Things are getting REALLY exciting at Stonewall+ on a number of different fronts. We’ve landed some GREAT new accounts and are doing work for some of the countries leading brands, including Virgin SA, General Motors (Chevrolet, Cadillac, Isuzu, Opel and Hummer), Investec, Pam Golding, Cadbury, Shoprite, Checkers and PriceWaterhouseCoopers to name but a few.

We aim to achieve a number of goals with our work:

1. Produce work of international standard
2. Create exceptional value for our clients
3. Push the boundaries of the medium and experiment with new technologies
4. Have fun doing it.

If you share these values, and you’re keen to join a dynamic, innovative company full of people you can learn from and produce some outstanding work, apply now! Here’s a short rundown of what we’re after:

• Interactive Motion Designer
  Are you an After Effects and Flash junkie who gets off on visual effects and constantly downloads showreels? Do you have an eye for animation and see video as the future of the web? This job is for you. Get in touch! Send a link to your showreel / portfolio as well as your CV to designer[at]stonewall.co.za
• Actionscript Guru
  You’re object-oriented by nature, and you communicate in classes and functions (). You’re not scared of conceptual thinking, and you know what Papervision 3D, Sharikura, and WiiFlash are. Don’t miss this opportunity. Send your CV and work samples to developer[at]stonewall.co.za
• HTML/CSS Programmer (Code Ninja!)
  You’re presentation layer is separate from your content, and you validate when interrogated. What are you waiting for? CV and work samples to developer[at]stonewall.co.za
• Senior Interactive Designer
  Photoshop is your playground and Flash is your friend. You so over the Web 2.0 look, and you eat complex design problems for breakfast. You make the most of every opportunity to create, and your portfolio speaks for itself. Come on - send it on to designer[at]stonewall.co.za
• Production Manager
  You’re a compulsive list-writer and you’re a natural born leader. You understand the web inside and out, and you’re able to bring out the best in people. Send your CV to studioproduction[at]stonewall.co.za

Peaked your interest? Maybe, just maybe this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. Get in touch - what do you have to lose? Oh, and if you know of anyone who fits the above descriptions, we also offer a R5000 referral commission. Go on then!

Fantasy-Interactive (Fi) have just launched their highly anticipated new website. If any of you know Fi, you’ll know they are famous for creating highly engaging Flash portals and microsites. They were also the first company to enter the highly acclaimed FWA Hall of Fame. I must admit - I’m over the moon with the fact that they have opted for a non-Flash website. Here’s an extract from their website regarding the decision to use HTML:

Our sites used to reach out, grab the user, shake them vigorously and scream, “Made by Fantasy Interactive!” Fi was notorious for developing everything and anything in Flash, Today in Fi, you will only find Flash in places it needs to be and fits. Looking back over the past nine years, the average website has matured substantially. Choosing the correct technology is imperative for a company’s goals.

We’re just about to kick off the redesign of stonewall.co.za, and we’re also opting for an HTML-based website, but it’s taken some time to reach this decision. Sure, nothing can beat the fluidity and energy of a Flash website (provided you get it right), but gone are the days of “Flashmania” - Flash for Flash’s sake.

A short while ago, the anti-Flash argument usually went something like this:

Flash websites take ages to load, and search engines cannot read and index their content.

These days, this is totally untrue. If a Flash website is built right, it can be SUPER-fast, and search engines will index their content without any issues. That said, there is still a strong argument against using Flash purely “because we can”. The choice of technology should always be based around the requirements.

If the requirement is the rapid browsing and delivery of content, HTML simply can’t be beaten.

I could seriously talk about Flash vs HTML for hours, but rather than bore you, check out the comment chain on Fi’s blog (Think Swedish) in response to the new website - it’s far more juicy!