AndrePope.com

What I Now Know (WINK) is that it is hard working trying to help someone get a small up start business off the ground. For almost a year I have been helping a friend of mine set-up a small new company. They specialize in "Alternative Greeting Cards." The main trick was to stay away form the cliches that are commonly associated with the gay lifestyle. From a marketing point of view we wanted to go high-end arty. Well last week WINK saw life.

My friend debuted the WINK Greeting Card line at the Capital Pride Fest in Washington D.C. To co-inside with the release of the actual product I also helped her release the website. It was a lot of last minuet work, but I think it came together nicely.

To say the least it was a big hit. Lots of great comments about how this (the card line) is so needed within the lifestyle.

My partner and I were your first customers at the Pride Festival in Washington, DC and I wanted to thank you so much for developing this line of greeting cards! For so long I have had the same challenge you express on your website of finding appropriate cards for myself, friends and family that speak to our experiences as queer identified people. Thank you again for taking this on and know that I will give you as much publicity as I can to support your business! I can't wait to see your cards in mainstream stores across the country!

Take a look and let me know what you think. I am proud of the work I have put into and I know my friend is as well.

Posted by Andre at 10:50 PM | Permalink

Next weekended there is a show for one sixth miniatures here in Myrtle Beach. The show/convention features military miniatures and battle fields. While I am not into these sorts of things, I think it is interesting that other people are (hell I am into PEZ). 803 Labs is a sponsor for the show and we printed all of the program booklets on our new printer. The show is June 14-15th at the Holiday Inn next to the waterway. If you don't have anything else going on try and stop and check it out. For more info about the show check out there website at: www.mbonesixth.com. All of the proceeds go to the future Diorama Museum.

Here goes the ad I did for the program.

Posted by Andre at 02:54 PM | Permalink

Thanks to the love of my work I have be able to start to explore the world of Google Maps. In doing so I have got to apply for a Google Maps API, nd start a little on programing. I am very new to this but have found a joy in experimenting with all of the features of it. From a very basic point of view I have learned how to plot instances on a map, change marker icons, add info text and photos, I have even started to learn how to plot tracks from my GPS.

This last feature is very exciting. I can now combine a few of my new hobbies together and share them with others thanks to Google Maps. The other day I recently tracked one of my new adventures. My friend Mikey (RedLine13) and I plotted our first canoe trip along the Waccamaw into Kingston Lake. By combining my track that I set-up on my Garmin 60CSx and a communicator (GPSBabel), I was able to export a KML file that I uploaded to Google Earth. Now I can view my journey through Google Earth (if I was thinking I would have taken photos along the journey and geoTagged them as well) as well as create a My Maps section and share with you here.

View Larger Map

I have always been into maps and now this gives me a reason to learn even more. I know there is a lot that you can do with them and have a few little projects that I want to get up and running. But for now I have to learn more info than I think I can (JavaScript). However if I can get the basics down I can port that knowledge over to future projects.

Check out the work in progress that I have going on for one of my clients.

Posted by Andre at 02:10 PM | Permalink

(REPRINTED WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM Evil Genius Chronicles)

OK kids, registration for the CreateSouth conference is open for business! The conference is April 19th from 9 to 5 PM in downtown Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. All attendees are invited, whether you live and breath new media or are interested but slightly frightened by it. If you are a professional journalist or a politician or a pastor or a musician and want to learn how to make new media work in your career, this is for you. If you have wanted to blog or podcast or videoblog but aren’t sure where to start, this is for you. The goal of this conference is to get the newbies and the wizards together in the same room, talking and hanging out and sharing meals. Our focus is hands on demonstration and we are assembling the program right now to reflect that. The idea of the conference is that if there is some project you want to do but haven’t tackled because the learning curve is too high, you should walk out of the conference knowing where to start and maybe with an email address or three of people that can help you if you get into trouble.

