BY Armin

A Film Family with a Heart

Designing an identity for a film festival — with their progressive, independent, slightly rebellious and amply creative spirit, plus the numerous applications and possibilities of creating a flexible identity — is probably high on the list of Types of Clients/Projects we Want to Get in design firms’ business plans across the globe. San Francisco based MINE™, run by identity fiend Christopher Simmons, got that chance with the redesign of The California Film Institute’s (CFI) identity, as well as that of its 29-going-on-30-year-old Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF), plus an update of the institute’s education program and the Rafael Film Center’s. The opportunity to work on all these logos at the same time proved to be the most beneficial for CFI, as it was rewarded with a cohesive visual family of brands that respond to their place and context.

[MINE™] took their cues from the landmark signage of the local Rafael Theatre (designed by Mark Fox) which is operated by CFI and plays home to the Mill Valley Film Festival. “Even though the festival attracts filmmakers and stars from more than 49 countries, at its heart it is a local experience,” Simmons explains, “By capturing some of the local typography and colors we’re reinforcing that sense of place that is central to the festival’s identity.”

At the heart, in more ways than one, of the project is the identity for the MVFF: A lovely multi-stroke, brightly-colored MV, punctuated by a heart, that, in contrast to the previous identity by Futurebrand, conveys a sense of passion and pride, while being unique and dynamic. From the MVFF’s visual gestures, the rest of the identities follow suit with carefully rendered inlines and unified by the use of Gotham and Gotham Rounded.

In collaboration with CFI’s advertising firm, Scheyer/SF, MINE™ also developed a poster that further builds on the tradition of the festival and its decades-long contribution to local culture by emphasizing its 30 year birthday. In this application the MVFF logo shines even more, as a distinct and impactful mark in its field of rough black — plus anything looks great set against 300 point type in bright magenta.

\n\nDesigning an identity for a film festival — with their progressive, independent, slightly rebellious and amply creative spirit, plus the numerous applications and possibilities of creating a flexible identity — is probably high on the list of Types of Clients/Projects we Want to Get in design firms' business plans across the globe. San Francisco based MINE™, run by identity fiend Christopher Simmons, got that chance with the redesign of The California Film Institute's (CFI) identity, as well as that of its 29-going-on-30-year-old Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF), plus an update of the institute's education program and the Rafael Film Center's. The opportunity to work on all these logos at the same time proved to be the most beneficial for CFI, as it was rewarded with a cohesive visual family of brands that respond to their place and context.

Many thanks to our ADV @ UnderConsideration Partners