Evolution of a Movie Poster

I think most people don’t really get to see the process and changes that go into the design and implementation of promoting an indie film.  I think that anyone who’s interested in design, promotion, and branding needs to see how different elements in the design of a poster can be effective or ineffective in the film’s image and success.

Though I’m not officially a designer, I’d like to think that I have some pretty good visual ideas, and a DIY drive that is essentially  having to  learn enough about something to get away with – what I’ve always needed to do at the time.

Believe it or not, there were five different Poster designs for PRAXIS.  So, I thought it would be interesting to show the evolution of the different posters for PRAXIS that were designed at various stages in the film’s life.

Initial film title logo:

This was one of the first things I came up with.  I think that having a strong title is the first and most important thing to think about when coming up with a concept, and since one of the themes of the film is prescription drug addiction, using a font that is similar to this was the way to go.  Having a strong title and logo can also define a specific direction for the themes represented in the film.  So, I do feel that coming up with a strong title and logo is something that filmmakers should pay really close attention to.

The first poster:

This was the first poster used to promote the film.  Initially, it was hard to tell what direction the marketing for the film was going to go.  So, my initial thoughts was to keep the design of the poster simple, and I also liked the way that Joe was directly behind Brian, foreshadowing who/what his character was in the film.  After a few months and some honest feedback, it turned out that this poster wasn’t as effective, since the blurring lines behind them made PRAXIS look like an action film.

The Second Poster:

After the first initial festival screenings and audience reactions, I decide to market the film in two different directions: one that would appeal to a gay crowd, and one that would appeal to an art-house crowd.  This poster was much more thoughtful, symbolic, and dreamlike, and was based on a painting by Rene Magritte.  By having Brian sleeping at the bottom of the poster, it implies that whatever is above him is what he’s dreaming about.  A really good visual design concept is: the juxtaposition of two very different images creates a specific correlation of those images and their meanings.   This poster also incorporates the sci-fi elements that are another theme in the film, but is designed to appeal directly to a Gay audience.

The Third Poster:

After a wonderful film festival run, this poster was designed mainly to appeal to an Art-House crowd.  It also implies the dueling personalities of the main two characters in the film, but has a cleaner and more polished look  than the previous poster design.  It was also meant to highlight the many accolades that the film achieved through it’s festival run.

The Fourth Poster:

This poster was designed as a different DVD cover design for the film, mostly to showcase the fantastic and magical realism element.  Despite the many themes represented in the film, the film is mainly about Brian’s journey to finding himself, unifying his identity, and discovering his place in the universe.  So this design implies a sort of skygazer existentialism, with a not so subtle implication that Brian could be ‘spiritual’ or ‘angelic’.

The Final Poster Design:

This was the final poster / DVD design for the release of the film that Ariztical Entertainment came up with.  They actually sent me five different versions, before eventually deciding to go with this design.  During the distribution process, I sent them as much art work with the film that I had, but was entirely open to any ideas that they had that would best market the film in the best way.  I do like that they incorporated the strongest images and elements of the film in this design, but I also think that this is the best and strongest design of all the poster ideas for PRAXIS.

It’s interesting to look at all the different poster/image design ideas that evolved during the process of making and promoting the film.  I hope that looking at this progression will help other filmmakers out there give more thought into the marketing, design, and promotion of their own films.

xo,

-al

Anything Is Possible

Okay, here it is.  Finally.  After a very  long and dirty road:  The Official DVD Image of PRAXIS for the US DVD release in January 2010 from Ariztical Entertainment.  Pretty cool, eh?

What’s really cool is that the image was created by the Publicity and Advertising department of the distributor, and not by myself.  So, it’s incredibly validating to have people working for the film to help promote it and get it out there.  I also think that they did a fantastic job.  so kudos to Ariztical.

Over the past few months, I’ve been reminded about some little tid-bits of interesting and/or funny film related stories that have happened along the way.  I figured I’d try to mention a couple of them over the next few posts:

- People only want something, if someone else picks it up first.  I was forewarned that the contract negotiations would take about four months, and they, in fact, did.  but the end result was that we came to an agreement that both sides were cool with, and the film is moving forward in the process of distribution.  after the contracts were all set, an international sales agent recently inquired about the foreign sales rights, and if they were available.  Our current distributor already has established relations with certain foreign sales companies, and that was included in the contract, simply because a few months ago, they were the only ones interested.  Only after the distro company was all set were other companies coming forward to show interest in the film (having heard that the original distributor was releasing it).  funny how that works…

- anything is possible.  this has become my new mantra.  years ago, when i first set out to make my first feature, i had no idea what a rollercoaster ride it would be.  but the end result, having gone through the entire process, anything is possible, as long as you stick to your guns and are willing to stay with your project to the bitter end.  success comes to those who are willing to work their ass off for it.