Everyone is welcome that wants to travel to Myrtle Beach in April, but our primary geographic target is the southeast. If you live in the Carolinas or Georgia or Tennessee and are interested, tell your friends, carpool and share a room, come and have a big time with us. We picked April because it is the part of the year when hotels are still considered “out of season” and thus cheaper but the weather has a strong probability of being beautiful. You can bring your whole family. Those who are interested can attend the conference and for those who aren’t, the beach is two blocks away from the site. There is more miniature golf than you can shake a tiny putter at, water parks and movie theaters and all kind of attractions within a few miles of the conference.

We really need a push from the blogosphere to get the word out. Please link to the CreateSouth website, talk it up, tell your friends, suggest programming items you’d like to experience and volunteer to present ones that you know. This is a grassroots conference organized by the Grand Strand blogging community so there is no large organization behind it, just a few individuals who want to make this happen. My unofficial description is that “the Grand Strand Bloggers are throwing themselves a party and seeing who dances.” Come dance with us, friends.

Posted by Andre at 09:37 AM | Permalink

So every now and then you lose you way. Sometimes you don't actually loose you way but you wonder in if you are on the right track. I have learned the importance for asking for directions.

Long story short, 803 Labs, iNC. hired a business consultant to take a look at the operations. She sat and talked with us for a day and then came back a week later and just observed. Her feed back was top notch. She told us what we were doing right, what we were doing wrong and how to improve. We have already started implementing some of the theories she talked to us about and I think we can all see a big difference.

So next time you can't seem to find your way, just stop - observe your surrounding - and reivaulate. It can make a big difference.

Posted by Andre at 07:24 PM | Permalink

803 Labs, iNC. just got back for the AAF-CC Addy awards show and guess what? We won an Addy! All the top dogs come out for this little affair to showoff their skills and we were pleased to be a part of it all.

We won an Addy for Identity Design: Stationary. I really think this is one of 803's strong suits. I am also pleased to have a designer on staff, Leslie Tyson, who complements the design department with her talents. She helped bring the stationary package together and her hard work is awarded with the 2008 Addy.

Posted by Andre at 09:59 PM | Permalink

After two long nights of set-up I finally have my computer set-up as a localhost. It now has PHP 5, Apache, and MySQL database set up on it. I am not even going to pretend I know half of what that means but it is all set-up. Paul walked me through a little rough bit with the set-up of the MySQL database. I have no clue how people know where to look to begin setting it up properly. So thanks Paul.

WHY? D you ask. Well I need to get a feel for how WordPress runs and how to set it up. In the next few months you may see 803 Labs transform over from MovableType to WordPress. It is really my call and I have to have some inkling of how to set it all up, not to mention how to port all of the old entries over to WordPress.

I am also looking into Joomla! Joomla! is a powerful content management system (CMS) that is OpenSource and promising. It seems pretty cool so far, but I am not sold on it yet. I will keep you posted.

But don't fear I am not getting into that whole side of everything. This is something that I wanted to learn more about so I can contribute a little more to the upcoming CREATE Conference. It is more for a learning experience than anything else.

Posted by Andre at 11:46 PM | Permalink

Today was one of the most productive days in a while. However it didn't start till around 3:30 this afternoon. I strapped down and knocked out some work that had been hanging over my head for a little while. It was nice when everybody left the office and it was just me there.

Upon wrapping everything up at the office I went home and went back to work. Knocking out another proposal I worked till midnight. It was/is a great production day for me.

However, I know this will come at a price. I have been on these weird sleep shifts lately. I just tried to go to bed but tossed and turned for over 45 mins. This is not like me at all. Normally once my head hits the pillow I am out in a matter of seconds. Well as you can tell tonight is not one of those nights - instead I am up at 1 in the mourning making a blog post.

Earlier this week I had a similar night. The problem was at work the next day. Full of energy in the mourning I knocked out some pretty cool Variable Data printing on the sticker machine. But once I achieved that my body shut down. I couldn't function after lunch at all. It felt like I was in a haze and getting sick. I hope tomorrow will not be like that. If so I know I achieved enough today to get me into the weekend where I can catch back up for next week.

