Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Dear Edwina,

I think it's time to put this style to pasture... or at least move the light source.  It's like the Joel Wayne days of "add noise" and a call it a finish.

With all the talk of shops ripping one another off, people forget someone at the studio had to put them up to the task at some point in the process. After the first round of comps aren't we all wrists anyway?  For all the “creative” in “creative services” there's not much creative, but a whole lot of service.

Perhaps this reflects a new joint-studio directive aimed at visually branding comedies - yeah, I'm certain that's what this is.

Signed, No Mo Glo

And wait! There's more! This just in on impawards.

Comments

[Rip V. Winkle]

Snore, please wake me up when this trend is over...

[color blind]

forget the glow...what about the color palette? Do we all have the same color preset in photoshop?

[The Client]

These are okay. But I'd like to see more. Lots more.

[there's gonna be a lotta slow singin' and flower bringin']

There is nothing wrong with this style. it works. using a radial vignette to draw attention to a central figure has been used all throughout art history. it was popularized in 17th century oil painting- and for any agency or studio trying to claim this visual technique as their own is nothing shy of pure insanity.

[Duped]

One word. ALTOIDS!!

[Hired Hand]

Joel Wayne popularized this technique when he was at Vatican Bros. back in the 17th century.

[Crispy Frog]

You forgot Step Brothers.
http://www.impawards.com/2008/step_brothers.html
Another Ignition original.

[Franz Kline]

"Color is not a concept."

[S. P. Lunker]

Didn't Joel Wayne art direct those cave paintings in France?

http://tinyurl.com/24xewo

[color blind brother]

@Franz - So as the glow bro.

[Been There Done That]

It's one of the few ways to screw the studios....the suits are pretty dim and they're easily convinced a run of character posters (even for the lamest film, with no-name actors) is a smart move. Where on earth are you going to see all four "Glee" posters? And the agency gets to bill for four finishes, with the intern just plugging a different head shot over the radial gradient.

[Pixel Dusted]

I think Glee was done in-house at FBC.
They're probably just trying to keep their staff art directors busy.

[Notso Anonymous]

I think the Creative Execs (aka suits) seem to consistently get a bad wrap in this space. I guess they're easy targets and, perhaps, it's good to have a place to vent our frustrations about our dealings with them.

But it's also good to always keep in mind what's happening on their side. For one, many of the current clients came from among the vendor ranks. So it's not as if they can't understand the plight of Art Directors, Editors, Account Execs, etc.

Also, their job is not that of art dealers selling brilliant art. It's movie marketers helping to sell movies. Even the likes of Toulouse had to grapple with the difference. Sometimes he was more successful at being able to find the perfect balance between art and commerce.

The other strong consideration is the level of diplomacy and order of priorities the creative execs are constantly juggling. In that order of priorities, when a choice has to be made between pacifying Mike Myers, proving yourself to Jeff Blake and convincing Mark Shmuger or fighting for the brilliant artistic innovation of the kid a couple years out of Otis, going to bat for the 20 year veteran Mac Temp (even if that Photoshop wiz may have pulled you out of a thousand fires) and the AE who really wants to get that finish so they can really shove it to Ignition/BLT/Crew (fill in your nemesis here)... You can probably guess which priority takes precedence.

I realize the above characterizations seem to automatically stack the deck. In reality, most clients I know are actually doing their best to meet the needs of everyone involved in the process. Some are better at it then others. The best are able to do it while always keeping in mind that their job is ultimately to sell the movie. And if they're able to pull that off with a somewhat decent batting average, while at the same time proving great art can be achieved as a part of this labyrinthian process... well, that's when a star creative executive is born.

[Anita Cocktail]

And if they're able to pull that off by slashing the budgets and getting the work for free... well, that's when a star creative executive is born.

Those poor, poor misunderstood suits...

[Notso Anonymous]

Fair enough, Anita. But I don't think a single one is asking for sympathy from the vendors. In fact, I think every one of them understands how the severe downward pressure on budgets has effected all the shops. I just don't think it's fair to blame those suits for having smaller budgets to work with. Yes, some of them could be a lot more efficient with how they allocate their money. But that would most likely mean less rounds of revisions, less multi-vending, etc. - which means less work for less shops and less Art Directors, wouldn't it?

[Bart Lett]

"Stupidity, timidity and fear...the life blood of motion picture advertising."

[New Yorker]

Whining, bitching and blamestorming... the life blood of creatives.

[sniggerer]

http://www.impawards.com/tv/hung_ver3.html

[Joe Friday]

http://tinyurl.com/nqm2jl !!!!!!