GD Associates Meeting - 29.1.14

For my Independent Study, I had decided to design a new film poster for either a more recent film or an old one that could be rereleased to a new audience. For my primary research, I interviewed Ray Guzenda, a designer from the Graphic Design agency 'GD Associates', about the style of film posters. The meeting last about half an hour, so I later arranged a second meeting for a more substantial talk. Below are the notes from my first meeting:

• Characters sell film – E.g. ‘Avengers Assemble’
• Size Affects image
• Logo and branding important working with media. Consistency in type and layout.
• Careful choice of icons and themes. E.g. ‘Moon’ - Solitary figure.
• Famous characters and actors grab attention. E.g. Batman - Identifies with audience.
• Perhaps don’t give too much story detail in poster
• Change style to freshen franchise. E.g. ‘Star Wars’ film posters.
• Taglines also important. E.g. Alien – “In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream”
• Target Audiences – Different age groups
• Media affects posters’ importance. E.g. TV Advertising.
• Work with other media. E.g. Billboards, email banners, leaflets.
• Series of posters – Gives various themes. E.g. ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ looks more at emotion. Leaves audience wondering what will happen.

GD Associates Website: http://www.gdassociates.net