Upon joining the Peacock Films Marketing team, this was the first movie branded as an “original” under the Peacock name. The story involves a group of teenagers at an LGBTQ+ conversion camp (lead by Kevin Bacon), that endure unsettling psychological techniques while being stalked by a mysterious masked killer. The marketing campaign took place after production had already wrapped, so our outside agency “LA” had to pull from episodics and unit photography to composite key art together.
While the general census of the film itself was mostly negative, I believe we did a nice job marketing the IP, thanks to the help of Buddha Jones who worked on the Teaser and Hero Trailer (I recall a large amount of positive feedback on the title itself – “They ‘slash’ Them” as a “slasher film”). I Art Directed all internal GFX, Main Title Card, Cinemagraph animations, OOH, and assisted with key art versioning. Because this was produced by Blumhouse we worked closely with Jason Blum for final creative approval.
Skills Involved
Motion Art Direction, Static Design, OOH Art Direction/Design, Branding, Activation Design, Versioning
Agencies / Studios
LA, Art Machine, Buddha Jones, Blackspot, Blumhouse
When
May – September 2022
Hero Teaser
The AV Art Director on the team was a big fan of slasher films and also worked on the set of They/Them prior to joining Peacock. The slash or “/” in the center of the frame (that eventually becomes the title) was a great way to anchor interconnected visuals which help tease the story and nothing more. I assisted with internal GFX that were later expanded upon in the trailer and social assets.
Hero Trailer
Buddha Jones and the AV Art Director did a great job working with what limited assets we had available to construct a trailer that contains the tropes one might see in a horror film. I helped Art Direct the internal GFX cards, and enforced previously established “Peacock Original” branding guidelines (which were later relaxed as the streamer became more familiar in the industry). We decided a VO was necessary on the end card to further spell out the title as
“They Slash Them”.
Title
They/Them – EPK
Tools
After Effects
Summary
This cut combines EPK interviews with behind-the-scenes footage, showcasing John Logan’s motivations for writing the film (Writer/Director). It combines his love for a traditional slasher movie and the importance of queer representation. I worked with Buddha Jones to design lower thirds and other title card GFX. This cut was later included in a DVD release of the film.
Title
They/Them :05 Cutdown
Tools
After Effects, Premiere
Summary
I posted this :05 second cutdown to show how it is possible to include all the necessary messaging, without overwhelming viewers. In the early days at Peacock, leadership frequently favored “hybrid end-cards” on any spot :15 seconds or less. This required an editor/designer to place all messaging on one card. But I always felt (when it comes to AV – not print) it is easier to digest information in pieces.
Key Art
Kevin Bacon was the big star-sell, but contractually if we wanted to include other faces it required we showcase all talent – leading to the “floating head” design. I worked with Blackspot to help version out the art + cinemagraph (designed by LA).
HERO ART
CINEMAGRAPH
OUT OF HOME
Times Square
For this no-audio Times Square OOH placement we repurposed the Teaser by cutting it down to :15 seconds (so it would run more frequently). In hindsight, I would have favored more GFX/Art over using letterboxed footage – but we were on a tight deadline for this media buy.
Premiere
For the premiere, I worked with the Peacock Activation team to help design the step & repeat red carpet backdrop, popcorn & snacks, drink menu, screener slides, and more. At the time, COVID was still lingering – hence the masks.
