/

it’s not ready to look at, but i’m working right now with an artist who needs a portfolio web site. it will be all in flash and it’s going to be absolutely beautiful.

i’ll let you know how my new venture goes as things get moving!