The work I have been doing has been pretty good as of late as well. A lot of positive feedback from clients and friends alike. People have been supportive over the small things that I am doing for brand awareness. And to top it off Keith has been doing a great job of hustling. I think his work and my work combined are paying off in new clients as well as recognition!

Is it bed time yet?

Posted by Andre at 12:32 AM | Permalink

803 Labs Letterhead

Aquascapes Logo

Demarco's Bars Website

A rejected ad campaign for a flooring company

Posted by Andre at 03:09 PM | Permalink

The tech community in and around the low country are getting together to have a conference. The nature of the conference is to introduce and converse with new media technology. This includes but is not limited to bloggers, pod casters, video blogs, etc. We are in the initial stages of planning out the conference for the first part of April. The first goal is to figure out a name for the thing. We want everybody to be a part of the process so I am asking all of you your thoughts. So think hard, go over to the Grand Strand Bloggers site, read up a little more about it and leave your thoughts and or suggestions in the comment section.

Posted by Andre at 03:18 PM | Permalink

To start off my day I came across this nifty little music video. The music is not what caught my eye but the typography. Not a bad way to start off your designing day.

Posted by Andre at 01:27 PM | Permalink

The next meet up for the Grand Strand Bloggers is set for this Saturday at 3. Its at Liberty tap Room off of 76th Ave.

See ya all there.

Posted by Andre at 03:00 PM | Permalink

Heidi and I leave for Disney World on Monday, so for the past week we have been preparing. We have been out geocaching, hiking, and hanging out in the sun - all to get a feeling of what its going to be like in Orlando. But one thing that is for certain anytime I go on vacation the shit hits the fan at work. So I am prepping for that also. I got to get my files, leave directions for others, make sure I prep everybody to the all dealing etc. It was all going fine till today. Product that was supposed to arrive today did not, files didn't get printed and clients have switched plans. Of course this happens on Friday the last business day before I leave. I am going to spend the weekended doing my best to make sure I help from afar and give Keith as much support as I can.

I really hate going on vacation!

Posted by Andre at 09:19 PM | Permalink

I don't know what really made me think of this but I came up with a way to market a lawyer who specializes in alcohol and drug related charges. However if a lawyer were to choose to do this he/she would have to be really good at their job and be able to put up with a little banter from fellow lawyers and police force.

I live in a young tourist town, a town that many people come to party at. Some of these people go a little too far and end up getting arrested while on vacation. Since they don't live here its hard for them to find out who to hire to help out. If a lawyer were so inclined to get a few bars or their wait staff or even hotels to hand out little business card type instructions of what to do in case you are arrested, that lawyer could get lots of business. The cards that were handed out would be a little humorous in nature, but with very beneficial information about your rights. It could possibly contain a script that you could say if you were arrested (or if you are too drunk something that could be handed to the officer). Of course these cards would have the lawyers info on them with instructions of how to contact him/her while the person is in jail.

The cards could be laminated or printed on plastic and easily fold to where you can place it in your wallet. The whole point is to mark it novel enough for everyone to take it with them when they leave the bar.

To help drive the message across you could put posters in the bathrooms of the bars. These would be more humorous in nature with a place that you can grab the card from. This would just reinforce the first idea a little more.

The lawyer in turn would get lots of calls from out of town folks. Since they are in a bind in the first place the lawyer can charge a little more for his/her service. They just have to be really good at their job.

----

Cops get away with a lot because people don't know the law. Maybe thats what got me think of this in the first place: as a way for the general populous to become better informed about their rights.

Just remember every law passed (supposedly to protect you from terror or whatever) is another freedom lost.

Posted by Andre at 09:58 PM | Permalink

Work has been really hard as of late. A lot is going on and everybody's nose is to the grindstone. My days are long and I have been a little moody. With that being said I have been doing some really good work as of late. I have been working on various website designs, rack cards, greeting cards, banners, posters and even a little programing.

