An unofficial resume

Ben Jaffe -- jaffe.ben@gmail.com

Front-End Developer

HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript

I specialize in Front-End Web Development. In a nutshell, this means I code HTML(5), CSS(3), and JavaScript. I build web pages and web apps that load quickly, feel snappy, and look pretty.

GeekSpeak, KUSP

Radio, Podcasting, Technology, Fun

I cohost GeekSpeak, a weekly talk radio show and podcast about science and technology. The show airs every Saturday at 10:00 AM PST on KUSP, and consists of technology and science news, interviews, and occasional calls from listeners with questions. I cohost the show most weeks. http://geekspeak.org

Instructor

Custom Courses, Onsite Trainings, Consulting

I teach Front-End Web Development for several SF Bay-Area training companies (AcademyX, Digital Media Academy). I also do onsite training for companies that need custom courses in Front-End Web Development or Motion Graphics.

I regularly teach classes with topics such as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, jQuery, and Responsive Web Development. Trainings can be beginning to advanced. I have also taught After Effects, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Logic Pro.

Onsite trainings include Custom Front-End Web Development courses for companies such as Intuit, SAP, and Adobe. I also taught several onsite trainings focusing on motion graphics with Adobe After Effects and Trapcode Particular for Apple's design department.

My goal is to teach so people retain the material, and to inspire confidence, so they can use what they learned in the real world. Custom courses can be tailored to focus on what the customer actually needs, instead of following a more generic curriculum. (I secretly treat all courses as custom courses.)

Clever Developer

Web Development Firm, Custom Solutions

I founded Clever Developer in 2011 to handle a lot of the overflow web development work I was getting. Clever Developer specializes in providing custom front-end solutions, but can also handle projects with back-end and media/graphic design needs.

The team is super talented, and are wonderful people on top of it. http://cleverdeveloper.com

OkCupid Chrome Plugin

Improving Websites, Building Tools, Helping People

This Google Chrome plugin dramatically improves the experience for OkCupid users, and makes the site more useful as well. The plugin is open source, and the code is on GitHub. The plugin page has more information, and links to the Chrome Store and GitHub pages.

Song Tracker for Performers

Musical Organization, Keeping Busy

This project keeps track of songs that a performer would want to cover. The data is stored in a Google Spreadsheet, allowing multiple users to collaboratively update it without conflicts. Sing Here!

Online Training

Screencasts

I have recorded numerous titles for InfiniteSkills, an online software training company. Courses include HTML5, CSS3, and various JavaScript libraries and frameworks. My Author Profile

One Bit Factory

Development Solutions, Talented Friends

One Bit Factory is a web development firm started by my friend, Rick. Rick is a member of the Clever Developer team, and I am a member of the One Bit Factory team. http://onebitfactory.com

Inspiring Youth

Summer Camp, Video Games, Web Design, Photography

Some of the most inspiring work I've done has been at Digital Media Academy, teaching media and technology to youth. I'm always blown away by kids' ability to assimilate information, and to bring imagination and novelty to any project.

Some of the most creative video games were produced by kids in the Video Game Creation course I taught for years. Beautiful photography came out of the photography course, and stories, both artistic and exciting, were realized in the film and special effects courses I taught.

I personally believe that youth education holds the most promise for improving our world. It's imperative that we prioritize good and thorough public and private education for our youth. If the human race stands a chance in the frenzied cosmos we live in, it's our youth.

UFO Videos

Special Effects, Taking Over the World

While teaching Adobe After Effects courses at Digital Media Academy, I needed to create a project that incorporated all of the important elements of compositing, but was exciting for both kids and adults. These UFO videos were the perfect projects for the students during the first few days.

Each of the videos were produced solely from static elements, and include extensive keyframing, AE Expressions, particle generators, advanced masking, proper parenting for camera moves, and video compositing for fire and rubble effects. UFO1, UFO2, UFO3

Music

Inspiration, Horizons, Life

I could never give up music. I love writing, recording, improvising, and properly listening to music. Imagining a world without sound is like imagining a kaleidescope without color, and music plays an integral role in the soundscape of my world.

I sing, play piano, guitar, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, flute, and steering wheel drums. I love and improvise most genres, and when good music collaboration moments happen, there's nothing like it. I also enjoy recording and mixing my own music.

Life Hacking

Square Peg, Thinking Outside of The Box

There's aren't many things as empowering as a pile of rubber bands, paper clips, and thumb tacks. These are the basic materials that I built my world out of at age 10. I'll always be a tinkerer, putting things together in unusual ways to make them work better.

This goes for software, hardware, music, home functionality, and general life hacking. There are few problems that can't be solved with that bag of miscellany, some cardboard, and wires.