Moving to a Cinema

Moving to a cinema

Co-creative direction. Office rebranding. Public relations event concept, organization, and promotion. Writing. Editing.

The Indiana University Office of Creative Services, now IU Studios, was a fledgling reorganized group—a merging of two former IU publications and communications offices. We had a PR problem, which was twofold: 1.) We had recently changed to a fee-for-service office, and 2.) We were moving into a very cool newly-renovated space that had been occupied by a beloved (but run down) small local movie house—at a time when university office space was scarce.

We (me, client relations manager Erika Knudson, and art directors Kathleen Chmlewski, Jeff Green, and Cassie Johnston) decided to make our move to the old, loved cinema building an opportunity to showcase our creativity —and to show our own sentimental feelings about our town's historic landmarks through an homage to our building's roots. For our moving announcement, I conceived and arranged a photo shoot with our staff wearing 3-D glasses in a different beloved theatre only blocks away, the downtown Buskirk-Chumley. (That staff image is now a permanent large photo installation in the building's entrance.)

I was also a lead creative director on a movie-themed open house for the Von Lee building. Jeff Green designed the amazing King Kong movie cover for the invitation, which we handed out as swag art magnets at the open house. At the open house event, we played Indiana- and IU-themed movies in many offices, decorated in old-school movie paraphernalia, brought in a movie-house popcorn machine, and served a big spread in our conference space, where we displayed our work. Our guests were the mayor and other city officials, our university clients and collaborators, and any Bloomington citizen who wanted to take a look at the renovated space.

Erica Knudson, our fabulous King Kong "Ann Darrow" model for the open house invitation mailer, came in character to the event with her companion, King Kong.

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