Mood board for "You're the Man" logo

I've been using a temporary logo for my project, but I want to refine it for my promotional materials and the final video. Here is some creative exploration of MAN stuff. It's remarkable how much black, red, and white are used. They are strong and powerful colors. Also - fonts are blocky, san serif, bold, "in your face", and sometimes suggest speed with oblique styling. As you can see, I investigate "guy stuff" related to fashion, power tools, automotive, pop culture, entertainment, food/beverage, personal care, and sports.

On examining the iconography of the logos, I find these ideas:

flag

claws

shield ****

stop sign / red hexagon

eye

button

celtic symbol

plaque

bent arrow

plane

steel texture

stag

cross

sunrays

belt buckle

stamp/brand

sticker

circle with line through it

The shield comes up most. On John Deere, Tesla, Motocross, Ducati, NFL.

I think a shield icon would be appropriate to apply to the "You're the Man" logo because it is used so frequently in other masculine-oriented product logos, it indicates strength, ego, identity, power, and because it actually signifies protection. Makes sense for a responsible-sex campaign!

There are a lot of shields to choose from...

I don't want it to look like a highway route sign! Should be more like a Viking!

Notes to self

When you feel like a fool, you know you are right

After a week of spring break, I am still on track... I converted and reviewed my footage, and have a rough cut. I need to sift through some of the audio from the Zoom recorder to match up with specific scenes.

I am pleased that all the footage came out, but I realized in my review that I feel kind of crazy for taking on this project. I have never worked with actors before. And we were filming in uncontrolled, public areas. Why was that not a red flag to me when I was creating the script and storyboards? And then I threw in a live animal... REALLY SMART!

I started doubting my work during the first rough cut. There are definitely moments that shine - that even make me laugh out loud on review. But I kept thinking, how am I going to make this look polished? Can I get it from here to where I need it to be? It got scary.

Today, I went to see Stacy Peralta speak - he is a well known documentary filmmaker of Dogtown and Z-Boys, Riding Giants, and others. In answering student questions and talking about his process, he said exactly what I needed to hear at this stage in my thesis production.

Some excerpts: (may not be verbatim)

"As an artist, you are in a constant state of loneliness and insecurity, wondering why you are doing what you are doing, and doubting your idea. You spend so much time in the netherworld of insecurity."

at the beginning of an edit:

"Don't expect anything of yourself. And don't expect it to make sense. When you feel like a fool, you know you are right. You should feel like a fool."

I loved both of these comments. The second idea emerged when Stacy talked about coaching one of his friends who was making his first film. The friend had 30 hours of footage and told Stacy "I don't know where to begin". Stacy told him to just dig in. That taking the footage and starting the edit is the hardest part, but it is the process.

I feel so much better when I learn that most of the problems I have as a creative are the same problems confronted by seasoned professionals.

The goat likes my storyboards

The goat kindly "reviewed" my storyboards. I had no idea they were so delicious.

Good expressions

One of the scenes shot last weekend. I really like the expressions on the guys' faces in this one.

Animal talent

The star of the show on set last weekend! Acting like a diva, of course.

That's a wrap

Just got done with 2 days of the shoot. 4 actors, 1 actress, 2 camera assistants, 1 wrangler, and 1 goat.

We were blessed to have a gorgeous summer-like day yesterday as we shot on a basketball court down by Sloan's Lake. Today was an indoor shoot - and we were blessed with a very cooperative goat!

Photos, behind-the-scenes, and more to come.