I am now trying to figure out how to this good design and be less stressful.

Here goes a few little samples.

1) I wrote a little automator script that will potential save our production department about 15min a day. It converts enbeded color profile modes to the necessary profile mode that we need to print photographs. It does this in the background and lets you continue to work uninterrupted. Before we had to open every file and convert it. There are other scripts out there that strips the color profile, but we needed one that converted so we would not lose any color information. It's not that impressive but it works. I even made it into a little program with an icon and everything :)

2) I did a quick little poster for a surf contest. I got a lot of good feedback from this and look forward in helping out with the contest.

3) River Room Rack Cards - Keith and Scott some great new pictures of the River Room. We decieded to put those into affect with the newly design website and tie it in with a new rackcard. This is what we came up with.

4) A long time ago I posted my friends demo reel. Well I finally got to design his site.

There has been a slew of other web sites and banners and things that I am actually proud of (like booth graphics for a mist booth at the Flamingo hotel in Vegas.) I guess its the difference of just churning stuff out and actually designing.

Posted by Andre at 04:41 PM | Permalink

For various reasons I had to collect some photos of the look and feel of Apple stores around the country. It was an interesting little research project so I thought I would share. Enjoi !!!

Posted by Andre at 03:33 PM | Permalink

My friend Tony had a pretty cool idea combining art with skate decks. I had the means through a few friends and clients to give it a try. So Tony and I teamed up to see how far we can take the idea. This is what we have come up with thus far.

The idea:
To do laser engraved artwork on the bottom of a skateboard deck. This is not an original idea by any means but it is an idea that we wanted to see if we could do together based on our resources.

Resources:
Artist: Tony Price is taking of this end of it all.
Supply Line: I talked with one of of our clients and got us hooked up with a line of blank Candian Maple Wood skateboard decks.
Production: One of 803 Labs clients in Rock Hill (Bryson Engraving Plus) does an awesome job of laser engraving plaques and trophees. He said he would be down to help out as well.

Tony has sent me the first test graphic and I sent it off to Bryson Engraving. This is what came back.

After seeing the board first hand and talking with Bryson Engraving these are the ideas to get more depth, texture and coolness to the boards:

1) Work with 8 bit gray scale images. The laser picks up tonal values and knows to burn more or less depending on the darkness of the original image.
2) The more intricate the better. On the little curly cues at the bottom next to CBA turned out really cool. They are small and precise.
3) Working with a plain wood board would look much better.
4) Big blocks of 100% black look odd. Break up space with gray scale values or more detail in the images.
5) Text looks great, Due to the concave of the board on the sides the lettering (or anything in the image as well) it looks a little sallower. This is due to the fact that the laser can not read on a z axis. It is still basing it on the original starting point on the board.

So now it is back to the drawing board for Tony.

Stayed tuned for the next batch.



Posted by Andre at 10:47 PM | Permalink

Well I am back and boy was it fun. Nothing can campare to getting away form it all for a little while. Costa Rica is still a little like a third world country but with a lot of progression. So being cut away from it all for a week was just what I needed. We saw and did a lot but at the same time did absoutly nothing. It was fantastic.

I will post more soon. Until then Pura Vida!

Posted by Andre at 11:43 AM | Permalink

There has been a lot happening here in my little world. Last week Heidi and I closed on our new house. We ended up moving in on the same day - we were so excited. After spending $4000 on furniture, lawnmowers, washers and dryers and a slew of odd and ends it almost feels like home; but not quite.

Keith and I were also featured in the local rag Weekly Serge. You can read the full article here. It was a good article about young people making waves along the Strand.

Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand May be getting together to form a small blog group thanks to this guy. I will keep you posted on the happenings.

There has been an official name change with the state for MB Photo Plus to 803 Labs, thus meaning we are one step closer with the merger.

It looks as if new Daddy Pope is having a good time with the baby. Heidi and I are really excited for Him and Shara.

