Directors on Directors
Creating an event for film lovers
Part of a four part project on adapting the same topic to four diffrent media platforms. So far I have made a podcast, an Instagram account, and an app. For my last project I decided to create an event for film lovers. An event where you could come and watch directors celebrate their favorite director.
Event Description
On Directors in collaboration with ArcLight Cinemas present Directors on Directors. A screening series in which a director screens a film that inspired them. Following the screening, the director would discuss how their selected director had an impact on them. As well as holding a Q&A with the audience. The discussion will be moderated by Sean Fennessy host of the podcast The Big Picture.
Directors
For the first event, I chose the great and always entertaining Taika Waititi. In doing research I found that a director who had a big impact on Waititi was Hal Ashby. Talking about Ashby he said
“I think people who make films like me all want Hal Ashby’s career. That’s pretty much it. There’s a mixture of tones, but there’s a universal tone. He makes completely different films all the time. There’s some deep human emotional stuff and concepts. “Harold & Maude” is a great film. So weird and crazy and hilarious, but also very touching and heartbreaking.”
Location
Directors on Directors will take place at one of the world’s most iconic theaters the Cinerama Dome. This theater has made cameos in many movies and tv shows over the years. Most recently appearing in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The Cinerama dome is owned by Arclight cinemas which is famous for its elevated movie-going experience. There is a cafe, bar, and a shop for cinephiles. ArcLight’s attention to detail makes them the perfect partner for Directors on Directors. And an iconic theater like the Cinerama Dome is a perfect place to celebrate and explore the work of great directors.
Itinerary
- 6 pm: Hal Ashby exhibit opens in the lobby before the screening. The exhibit is curated by Waititi and taken from the Hal Ashby collection which is currently held by the Academy Film Archive. The collection consists of approximately 700 film, video, and audio elements including dailies, screen tests, and production materials from Ashby’s films.
- 7 pm: Screening of Harold & Maude.
- 9 pm: Taika Waititi discussion and Q&A moderated by Sean Fennessy. Waititi will discuss the influence Ashby has on him. He will also take questions and discuss future projects.
Experience
This screening series is designed to provide an elevated movie-going experience for film lovers. The experience starts with the location Archlight has been working since 2002 to create the best theaters for film lovers. I specifically chose the Cinerama Dome because the event taking place in such an iconic theater elevates the experience that much more. Once attendees arrive at the theater the event is set up to make the screening more meaningful. In the exhibit, Attendees will be able to learn more about Ashby. And after the film, they will learn why Ashby’s work is important to Watiti.
Branding/Signage
How it fits
On Directors as a brand is all about celebrating the work of great film directors. This event was designed to be a place where film lovers can come together for a shared experience. My other projects have focused on providing content about directors. While this event is more about creating a unique and fun experince.
Conclusion
This was a four-part, semester-long project. The podcast provides a deep dive audio essay on something notable about the director. The Instagram page posts content and things you may not know about the director. This channel allows for more interaction with the audience. They can vote on and give suggestions for future featured directors. The app is all about movie curation. I mean who better to get movie suggestions from than your favorite directors? I designed each platform to be part of a cohesive brand, while each still being a unique experience. Overall this was a super fun process. It was outside of my typical design work, but I loved the content creation and branding aspects. Adapting content to whatever platform is needed is going to be a helpful skill going forward.
