The Tallgrass Film Festival has become a force over the past two decades. Creative for this milestone anniversary had to be equally bold and breakthrough. Working with the Tallgrass team, we sought inspiration from punk’s alternative fashions and music. Railing against conformity and the establishment felt perfect for a fest that bills itself Stubbornly Independent.
Creative Director Sonia Greteman was a student at Wichita State when she met the musicians behind The Embarrassment. Attending a concert where the band threw food – and the audience hurled it right back – led her to art direct a music video of the rebellious foursome. That film will play at this year’s festival. And the group’s song, “Drive Me to the Park” from the album “Death Travels West” serves as the soundtrack for our motion graphics.
Spinning film reels fill the eyes of an angular, teeth-baring Elvis Costello-like figure. Gritty textures leverage the fest’s branded color palette of black, indigo, fuchsia, orange and gold. The Embarrassment’s driving indie rock – or blister pop – creates a smart, energetic background that makes you want to shed the old and shake things up with new ideas, fresh visions and unexpected revelations. Exactly what the festival delivers. You can find the creative on everything from posters and wearables to billboards and the website.
We are so appreciative for the magical minds at Greteman Group that brought Owlfred to life. This friendly fellow captures the festival’s spirit of wide-eyed discovery.
MELANIE ADDINGTON
Tallgrass Film Association
director
Meet Owlfred, the new bird in town – and our Tallgrass 2021 mascot. This wise hipster sits in the dark, taking it all in. Watching with big eyes that whirl and turn into film reels. Spinning fresh, new ideas into our brains. He wears an argyle sweater, ready for fall, all cozy and friendly. We’ve fallen in love with Owlfred – he’s a hoot. His image adorns everything from collectable stickers to head-turning billboards.
The festival dates back to 2003 and is the state’s largest independent film festival. It typically evaluates 2,000 submissions a year and features 150 of the best at its annual October event. Some go on to contend for (and even win) Oscars. The agency revisited the association’s original logo, updating the font and evolving the grass icon. It’s a modern take on a still recognizable wordmark. A new graphic, a brightly colored film reel, now appears on festival materials, such as posters, passes and T-shirts. And it sets the scene. The agency designed the graphic then created a video version, setting it in motion with colors filling the screen before the reel rolls out of view.
We’re ecstatic to have a sleek and easy to navigate place to direct our audiences, attract new supporters, and get everyone as excited about our online festival as we are!
GRAY BRAND
Tallgrass Film Association
former director of marketing and communications
With a refreshed logo, new brand standards and a blockbuster website, Tallgrass went digital in 2020 and never looked better. The Tallgrass Film Association — the organization behind the annual Tallgrass Film Festival — came to Greteman Group for a new look early in the year. The agency delivered more than scene-stealing creative, it built a better way for film lovers and makers to navigate the festival online. The pandemic created a plot twist, but the new tools and look made it possible for the association to make a splash as it rolled out an online-only festival as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new website combined two previous sites, one for the association and the other for the festival. Having everything at TallgrassFilm.org boosts SEO and provides a better user experience. There were two primary goals for the new site – make it easy to find information and make it easy to update. Streamlined navigation focused the information for filmgoers, donors/sponsors, local filmmakers, and international media. It is now easier than ever to buy passes, donate, volunteer and submit films. And Tallgrass team members are thrilled with the new content management system and website styleguide. They can make updates themselves, something that was impossible before with its proprietary, hard-coded site. Finally, a fun and vibrant site design communicates the “stubbornly independent” festival’s vitality.