Identity for Elmira Independent Film Festival

Branding Project @ DSGN 1050

❆ Winter 2024 ᝰ Visual Identity ✐ Creative Director, Designer

Roles: Creative Director, Graphic Designer

Time Frame: 1.5 months

Tools: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign, Adobe Illustrator

Skills: Visual Identity, Brand Development, Creative Direction, Graphic Design

  • The Elmira Independent Film Festival needed a brand identity that captured the bold, creative spirit of independent cinema while avoiding overused film-related tropes. As a growing cultural event, the festival required a visual presence that felt distinctive, contemporary, and cohesive to attract filmmakers, audiences, and sponsors alike.

  • Filmmakers and audiences appreciated the festival for its celebration of artistic individuality and its emphasis on discovery. The brand had to convey these qualities while presenting a refined and professional identity that matched the festival’s ambition and appeal.

  • We designed a sleek black-and-white visual identity featuring a star motif to symbolize creativity and exploration. To reflect the festival’s independent and unconventional character, we paired two alternating typefaces: a lo-res font and a quirky serif. This minimalist yet dynamic approach emphasizes cohesion without relying on traditional or overly literal film imagery, ensuring a modern and versatile brand presence across digital, print, and on-site platforms.

 

Reflection

Learnings

This project taught me the power of minimalist design and how working within constraints, like a black-and-white palette, can foster creativity. I learned how to craft a visual identity that captures the spirit of an event, balancing individuality and cohesion. Through feedback from peers and instructors, I gained insights into refining concepts to resonate with the intended audience.

Future Directions

There’s room to further develop this identity by exploring animated versions of the star motif and integrating it into digital assets like trailers or social media posts. Introducing subtle accent colors selectively could add versatility while preserving the bold simplicity. Experimenting with how the typefaces interact in motion could also add depth and dynamism to the overall identity.

Experience

Designing for the Elmira Independent Film Festival in class was a rewarding opportunity to imagine an identity that felt fresh and authentic. The project allowed me to explore creative risks, like pairing contrasting typefaces and embracing unconventional design elements, to reflect the independent spirit of the festival. The process pushed me to think critically about storytelling through design, even without direct feedback from stakeholders, and it reaffirmed my love for creating meaningful, cohesive brand systems.