Jurassic Park (1993)

"God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs."

"Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth."

Hi World,

  I decided to do a little research on this iconic design before I sat down to write today. I found a really great resource that tells the story behind the design of the Jurassic Park logo. (The Making of 7 Iconic Movie Posters) The logo used for the poster includes the original dinosaur skeleton that was used on the cover of Michael Crichton's novel, Jurassic Park. Pretty cool!

  Getting back to the poster...I wanted to talk a bit about the color palette of the poster today. Red is a statement color. Just think about bright red lipstick...statement. Putting red behind the skeleton gives this logo the punch it needs to stand out. Red also screams danger. Immediately, viewers are going to realize that these long-extinct dinosaurs are going to cause some serious problems. The use of color is such a powerful tool. It can be used to create so much emotion and depth in a very simple way. If the yellow, instead of the red, had been used behind the skeleton, it would have had a lighter, less dramatic feel to the composition. The danger would not have been as present. Yellow is a happy color that is a great compliment to the aggressive red that is covering a majority of this poster. The use of yellow, bordering the logo was a very smart design choice. If white had been used, it would have clashed and distracted from the text. With the text being the only white aspect of this design it really stands out. Viewers will see the beautiful, saturated logo, and then look to the text to decipher the meaning behind it all. This is truly an iconic poster. The use of color is one of the many reasons it is a great design.

Until Next Time,

P

PS...I have included a link to a Ted Talk by Chip Kidd, the designer behind the iconic T-Rex skeleton. He talks a bit about his process with this specific design.

Superman (1978)

"Really, Lois, supposing that man had shot you? Is it worth risking your life over ten dollars, two credit cards, a hairbrush, and a lipstick?"

Hi World,

  Simplicity. It is something that I have touched on before. Of the other movie posters that I have already written about, this poster best exemplifies the use of simplicity.  There are no characters clearly present in the poster design. It is implied that the primary colors of Superman's suit and cape are moving faster than the eye can see leaving us with only a blur flying through the clouds. This poster leaves us with little to no knowledge about the film itself...other than the statement that "you'll believe a man can fly."

  Looking at this poster, I can see many similarities between its design and that of the Art Deco movement. Typically, this style creates an image that's sole purpose is to provide viewers with something interesting to look at. At first glance, this is a piece of art without purpose, but when viewers read "you'll believe a man can fly," there is clearly a deeper meaning to the poster. It leaves viewers with a sense of mystery and something definitely larger than life. Something is flying through the clouds, is it a bird? a plane? it's Superman. My favorite trademark from this movement is the way light is depicted in a stylized ray, much like the ray created by Superman flying through the clouds.

  Here are a few images to help show my connection between this poster and the Art Deco movement. (I have also included a remake of a movie poster for Superman 1978 that is directly created in the Art Deco style).

Until Next Time,

P

             

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

"It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage."

Hi World,

  Today I am going to talk a bit about my first love, and the inspiration for the name of my blog, Raiders of the Lost Ark. This is one of my favorite movies and movie posters of all time. Let's start by talking a bit about the creation of two-dimensional planes that represent key points in the film. There is so much depth created using this illustrated style. As I search the background, I am first drawn into the sphere in the center. This, of course, parallels the iconic scene as Indy is running to escape the giant boulder booby-trap to make it out with the Golden Idol in the beginning of the movie. Moving forward through the scene, we meet a beautiful border that highlights major characters from the film. On the lower left of the border, the iconic duo, Indy and Marian, is tied to a post avoiding the doom and destruction that follows the opening of the Ark. In the foreground, we have Indy and the lost Ark of the Covenant. The hero and the dark power are front and center in this design, just as it should be.

  The creation of this poster was clearly influenced by Art Nouveau (1890-1914). Detailed framework and a sexualized central figure and a detailed border is very iconic and recognizable to this style. A long and sexualized central figure, usually female, is often portrayed in this particular style. It is fitting that the central figure, in this poster, be none other than the great Indiana Jones himself. Usually, the women were depicted in long flowing garments. Indy may not exactly meet that definition, but it is clear that he is the intended focal point and his character is being sexualized. Art Nouveau is a style that I am constantly reflecting on and using for inspiration in my personal artwork. It was immediately clear to me where the inspiration from this poster derived from.

