ICAD Creative Shorts 2019

The Creative Shorts is a programme run by The Institute of Creative Advertising and Design. It was initially launched in 2012, and this work was produced for the 8th Creative Shorts programme. This event exhibits a selection of work created by those working in the industries represented by ICAD. Creative shorts is not a competition, but rather a curated evening of short film.

My role in the 2019 Creative Shorts, from a design perspective, was to develop a visual language and brand the event in 2019. The eye mark is a simple recognisable mark which refers to the nature of the programme, a programme which allows for our ICADs members and their peers to have their passion projects seen by one another, and appreciated.

The concept for the promotional videos I designed was a reference to countdown leaders used in old projection theatres. This was an appropriate approach due to the location of the event, the sugar club, a cinema theatre which uses projection rather than a digital screen, and of course the reason for the programme, to celebrate these short films. The traditional purpose of a countdown leader is to act as a method of identifying, timing, instructing and framing the following footage, which also speaks to the purpose of these videos: to inform, brand, time and instruct viewers. This format also lends a sense of anticipation of what is to follow to the videos.

Countdown leaders are designed along a strict template, to ensure they are universally useful. These videos used this template as a starting point, but include clips from work screened in previous year, as well as graphic elements relating to ICAD and the event itself. Programmes of work being shown were also produced and distributed at the event.