Creative Window Displays

With a mix of art, fashion, design and marketing, these creative windows convey an eye catching and attention grabbing displays. Window displays have the important duty of showcasing a brand and identity, but also using creative layouts to entice shoppers.

Harrods - Robert Piguet (2015)

Louis Vuitton: You’re Under Surveillance

This creative window display showcases surveillance cameras standing on high alert, focusing on the Louis Vuitton bags. The display suggests an ‘all eyes on you’ concept and this gives the viewer the impression that when owning a Louis Vuitton bag, you become an instant celebrity, with all eyes on you.

 

You're Under Surveillance - Louis Vuitton (2008)

Selfridges: The Apifera

This window display was created by Matthew Plummer Fernandez, for the Selfridges store in London. The installation follows the concept of shops being plants, shoppers being bees and the shop windows being flowers. Apifera, is a botanical term given to flowers that are specifically designed to attract bees and the window takes inspiration from the science of attraction developed in flowers.

The Apifera - Selfridges (2009)

Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany’s Christmas window display makes a lasting impression with this fantastical winter wonderland scene. The miniature set is dressed with tiny chandeliers and garlands, as well as the famous baby blue boxes. This window display uses a combination of set and prop to display the product in a picturesque setting.

Tiffany & Co. (2014)

Sources:

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2008/september/the-apifera/

http://www.kingfisherwindows.co.uk/blog/the-best-christmas-window-displays-of-2014/

Graphic Design for Film

Graphic Design for film is one major area of design that creates a reality and feel for the world being filmed. This aspect of design brings a sense of realism to the film and allows the audience to fully emerge themselves in the film. There are a lot of exceptionally talented graphic artists and designers that use their graphic skills to bring the realism to life.

Graphics for The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Annie Atkins is a specialist in creating graphics for filmmaking, this means not only creating artwork for movie posters, but also making any graphic pieces outlined in the script. As lead graphic designer on The Grand Budapest Hotel, Atkins and her team used exceptional graphics and typography to create every single graphic set and prop piece that features in the film. Atkins also worked on The Boxtrolls and developed the graphics for the incredible Victorian packaging worn by the curious underground creatures who inhabit the fantastical world. 

Filmography

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (2016), Bridge of Spies (2015), The Boxtrolls (2014), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), Vikings (2013), Titanic: Blood and Steel (2012), Camelot (2011), The Tudors (2008-2009)

The Boxtrolls (2014)

The Grand Budapest Hotel Signage (2014)

Telegram graphics: The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

MinaLima Design is a graphic design company that produces graphic props such as posters, book covers and any other graphic element for films. They are best known for establishing the visual graphic style for the magical Harry Potter film saga. Alongside their film work their design books and commercial packaging, recently collaborating with Lush Cosmetics to design a packaging range for their new limited edition gift sets.

Filmography

Tarzan (2014), The Imitation Game (2014), The Fault in Our Stars (2014), A Fantastic Fear of Everything (2011), Gambit (2011), Harry Potter: 1 to 8 (2000 -2010), City of Ember (2008), Sweeney Todd (2007), The Seeker: The Dark is Rising (2007), The Golden Compass (2007), Notes on a Scandal (2006), Flyboys (2006), A Good Woman (2004), The Grey Zone (2001), Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (2001), Nora (1999), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Notting Hill (1999), The Avengers (1998), The Legend of 1900 (1998), The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997), In Love & War (1996), The Portrait of a Lady (1996), Circle of Friends (1995)

Advertising graphics for the Harry Potter films

Newspaper Front Cover for the Harry Potter films

Packaging design for Lush Cosmetics

Sources:

https://annieatkins.com/

http://www.minalima.com/home

http://www.imdb.com/

American Horror Story: Freak Show

Freak Show, is the fourth season of the FX horror television series American Horror Story, set in 1952 Jupiter, Florida. It tells the story of one of the last remaining freak shows in America and their struggle for survival.

American Horror Story: Freak Show

Production Designer, Mark Worthington stated that “this season, we’re turning the freak show inside out. You’ll see it from the point of view of the people in it and see them as people, not objects of derision.”

Before the show aired, promotional posters were revealed to audiences and these allowed viewers to get an insight into the weird and wonderful world of the Freak Show. The shows promotional posters were the starting point at showcasing to the audience the strange and curious world of the Freak Show. These promotional posters are very compelling and mysterious, capturing certain aspects of the freak show and revealing very distinct and original characters. However, these visual images still leave room for imagination and curiosity behind the show, and don’t reveal too much information.

