Megan Naylor - Wardle mn111088 OUIL503 colaboration boards

Bethany Ewens / Megan Naylor-Wardle

YCN Royal Opera House

#01

Bethany Ewens / Megan Naylor-Wardle

YCN Royal Opera House

#02

Bethany Ewens / Megan Naylor-Wardle

YCN Royal Opera House

Research We identified the need to gather valuable primary research to inform our potential responses to the brief.

To do this we created a survey to find out what would encourage people who engage in other cultural events such as the theatre, gigs and football matches etc. to experience the ballet for the first time.

We also watched a range of contemporary ballet clips from Billy Elliot to the Hozier music video ‘Take Me to Church’ Starring Sergei Polunin.

This research enabled us to generate a variety of ideas from designing posters that looked modern and contemporary to creating the hashtag #onpointe.

#03

Bethany Ewens / Megan Naylor-Wardle

YCN Royal Opera House

Concept The idea we took forwards kept the tone of the campaign modern, contemporary and engaging to a younger audience while keeping the concept of the ballet sophisticated yet gritty.

The hashtag #onpointe works on 3 different levels; The first is that on pointe (en pointe) is a traditional ballet hold referring to the art form itself.

The second is that the definition of ‘on point’ means relevance, bringing ballet into the 21st century.

The third meaning behind this hashtag is the modern phrase or slang people use commonly on social media to describe things they find up to scratch.

This approach to the campaign makes re-appropriates the meaning of on pointe and makes the ballet seem more inviting and accessible to the desired target audience.

#04

Bethany Ewens / Megan Naylor-Wardle

YCN Royal Opera House

Visuals Wanting to incorporate an illustrative approach, we were inspired by the forms created by the muscles of the dancers, which demonstrates how ballet as a sport requires strength, stamina and determination.

Traditional print including lino cutting and screen print was used in the process and development of the illustrations and patterns in the campaign series. This approach resonates with the traditional nature of the ballet.

We also created a custom typeface inspired by a range of festival and gig posters. This enabled us to effectively communicate the edgy, moder n aesthetic and tone of voice of the campaign. The use of a custom typeface also ensures a bespoke/unique typographic form.

#06

Bethany Ewens / Megan Naylor-Wardle

YCN Royal Opera House

Content The series incorporates the leg in the on pointe position as the focus of each poster to create consistency and fluidity between each design. This can then be overlapped, orientated, duplicated and distorted to create a range of abstract compositions with the same underlying theme.

The words on each poster subvert people’s expectations and opinions of the ballet, showing how it isn’t just ‘old fashioned, filled with tutus, musically dry or stuffy’ but ‘relevant to contemporary life’. This was the driving force of the project and a key aspect that we wanted to communicate on every poster and advertisement.

#07

Bethany Ewens / Megan Naylor-Wardle

YCN Royal Opera House

#08

Bethany Ewens / Megan Naylor-Wardle

YCN Royal Opera House

#09

Bethany Ewens / Megan Naylor-Wardle

YCN Royal Opera House

Range The final designs create a fluent series which effectively communicate the ballet as a modern, engaging and accessible art form.

The recognisable typeface and illustrations used could also be manipulated for use across a range of different platforms and merchandise in the future if required.

#10

Bethany Ewens / Megan Naylor-Wardle

YCN Royal Opera House

#11