The Brief
I was briefed to create the key art for The Balloonist, an independent Dutch film about Gaby, a heritage chicken keeper whose quiet life is upended when an arrogant hot-air balloon pilot crash-lands on her coop.
One of the main considerations for the poster design was that the two lead actors are relatively unknown, so star power was not a driving factor. Many of the references provided were independent film festival posters that offered little to no narrative context, which meant the challenge was to find a balance—capturing the film’s unique character while still giving audiences a compelling entry point.
The Final Execution
With little to no budget behind this independent film, I had to work primarily with stills taken during filming. Although stock imagery was available, I chose to photograph the field and sky myself to ensure the visuals captured exactly the atmosphere and aesthetic I wanted.