I pretty much passed all of my welding test which include Mig: steel & aluminum and Tig: steel & aluminum. So on Monday nites I will be doing auto body work with Paul and a few other guys.

And to top it all off I have booked the company trip to Costa Rica. Should be a great time with the guys from Surf City. I can't wait.

Posted by Andre at 09:32 AM | Permalink

This weekened was fun, exciting and draining (not to metion the Pope's curse lives on. )

On Friday night one of my friends Mark Rogers got married. It was a nice wedding and really cool to get to see my friends from far off (Charleston, Scranton, D.C.) make it down. We all hung out and ate dinner after the wedding. It was good to see and catch up with everybody.

On Sat. I got up and went to Summerville for my second BBQ judging. This time there were 27 teams there representing all four types of SC style BBQ. The competition this week was for whole hog (unlike last week where it was Boston Butts). I sampled all 27 and they were all good. It is really had to be critical of something that is so good. I mean most of these people do this professionaly so it has to be good.

I came back home and coated the tractor's gas tank. It was getting rust in the fuel line and I needed to correct the problem in order for it to run properly. After working a little outside I cleaned the house and started packing for our big move. Heidi had a girls night out so it was just Harley and I.

Sunday mourning Paul met me over at my house and brought his pressure washer. A brand new pressure washer...but one that came to the Pope's house. Before we even started the choke came off so we had to do a quick rebuild. Thirty min. later I was off and spraying the hose to kill the mold and fungi that popped up since last time.

After knocking that out it was off to take out the motor of the 73 VW. And in true Pope form it wasn't easy at all. Paul and I ultimatly got it off and decided to call it quits. I however wanted to get a little more done so I got the tractors tank back together and started to place it back on. Everything was going great until I went to connect the fule line to the carburator. I then discovered that I managed to strip the threads. After a trip to two local parts houses and lowes with no luck I officially called it quits.

To reward myself for all the work Heidi and I are going to see Blades of Glory.

FRICKIN SWEET!!!!

Posted by Andre at 08:11 PM | Permalink

So the month of January was a blur and by the looks of it Feb. is almost half way over. To help we stay up whith what has been going on I have kept a little running tab. Here goes the short version.

1) 803 Is Being Bought Out / Merging with MB Photo Plus
2) I now have a personal lawyer.
3) Money and More Magazine is No More
4) Heidi and I started looking at houses (including the foreclosure market)
5) I am living up to my New Years resolution of not being an old man.
6) Went to a really good comedy show.
7) Saw a pretty rockin south rock show with Black Foot
8) Hung out with my bro in Cola town.
9) Saw John Mayer
10) Hit up Riverbanks Zoo
11) Finally finished Next
12) Started on A Walk In The Woods
13) Got the Studeabakers moved to the house
14) Trying to make progress on the 73VW engine.
15) Watched what I consider the best movie of 2006; Good Night & Good Luck
16) Enjoyed MAX
17) Haven't had time for any TV
18) Been hitting up the gym

Thats the short version!

Posted by Andre at 02:57 PM | Permalink

So its a new year and I haven't posted anything in a little while. For that I am sorry. Its been quite busy at work lately. With the departure of Paul, end of the year close-out, and new year set-up I have been quite busy. So I think a quick recap is in order.

1) Christmas was great.
a) paid off two Credit Cards
b) Heidi is over having a new puppy
c) Got a new grill
d) My Brother and his wife are safe
e) Got a new computer set up for work!

2) New Magazine is in People's hands

3) New Years was fun!!
a) Played board games at my brothers house
b) Built a small addition to my shed. (Photos to come)
c) Made some New Year's Resolutions

4) 803 Bills are paid
a) New Invoices are sent off
b) Deposits from Dec are made

Thats all I can think of for now.

Posted by Andre at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

So I have been asked a lot lately on how I keep up with friends blogs and the news with such ease? Well my friends I am hear to tell you that its quite easy. First check out the article that was in the first issue of Money & More written by our friend Paul.

