Creative Brief:
Over winter break, I read the first 3 novels of a series titled “All For The Game” by Nora Sakavic. After reading, I was inspired to bring three of the stories’ locations to life: Palmetto State University (PSU), Sweetie's, and The Kathy Ferdinand Show. The goal of this project is to try to simulate the experience of being a production designer tasked with creating elements that would be used on the set of a live-action adaptation of the book. I was challenged to research design trends, history, and more to create accurate elements that fit the story's time period, and ensure all 3 locations feel as if they could fit into the same world.
Story Synopsis:
After spending his life on the run, Neil Josten decides to let himself settle down for one semester of college to play exy (a fictional sport inspired by lacrosse and hockey). He struggles to fit in with the ragtag team of misfits while also hiding his dark past. As time goes on, he realizes maybe he doesn’t want to run anymore and wants to keep playing exy with the support of his team.
Time Period:
This story takes place during 2006-2007 in South Carolina.
Genre:
Young Adult Contemporary Sports Fiction
Additional Credits:
Photoshoot directed by Cris Chevere
Photography taken by Farida Kassem (speck.shoots on Instagram) and Cris Chevere
Photos edited by Cris Chevere
Models: Sam, Megan, and MJ
Palmetto State University is a fictional university located in South Carolina that is described in the novels to use the colors orange and white and have a fox as their mascot. Beyond color descriptions and the mentions of a fox paw being used to decorate team uniforms, there are little to no details of how the branding of the university would be. Below is my exploration of how they would brand the school as well as physical items that the main character Neil Josten might interact with.
Sweetie’s is a diner located in Columbia, South Carolina. This location is frequently visited by the main characters of the novel after their games. There is no description of what the diner looks like inside the book, so I drew inspiration from 1960s retro diner aesthetics.
The Kathy Ferdinand Show is a morning talk show hosted by the character Kathy Ferdinand. Kathy is described as having a perky personality and a blinding smile, though it might be a facade concealing her true intentions: using any means to start drama to get better ratings. In the story, there are no descriptions of how the show's branding looks, so I took inspiration from other popular talk shows like Oprah, The Jennifer Hudson Show, and Ellen to bring this location to life.
