Variable X Pictures
ServicesBrand Identity, Web Design & Development
PlatformSquarespace 7.1
About the ProjectVariable X Pictures is an LA-based production company and creative collective for independent filmmakers. Their old website was built by the founder using Google Sites, and didn’t match the caliber of their work. They had previously worked with a designer on a brand identity, but they felt it did not align well with how they wanted their business portrayed. I worked with the founder, Xavier DuBose, to rework the brand identity to ensure it delivered on his vision. I then brought the new brand to life in a Squarespace website that showcases their work and positions Variable X as a reputable partner for filmmakers and commercial clients.
My ApproachThe client was a fellow creative who had a vision for the brand, and unfortunately the previous designer he’d hired didn’t quite capture it. Therefore my top priority was to really listen and understand how he wanted the brand to look and feel.
He wanted the website to stand out from other film production company websites with a nostalgic, slightly grungy vibe – more urban and community focused than commercial or techy – his words were “like your best friend that used to be in Blockbuster Video all the time.” Based on this, I had a very specific image of walking through the parking lot of a Hollywood Video on a Friday night with a friend, the glow from the neon store sign like a beacon beckoning us to come peruse their shelves, lined with cinematic possibilities. I let that image and the feeling it evoked guide me while designing the look and feel of the website.
The client had two distinct customer avatars: fellow filmmakers wanting to partner with Variable X on a film, and commercial clients needing help on things like brand and social content, promo videos, and music visualizers. Therefore we agreed on two main pages – one focused on filmmaking and acted as a portfolio showcasing past projects, and the other focused on commercial work and functioned more like a sales page.
The ResultThe new site is professional and polished and holds true to Xavier’s vision for the brand. The bold typography and amble high-quality photos create visual interest and effectively communicate what the brand has to offer. Subtle visual details like a film grain texture for the background, custom made neon assets, and a tiny red dot indicating the current page in the header that looks like a recording light all lend a uniquely nostalgic and cinematic feel to the website.