Women Make Film: Meet Our Team
What do you say when a favorite client asks for your help launching the US premiere of…
A 14-part documentary…
Celebrating over 100 female filmmakers…
Showcasing 100 of their full-length films…
From across 6 continents…
44 countries…
Spanning 12 decades?
It all added up to 1 big ‘Yes!’ for Known and Turner Classic Movies.
TCM provided us a rare and special opportunity that came with its share of fun challenges when we teamed up to create the campaign marketing their epic celebration — Women Make Film.
This 14-week television event includes the US premiere of a documentary series, hosted interstitials with TCM network talent, and 100 full-length movies showcasing female filmmakers.
TCM dug deep into the classic film canon, opening it up to include the bold and groundbreaking work of a variety of female filmmakers. Ranging from lesser-known directors like Dorothy Arzner and Larisa Shepitko, to major Hollywood directors like Ava DuVernay, Sofia Coppola and the Wachowski sisters.
We caught up with the creative team on this project for a look behind the scenes:
Ashley, Editorial Producer:
“TCM really wanted to celebrate the artistry of these female directors. They showcased the directors you’d expect, as well as the ones you might not be as familiar with, highlighting everything from the treatment of “the meet-cute” to how female directors depict memory and time.”
Kelley, Senior Graphics Producer:
“For a film school nerd like me, this was a dream project — not only the unique content in the documentary itself, but also the interesting and rare films TCM is including in the event. This was a unique opportunity and not the kind of thing we get to do every day. The event is such an interesting look at not only at female directors, but directors from all around the world. It really shows the diversity of the talent and the depth & breadth of the material that’s out there and that’s such a special thing.”
Sharre, Executive Producer:
“The client knew that film buffs would automatically be interested in this event…but how could we make this accessible and entertaining to a broader audience? This was really important to TCM. Creating a bold, dynamic visual system was the heart of the campaign, aiming to appeal to and engage more viewers.”
Kris, Senior Editor:
“As a woman in the industry, I felt like this project was not only a privilege, but an honor to showcase these pioneers that have paved the way for creative women all over the world. It was both a big endeavor, and an important one, allowing everyone to appreciate and experience the talent, skill, and dedication behind their craft that started over a century ago. Breaking down the 14-part documentary, and the 100 films around the campaign, was challenging, but necessary to find the very best pieces to represent these women, as well as get across the essence of the event… and do it all in only 60 seconds.”
Lizzy, Design Creative Director:
“They came to us with great references for a collage-style look and bold color. We absorbed the style references and came back with our own spin. We juxtaposed large typography to highlight the names of female directors with small, lengthy timelines to showcase the breadth of work. We crafted a journey through film by flying past cutout imagery from films in a colorful z-space.”
Sara, ECD/Production:
“I’m really proud when a client like TCM comes to us looking for a female-led team to work on an extremely important cinematic launch, and we can deliver amazing talent in every way. Need a strong female art director? No problem! Kick-ass female editor? You got it. Need super organized and creative female producers? Double check! Not many companies can deliver on this ask and I love that Known can.”
As the cliche goes, behind every great woman is a strong man…and this campaign wouldn’t have been possible without Steve, our creative advisor, our animators Christian and Forrest, and our writing intern Charlie — who logged all 14 hours of the footage!
And, finally, a huge thank you to our TCM clients — Tricia, Julie, Chuck, Jin, Katie, Christian and Mario — for the awesome collaboration!
For more info, check here: https://womenmakefilm.tcm.com
And to see the spot, watch here: https://known.is/studios/media/women-make-film
