SUBMERGENT
The Gazette
current & vintage newspapers
(hero prop)
___
A full-color broadsheet newspaper, specifically made for SUBMERGENT, complete with articles, photographs, games, classifieds, advertisements for local businesses, and a significant crossword puzzle that needed to utilize the film's title:
SUBMERGENT
design/layout
copy/editing
printing/logistics
Ellen's Medical File
(hero prop)
___
A multi-page medical file complete with backstory on Ellen's medical condition.
Includes fictional hospital name, branding, complete medical workup and patient history going back 6 months.
medical research
design/layout
copy/editing
printing
WILSON Rifle Mount
(set piece)
___
Mounted on hardwood, featuring WILSON in a customized font, this rifle mount key set dressing piece was made in collaboration with Olympia, WA maker, Bryen "Buddha" Palmer's help.
Bryen sourced the materials and, after a few creative collaboration sessions, fashioned the mount for easy storage/shipping and placement.
A big thank you to him for his help on making this prop!
Lucky 13 Whisky
(hero prop)
WILSON Ammo Pouch
(hero prop)
Cheesy Beast
(backstory prop)
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Corporate branding
design/layout
copy/editing
Theme song/jingle
Loyalty program backstory--keychain tie-in
printing
Ephemera
(Corporate ID badges & Hospital ID badges, wardrobe props)
Complete with names, branding, addresses, employee ID numbers
design/layout
copy/editing
printing/logistics
SUBMERGENT
Saint Joseph's Memory Care Brochure
This tri-fold, full-color brochure is a key prop in the short film SUBMERGENT. It is used in multiple scenes to clue viewers in on our actors' state of mind, as well as provide a catalyst for a crucial moment.
I designed and provided all copywriting/editing for the prop, taking extra care to ensure it would not be only able to withstand the rigors of long shooting days but 1.) be legible under different lighting conditions, 2.) be aesthetically pleasing, and 3.) be believable to the viewer.
The URL and QR codes used in the brochure are fully functional.
The Souls of Black Pebbles
Fictitious DVD Cases
A few days before this scene was set to be filmed, director Anthony Green contacted me and asked if I could create a few fake movie cases. The original script called for the actors to be sitting on the sofa engaging in "Netflix and Chill," looking through a catalog of queer horror films.
"There aren't enough!" Green laughed over the phone from Washington D.C.
I agreed and got to work immediately. This is what I live for. Less than a day later, I had these DVD sleeves ready for our Art Department production assistant to pick up at the printer.
Each DVD sleeve features original art, copy, aspect ratio information, spine, unique synopsis & title, actors' names, and UPC code to lend to its onscreen authenticity.
The Souls of Black Pebbles
Ephemera
This arrest report needed to span more than a decade a fill a manila folder. Of course, we could have just filled it with blank papers, but what's the fun in that?
Instead, I took the opportunity to fill it with backstory documentation on a character the viewer would not otherwise meet in the natural unfolding of the film's narrative.
The Souls of Black Pebbles
WARDROBE : Officer Beth Corbin
Designing a police outfit from 2,000+ miles away may not seem like much of a challenge, but during a global pandemic, a period of social unrest, and a siege on the nation's capitol? I think the PEBBLES team did an amazing job.
Much goes into making a character look authentic at first glance. Nearly two dozen wardrobe pieces went into Officer Corbin's outfit. But when you get it right? The viewer buys in. Immediately. And that's what you want.
I worked extensively with ESA Style in wardrobe for this film and, to their credit, they let me design, source, and arrange logistics for Officer Beth's kit. Everything right on down to her deactivated/dummy weapon (that's another story).
Finding a blank badge was the most difficult task of all. I was lucky to find one--with a beautiful patina I would rather have left if it wasn't required on set--and ESA Style found a local jeweler who was able to refurbish the badge and restore it to its former glory.
The Souls of Black Pebbles
Missing Person Posters & Stolen IDs
These missing person posters were needed on location in downtown Washington D.C. around a metro station, where--an hour before shooting--my art department production assistant took a stack of each variant and taped them to various benches, telephone poles, storefront windows, walls, alleyways, and dumpsters.
Created copy, edited, and designed with photo, full name, physical description, biographical data, and contact info, these props are among the more emotionally disturbing I've worked on in my career.
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