So, yeah, the film is finally getting distribution.  who knew? 

Encounters at the End of the World

Encounters at the End of the World

So the other day, I got a chance to check out the new Werner Herzog documentary, ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD, about his trip to Antarctica, and his incredible underwater footage and all.  Though the documentary involves alot of different things, there was one side story that really intrigued me: it was about a strange behavior amoung adele penguins where occasionally, an individual penguin would run away from the rest of the pack, completely on its own, and run for the mountains and hills far beyond the safety of the pack,  and ultimately to its own solitary doom.  The scientists who observed this strange behavior have no idea why certain penguins do this, and they can offer no explaination.  As Werner was shooting this documentary, they also ended up filming a single solitary penguin doing just this – suddenly running away from the community, separating itself from the only world that it knew, and it made a b-line straight for the mountains way off in the distance, never to return.

I find this behavior beautiful, facinating, and really intriguing.  If we could only hear and understand what this individual penguin might be thinking or feeling.  It probably knows that it’s going to die out there on it’s own.  But for that brief moment, it’s running to pursue it’s dream, a far off place, away from everyone, somewhere its never ever been before.   For that brief moment, the penguin is truly living its life for itself, and its truly an individual, only a short time before its inevitable frozen death, on the coldest place on the planet.

I find myself sometimes feeling somewhat the same way, growing tired and bored of the mundane everyday life and an urge to do ‘something crazy’  like run away to some endless point, to experience a little bit of excitment of life, even for a brief moment in time.

Some people might say that this penguin is crazy.  I’d say that the penguin is pursuing its dream.  Some people say filmmaking is crazy.  Some might say its crazy to equate your life to a penguin.  I say it’s okay to act like a penguin that is living its life on its own, and pursuing its dreams.

Helpless

The lyrics to one of my most favorite songs:

Another time, time after time
You make me feel so helpless I
Never tried to change your mind
I keep it to myself it’s

Sometimes I’ve got to tell you
Is it this time I’ll tell you?
We’ve got to go to places
Somewhere I don’t mind it’s special

And now you find as time goes by
You’re left with nothing meaning much
The meaning I will have to try
To take your mind to places

I wish that I could help you
But you seem less than helpless
I always tried to tell you
Someday that it’d seem so special

Time after time what’s on your mind
You make me feel so helpless I
You never tried what’s on your mind
You make me feel so helpless I
I feel so helpless I

You’re left alone with something
And I hope for you it’s one thing
That something you and yours can
hold and hold as something special

And now you find as time goes by
You’re left with nothing meaning much
The meaning I will have to try
What’s on your mind so helpless I
I feel so helpless I

Feel so helpless I, feel so helpless I
Feel so helpless

Dogtown and Z-Boyz Quote

Loneliness, insecurity, and constant self-doubt are always in play, banging  on the inside of my head.  I’ve learned they are just part of the process, very similar to sneezing.

Listen more than you talk.  Read many books.  Stay in touch with nature by doing something active with nature.

Years ago I realized I would never be allowed in the front door.  So my philosophy became: I will make my dream happen knowing
I have to gain entry some other way – usually the back way, through the alley, the basement, over the fence – all the places no one is looking.

When I started Powell-Peralta, That was the first time I was able to do things the way that I wanted.  Since then, I have always made my living doing what I want to do.

- Stacy Peralta, Director of Dogtown and Z-boys

telegraph melts

As any filmmaker will tell you, you need to have new projects that challenge your skills at production, editing, and everything else that goes along with the art of filmmaking.  One of my current projects is putting together a music video for a band called Telegraph Melts, and a song called The Septembrist.  It’s a beautiful song, and about a month ago, i shot some footage with my friend mike, who is a professional ballroom dancer.

My approach to this particular project has been more free form and less structured: when i was back in film school, most of my first projects were either shot on super 8 or on b/w 16mm with a bolex, and i would basically try to shoot a lot of really cool shots and attempt to edit them into something that was cohesive.  this video has been a lot of that, and it’s mainly reminded me of how much fun it is to go out and shoot stuff.  fortunately, this project has been a lot more challenging on the editing side.  i’ve got a lot of effects shots, and it’s forcing me to use a lot of the new tools that are a lot more easy to do nowadays.  tho, the only drawback is that it takes a really long time to put together not a whole lot of footage.  for example, i just spent the better part of 8hrs putting together 10 seconds worth of footage.  Seriously, it takes that long.  but i’m very pleased with the end result, and i’m trying to remain optimistic.  The video will be finished soon.  as long as i can remain focused on it, and set aside time each day to editing it.

