Below are a few projects I had the privilege to work on, during my time with the Sydney Opera House Creative Studio.
The Big Black Book
Outputs: The book
My role: Lead Designer
The Challenge: Bring together the many safety, housekeeping and visitor information notices required by the world’s busiest Performing Arts Centre, in a way suitable for frequent updates.
The Solution: We wanted to create something appropriate for every genre of performer who would come to lay their eyes on this book; from Andre Rieu, to the Wutang Clan; Ottolenghi to Lizzo... you get the idea. It had the potential to become a bit of backstage lore. So we created a clean, inviting fabric lined folder, filled with luxurious stocks, richly printed inks and hidden insider info.
Results: The Big Black Book was nominated for 2019 AGDA Awards.
Unwrapped
Outputs: Visual Identity, Digital marketing assets, Printed Collateral.
My role: Lead Designer
The Challenge: Create a visual identity for Unwrapped, a series of curated performances by independent artists; all on the precipice of hitting their stride.
The Solution: We developed a creative wrapper (sorry) which worked for a range of art forms; from interpretive dance to absurdist comedy, and a range of supplied photography.
Horror
Outputs: Show program.
My role: Lead Designer.
The Challenge: The producers of Horror wanted an elevated show program, which doubled as a take home souvenir for the audience.
We needed to create something which did the bone chilling performance justice; but still suitable for the Opera House.
The Solution: With little budget to work with, we used a few neat details to take this printed piece to the next level. The front cover was trimmed; showing just a glimpse of the screaming face, which appeared on the posters. Text layout feels considered but unexpected; and the show credits paid homage to horror in film.
Assassins
Outputs: Visual Identity, digital and printed collateral, OOH.
My role: Lead Designer, illustrator.
The Challenge: Assassins is a musical which portrays America’s presidential killers, in a sinister, all-American carnival setting. Winning 5 Tony Awards, the musical came to the Sydney Opera House, set to run for about a month. With its previous creative failing to sell tickets, I was asked to pull off a last minute creative refresh.
The Solution: The result was a quick turn around, with the show selling successfully to turn a profit (see very validating and satisfying graph below). I chose an illustrative direction inspired by Saul Bass, using a toy gun to imply the circus setting, an upside down American flag to suggest chaos, and a spot light to give a showman feel.
Utzon Music Series
Outputs: Visual Identity, digital and printed collateral, OOH.
My role: Lead Designer, illustrator.
The Challenge: The Utzon Music Series is a year long series which features unique world-renowned classical artists. For the 2019 brochure, the producers wanted to break away from the stuffier, more traditional look of past years. The shows are held once a month in the Utzon Room (a venue which also happens to be my personal favourite in the building). The shows are held at sunset, with champaign, and an audience of under 100 people.
The Solution: We wanted to capture the unique intimacy of the event, showcasing the venues' remarkable architecture through a number of illustrations. The colour palette was chosen to reflect the atmospheric time of day, as light floods in through the floor to ceiling windows, reflecting off the water in the harbour. The colour scheme deepens as the brochure progresses, emulating the passing of time as the season concludes.