The shows production design lives up to the expectations met by these posters, as they continue to capture an eerie and almost sinister essence. What is more, the sets seen throughout the show have a tendency to reflect this sinister yet appealing quality, that is also reflective through the shows characters. Most of the sets seen try and showcase the glitz, glamour, fascination and talent of the freak show and its performers, rather than the fear and discrimination towards them.

The whole show has a running theme, whether it be the sets, costumes, props, music, cinematography or the characters back story, the whole show embodies a twisted yet engaging artistic appeal that leaves you on the edge of your seat and wanting more. The visual aesthetic of the show flows throughout the whole American Horror Story anthology and the use of cinematography and design is pleasing to the eye.

American Horror Story: Freak Show Promotional Poster

Sources:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jarettwieselman/behind-the-curtain-of-american-horror-story-freak-show#.yrzrpJjPz
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1844624/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/11115772/American-Horror-Story-Freak-Show-meet-the-characters.html

Oz: The Great and Powerful Influences

Oz: the Great and Powerful is a prequel to the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and is set 20 years before the events of the original. Production Designer Robert Stromberg figured it was only fitting that the 21^st century prequel pay homage to the 1939 iconic Wizard of Oz and to the Golden Age of Hollywood Spectacle. Various major influences were highlighted throughout the film.

Glinda’s Kingdom

Stromberg comments that the captivating dreamscape landscapes of Glinda’s kingdom were influenced by a recalled trip to Switzerland. The major influence for these picturesque scenic views was Switzerland in the summertime and the beautiful aesthetic of the Alps. What is more, for Glinda’s castle Stromberg included a subtle finish to her castle. Glinda travels by bubble, therefore they added an opalescent quality to her castle, and being hit by the light will showcase a reflective rainbow pattern. In addition, a lot of design work went in to creating these fantasy views and this was so that the actors could get a sense of the whole scene. Furthermore, the actors could see not only the physical sets, but embody what was going on behind them on the bluescreens.

'Glinda's Kingdom' - Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013)

Switzerland Landscape

The Emerald City

The Emerald City was heavily influenced and pays homage to 1920’s Art Deco architect Hugh Ferriss. Ferriss’ style was an experimentation with light and shadows; he played with cityscapes and the way he stacked buildings reflected, dark against light. Stromberg revealed in an interview that Ferriss’ style and Art Deco on a whole, suited the back story of the Emerald City. He explains “Emerald City was built by Glinda’s father, then hijacked by these evil witches, so there’s a tension to the air. That’s why Emerald city looks like this masculine monolith with hard angles.”

'The Emerald City' - Oz:The Great and Powerful (2013)

'The Science Centre in The Metropolis of Tomorrow' - Hugh Ferriss (1929)

The Yellow- Brick Road

The Hudson River School, a group of painters in the 19^th century who travelled across America, where the main influences for most of the landscapes throughout. The landscapes depict somewhere between realism and surrealism, almost embodying the feeling of actually being in a dream. Stromberg comments “We all know the yellow-brick road, I wanted to take some of those icons that we all know and recognise and bring in some influence from traditional painters”

'The Yellow- Brick Road Landscape' -  Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013)

'Mountains of Ecuador' Hudson River School (1855)

Sources:

http://www.film3sixtymagazine.com/index.php/2013/01/25/in-dreams-oz-the-great-and-powerful/

http://thewadsworth.org/collection/hudson-river-school/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1623205/

Production Designer & Set Decorator Collaborations

Sarah Greenwood & Katie Spencer

Anna Karenina, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Hanna, Sherlock Holmes, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Atonement, Starter for 10, Pride & Prejudice, The Last King,The Abduction Club, Bron Romantic, This Year's Love, The Governess

Sarah Greenwood & Katie Spencer (Anna Karenina, 2012)

Roger Ford & Kerrie Brown 

The Raven, Me and My Monsters, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Peter Pan, The Rage in Placid Lake, Swimming Upstream, The Quiet American, On the Beach, Babe: Pig in the City, Doing Time with Patsy Cline, Children of the Revolution, Babe, Sirens

Dante Ferretti & Francesca Lo Schiavo 

Cinderella, Hugo, Shutter Island, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Aviator, Cold Mountain, Gangs of New York, Kundun, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles, Hamlet, The Voice of the Moon, The Sleazy Uncle, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Secret of the Sahara, The Name of the Rose, Good King Dagobert, And the Ship Sail On, Tales of Ordinary Madness

