Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

"Can you summon an army of spiders?"

Hi World,

  I like the play with the angles in this poster. Usually the horizon line is...well...horizontal. But with this poster it is changed up a bit, and it works. What also works very well for this poster is the simplicity of the design. It is no secret how I feel about simple design, and this poster goes to show that something does not need to be cluttered and complicated to be successful. Unfortunately, this was just a promo poster and not the official. Marvel has gotten into a slump with their poster game. Here is the official poster released for Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017):

   I don't understand the concept of floating heads and partial humans. It is a cluttered mess. The first poster that I shared was simple and eye catching. My eye doesn't know what to do with this poster. Simplicity is the key to a great poster. Why over-complicate? It is time to break the curse of the floating heads!

Here are a few other Marvel posters that suffer from the same curse: 

  Marvel has truly brought a universe to life with perfect writing, acting, and directing. I can see that the curse of the floating heads has become a staple for their poster design, and I am disappointed. I understand unity in branding, but it is time to break away from the floating heads and bring out the masterpieces I know they can produce.

Until Next Time,

P

7 Elements

Hi World,

  1. Attention
  2. Iconography
  3. Interest
  4. Appeal
  5. Style
  6. Lasting Appeal
  7. Recognizability

  What makes a movie poster successful? These seven elements were mentioned in a blog post that I read recently by Webdesigner Depot. I would have to say that the most important of the seven is a movie posters lasting appeal. When a poster is easily recognized and remembered decades after it's release...then we can safely assume that it includes each of the seven elements on the list and more.

  Below is an example of element #3...Interest. If an audience isn't interested in the poster, why would they see the movie? Check the link above, and learn a bit about these seven elements that make a great movie poster!

Until Next Time,

P

Andrew Sebastian Kwan

Hi World,

  I didn't post over Thanksgiving, so I am going to give you three posts this week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Monday, I reviewed the movie Arrival (2016). I am not a fan of the official poster that was released, and I found an alternative poster that served the movie better. As I was researching alternative designs, I came across an artist, Andrew Sebastian Kwan.

  I really enjoy his take on remaking movie posters. He brings an interesting style to the table: polaroid. I have included two of his designs of movies posters that I have already reviewed. Let me know what you think of his designs in the comments!

Until Next Time,

P

Arrival (2016)

"If you could see your whole life from start to finish, would you change things?"

Hi World,

  I am a sucker for a good alien movie, but I was a little set back by the design of this poster. This is my least favorite poster that I have come across in awhile. The floating heads have been quite a trend in the world of movie posters...and that trend needs to end. There is nothing creative about plopping in a few floating heads or bodies without any thought. There are a bunch of little pieces thrown together that do not get viewers excited about the movie.

  I have no clue how the designer of this poster left the biggest part of this movie hidden in the chaos. The ship! It is a unique shape that is unlike the "typical" UFO. Why wasn't this used as the center of attention in a movie...about an alien invasion?

  I found another version of this poster that is much more successful than the official poster that was released. This poster makes me curious. What is that thing? The text "Why are they here?" indicates some kind of alien, and I am excited to see this movie. In my opinion, the text should read "Why wasn't I the official poster?"

Until Next Time,

P

Drive (2011)

"My partner is a belligerent asshole with his back up against a wall, and now, so am I."

Hi World,

  I came across this poster while doing a little googling, and I fell in love. I just had to see this movie. If the movie is half as good as the poster design, then it is going to be great. 

  A great movie poster will draw in viewers without any prior knowledge about it. That is exactly what this poster did, and the movie was fantastic to back it up. I could say a million things about what made the movie itself a success, but I'll just leave it at, "you really need to watch it."

  There are a lot of things that make this poster a success: the dimensionality, the text, the color scheme, the focus, the simplicity, and so on. The most successful piece of this design is the creation of 2-demensional planes. I love when artist play with the dimensionality of a typically flat design. There is a great sense of depth that is created by the interaction with Gosling and the text. It draws you deeper into the poster starting with his character, to the text, and through the car into the city.

  Here is the movie trailer if you are interested!

Until Next Time,

P

Evolution of Great Movie Posters

Hi World,

  I recently read a really great article about the evolution of great movie posters from the 1950's to the 2000's. Each decade has a great recap or summary of the time period and influential styles that shaped the movie posters. Check it out!

1950's Poster

2000's Poster

Until Next Time,

P

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

"So much has happened since I last saw you! I lost my hammer, like yesterday, so that's still fresh. Then I went on a journey of self-discovery. Then I met you."

Hi World,

  The Thor: Ragnarok (2017) poster has the design world swooning. Another blogger quotes that it is a "psychedelic Photoshopped masterpiece," and I agree. So, let's talk a bit about the psychedelic art movement. The movement took place from 1960-1975. The style is described as being influenced by hallucinogenic drugs, often LSD, using intense colors and curvy typography. This movement uses much of the same techniques, especially the typography, as the Art Nouveau movement (1880-1910). They psychedelic movement influenced much of life in the late 60's and 70's. Music, art, and pop culture saw changes. Here are a few examples of psychedelic art.

  I would also like to talk about the successful use of imagery in the poster. The way the characters are positioned and stacked reminds me of nesting dolls. Starting with the huge Hulk, the characters become slightly smaller down the line. It is clear that these shots were taken with purpose for this design. Movie posters often struggle when minimal thought is put into the images used. When a "good enough" images is used in a poster...it is obvious. The same is true when a well thought out image is used. All in all, this is a beautiful design, and I am very excited to see the film.

Until Next Time,

P