Make Belgian Movie Poster Art Great Again!

Photoshop killed the movie poster. I'm a sucker for a great movie poster. The art is what should lure you in to get you intrigued to watch a film. If you really like the movie there is even a good chance you'll hang the poster in your home at some point (or room as a teenager). That was how it felt for me in the 80's-90's.

As you can see from the image bank of the city of Gent (they have been scanning and adding around 9000 posters from the city police archive). Belgium has a rich history in film posters (made by artists).

Even René Magritte made posters (using the pseudonym Emair). 

In his days film posters were considered as a commercial (disposable) product. Since then a lot of posters have become iconic and part of our collective memory.

Unfortunately, in recent years It's been a while since I've seen a new official poster (for a Belgian movie) that I would like to purchase, frame and display in my house.

Seems the de facto tool to craft new ones has become Photoshop. So we are back producing a commercial disposable product (still from movie + copy). With a limited timespan that I don't see hanging on anyones wall.

And that's a real shame since we have many talented artists who (if given the opportunity) can turn out stellar work.

That's why I'm so pleased I can match a movie to an artist and let them do their thing creating new work for the score.

Let's take Bullhead (Rundskop) for example. The official theatrical poster sets the focus on the setting of the movie... 

The interpretation that Laurent Durieux made for the soundtrack cover says so much more about the movie without giving anything away... but once you've seen the movie you can find new details in the artwork.

The official poster does have a nice composition but fast forward a few years and the same Photoshop concept is recycled for D'ardennen (back side of the main character filled with a scenery shot) .

So let's stop rolling out the same old over and over again. Talented folks are dreaming/waiting on a shot to work on an official movie poster. As you'll notice in the coming months we'll be releasing more amazing work.

Want to know more and join the discussion? 

Join Bruno Vergauwen, doublebill.design, Gilles Vranckx, Studio Caro and me 23 feb at Antwerp for a screening of the docu: "Out of the box" 3 weeks in Laurent Durieux's studio. https://www.destudio.com/nl/project/out-box

One of the only times the docu is playing on the big screen in Flanders (after the premiere at film fest gent). See you there!