The Art of Looking
Museumnacht (MuseumNight) sees more than 50 Amsterdam-based museums opening their doors after-hours. This inaugural film campaign converts their brand values and visual identity into a new medium to further highlight their brand values.
Art
The film delivers highly varied and hybrid imagery – both in terms of stark contrasts and divergences in colour scheme, scenery, light, styling and even format. Mixing stock imagery of references to various artists and different styles with dynamic scenes inspired by a diverse set of cultures (street culture/high-brow), clashing styles (woman with a piercing in stereotypical renaissance clothing) and individualized atmospheres (high tempo music vs classical music, natural light vs coloured light, snappy vs slow edit) all is a visual homage to Museumnacht’s creative spirit and inclusive DNA. The approach in terms of imagery, styling, locations, set design, lighting, camera flow and narration ultimately visualise an inviting and inclusive spirit. Not only was this essential in order to communicate the variety of participant museums, but to highlight the diversity of Museum Night participants.
Direction
The direction of the film ultimately visualise an inviting and inclusive spirit. Not only was this essential in order to communicate the variety of participant museums, but also to highlight the diversity of Museum Night’s participants.
Visually, the director created a film that delivers highly varied and hybrid imagery – both in terms of stark contrasts and divergences in colour scheme, scenery, light, styling and even format. Mixing stock imagery of references to various artists and different styles with dynamic scenes inspired by a diverse set of cultures (street culture to high-brow), clashing styles (dressing a woman with a piercing in stereotypical renaissance clothing) and individualized atmospheres (high tempo music versus classical music, natural light versus coloured light, snappy versus slow edit) all is a visual homage to Museumnacht’s creative spirit and inclusive DNA.
Additional Direction
The director was very much at the heart of developing the concept behind and driving the execution of a film that is a visual manifestation of Museumnach’t brand DNA. She crafted what was to become a visualisation of the organisation’s creative character specifically geared towards a young, local audience. The director’s vision for the cast was essential in communicating this message in an authentic way, truly speaking to the target audience.
Art
To manifest Museumnacht’s visual identity in an atmospheric way, the director found inspiration from the participating museums. From established institutions to less known names, the broad range of varying locations, and the numerous styles of art and stories within the museums, worked as a compass in developing the overall visual style, design, tone and direction of the film. But in crafting a film that would represent all of these very different museums without being exclusive, the director wanted to give the narrative a more general approach. Utilising a concept everyone can relate to - the art of looking - the spot invites you on a journey and exploration of the sense that is vision.
An informative voice-over encourages the audience to look at things differently, immerse into the act of looking and consequently cherish the emotional triggers of visual stimuli. Supplementing the voiceover, the viewer is served expressive visuals underlining the narrative story.
Direction
Briefed to create a piece that would express Museumnacht’s creative spirit visually, the craft and execution of the film took centre stage. The director was the driving force in developing the concept. It was important to the client to work with a director who would be able to develop the narrative. It was equally important to them to work with a team of young and diverse artists with the freedom to express the organisation’s core values in their own way.
To manifest Museumnacht’s visual identity in an atmospheric way, the director found inspiration from the participating museums. This worked as a compass in developing the overall direction of the film. But in crafting a film that would represent all of these very different museums without being exclusive, the director wanted to give the narrative a more general approach. Utilising a concept everyone can relate to - the art of looking. The spot invites you on a journey and exploration of the sense that is vision.
For their first ever film campaign, N8 – the organisers behind Museumnacht - wanted an atmospheric and expressive film, shot at a wide variety of Museumnacht’s participating museums, introducing a stylised and conceptual story as a testament to their creative character and inclusive DNA. The purpose of this inaugural film was for it to be a tool to connect with their audience in a new way. Artistic collaboration, creative freedom and inclusivity had to be at the core of the creation. It was important for Museumnacht to reflect these values in the creation of the campaign, and to work with a team of young and diverse artists who all had the freedom to express the organisation’s core values in their own way.
Brought on-board early in the process, the concept was developed by the director and the creative process was a close one between the client and production company. Providing an abstract yet clear brief, the idea was to advance the story in partnership.
