Performing Arts Promotion
A Case Study
As a designer at Command+G Design Lab, I collaborated
with Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Performing
Arts and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf over the
summer to create posters and other promotional materials for
their productions of The 39 Steps and The Nether.
with Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Performing
Arts and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf over the
summer to create posters and other promotional materials for
their productions of The 39 Steps and The Nether.
Final Poster
Digital Screen Advertisement
Instagram Post
The 39 Steps
The 39 Steps is a comedic thriller that combines elements
of farce, satire, mystery, and adventure. It is a fast-paced
parody of classic spy thrillers, featuring quick character
changes, physical comedy, and suspenseful moments,
all delivered in a highly theatrical style.
Client Directionof farce, satire, mystery, and adventure. It is a fast-paced
parody of classic spy thrillers, featuring quick character
changes, physical comedy, and suspenseful moments,
all delivered in a highly theatrical style.
Themes
Adventure & Escapism
ASL Farce & Satire
Adventure & Escapism
ASL Farce & Satire
Imagery
Film noir poster concept from the 1950s
A running man
London at night
Film noir poster concept from the 1950s
A running man
London at night
Examples of other posters for The 39 Steps productions
Ideation & Revision Process
My initial concepts use bold silhouettes and strong typography to capture the viewer's attention, inspired by high-contrast film noir posters and typographers like Paula Scher.
My initial concepts conveyed the escapism and mystery of the story, but failed to communicate comedy or satire. These revised concepts have a sense of humor while also giving a hint at the show's storyline. The tangled fingers holding a magnifying glass are a farcical reference to ASL.
A single concept was chosen to move forward,
allowing me to experiment with composition,
typography, and visual effects.
allowing me to experiment with composition,
typography, and visual effects.
Some different color combinations were considered,
but I ultimately decided to stick with grayscale to
maintain a strong connection to the film noir theme.
but I ultimately decided to stick with grayscale to
maintain a strong connection to the film noir theme.
Final Poster
Digital Screen Advertisement
Instagram Post
The Nether
Set in the not-too-distant future, The Nether envisions a world
where humans spend most of their waking hours immersed
in a virtual, metaverse-like existence. In the Nether’s darkest
corners, illicit activities unfold, but if it’s just code, do any
real-world consequences apply?
where humans spend most of their waking hours immersed
in a virtual, metaverse-like existence. In the Nether’s darkest
corners, illicit activities unfold, but if it’s just code, do any
real-world consequences apply?
Cyberpunk inspiration
Matrix inspiration
Cyberpunk inspiration
House in a field
Gothic revival inspired interior
Client Direction
The push and pull of two worlds:
Gritty cyberpunk real world to idyllic pastoral Nether
Real world: dangerous, cold, sterile, rigid, rough, mundane
Nether: dreamy, enchanting, nostalgic, freeing, blossoming, heightened
The glitchy dissonance between the two
Gritty cyberpunk real world to idyllic pastoral Nether
Real world: dangerous, cold, sterile, rigid, rough, mundane
Nether: dreamy, enchanting, nostalgic, freeing, blossoming, heightened
The glitchy dissonance between the two
Ideation & Revision Process
My initial concepts were inspired by The Matrix and cyberpunk themes, emphasizing the disconnect between the real world and the Nether.
Client chose to move forward with compositions featuring a house, specifically a gothic revival house to match the events of the story.
Experimentation & Color Study
To show the contrast between the Nether and the real world, I wanted to apply a glitch effect to the gothic house. I printed an image of the house and moved it across a scanner until I achieved the desired effect, which I then edited in Adobe Photoshop.
Type Options
