Keep The Spark Alive: A Fresh Batch of Design-Inspired Films (Part 2)
Glad you’re back for round two! If you’re anything like me, one great movie is never enough—especially when it gets your creative wheels turning. This next set of films continues the theme from part one: titles that don’t just entertain, but inspire.
Whether it’s the texture of stop-motion animation, the charm of vintage poster design, or the quiet power of visual storytelling, each one of these films offer something to spark your inner designer. So beat the heat, settle in, and keep the reel of inspiration rolling.
Paranorman
This is another one that features great design. It’s a stop-motion film about Norman, a boy who lives in a haunted Salem-like town and can talk to ghosts. The aesthetic of this movie is so detailed and fantastic. From the zombie movie posters in Norman’s room to the tourism billboards for the town, graphic design elements help tell the story and are fun to look at as well.
Drew: The Man Behind the Poster
If you’ve watched any major blockbuster movie over the past 50 years, you’ve likely come in contact with one of Drew Struzan’s illustrations. From Star Wars to Indiana Jones to Harry Potter, his poster designs elevate a movie’s marketing and create excitement and intrigue. Did I also mention he made the illustrations for the posters for The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Muppet Treasure Island. As an avid Muppet fan and lover of movies in general, this documentary is a great behind-the-scenes adventure.
Time Zero: The Last Year of Polaroid Film
Not sure if it’s just me, but I love a throwback medium. It gives a design or art piece more emotional texture with the power of nostalgia. Polaroid cameras and film definitely create a memorable visual tone and it’s amazing to learn about the history of the company that made those materials and how they went in and out of fashion. Don’t get me wrong, I love everything digital photography can offer us, but there’s nothing like the tone and texture of the old school ways.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Sure, this is one of my favorite movies. But it’s also a great example of visual storytelling in film. All the special effects are practical, i.e. accomplished on-camera as opposed to digitally added in editing. I’ve watched all the director’s commentaries and behind-the-scenes on this film so I know where folks carried panes of glass between the actors and camera to achieve blurry effects and times actors were running back and forth to play multiple versions of themself in the same scene. The hands-on, practical approach adds authenticity to the film and is more visually engaging and human than using special effects or post-production edits.
Sign Painters
This is a great documentary about a perhaps underappreciated segment of the design community – folks who paint signs by hand. It’s wild to me how much of design today takes inspiration from sign painters, from retro typographic swashes to weathered textures to organic hand lettering. It’s great to be able to learn about their history and social importance to honor this influential craft.