As for PRAXIS, there are a couple more fests coming up, and a ton of work to do with each one.  The soundtrack CD has been completed, and we’ll soon have it on itunes and amazon and all that kind of cool stuff.  PRAXIS will most likely be available for distribution with an on-line company that works closely with New Filmmakers and Anthology Film Archives.

But for now, I feel like i have a ton on my plate, and i simply need to complete each task one at a time.

So, it’s back to work for me… 

PRAXIS poster ideas

for the past couple of days, i’ve been developing different ideas for the movie poster. i’d like to think that i have a pretty good working knowledge of both photoshop and illustrator, so being able to come up with new ideas to promote the film is both challenging and incredibly stimulating to the creative side of me. one of my good friends commented that the current movie poster makes the film look more like an action movie versus an art-film. so, i’m developing different ideas for something that may be more in tune with the kind of movie that PRAXIS is. i’ve come up with about three different ones, and i’d like to come up with at least one more. the plan is to show different people, particularly those who know nothing about the movie, and to get their opinions on whether they would be interested in seeing the film, solely based on the movie poster. it’s basically market research, and trying to appeal to the art-house crowd. another friend of mine who works for a design firm is also going to help me out with this project. tho, he said to me that it would be incredibly hard to represent the film in a single image, since the film is so visual and complex. i don’t think that the poster has to be the single representation of PRAXIS, but mainly one that would peak enough interest into coming to see the film. so for now, i’m enjoying the process.

i’m also working on two different scripts at the same time. i know that this is kind of odd, the whole multi-tasking and all. but fortunately, both scripts are ideas that i’ve been working on for quite some time, and they’re both completely different from each other, in style and genre and the lot. i noticed that there is a Film Independent Screenwriting deadline in April, so i plan on using this deadline as motivation to get at least one of the scripts done. i don’t know what my chances are, but at least it’ll help me focus on getting at least one script done by then. tho, it’s funny how my mind bounces back and forth between both of the scripts – one of the scripts has more of a developed plot structure and conventional storytelling, while the other still needs more research on the storyline and plot. for that one, i’ve started doing a little bit of research, and a good friend of mine gave me some really good books that he recommend me read. so, i do like the way that new ideas are developing. but at the same time, it does bounce back and forth. but i think that this process is working well for now – when i get bored or frustrated with one, i can bounce to the other, and comeback to the other one when i get a new idea. so, at least i’m not completely burning out on the single script. for now, at least…

so, as usual, lots of things to work on, and the film is doing really well with Cinequest. let’s hope that the film screens at many more places this year.

a new day

hard to believe that it’s december already. the year seemed to fly by, but in reality, there have been lots of really great things that have happened this year. but the cold air is coming really soon, and it’s a great time to stay in, and work.

i’ve been watching a lot of an show called BROTHERHOOD, that’s on showtime, and i guess they’re hoping for it to replace the sopranos. anyhoo, if you haven’t seen the show, i highly recommend it, particularly because the acting is incredible. ethan embry and jason issacs are both amazing to watch, and i think the thing about the show that i find appealing is that the story is told heavily on what’s implied, on the visuals, the subtle and umcofortable feeling that develops when you don’t know what people are really up to. there isn’t a ton of background music to influence how you should feel about a scene, and you end up feeling pretty edgy about what’s going to happen next. i love this kind of visual storytelling, and i definitely find it inspiring in the kind of filmmaking that i’m into. anyhoo, if you haven’t seen the show, it’s definitely worth checking out, and a definite must see for any aspiring actor.

on the film distribution end of things – i picked up a book called the insider’s guide to independent film distribution by stacey parks, and so far it’s right on target. the film industry is completely different than what it was even only a few years ago. when i first started writing PRAXIS, it was still difficult to make an indie feature, but in the time that it’s taken to produce the film, the film distribution market has been flooded by miniDV features that it’s incredibly difficult to get your work even shown. it helps to have something screen at a festival, but at the same time, if you think of the number of every film screened at every festival every year, even a distributor has a hard time figuring out what’s worth investing in. it’s not the distributor’s fault – if you just think about it on your own terms, if a filmmaker came up to you and asked you to give up your own money to invest in distributing a film, what would it take? for me, it would be the least amount of risk and a higher chance at return and even a profit.

even though this is all the business side of things, it’s the area that i need to do more research on, particularly on promoting PRAXIS. none of this has anything to do with art. it’s all business. what it is that it’s a new day, and it’s important to remain patient and realistic. and also to develop a plan A, plan B, and plan C. in the meantime, i’m also working on some new scripts too, which gives me a good respite.

i think it’s important to remember why you chose to make films, and to stick to it.

