Great Gatsby | Poster Design
Designed by Maria Pellegrino using Adobe Photoshop
2024
Objective:
Redesigning an existing movie campaign poster, along with a mobile and web version.
Target Audience:
A broad and dynamic audience that includes both long-time fans of the novel and newcomers interested in its aesthetic and cultural significance.
Process:
I chose The Great Gatsby for this design due to my love for the film and the metaphors presented throughout the plot. I wanted to ensure that the story’s intricate symbolism and powerful metaphors were accurately and thoughtfully incorporated into my design, reflecting the essence of the narrative in a visually compelling way.
To begin, I used a scene of Gatsby looking out his window during a party, a moment that reflects his isolation and disillusionment despite the glamour around him. To enhance this still image and deepen this symbolism, I layered an image of (1) a lively party and (2) fireworks within the reflection of the window, while incorporating (3) a faint New York skyline and (4) city lights to ground the design in the film’s setting.
I added (5) a green-tinted water layer to subtly reference the iconic green light, reinforcing themes of longing and the blurred line between aspiration and reality. For typography, I selected a bold, era-appropriate typeface for the title to capture the film’s 1920s elegance, and included director and cast credits to complete the authentic movie-poster look..
Design Process
Elements
01 Poster Mockup
Description found above.
Elements
02 Mobile Design
For this design, I decided to maintain the major aspects of the design in terms of the lower half of the image, yet adding a twist to what appears above the city skyline.
I used images of the main characters, Gatsby and Daisy, and arranged them back to back, Gatsby in front. This alludes to a main aspect of the movie surrounding their tumultuous relationship.
In the background, I again incorporate the green light - this time appearing in the fog behind them. This creates an eerie tone, similar to that of the film.
Elements
03 Web Design
Here, I decided to maintain the major aspects of the design, yet as the first design was structured for a vertical layout, I removed the image of Leonardo DiCaprio - shifting the focus to the “Eyes of God”, as shown in the film. This image represents the theme of moral judgment and the idea of an all-seeing presence.
Another change was made to the background, increasing the opacity of the party scene and removing the image of the fireworks.
“Buy Tickets Now” is at the center of the image below the movie title to draw consumer’s attention to the button, as this is the main goal of the design.
