How do you build a portfolio when you've never built one before? How do you show off your work? How do you choose the projects that define you as a person, as a professional? What is the narrative that these works create? What do they have in common?
I'd like to say that this struggle has been going on for ages but let's be honest here: it only began six weeks ago when my first portfolio class began in the New Media program at BCIT.
Up until now, I've rarely shared any of my creative works, and now I need to come up with a minimum of six to show off; and ones that have a specific message or theme that conveys something about me that will help people know me. This is a big ask for someone who has a tough time sharing things online at the best of times.
I'm used to internet anonymity. Until recently, all of my email accounts, let alone any accounts on burgeoning (or established) online social networks, were all under pseudonyms or names fictional characters. My fist email address had my first name but some other letters that kept people guessing as to their meaning (I was consistently inconsistent, always changing it up). Other usernames are taken from characters from my favourite books or plays, almost as if I did not want to be found.
And here I am now, slowly changing some (but not all) of these accounts to be associated with a real person. A real person who needs to show who he is, and what he's capable of creating or accomplishing for a future employer. This is a scary thing to have to do, particularly as someone so accustomed to disguising his identity and historically fearful of having his work judged by others.
I guess I have to start somewhere....
