Project Overview
This motion poster series represents my exploration into incorporating motion elements into alternative movie posters, which I have been creating for a few years now. Leveraging Adobe After Effects, I have created dynamic visuals for three films: TENET, Oppenheimer, and Dune. This project not only pushed my creative boundaries but also allowed me to learn new tools and techniques.
Tools & Techniques
Software Used: Adobe After Effects and Adobe Illustrator
Learning Process: Online tutorials and self-guided experimentation helped me learn the basics of After Effects and advanced techniques in Illustrator, enabling me to execute these complex motion elements.
TENET Motion Poster
Concept & Design:
Film: TENET (2020), Director by Christopher Nolan
Theme: Time Reversal
Design Elements: The poster features a white background with grey silhouettes of a cityscape at the top and bottom. A central clock shape with the film's title, TENET, in a special font (flipping the E), represents the concept of time.
Motion: The title rotates counterclockwise in place, duplicating and copying itself on each 'hour'. On the second rotation, each duplicated title disappears, creating a looping effect that visually represents the film’s theme of time inversion.
Oppenheimer Motion Poster
Concept & Design:
Film: Oppenheimer (2023), Director by Christopher Nolan
Theme: Destruction and Renewal
Design Elements: The main poster features an orange/yellow gradient with the silhouette of Oppenheimer and a nuclear explosion cutout at the bottom. Two variations accompany it; one black and white with a smoky background, and another with a white background and an orange/red gradient explosion.
Motion: The poster starts to burn away, revealing the next variation underneath. This burning effect was achieved through specific techniques learned in Illustrator, and the motion loops through three variations of the poster.
Dune Motion Poster
Concept & Design:
Film: Dune: Part Two (2024), Director by Denis Villeneuve
Theme: Epic Journey
Design Elements: The static poster includes stars, a star chart graphic, layers of sand, Paul Atreides' flowing cape, and an eclipse with the sun and two moons.
Motion: Multiple elements were animated:
• Stars and star chart/graph rotate at different speeds.
• Sand layers have wave effects with varying speeds, styles, and heights.
• Paul's cape subtly flows in the wind.
• The sun and moons move in arcs, creating an eclipse effect.
• The main title appears and disappears in sync with added music. The entire animation loops seamlessly.
Interstellar 10th Anniversary Poster
Concept & Collaboration:
Film: Interstellar (2014), Directed by Christopher Nolan
Theme: Time, Exploration, and Sacrifice
This project is a collaborative tribute between myself, and poster artist Samer Alkaabi in celebration of Interstellar’s 10th anniversary. Our goal was to create a design that captures both the grandeur of space and the emotional depth of the film. The final piece pays homage to its breathtaking cinematography and powerful themes, focusing on one of its most intense moments—the docking sequence—framed within a structure inspired by the tesseract, representing time as a tangible force.
Design Elements:
• Docking Sequence: The central focus, highlighting the precision, tension, and beauty of the scene.
• Tesseract-Inspired Frame: Symbolizing time and dimensionality.
• Spacecraft: Featuring the Endurance, Ranger, and station to ground the piece in realism and scale.
• Atmospheric Details: Light, motion trails, and cosmic elements to enhance depth and immersion.
Collaboration & Process:
• Sketch & Composition: We began with rough layout ideas, ensuring a balance of scale and perspective.
• Illustration & Painting: Samer meticulously rendered the spacecraft, lighting, and textures to bring the scene to life
• Color & Final Adjustments: I worked on refining the composition, colour grading, and additional details to amplify the emotional weight.
Motion: Multiple elements were animated:
•To extend the experience, I created a motion version of the design, enhancing the film’s themes of time and space.
•Docking movement subtly animated to capture precision.
•Light shifts and reflections add depth and realism.
•Elements like stars and cosmic dust move to create immersion.
•Seamless looping effect enhances the timeless nature of the scene.
The final piece serves as both a static and dynamic tribute, merging our artistic styles and storytelling approaches. This has been an incredible creative journey, and we’re excited to share it with Interstellar fans and movie poster enthusiasts alike.
Conclusion
Exploring motion design through this series of posters for TENET, Oppenheimer, and Dune has been a fulfilling journey. It allowed me to blend static design principles with dynamic motion, creating visually captivating pieces that bring the essence of each film to life. This project has significantly expanded my skill set and opened new creative possibilities in my design work.