branding + wordpress | affair with the james
PROJECT: Affair with the James documentary video branding and website
CLIENT: Elli Morris stills & motion
OBJECTIVES: Frame the river as intimately integral to a variety of everyday recreational, spiritual and work activities; promote client documentary video; promote river activities and stewardship
MY ROLES: Brand Identity development, WordPress website design and development
ADDITIONAL CREDITS: Videography and photography, Elli Morris/Elli Morris stills & motion; Video editing and production, Elli Morris
It all started with the snake river. Well, actually, it all started with a phone call from Elli …
“I’m making a documentary about the James River. Recording one video each week of life on the James river for one year — birthday to birthday. I’m halfway through and I think I should have a website. Are you interested?”
Am I interested!?!
She wanted a map of the river with waypoints marking each video location, and a bit of a romantic touch. Ideas manifested themselves immediately. I just needed to know her up- and downriver endpoints.
“I’ll send you a map.”
The map was not at all what I expected. Not. At. All. When you are at — or in my case kayaking on — the river, it appears pretty much linear. There are the obvious exceptions such as oxbows and meanders, but for the most part it’s pretty much point A to point B with maybe a slight wobble or sweeping bend. But this, this was … Elli called it the snakeriver.
I called it a layout nightmare opportunity and ran with it. The project included branding, a website, video titles and printed promotional materials. And by the time all was said and done, that ol’ snake river and I were having an affair of our own. 🙂
applied branding
All photography by Elli Morrris/Elli Morris stills & motion.
full length page layouts
text content page
video content page, 4th quarter
video content page, 2nd quarter
about page
video info and videographer biography card
promotional postcard series featuring selected video stills
video titles—brand elements designate event locations
Begin your own Affair with the James here.
I have no idea how Michelle learned so much about human psychology, how we interact with spaces, how designs affect us but I’m telling you what she knows her stuff. She goes way beyond just getting the job done – she brings so many of her own ideas to a project to make my vision the best that it can be. With Michelle you get a whole lot more than just a web designer. You get an advocate and a friend.