The Real-World Way to Build a EPortfolio: OptionR
As if being creative director at a top communications agency, working on brands such as Citizens Bank and Progressive Insurance, is not enough, Dave Register teaches a creative class to aspiring art directors and copywriters. Unlike a traditional college course, this class is designed specifically to help students build their portfolios and learn the best way to present themselves to creative communications agencies. Dave explains, ‘I tell my students to pretend they work for me. ‘I am not your teacher, but your creative director.’ This relationship allows them to mirror experiences that they will have in the real world.”
The insight behind the name came from the class being a wholesale alternative to spending $40,000 a year on marketing theory without learning how to build a creative portfolio. Try hitting the ‘Option’ and ‘R’ keys on your Mac keyboard – you’ll get the “Register” trademark. A little play on the founder’s name.
The classes are taught here at Arnold, and OptionR has matriculated 60 students over the past two years. And get this. Dave’s students’ work swept the Boston Hatch Awards in the student category in 2008 and 2009. Joe Krikava, a former student said ‘OptionR is fast-paced, fun and if you expect to get a significant amount of great work out of it, it’s very demanding. Dave is a very honest creative director and only wants great work, not decent work – a testament to his experience and successes in the industry. He helped me build a book that got me hired as an art director.” Interested in learning more about Dave’s class? Check out his Web site: http://optionrclasses.com