Can we do movie props? Yes
The year is 1942 and you need to shoot a scene where your actor shows their Rations Book at the butchers, but where to get one? Don’t worry, we can create one for you… and make it look like you’ve used it every day for the last 2 years. We can even make the coupons!
While film directors are recognising the importance of the role graphic designers have to play in films, it is still something that maybe a lot of people do not think about while watching a film? Yes, we have seen the faux pas of a plane flying over the head of Maximus Decimus Maridius inside the Colosseum and Gandalf wearing a very nice digital watch (wizards need to know the time too, you know) so our point of view is, NOT noticing graphic content in the background of a film is something that is always trying to be achieved.
The King’s Speech released in 2011 and directed by Tom Hooper is an example where there is lots graphical content; in which 95% of it may go un-noticed but are all pivotal to creating the realism of feeling a film set during WWII created in 2011.
The green elocution and pronunciation book handed to Colin Firth to read while he visits Geoffrey Rush needs to feel of its time. It needs the worn edges and the water stained cover to keep the story ‘real’ and feeling authentic. Research needs to go into what typefaces were popular during that period, how the language is used and what products were able to be advertised of that time. We as graphic designers relish this challenge and take no better pride than seeing that letter from Buckingham Palace appearing in scene after without the audience really noticing it.
But it doesn’t just have to be small printed ephemera. It can be BOVRIl posters on the sides of buildings, bus advertisements, shop fascias, packaging and more. You all remember the look of a WONKA bar, or the Jurassic Park identity. Think of the Harry Potter wanted poster or the poster as you enter Amity in the film Jaws.
Informer
Informer
Client: All3media
Type: Pre-Sales
We were approached to create the key art for a brand new series, Informer.
A gritty, urban drama, the series follows a young, second generation Pakistani man, living in East London who is coerced to go under cover for a counter-terrorism officer.
We were provided no imagery or cast shots and had to source this all ourselves.
We knew we had to have some kind of cityscape or depiction of London to set the scene. As with all pre-sales key art we have to ensure not to use faces of models.
The first concepts created were gritty, dangerous and suggestive of sinister behaviour. However, it was felt that they weren’t right for the show as the protagonist was being depicted as a gangster rather than a normal kid that gets mixed up in this world.
The final artwork mixed London landscape and urban shots. The striped filter was used to suggest cctv footage and a feeling of being watched. The artwork was used for the cover of a pre-sales brochure at Mipcom 2017.
Dr Zhivago
Dr Zhivago
Client: DRG
Type: Pre Sale
We created two brochures to showcase a new series concept for Dr. Zhivago. One very traditional feeling brochure using powerful imagery to immerse the readers into the show; but also one that was ‘contemporary, left-field and edgy’ to show the series wasn’t another ‘typical period drama’.
We combined landscapes with key characters to create dramatic visuals that represented the producers vision.
Save me
Save me
Client: Sky Vision
Type: Pre-Sales
This pre-production brochure was created to help promote Sky Atlantic’s new drama, Save Me; based around a father searching for his missing daughter. The design of the synopsis and character pages reflects the collection and piecing together of evidence to find out the full truth.
White Dragon
White Dragon
Client: All3media
Type: Pre-Sales
Design pre-sale key art for White Dragon, a new thriller series set in Hong Kong. Gritty and edgy, the series has many twists and turns and includes politics, rape, triad/gangs and family values.
The key art visualises the dead protagonist upside down. Her hair creates the shape of a dragon suggesting her death may be linked to what this symbolises. The stark black and white image creates intrigue and sophistication.
Sky Vision Catalogues MIPTV
Sky Vision Catalogues MIPTV
Client: Sky Vision
Type: Pre-Sales
These catalogues are created to showcase Sky Vision’s new and existing programmes and formats in order to strike distribution and co-production deals. Twice a year the leading global TV and digital content market is held in Cannes, France and these books are one of the main tools for the sales team.
Clara Vine
Clara Vine
Client: DRG
Type: Pre-Sales
We were asked to create a pre-sales brochure for a thriller series, based on the novel by Jane Thynne. The story is based around a British actress-turned-spy who unwittingly finds herself integrated into the wives of the Nazi elite.
We had no prior key-art or official imagery so everything needed to be sourced and created from scratch. We decided to create the brochure as a WWII style ‘top secret’ document, but also combed this with Art Deco elements to set the scene.
