Poster Design — Illustrating Film
In conjunction with Putnam School of Film, the task was to design a range of collaterals for an documentary or fiction thesis film which the BA level 3 film students are working on. This process will emulate a real world client-designer scenario where the designer will compete against up to 5 others peers to secure the client. This also allows the client to discuss their requirements directly, which also allow the designers to get a firsthand look at raw footage to gain insights.
Creative Approach & Challenges
Deliverables required for the presentation:
1. 1 x A2 poster
2. 1 x A5 4p.p. Press Kit
3. 1 x DVD packaging (Standard plastic case)
Limitations
The design process began only with analog methods such as illustration, painting, photography, photo-montage or collage that best suits your client’s content and requirements. Only at a much later stage were digital techniques be allowed to use to supplement the design and adapt them into supporting collateral material.
Assigned Film: Block 427
Film stills provided by the client
Genre of film: Dark comedy, murder mystery
Running time: 15 - 20 mins
Synopsis
Kenneth Tsai, a wannabe blog-writer with low self-esteem, happens upon the scene of his neighbour’s murder. He becomes caught up in the crime and the urge to solve it before anyone else could.
Film design
Using Singapore HDB life as an ingredient, with characters who are in social minority groups that illustrate a cinematic vision contrasting the attitudes of genre film. The 15 minutes short film follows the seemingly simple story of a mysterious dead body in a HDB. In doing so however, it generates seriousness with the combination of dark humour as the audiences are led to observe common people caught in extraordinary circumstances.
Outcomes for Illustrating Film
Film Poster
The intention of the film poster was to portray 'Kenneth', the protagonist, standing at the door facing his corridor. It also aims to remind the viewer that the film was about a murder case in the housing estate, hence the puddle of blood in the corridor. The addition of the lights from the opposite blocks as white boxes shown beside the corridor floor, gives the illustration an added visual interest. A font was also chosen to mimic the vernacular typography found around Singapore's housing estates.
DVD Cover
For the dvd cover, the synopsis of the film was included for the reader’s ease of summarising what the film is about. The technical details of the film was also added (e.g. film location, running time, etc). A small illustration was also added as details on the spine of the CD cover to allow for viewers to locate the DVD when placed in shelves .
Press Kit
For the press kit, the interior was designed in a style to reminisce the 1990s era where we have the most vivid memories of housing estate. It was also to retain the geometric patterns in the art direction of film poster.
