The NYU Production Lab is a storytelling incubator whose mission is to help the next generation design and launch thriving careers in creative industries. I worked as an undergraduate student ambassador and graphic designer from September 2018 to May 2019.
Infusing my minimalistic aesthetics, I designed the Lab's opening motion graphic, set up a new Design Guide, and made its first Event Guide, a handbook on Lab's facility.
MOTION GRAPHICS
NYU Production Lab incubates films a lot, so the opening motion graphics have to communicate a film-related message. I designed the logo to be flashing neo-lights with a dark backdrop to have a vintage film style.
DESIGN GUIDE
Design Guide is a handbook that outlines the proper usage of logos, fonts, colors, presentations, websites in Lab's publicity materials. It plays a vital role in building up a clear, consistent visual identity.
I wasn't able to complete the Design Guide within the one year time I worked. However, some of the visual languages I defined in the design guide are used in designing the Event Guide.
Visual Hierarchy
I designed three versions for the cover. In the left version, color denotes an emphasis on "design," but I worried whether it is not strong enough. In the right version, the contrast in letter size highlights the letter "D," but it is the word "design" should be emphasized rather than the "D." The middle version is the only one that uses the repetition of title to create a correct but also strong emphasis: "Design Guide."
EVENT GUIDE
Lab staff, professors, and students at NYU host a large number of events at NYU Production Lab but they have difficult finding out what kind of facility Lab can and cannot provide, until the event guide is designed.
Designer's Note
Design is all about visual hierarchy. One of the first few design languages I outline in Design Guide is how to effectively use contrast in layout. I use contrast (contrast of font size and font weight) to create a fluent visual hierarchy to guide the audience: Title > sub-title > content. For some pages such as the address, hours and contact page, I use think lines to break the hierarchy to reorganize the emphasis. I emphasize the address, hours and contact page because to help the audience get the correct address and office hours is more important than to maintain a visual hierarchy.