A new approach

this past week, there were two very different events that had a profound influence on my general outlook, and a new way of approaching PRAXIS and the American Film Market. on saturday, i got a chance to go see a screening and performance of Bob Mould and his film Circle of Friends at the Lincoln Theatre as part of the Reel Affirmations Film Festival. initially, i was very indecisive about going, since it was a relatively odd time slot, saturday around 11:30. anyhoo, the crowd was very small and intimate, but it made the film and performance all the more enjoyable. after the screening, i got a chance to formally meet bob, and he was very kind and he signed a copy of the dvd for me. needless to say, i found the music and performance absolutely incredible – there was so much heart and straight up raw emotion in the music. there was no posing, or bullshit. bob was up there pouring out his heart, and it was incredible to share this event, and feel such a connection. it was beautiful. because bob used to be in the bands husker du and sugar, his music has always been rooted in the punk rock ethos. it reminded me where PRAXIS came about, and really how i should look at the film and the AFM. PRAXIS is an incredible film, and i shouldn’t be pandering to the potential distributors at the AFM, it’s the other way around. anyone who doesn’t take notice of PRAXIS is losing out. it’s their loss.

the other event was that i got a chance to watch NO RESTRAINT, a documentary about Matthew Barney. up until this point, i had never got a chance to see an on-camera interview with Matthew, i had only read interviews in magazines, seen some of his work, and read reviews in newspapers and such. in any case, this documentary was about his process of making his new film/performance/exhibit with bjork on a whaling ship in japan. this was incredibly beautiful, and so visually compelling…it’s hard to describe in words. but i think that the coolest thing about this documentary was that Matthew seemed like a genuinely nice guy, very personable, very passionate and focused about his art, but also no pretention or ego there. he just makes things, and has been fortunate that other people have supported him throught out his career. but i think the main thing that i got from the doc was that matthew’s work has always been about disconnecting the analytical mind to reach a higher state of experience. basically, it means that people should approach his work with an open mind, and not one that is purely there to make specific sense or reasons for what things represent. instead, let the work speak for itself, and let the experience take you to places that you couldn’t attain without letting go of the analytical mind. i totally feel that PRAXIS is like this in it’s experimental narrative – let go of the analyical mind, the need to make specific sense of it all, and let the visual experience take you to higher states of experiences.

Both bob mould and matthew barney have reminded me what PRAXIS is really all about.

thank you bob for reminding me about the punk rock ethos and that PRAXIS is all heart.

thank you matthew for reminding me that film is art, not science.

Realistic

for the past few weeks, i’ve been preparing a ton of stuff to get ready for the American Film Market, which is a couple of weeks away. i’m excited about the trip, and have done a lot of research into a lot of the companies that are attending this year, trying to target the ones i think would be interested in a film like PRAXIS. but i’m also trying to be realistic about it. there are literally hundreds of companies and projects, and scripts, and vendors, etc. that are attending – how can you make your project stand out?

i’m definitely trying to be realistic about the market – it’s not the end all be all. what it is is a strarting point, a chance to network with potential companies, meet other filmmakers, exchange war stories, etc. the companies are there to not only there to evaluate yourself as a filmmaker with a single projects, but also as a filmmaker with future projects and as someone they can work with. at the same time, you also have to get a feel for the companies and reps as to whether they are someone you can work with, or whether they’re some sort of scam. basically, you have to be a total professional, and everything you do, including any after parties and such, is a reflection of you, and your potential as an overall creative filmmaker.

i’ve definitely posted a ton of questions on different filmmaker message boards to get a feel for what the market is like for other people – generally, the response is a little mixed. they mainly warn against potential scam artists, and companies that deal with way too many projects that they essentially put your project on a shelf. whatever the case may be, you definitely have to be incredibly alert a focused on everyone you talk to, and go with your instincts as to whether they’re legit.

again, i’m still being very realistic with the market – i hope to meet potential distributors, but if not, it’s not the end all be all.

on a lighter note, i’ve been attending a lot of the local film festivals and other local filmmaker functions to get a better feel of what a lot of the local organizations may have to offer. so far, it looks really cool, and because they are local, they are more willing to promote something if it was made in their region. it’s also easier to get screenings and you have a higher chance of getting featured in a newspaper or magazine. i’ve just started with a lot of the local festivals, but hopefully they’ll find a place for PRAXIS somewhere…

whatever the case may be, it is important to be both realistic, and positive and ethusiastic about the film – PRAXIS is a visually compelling work. knowing that this is it’s strengths, and using that as leverage to set the film apart from other indie films that are out there.