My process:
1) Download latest and greatest version of Firefox
2) Sign up for a free account at BlogLines
3) Visit friends blogs or news sites and look for the rss indicator located on the right hand side of the web address bar.
4) Click on the button and subscribe to the feed.
5) Make your BlogLines account your home page.
6) Everytime some body updates his/her site the feed will be right there for you to read!

Stay Informed, Stay Connected!

Posted by Andre at 03:33 PM | Permalink

We are having a kick ass Christmas Party this year and you are all invited.

Waccamaw Lanes Bowling Alley
Fri. Dec 22nd 6-10pm

Free Bowling and Pig Pickin
Just bring a new, unopened unwrapped toy for Toys For Tots!

Hope to see you there!

Posted by Andre at 09:20 AM | Permalink

So it seems as if everybody is an artist these days. Everybody has photoshop and everybody still from the web. I am no different. However I do understand the principals behind it all and how to provide artwork in the manor that other will need it in the future. I really wanted to stay away from doing stuff for other people because then they start to expect it from you, but I see that it could also bring in a little sticker business. So here goes something I did for a fellow Volksrod member:

Posted by Andre at 09:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We are working on updating the 803 web site. Here is a a sample of some of the stuff we are playing with.

Posted by Andre at 02:35 PM | Permalink

Paul sent me a link to a video on YouTube the other day. I know the reason he sent it to me was to check out the stylings of CRUTCH and how he gets around. However, the video was a little more than that to me.

Continue reading "CRUTCH On The Future Of YouTube/Google" »

Posted by Andre at 08:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Since ParkingStickets is finally underway, we decided to do a little marketing. What better way than to do a custom wrap on Paul's Blaza.

Continue reading "It's A Wrap" »

Posted by Andre at 09:49 AM | Permalink

A Quick recap of all the crazy stuff taht has been going on:

• ParkingStickets is up and running!
• The Mag is gearing back up.
• Keith is knocking out some cool web applications
• Paul is trucking with the game project
• Hero Tattoo is taking shape in Conway
• DATE Night is finally back
• Heidi's B-day is coming up
• Finally got a Mac way of "Backing Up" my DVD's
• Really dig this concept and hope to participate
• This is pretty cool too
• Been working on the floorpans for the VW

All of this is about three days. WooHoo!

Posted by Andre at 06:14 PM | Permalink

A new product is under our belt at 803, ParkingStickets. It has been a long time coming but its finally done. The idea, the website, the product, the production...now all we need to do is get the word out. So go check it out, tell your friends and STICKET to parking violators!

www.parkingstickets.com

Posted by Andre at 06:06 PM | Permalink

So most of you out there know that my company is working on a small video game project. It has great potential and we have gotten a little press. (For more on that you can check out Emerson's blog.) The work has gotten me pumped up a little on the video game wars. So when I came across this little video clip I had to share.

Enjoi

Posted by Andre at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Over the past few weeks I have been burning the midnight oil. At 803 we have a lot of irons in the fire and I have been turning them over and over tring to not to let it go out. One of the biggest irons has been Money & More Issue 2. It's all about education and I had to coridnate photoshots, artwork and editorial in time to hit our deadline. Needless to say it has been hetic but fun.

Continue reading "Re-cap The Blurry Days" »

Posted by Andre at 04:35 PM | Permalink

Myrtle Beach is changing and for the better... I hope. Today marked the groundbreaking of Myrtle Beach's newest tourist draw, The Hard Rock Cafe Theme Park. My business, 803 Productions, was one of the many invited to watch the event. It was a pretty impressive event as far as press releases go. But what does this really mean for the face of Myrtle Beach?

Continue reading "The Changing Face Of Myrtle Beach" »

Posted by Andre at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The first issue of Money & More magazine is out on the street. It was a fun start to hopfully somthing great. I look forward to getting everybodys feedback on our first issue. Also drop me a line if you wnat to contribute to the mag either in writing or by illustration.

Thanks for the support of everybody on the first issue.

Posted by Andre at 08:47 PM | Permalink