LEATHERBOUND
SUMMER 2023 - FALL 2024
ABOUT
I was reached out to by Michael Doyle of Doyle Pictures for marketing consultation & promotion for his upcoming film premiere "Leatherbound" at Hyland Cinema.
TOOLS
PHOTOSHOP, ILLUSTRATOR, INDESIGN, PROCREATE
GOALS
The film heavily utilizes an orange colour scheme, use of handwritten typography and fire which set the tone of the visual branding.
I regularly met with the client to discuss what his vision was for the poster, aiming for a hand-painted style to replicate vintage horror films. I utilized Photoshop and a Wacom tablet to do so. We decided upon a white border, to lighten the tone of the poster, since it was still a relatively campy and light-hearted film.
I worked alongside the client to guide the social media promotion and develop an advertising campaign, as well as to determine ticket pricing to meet goals. The target audience here would be individuals interested in independent and experimental film, rather than the average person who wants to go see a movie on a Saturday night. I emphasized that promotional materials should focus on the filmmaking process, the director himself, and "how it feels good" to support local.
I worked with Hyland Cinema to establish deadlines in order to optimize promotional material and advertising to ensure the film was advertised during their Autumn horror season. The premiere turnout was highly successful - resulting in one of the highest turnouts for a local independent film at the theatre, the second highest turnout for October 2024 (aside from Rocky Horror, obviously) and sales 203% above set target KPI.
OTHER WORK
I was also designated the responsibility of writing a series of handwritten messages and illustrations in 20+ journals, which represented the female antagonist. As it was a silent film, a great deal of dialogue was represented in the journals. The female antagonist, Lilith, is an ancient demon who uses the book as a tool to manipulate men and take their souls.
I implemented a number of changes to her dialogue, which was originally written by the director, Michael Doyle. The changes I suggested would represent Lilith in a more mature and feminine manner, which I felt was necessary for the sake of better representation and to create a more convincing tone. Additionally, there are a number of illustrations, some of which depict artistic nudity. Michael and I had a debate about how this would be represented - particularly the use of body hair. I felt body hair was a necessary component of this - to emphasize the adult womanly nature of the character.
This contribution, despite not actually being on screen or on set during recording, resulted in my role being a huge key component of the film. I have been part of the Q&A panel on a few of the screenings I've seen, discussing this experience with audience members and answering their questions.
© 2025 Brittany Luckhurst.