Motion design for Screen Nova Scotia incorporates classic film iconography
Written by John deWolf RGD, Narrative Environments Studio
Context
2024 marked the 10th anniversary of Screen Nova Scotia, an annual event celebrating the talent, creativity and passion of Nova Scotia's screen industry. The event features various awards including the ACTRA Maritimes Awards for Outstanding Performances, the Film Crew Excellence Award, the Women in Film & Television—Atlantic Award, the Community Recognition Award and the Screen Nova Scotia awards for best television, film and animation.
This year, Screen Nova Scotia introduced the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Screenwriting. Additionally, ACTRA Maritimes introduced a new category: the Series Ensemble Award.
Methodology
The design was inspired by the classic film slate (clapperboard), incorporating chevrons and text that hearken back to early cinema. The project included five vignettes, each showcasing a different region and film location. Chevrons introduce "Screen Nova Scotia" over b-roll clips, culminating in a Roman numeral “X” to mark the milestone of "celebrating 10 years."
A highlight of the design is the 'eyes' in the Best Animated Feature reel, emphasizing our creative approach. We explored aspect ratios of the letter “O” to reflect diverse screen formats, supported by a strong-grid system. Animations were first sketched by hand, simulated with paper mock-ups and then refined to ensure precise movement and typography in Adobe After Effects. Storyboarding was pivotal in our process, detailing layout, grid, sound and voiceovers on paper as our creative blueprint. This allowed us to meticulously plan and refine our vision before execution.
Results
The work represents a significant departure from previous years—moving from mostly static slides to much more dynamic, industry-befitting reels. Choosing the expressive typography concept over figure-based imagery was also a win: from the beginning, the client understood how expressive typography offered a robust format that would address issues related to gender neutrality, gender equality and the diversity of different cultures and abilities. Given the diversity of nominees and winners, it was an important decision. In the end, the reels were well received by the organizers. As for the audience's reaction? The actors, production teams and crews are in attendance for the awards and revelry; the titles are interstitials at a one-time event, so it is difficult to gauge their effectiveness. Designers likely view the reels very differently! The team at Dalton Maag loved the work and posted one of the vignettes in the Font’s gallery (https://www.daltonmaag.com/portfolio/font-library/widescreen.html)
Credits
- Creative Director: John deWolf RGD
- Motion Designer: Ella Hanson, Miguel Soto
- Production Facility: 902 Post
John deWolf RGD
Narrative Environments Studio
Throughout his 30-year career, multi-disciplinary designer John deWolf has designed print, exhibitions, signage and wayfinding, brands, and interior environments. His many skills include designing accessible, inclusive communication systems, particularly for diverse audiences. Design is not only physical and aesthetic, but also cognitive and experiential. Process, program, system, story, service, and experience are integral to Mr. deWolf's interdisciplinary approach. As a counterbalance to consumer culture, Mr. deWolf advocates sustainability, inclusivity, and social and community awareness. John is driven by a desire to preserve culture and heritage, and develop public initiatives that benefit the community.
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