Hollywood's Digital Design Evolution

For Hollywood's creatives, the online landscape often appears bleak and uninspiring.

The typical web pages, filled with bland text and amateur graphics, fail to captivate those involved in crafting eye-catching movie posters, trailers, and overall cinematic presentations.

Thus, it's no surprise that a new breed of web designer is emerging from the heart of Hollywood. The industry recognizes the importance of attracting innovative talents to elevate the digital experience, adhering to the age-old truth that connections can significantly influence success in business.

Projects linked to films like "Sleepy Hollow," "Mission: Impossible 2," and "Stuart Little" are now leveraging in-house talent to infuse their web platforms with both creativity and effective marketing strategies.

This year, acclaimed production designer Alex McDowell, known for his work on "Fight Club" and "The Crow," took on the leadership of Matter, a newly established media design company derived from the New York-based Paradise Music & Entertainment.

This 12-member team, featuring veterans from significant projects such as "Godzilla," "Fight Club," and the upcoming "Minority Report," includes specialists like vehicle designer Harald Belker, visual effects expert Ron Frankel, and digital art director Lance Hammer, among others.

According to Mark Pollard, vice president of Paradise, this group is being likened to a "creative S.W.A.T. team" or think tank, ready to address a range of needs from website development to strategic consulting."The digital landscape captivates us primarily due to its design potential," explains McDowell. "We've never encountered a product that has been launched so swiftly, reaching such vast audiences, yet remains largely unattractive and poorly thought out. My goal is to leverage the unique skills typically found in movie design teams to tackle real-world challenges. When film designers collaborate, a wealth of innovative concepts emerges that aren't directly applicable to cinema, and I've been eager to find avenues for these creative offshoots."

A film design team excels at addressing a wide array of challenges with remarkable speed and effectiveness. As I delve further into industries outside of film, it becomes increasingly evident that cinema serves as a distinctive training ground for various types of designers—whether they focus on architecture, 3D modeling, vehicles, products, or furniture.

Pyro Advertising, renowned for its work on projects like "The Truman Show" and "Titan A.E.," has been brought on board by producer Scott Rudin at Paramount to develop official websites for several of his projects, including "Sleepy Hollow" and "Shaft," along with the studio's prospective franchise "Tomb Raider."

This agency has also collaborated closely with Tom Cruise on the website for "Mission: Impossible 2," in addition to creating the original site for the first film. They are currently undertaking online projects for major studios such as MGM, Fox, and New Line.

Last year, Creative Domain, an advertising agency, launched the official website, along with print and video promotions, for Sony's holiday blockbuster "Stuart Little." The success of this site led to the establishment of Creative Domain Web, which subsequently secured the sought-after web campaign for the sequel to "The Blair Witch Project."

While the company views the "Blair Witch" assignment as a significant achievement, Creative Domain, which is more widely recognized for its posters and trailers of films like "Saving Private Ryan," "X-Men," "The Patriot," "Chicken Run," and "Godzilla," is starting to feel the weight of expectation.

The first film's triumph relied heavily on online word-of-mouth, but duplicating that success in the digital realm is not a certainty. Creative Domain is acutely aware of this reality.

"There’s certainly pressure to fulfill expectations," acknowledges Hector Rojas, Creative Domain Web's vice president and creative director, who is wrapping up projects for Universal’s "Meet the Parents" and Sony’s "Finding Forrester." "The new film presents unique challenges. You can't just replicate what worked before."The landscape of web design for film marketing is shifting, and it's no coincidence. Unlike the first website created entirely in-house, the current approach involves selective information sharing. Artisan, for instance, has only provided limited details about the sequel to Creative Domain.

"Artisan has kept the storyline under wraps," notes Rojas. "However, the aesthetic and emotional essence of a project can still be captured without knowing the full narrative."

Emerging companies are now challenging established web design firms like DNA Studio and Dream Theater, which have previously dominated projects tied to major films.

These newcomers are gaining an edge by leveraging their connections within the industry, capitalizing on long-standing relationships that traditional firms may not possess. In Hollywood, the importance of personal relationships cannot be overlooked, as executives increasingly prefer to entrust their marketing campaigns and web designs to familiar entities rather than unfamiliar ones.

