Hillman Curtis
Encyclopedia
David Hillman Curtis is an American new media
designer, author, and filmmaker. Curtis is the Principal and Chief Creative Officer of hillmancurtis.com, inc., a digital design and film production firm in New York City
. Previously, he was design director for Macromedia
. He has published four books on new media design which have sold over 150 thousand copies and been translated into 14 languages.
Curtis was listed by the Internet Professional Publisher Association in its DesignerONE awards for 2001-2002 as one of the top ten web designers.http://www.ippa.org/d1/awd1.html He has designed sites for Yahoo, Adobe Systems
, Metropolitan Opera
and others .http://www.dexigner.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5765. Canoë
magazine called him le pape du Flash (the Pope
of Flash) in 2000.http://www2.canoe.com/techno/nouvelles/archives/2000/03/20000323-170431.html Glide magazine labels him the "Michael Jordan
of web design".http://www.glidemagazine.com/articles7.html
Hillman was nominated for the Copper Hewlett National Design Award in 2009.
As a filmmaker he first gained notoriety with his online "Artist Series" — short documentaries on designers/artists including Milton Glaser
, Paula Scher
, David Carson
, Stefan Sagmeister
, James Victore
, Pentagram Design Group, and the filmmaker Mark Romanek
. He also has made several short dramatic films and has filmed national commercials for IBM and Blackberry, as well as commercial web content for Sprint, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, SVA, Rolling Stone and many others.
In 2008, Curtis made a short documentary for the David Byrne
and Brian Eno
album Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
and later directed the feature length documentary Ride, Rise, Roar
which chronicled the Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno Tour
. Ride Rise Roar opened at South by Southwest to positive reviews, premiered on 50 screens in the UK and is currently awaiting completion of a domestic distribution deal stateside.
Curtis first came to prominence as one of the principal songwriters and bassists for the new wave group "Mrs. Green", which was formed while Curtis was attending San Francisco State University. The group recorded one album and toured the U.K. They toured briefly with the New Zealand band The Chills. Later Curtis split off from the band and formed the Greenthings and landed a lucrative contract from MCA records, which unfortunately resulted in a failed record, forever to be shelved in the vast basement of MCA in Los Angeles.
He currently is at work on new features and commercials from his studio in Brooklyn, NY.
With this Curtis stopped pursuing music and turned to digital design, eventually landing in the Art Director role at Macromedia which developed Flash as well as other software. He left in 1997 to start hillmancurtis, Inc a design firm in Downtown New York City.
He still runs hillmancurtis, Inc, though it is much more a film production studio from his studio in Brooklyn, NY.
He currently resides with his wife and two children in Brooklyn, NY.
New media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
designer, author, and filmmaker. Curtis is the Principal and Chief Creative Officer of hillmancurtis.com, inc., a digital design and film production firm in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Previously, he was design director for Macromedia
Macromedia
Macromedia was an American graphics and web development software company headquartered in San Francisco, California that produced such products as Flash and Dreamweaver. Its rival, Adobe Systems, acquired Macromedia on December 3, 2005 and controls the line of Macromedia...
. He has published four books on new media design which have sold over 150 thousand copies and been translated into 14 languages.
Curtis was listed by the Internet Professional Publisher Association in its DesignerONE awards for 2001-2002 as one of the top ten web designers.http://www.ippa.org/d1/awd1.html He has designed sites for Yahoo, Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States...
, Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
and others .http://www.dexigner.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5765. Canoë
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
magazine called him le pape du Flash (the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
of Flash) in 2000.http://www2.canoe.com/techno/nouvelles/archives/2000/03/20000323-170431.html Glide magazine labels him the "Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
of web design".http://www.glidemagazine.com/articles7.html
Hillman was nominated for the Copper Hewlett National Design Award in 2009.
As a filmmaker he first gained notoriety with his online "Artist Series" — short documentaries on designers/artists including Milton Glaser
Milton Glaser
Milton Glaser is a graphic designer, best known for the I Love New York logo, his "Bob Dylan" poster, the "DC bullet" logo used by DC Comics from 1977 to 2005, and the "Brooklyn Brewery" logo. He also founded New York Magazine with Clay Felker in 1968.-Biography:Glaser was born into a Hungarian...
, Paula Scher
Paula Scher
Paula Scher, born October 6, 1948, in Washington, DC., is an American graphic designer, illustrator, painter and art educator in design, and the first female principal at Pentagram, which she joined in 1991...
, David Carson
David Carson (graphic designer)
David Carson is an American graphic designer. He is best known for his innovative magazine design, and use of experimental typography. He was the art director for the magazine Ray Gun. Carson was perhaps the most influential graphic designer of the 1990s...
, Stefan Sagmeister
Stefan Sagmeister
Stefan Sagmeister is a New York-based graphic designer and typographer. He has his own design firm—Sagmeister Inc.—in New York City. He has designed album covers for Lou Reed, OK Go, The Rolling Stones, David Byrne, Aerosmith and Pat Metheny.-Biography:Sagmeister studied graphic design at the...
, James Victore
James Victore
James Victore is an artist and designer .He attended the School of Visual Arts in New York, but never graduated.His work has been shown at major art institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York....
, Pentagram Design Group, and the filmmaker Mark Romanek
Mark Romanek
Mark Romanek is an American filmmaker, whose directing work includes feature films, music videos and commercials.He wrote and directed the critically acclaimed 2002 film One Hour Photo starring Robin Williams...
. He also has made several short dramatic films and has filmed national commercials for IBM and Blackberry, as well as commercial web content for Sprint, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, SVA, Rolling Stone and many others.
In 2008, Curtis made a short documentary for the David Byrne
David Byrne
David Byrne may refer to:*David Byrne , musician and former Talking Heads frontman**David Byrne , his eponymous album*David Byrne , Irish footballer*David Byrne , English footballer...
and Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
album Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today is the second album made in collaboration between David Byrne and Brian Eno, released on August 18, 2008, by Todo Mundo. The album explores themes of humanity versus technology and optimism in spite of bleak circumstance through the blending of electronic...
and later directed the feature length documentary Ride, Rise, Roar
Ride, Rise, Roar
Ride, Rise, Roar is a documentary film chronicling the Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno Tour conducted by David Byrne in 2008–2009. The film includes concert footage, footage of the planning and rehearsals for the tour, and exclusive interviews with Byrne, Eno, and the supporting musicians and...
which chronicled the Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno Tour
Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno Tour
The Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno Tour is a 2008–2009 promotional concert tour of music co-written by David Byrne and Brian Eno with performances by Byrne...
. Ride Rise Roar opened at South by Southwest to positive reviews, premiered on 50 screens in the UK and is currently awaiting completion of a domestic distribution deal stateside.
Curtis first came to prominence as one of the principal songwriters and bassists for the new wave group "Mrs. Green", which was formed while Curtis was attending San Francisco State University. The group recorded one album and toured the U.K. They toured briefly with the New Zealand band The Chills. Later Curtis split off from the band and formed the Greenthings and landed a lucrative contract from MCA records, which unfortunately resulted in a failed record, forever to be shelved in the vast basement of MCA in Los Angeles.
He currently is at work on new features and commercials from his studio in Brooklyn, NY.
With this Curtis stopped pursuing music and turned to digital design, eventually landing in the Art Director role at Macromedia which developed Flash as well as other software. He left in 1997 to start hillmancurtis, Inc a design firm in Downtown New York City.
He still runs hillmancurtis, Inc, though it is much more a film production studio from his studio in Brooklyn, NY.
He currently resides with his wife and two children in Brooklyn, NY.