The brand campaign for Sundance Film Festival 2018, titled “The Story Lives in You,” was primarily typographic, using bold color and evocative language to highlight the very human emotions experienced through storytelling. Our assignment was to develop a suite of motion graphics to harmonize with the print and environmental graphics, while extending the brand and building anticipation for each screening at the Festival.

We explored a variety of design solutions -- from quirky, vector-based animation to pure typography -- arriving at a juxtaposition of color-treated film stills and rapidly animated type. This play on the poetics of type and image created space for ambiguity and offered multiple opportunities for the viewer to draw connections and infer meaning. We collaborated closely with the Institute’s internal team to ensure we hit the right tone, and with composer Jesi Nelson to establish the rhythmic pacing for the piece.

The 40-second trailer was received with great enthusiasm, both by the Institute and Festival attendees.