Albert Litewka, CEO of Creative Domain, emphasizes this point: "Experts in film marketing will always have an advantage over general advertising agencies or other web designers for studio projects. It's essential to hand over significant projects to established professionals rather than novices."

Studios are cautious and want assurance that the teams they assign high-profile projects to have relevant experience. The goal extends beyond creating a website; it’s about successfully launching a film.

Bryan Allen, the president of Pyro, underscores the impact of industry connections. Prior to founding Pyro, he held a senior position at Paramount, which has allowed him to maintain valuable relationships.

"Everyone in Hollywood is interconnected," Allen explains. "Our understanding of the industry's inner workings is crucial. We have established trust with studios, which is invaluable."

Hollywood's Web Design Evolution

As a client, your priority is to find a place that not only delivers quality work but also simplifies the process of obtaining that work. You want to avoid the lengthy learning curve often involved. In Hollywood, it's common for specialists to handle specific components of a project, ensuring efficiency and expertise. We have a proven track record of rapidly developing brand identities across various media formats.

Brands like Levi's and Coca-Cola are established, but films like "Shaft" must quickly resonate with audiences to succeed within a limited timeframe.

Despite shifts in project assignments, the seasoned professionals shouldn't be underestimated.

Recently, DNA secured an impressive $3 million contract to develop the official website for the eagerly awaited film adaptation of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."

Similarly, Dream Theater is preparing to launch the online version for Sony's "The Sixth Day." They maintain strong relationships with Columbia Tristar Interactive and Disney Online, with around 75% of their work focusing on movie-related websites.

Traditional web design firms may have the ability to create visually appealing sites under the direction of ad agencies, but their offerings often fall short of true innovation.

Marc Levey, head of development at Dream Theater, states, “This realm is fundamentally distinct. It emphasizes interactivity rather than simply converting a brochure into a digital format. Ad agencies lack the technical prowess needed to harness new tools for creating engaging websites. They can make things aesthetically pleasing, but that alone doesn't keep visitors coming back.”

“Our aim has been to connect the realms of Hollywood and Silicon Valley. We bring together talented programmers and storytellers who enhance the project creatively from the outset, rather than merely acting as service providers.”

However, if prominent figures like Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Ron Howard, and Brian Grazer are too immersed in their respective projects to focus on their joint online initiative, Pop.com, what will sustain McDowell's commitment to Matter?

Currently, Matter is in its initial phase, awaiting McDowell's completion of "The Affair of the Necklace." After that, he will have a brief window before diving into Spielberg's sci-fi film "Minority Report," which stars Tom Cruise and Matt Damon. Meanwhile, his colleagues are also occupied with their individual assignments.McDowell recognizes a key principle: “It's crucial to engage in meaningful contributions while prioritizing our passion for film. That's why we're evolving into a think tank or design consultancy. This allows us to innovate and hand off our ideas to another team for execution, without needing to oversee every detail ourselves. My interest extends beyond just web design; I find it fascinating how a film design team can tackle real-world problems, as all design challenges pique my interest.”

Pollard agrees, noting, “Our team members are also working in the film industry, and we acknowledge that. We need Alex to concentrate, as he has a vast network and can connect us with vital contributors for any project. Would I prefer if everyone were available all the time? Absolutely. But can I voice any complaints? Not really.”

Despite the limited availability of team members for web projects, the dot-com sector is anticipated to see an influx of Hollywood talent.

Advertising firms across the coasts, including Trailer Park, Imaginary Forces, Craig Murray West, Werndorf, and Geronimo, are showing a keen interest in entering this arena.

The competitive landscape is further intensified by major commercial and music video production companies in Hollywood, like Propaganda Films and HSI Productions, ramping up their web project initiatives, leveraging their directors' talents for producing short-form web content.

“Our belief is that we will be present wherever there is entertainment,” Litewka states. “Our approach focuses on providing essential services in areas where studios require assistance. Our specialization lies in marketing films, a skill we consider vital for the online realm as well.”

Allen adds, “We've evaluated proposals from major corporations, and I have no concerns about competing with them. They lack a true understanding of our business. In the film industry, we're selling experiences through sound and light. It's not a tangible product you can wear or drive; it requires a unique perspective to navigate.”

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