EngageMedia is looking for a graphic/web designer to help us design a new user-interface for the http://engagemedia.org website. This is an exciting opportunity to help create a new look and feel for what has become an important regional activist media hub, with thousands of films in our archive.

We want to make the site easier to use, extend our audience reach and reflect our changing identity. We want it to have visual impact, be simple and intuitive to use and give a dynamic, inviting and creative impression.

Required Attributes

• Talent and enthusiasm
• Excellent English and online-communication skills - you will be working with a project manager from Australia, and several programmers based in Greece
• Experienced web designer, prior knowledge of designing for adaptive frameworks for multiple screen-sizes and mobile platforms is a plus

Responsibilities

• Implement HTML & CSS for web, tablet and mobile into Plumi, the free software video web app based on Plone which powers EngageMedia.org. Note that experience with Plone is not necessary.

• Update EngageMedia's identity including developing new graphics and buttons (note our logo will remain the same)
• Contribute to the user experience and interface design

Process

Right now we're looking for expressions of interest from designers. Given our Southeast Asia and Indonesian focus we're particularly interested in designers from this region.

We will form a shortlist of potential designers, and ask each to respond with a concept based on our design brief. After this we'll negotiate on price and contracts.

Please send us the following details by March 16.

• CV / Resume Portfolio / Examples of your work
• Client list
• Website
• Brief statement (in English and under 500 words), why would you like to re-design the EngageMedia.org website?

Email to jobs@engagemedia.org.

Timeline

• Work to begin April 1, with consultation earlier if possible
• 2 full time weeks, April 9-20, working face to face with the project manager
• Expected wrap up first week of May.

About EngageMedia

EngageMedia is a non-profit media, technology and culture organisation. We use the power of video, the internet and free software technologies to create social and environmental change. We believe independent media and free and open technologies are fundamental to building the movements needed to challenge social injustice and environmental damage, as well as to provide and present solutions.

Hi everyone, Seelan Palay here from Singapore (that's me on the right)! In December last year, I started work as the Video Lingua Coordinator for EngageMedia and Universal Subtitles, and this is my first blogpost to share a bit about myself and the work I'm going to be doing as part of the Lingua Project.

For about 9 years now, I've been working as an artist, activist and video maker. And in that time I've mostly done human rights advocacy work for various regional issues, with a focus on Singapore, Malaysia, Burma, and Sri Lanka. During that time I've organised workshops, forums and screenings, made artworks and videos, and partcipated in direct action for civil liberties.

I've been following EngageMedia's work and contributing to the site as well – actually I was one of the first contributors to the site, so it's kind of come full circle that I'm now a member of the EM team! I have to thank the site for being a safe haven for hosting my 2008 documentary, 'One Nation Under Lee', which has been banned from screening and distribution in Singapore.

As EngageMedia's current Video Lingua Coordinator, I'm working to broaden public access and communication on critical human rights and environmental stories from Southeast Asia by developing a regional network of volunteer translators and subtitlers.

All this is made possible with a great new tool called Universal Subtitles, and a sample of how much it can help your causes and videos can be seen in the video 'Love Letter to the Soldier' which is now in 6 regional languages. It's the heartbreaking story of a woman from West Papua told through a video letter, and it gave me a great sense of accomplishment to help tell her story in so many different languages.

If you're already interested in how you can contribute to this exciting new subtitling project in Southeast Asia, check out and join the EM team page right away (that is, before I visit your country and share it with you in a workshop!)

Here's looking forward to a fun and productive year ahead!

Seelan Palay
Lingua Desk

For more information, visit the Lingua Project page or feel free to contact me.

(Looking for Seelan, he's here)

Last night in Petaling Jaya, EngageMedia's Malaysian partner organisation KOMAS launched its now famous FreedomFilmFest for 2012 with the provocative theme “Democracy: Who’s the Boss?”

As Malaysia holds its breath for the announcement of the next general election, the timing is impeccable. A panel of speakers offered a number of perspectives on the theme: Adam Adli from UPSI/Solidariti Mahasiswa Msia; Yusri Ahon from Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Msia; and M. Arumugan from PERMAS. All three were all well prepared and eloquent, but the most interesting comments came from audience members, who were asked to respond to a number of questions about democracy on large sheets of coloured paper. This process revealed the deep frustration of many thinking Malaysians with their democratic system. 'I am the boss,' said one man, 'I pay the politicians' wages!'

All the appropriate dignitaries were at the launch, including his excellency, Vincent Piket, 
Ambassador & Head of Delegation of the European Union to Malaysia, who kept congratulating the organisation 'kompas'. Well, I am sure he has a lot on his mind.

How filmmakers will respond to the theme, we will have to wait and see.

All film makers- aspiring or professional- are invited to send in their film proposals based on this year’s theme. The three best proposals will be awarded RM6000 to produce a film based on their respective proposals.