Category
Art Direction/Festival Identity
Year
2020
Team
Riddhi Panchal : Art Director, Illustrator
Pratik Bhagwani : Jr. Designer
Software Used
In 2020, the pandemic year, while most festivals were being canceled, IFP took a bold step and went virtual. As a senior designer overseeing two interns, I was in charge of crafting the festival’s visual identity. The major challenge we faced was drawing an audience to a virtual event. We developed a vibrant and creative illustrative concept, which was consistently reflected across all marketing materials and the virtual platform itself. This led to unprecedented participation, with more than 65,000 creators from over 540 cities and 38 countries. The festival featured over 65 sessions and 30+ workshops involving more than 180 creators from six countries, spanning four days. The platform registered more than 560,000 messages, showcasing the high level of engagement it achieved.
Creative Process
Retaining the signature IFX colors, I introduced electric neon hues to enhance the virtual festival experience.
The Key Visual
Recognizing that virtual sessions might seem dull to some, we aimed to transform them into a captivating, once-in-a-lifetime experience. We embraced the virtual nature of the festival fully in our design. Our central visual motif featured a hot air balloon floating through the sky, but instead of a conventional balloon, it was depicted as a vibrant, unusual planet. This planet was bustling with creative activity, with different continents representing various domains of art and creativity.
The Film-making and Storytelling Island
The Music-Making Island
The Design and Scriptwriting Island
Hosting IFX during COVID-19 seemed impossible, as festivals thrive on large gatherings. However, we never back down. We kept the festive spirit alive and continued IFX’s legacy virtually. This resilient spirit was reflected in our marketing and advertising efforts, proving that no matter what happens, the show must go on.
For the Social Media Template announcing the Artist Line-Up, we incorporated a virtual element. The design mimicked a tablet screen with attached headphones, displaying artists and session information within the screen. A screen within a screen—Screenception!
We aimed to keep the digital platform engaging by integrating various interactive features, including a virtual heist. The heist featured hidden clues within banners, pictures, and platform features. Each clue contained a Bollywood-themed riddle, leading participants to the next clue upon solving.