Dante Ferretti & Francesca Lo Schiavo

J.Michael Riva & Lauri Gaffin

Iron Man 2, Iron Man, The Pursuit of Happyness, Zathura: A Space Adventure, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Charlie's Angels, Tuesdays with Morrie, Lethal Weapon 4, Six Days, Seven Nights

Stuart Craig & Stephenie McMillain

Gambit, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Prison of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone, Notting Hill, The Avengers, In Love and War, The English Patient, Mary Reilly, Shadowlands, The Secret Garden

Stephenie McMillain & Stuart Craig (The Harry Potter Series)

Dennis Gassner & Nancy Haigh

Ask the Dust, Jarhead, The Ladykillers, Big Fish, Road to Perdition, O Brother, Where Art Thou? The Truman Show, Waterworld, The Hudsucker Proxy, Hero, Bugsy, Barton Fink, The Grifters, Miller's Crossing, Field of Dreams, Earth Girls are Easy

Patricia Norris & Leslie Morales

Killing Them Softly, Big Bad Love, Delivering Milo, The Hi-Lo Country, The End of Violence, Lost Highway, Amos & Andrew, Twin Peaks:Fire Walk with Me, Twin Peaks, Tap

Sources

http://www.imdb.com

Production Design as Sketch

Production Designers are responsible for the visual aesthetic and concept of a film, television or theatre production. For a Production Designer, every production will simply start off as an idea, which will then need to be transformed into either a quick sketch or a highly detailed drawing. This sketch or drawing is the first step in the visual communication between not only the Production Designer, Director and Producer but with the whole creative team and most importantly the audience.

Eve Stewart's concept design for Les Miserables - Factory Scene

Various styles of expressing concept ideas will vary with Production Designer, some may create quick, fluid pencil sketches, and others will produce a neater, technical drawing. Furthermore, depending on the Production Designer, some feel the importance of producing scale card models alongside their conceptual drawings.

Eve Stewart's concept design for Upstairs and Downstairs

Notable production designer, Eve Stewart,who has worked on the likes of The Kings Speech, Vera Drake and Les Misérables comments how drawing is a very important tool for presenting your ideas to directors and producers, who usually prefer detailed visual communication rather than technical plans.  In an interview she comments

“Not many designers draw anymore and I think it’s really, really important because you can talk about a certain chair until the cows come home but unless you can draw it and draw it quickly you’re not going to get your own way.”

Here she stresses the fact that drawing or even sketching can be a vital skill to possess for a production designer, or any designer for that matter. What is more, being able to express your ideas in an effective and efficient matter can sometimes be a make or break situation for the design. Stewart creates her designs/sketches to be highly detailed, coloured and textured, allowing for her full conceptual design to flow through her drawings, which also makes it easier for the director and producer to visualise.

Eve Stewart's concept design for Les Miserables - Elephant

Sources

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0829378/

http://anyakordecki.com/2013/04/09/bafta-craft-masterclass-eve-stewart-on-production-design/

Shop Window Dressing

The first point of contact to any shop is its windows. Window displays are the first impression and interaction that the customers experience about the store, no matter how large or small the window, the display is what reveals the essence and identity of the business.

Tommy Hilfiger 'Tailored' Italy (2013)

A common key selling point that mostly all window display possess is a theme. Whether is by a specific time of year, upcoming holiday/event or a bang on trend fashion style, the window display will embody this theme and it is a gateway to the theme running throughout the shop. In addition, the most important element is the famous saying, 'less is more', this is a major aspect to all window displays. For example is there is a overly cluttered display, with too much going on, the display will be visually unflattering. The display needs to be simple and effective, a display that stands out and catches the customers eye.

Harvey Nichols (2013)

Being creative is another major element. Some of the most successful window displays have been imaginative and surreal works of art, that draws the customer in and creates a topic of discussion. What is more, elaborate window displays highlights the care and consideration the business has gone to advertise their products. Furthermore, the products have been intentionally placed to create a viewing focal point.

Harrods 'Ruby Slippers' (2009)

Colour is also a very powerful implement when it comes to dressing window displays. Colours can be associated with occasions, gender, age and emotions, and this can have a huge impact in customer attention. What is more, it is important to get the right colour combination that suits and compliments the theme and products.

Louis Vuitton 'You're Under Surveillance' (2008)

Overall, window displays are mini exhibitions, showcasing the shops finest products and creating customer attention. Visually shop window displays are the main attraction for passing customers, apart from the shops purpose and products, the exterior of the store may make or break a customers decision to step inside.

Harrods (Dec 2014)