  All great movie posters have one thing in common...they are iconic. Even if the title of the movie had been removed from this poster, there would be no question in my mind what movie was being promoted. Indiana Jones is so well known and well depicted, in his fedora and whip, that it would be nearly impossible to misidentify the movie. There is only one aspect of this poster that is more iconic that the infamous character...the font. Generally, I do not like the use of gradients, but this typeface is one of the most recognizable fonts in existence. If any similar font comes into view, I immediately connect with Indiana Jones. That is good branding.

  There are many reasons why I love Raiders of the Lost Ark. The branding and artwork will continue to stand the test of time. This film is almost 15 years older than I am, but I still find myself coming back to this image, style, and design for inspiration. Throughout my career I will strive to create a lasting composition that well become as Iconic and the Indiana Jones series.

Until Next Time,

P

Star Trek (2009)

"Beam me up, Scotty."

Hi World,

  I am going to dive head first into this. First, let's talk a bit about the poster. The use of a monochromatic color palette is very successful. I am a big believer in simplicity and simplifying when possible. Sticking with a monochromatic color palette makes this image easier to look at and easier to take in. It is rare to find a successful movie poster that is cluttered and over complicated. The purpose of a movie poster is to attract viewers. If something is over complicated and hard to decipher, viewers quickly move onto the next option.

  Another successful aspect of this poster is the three distinct images that represent the hierarchy of the film. 

1. The three main characters who the film/series follows. 

2. The current danger. 

And 3. The interior battle that Kirk has to overcome (his rebellious nature). 

  The inclusion of Kirk on a motorcycle brings the poster full circle with the movie. In the beginning of the movie, we see Kirk struggling to find a purpose. Aggression, sarcasm, and arrogance are swarming the character, preventing him from living up to the Captain Kirk we have grown to know throughout the former series. Time travel has presented a new path for the Captain of the USS Enterprise. We are able to see the classic character grow into and evolve to become a powerful leader who will 'boldly go where no man has gone before.'

  Now, let's move onto the font choice. It is nice to see that a new font was developed for this film. It is not the same as any that have been used for the original series. The nature of Star Trek is its advanced, futuristic theme. The font is bold and almost alien, just like the movie. The use of a sharp, san serif font was a clever choice. A few fonts have been used to promote the former series, but this presents a more futuristic aspect that the others had been lacking. The sharp points in the letters, and the fact that they all have the same X height, is what gives us a futuristic, heigh tech feel to the overall font.

  The only issue that I have with the composition of the poster is the battle scene in the middle. The tones seem to get lost in translation. I am having a hard time figuring out what is happening. The clearest indicator that it could be a battle scene is the minor additions of warmer tones. If those had been left out, the entire sense of danger would have been missed. I have come across this poster many times, but I am just now realizing what this image is depicting. An image that is slightly more in focus may have offered some more clarity to the overall image.

  All in all, this is a successful design that captures the essence of the film. The use of a hierarchy is the structure of the poster what the most successful design element used. With only minor confusion in the battle scene, this is a wonderful representation of one of my personal favorites: Star Trek (2009).

Until Next Time,

P

A Little About Me

Hi World,

I am currently in my senior year at Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, WI. I am an artist, graphic designer, illustrator, writer, and quite a bit more, but that's enough for now. Looking for a way to combine my love for design and writing has presented many possibilities in the workforce, but I am looking for a place to combine them without restriction. So...I present to you...my blog.

Here I will talk about movies and design (my two favorite things). I have always been intrigued by movies and movie posters. What makes them successful and unsuccessful? Why do I want to see certain movies over others based on the official posters?  I want to use my training as a designer to compare the promotion of movies to the movies themselves. My goal is to look at them from the perspective as a designer and figure out what went right and what went wrong in the promotion design.

Until Next Time,

P