Gabriel Celik’s ePortfolio

Attached here I have a link to my final presentation for COMD 4900.

My presentation showcases the journey I’ve had with Pros and Cons Industries and highlights the work I accomplished throughout my tenure.

With the work I presented and the time I invested in this company, I feel confident in both the quality of my contributions and how they were received.

At New York Comic Con 2025, I had the opportunity to get to know the team, help set up the booth, and capture behind-the-scenes content the company had never documented before. I’m especially proud of the short video I created about the team, as it showcases Pros and Cons in a positive light and helps introduce the group to new online viewers.

The Steampunk Batman short I made garnered many views and that shows the viewers were enjoying the content presented.

During the Fallout Scrapyard event, I captured footage of the cosplayers and photographers and organized it into a folder for the company to use in future promotions.

In the past, I have used other artists’ work, but whenever I incorporate someone else’s creation, I always give credit where it’s due. For example, when I design videos, I often draw inspiration from creators I see online and try to emulate certain elements of their style. As a gesture of appreciation, I include their tag in the description so viewers can see the original source of my inspiration.

I’ve also used external assets when I don’t have the resources to create a specific image or concept on my own. Websites like Pixabay and Unsplash host a wide range of assets that artists make available for others to use. In return, all they ask for is proper credit — something I consistently make sure to provide.

After reviewing the Shepard Fairey vs. Associated Press case, I still believe credit should always be applied when it’s due. Despite the “Barack Obama Hope” poster becoming an iconic piece of political and cultural imagery, its success does not override the ethical issue at its core. The problem stemmed from Shepard Fairey failing to credit — and legally acknowledge — the original photographer whose image he used. Even if the work you create is meant to serve a greater purpose or inspire millions, it doesn’t excuse ignoring the rights of the original artist. Good intentions cannot justify committing an infringement.

The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) provides a set of ethical guidelines that designers are encouraged to follow. Straying from these principles can make our work appear untrustworthy or even invalidate it altogether.

At Pros and Cons, as a content creation team specializing in photography, videography, and set design, we take these guidelines seriously. We pride ourselves on producing our own original work and being transparent about how it was created. We would never take someone else’s work and claim it as our own.

In the cosplay community, collaboration is constant, and when multiple artists contribute to a photo or video, we make sure to credit everyone involved in the caption or post whenever possible.

The next project I worked on involved our team organizing a shoot at one of the filming locations for the TV series Fallout. Pros and Cons has a strong connection to the Fallout universe—both the video game and the show—so this was a meaningful project for the company. The set location was Wade Salvage.

Since I didn’t have much prior knowledge about Fallout, the experience felt completely new and exciting. The set was a three-hour drive away, and I took on the responsibility of helping with setup and capturing behind-the-scenes content for the team.

One of the first challenges I faced at Pros and Cons was learning how to use a DJI Osmo Pocket 3. I typically work with a Sony A7 IV, and since the team primarily used GoPros, the Osmo Pocket was a new system for me. I was handed the camera only an hour before the convention, so I spent that time testing settings and experimenting with both the camera and microphones to get a better grasp of how everything worked. Despite the rush, I did my best to build enough comfort and confidence to use it effectively during the event.

The first project I was apart of was setting up for New York Comic Con at the Javitz Center. Even though I was put on the team as a social media guy, I wanted to help in all departments as I could. We have set designers at Pros and Cons and I decided I wanted to learn how to transport and set up their sets.

Once everything was all set up, I decided to start getting content I thought would resonate well on their pages online. My first video I made was a montage of BTS footage of the setup with Fabian, one of the directors of the company, narrating what we were doing at the convention and what to expect.

The second video for the next day, I decided to highlight one of the cosplayers in the team to get recognition from online that could potentially translate to recognition at the convention in hopes of winning the Cosplay Central Crown Championships.

One aspect of Pros and Cons that helped me integrate quickly into the workplace environment was how easygoing the entire team was. Their openness and casual communication style made it simple for me to feel comfortable and adjust to the workflow.

Throughout the internship, I checked in weekly with the professor who arranged my placement, providing updates on the work I was preparing for the company. Most of our meetings were handled through text messages, which created an accessible and efficient communication channel between team members. Because of this, I never felt any hesitation or discomfort when reaching out to anyone on the team.

As the semester progressed, I was added to the company group chat, which became a great way to stay connected with coworkers, share ideas, and keep morale high.

The only time we were required to wear a uniform was during New York Comic Con. For the event, we wore Pros and Cons button-down shirts so we could easily identify each other in the large crowds and stand out from other teams.

As I prepared to take an internship course this semester, I made sure to plan ahead and take the necessary steps to fully put myself out there in hopes of securing an opportunity at a company I was truly passionate about.

My first plan of action was to search online for various internship positions at organizations I believed I would benefit from, such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and NBC. However, the biggest challenge I faced during this process was the large pool of competitive applicants. Since I was only applying online, I had no real way to stand out from other candidates, and I feel that this created a disconnect between my applications and the companies.

After not hearing back from several places, I decided to take a different approach and began asking classmates and professors on campus if they knew of any opportunities. After speaking with a few colleagues, I was directed to a professor who ran a content creation team, Pros and Cons Industries, which focused on cosplay-related media. After meeting with the professor for the first time, I felt confident that I could contribute to his team’s work, so I decided to take on the internship.