Research Methods: Poster Design

From an earlier blog post i mentioned about my thoughts regarding reboots. To continue further with this, i have started a personal brief which will highlight attention to original films that have been a strong impact to people across the globe.

An idea i have had from time to time is to create strong visual posters that will reengage with old fans but still attract new ones in the process.
Designers have been a strong influence on me to go down this route such as Olly Moss www.ollymoss.com who has created an impressive range of movie posters from Star Wars to Rocky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These designs are very creative in the fact that they capture the essence of the film using negative space and relatable illustrations from the films such as the iconic running up the stairs in Rocky.

As part of my personal brief, it is my aim to make a series of posters to promote a selection of original films over the reboots.

Total Recall at its best?

Is this not a better take on total recall? showing the trailer for the original film in a new way, bringing life to a classic film from the 90s!

 
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE3NvWRCC9M&w=560&h=315%5D

 

Total Recall: a comparison of old versus new

Total Recall: a comparison of old versus new

Design Discourse: Reboots Necessary?

Over the years i keep seeing reboot after reboot on films that have a good reputation and a strong fan base. I often think “why have they done this?” “What is the reason for this?” Surely if a film has done well and has been successful for years, then it shouldn’t warrant a complete remake. You wouldn’t see the godfather trilogy being rebooted would you? No, because it’s a franchise that has been around for 40 years and is still seen as a great set of films.
The same could be said for a lot of films that have are seen as greatest films of all time such as remaking the original star wars episodes 4, 5 and 6. You wouldn’t want to ruin something that was such an impact when it first arrived in cinemas, that made fans line up at opening night in costumes from Darth Vader to Chewbacca. This is the kind of fan base that keeps a film alive for decades, and why would anyone want that destroyed with a reboot? on the off chance it might make a profit just because it has new special effects and a new cast.

I don’t see any reason why production companies don’t re-release their films into the cinemas again; this will introduce the franchises that have made such an impact back when they were first released to a newer and younger audience.

A perfect example of this is when Disney re-released the lion king into the cinemas in IMAX and 3D in September 2011. This re-release made a profit of $30 million on the opening weekend in America, which is adding to its worldwide gross of $945 million from when it was first released in 1994. Re-releasing more films could encourage parents back into the cinemas and seeing their favourite films digitally remastered in IMAX or 3D and reliving this experience with their family. I think by doing this it will make the film industry back to what it used to be. The story and drama behind it, rather than seeing a CGI building get blown up.

I feel that if the film industry is focused on purely making money, than this would make a much bigger profit than spending millions on rebooting a film that might bomb in the cinemas because fans don’t think it holds a candle compared to the original.