I approached to capturing the quirky yet sinister vibe of "A Very Flattened Christmas." The premise — a Christmas gone bloody at a roadkill collection company with an evil reindeer as the murderer — was both unique and challenging, setting the tone for a horror-comedy visual that needed to be both intense and somewhat playful.
The concept behind the poster was to encapsulate the chaotic and bloody Christmas setting with a focus on the reindeer as the main antagonist. I wanted the reindeer to have a menacing presence, looming large over the characters, as if it were a force of nature set to destroy them. The characters needed to portray a sense of panic and chaos, hinting at the dark comedy of employees being killed off one by one in a holiday horror setting. The design had to balance horror elements with a touch of absurdity, making it clear that this is a twisted Christmas story.
Character Composition: I started by sketching out each character, giving them exaggerated expressions of fear, surprise, and chaos. I wanted each character to bring a unique personality to the scene, emphasizing the diversity of the cast and their reactions to the unfolding horror.
Reindeer Focus: The evil reindeer is the star of the horror, so I made it the central figure at the top of the poster. The reindeer is depicted with glowing red eyes, a bloody snout, and a menacing stance, creating an immediate sense of threat.
Color Palette: The colors needed to scream “Christmas,” but with a sinister twist. I used traditional Christmas elements like the green pine trees and festive red, blending them with dark tones to create an eerie atmosphere. The blood splatter on the shovel also adds to the grisly theme.
Background Details: In the background, I added subtle winter elements, like bare trees and a snowy scene, to evoke the holiday setting while maintaining a dark, foreboding tone.
One of the primary challenges was balancing the horror with comedy in a way that didn’t make the poster look overly gruesome or cartoonish. It was important to convey the dangerous, horror element without losing the darkly comedic tone. Additionally, capturing the unique personalities of each character within a limited space required careful attention to their poses and expressions.
The poster’s main objective is to attract the viewer’s attention with a blend of horror and dark comedy, drawing them into the strange plot. The evil reindeer is a symbol of chaos and horror, towering over the characters as they try to escape their impending doom. The characters’ panicked expressions and scattered poses hint at the bloodbath to come, giving viewers a taste of the film’s mix of horror and humor.
This poster is meant to intrigue viewers by showcasing a twisted take on Christmas, promising a unique horror-comedy experience. It captures the spirit of a bizarre, holiday thriller where survival is uncertain, and the true holiday villain isn’t human.
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