Illustration Art for the Movies, Part 1

Poster art and such ancillary materials can (potentially) hugely catapult a project to legendary status versus a no images or package appearing. Although not a movie (but related and subsequent to the title of this article) look at the stuff Storm Thorgerson has done over the decades for Pink Floyd album covers (see: http://rockpopgallery.com/Storm_Thorgerson.asp ), ie, the "The Dark Side of the Moon" iconic light beam being split by a prism with the rainbow component bands of visible light on a black field --very simple but powerful as it is an instant icon of recognition. It hugely branded that band and continues to in perpetuity. Same for Gerald Scarfe's artwork of "The Wall" fame. His surrealistic cartoon images and animations made "The Wall" so much better than just the lyrics and the music alone. It created a total identification experience that was able to be carried forth into a live show and movie that became legendary and historical.

Merchandising and mascot-creation is vital to something successfully penetrating into the public's consciousness and sense of belonging to the work (another example with powerful imagery is the "Clockwork Orange" illustration for the Stanley Kubrick film --an instantly identifiable image that is practically a logo). Artwork and design are what fans identify with and want to display as their own tastes and sensibilities. In branding our projects we entice the consumer to brand themselves with it and thus advertise the project. They become walking billboards and perpetuate a subculture.

To read the director's commentary about my involvement in the creation of the poster for "Carrera Panamericana (1950-54) please cross reference: http://emcpb.blogspot.com/2011/06/bleeder-bates.html
and: http://emcpb.blogspot.com/2011/06/carrera-panamericana-poster.html