SURIYA SAID THE RESPONSE WAS 'MASSS'IVE
Interview Team : JyothsnaTweet
Tuney John of 24 AM is a known name in the film circle and is much sought after for his innovative poster designs. He has been a part of impressive projects such as Premam, Neram, Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya, and Jigarthanda to name some. Amidst his busy schedule, the young designer takes time to talk to Senior Editor Jyothsna Bhavanishankar on his creative field, its challenges, future of poster design and his celebrity clientele.
PHOTOS & STILLS - GALLERY
To a layman how would you describe your work?
I can explain that with an example. We go to a super market and look at things that are spread there. Things that catch your eye are the packages and the colors prior to the content. Similarly, what I do is the package for films which in simple term is the poster design.
24 AM- what does it signify?
I had actually wanted a number and two letters for my organization. I had planned for two companies 24 AM and 24 PM, AM meaning Advertising and Media and PM meaning Promotions and Marketing. 24 is an important number and means many things; 24 hours of a day; 24 frames of films, 24 Major in music, 24 bits in computer to represent True Color image and also 24 represents the purity of gold in carat. Those are the reasons behind my company being called 24 AM.
While there are many fields in cinema, what made you choose poster design?
I have been inclined towards drawing from my childhood. When I was in college, for the college culturals, I had completely designed the posters which had gained the appreciation of people. They felt that I had a natural flair for it. After college in Ernakulam, I was doing a course in SAE in Chennai where again I had done a design for an event. That’s where I met Alphonse Putharen. Through various contacts, I got involved in many design assignments with Corporates and slowly ventured in to film poster designs while I was with EM&C.
In my tenure with EM&C, I got to design a lot of posters for movies. My first film was Saroja and later Mankatha, Ko and many others. After a while I took a sabbatical of sorts and came out of EM&C and started off independently. That’s when 24 AM commenced. My first official film was Raattinam in 24 AM but I was working in Neram even before that.
Some of your completed projects
I have done Masss, Madras, Pizza, Villa, Rajini Murugan, Premam (Malayalam), Inimae Ippadithaan, Jinn, VSOP, Kaaki Sattai, Thamizhukku Enn Ondrai Azhuthavum, Rajathandhiram, Nanbenda, 36 Vayadhinile etc.
Are you focusing only on Tamil?
I am getting offers from Kannada and Malayalam but due to the volume of work, I am doing only Tamil films right now.
Do you accept all those projects that come to you or do you select?
I first ask for the storyline and if it excites me, I will take it up. There are some films that I have accepted based on personal rapport levels.
How does the process of poster designing commence?
I mostly interact with directors. I first discuss with them (directors) and understand the requirements. I then develop the concept and present it as an idea. There could be corrections and suggestions and that’s how it proceeds. It’s more of a trial and error procedure.
On the other hand, it is also important that producers like the posters. There are a few occasions where I discuss with producers. Sashikanth of Y Not Studios will share a lot of ideas. He will not force them but will discuss. In Rajathandhiram, producer Senthil Veerasamy gave quite a few inputs.
Producers Sashikanth of Y Not Studios and Senthil Veerasamy ( Rajathandhiram) will share a lot of ideas
How many posters you would design for a film?
If you consider main designs, there may not be much, perhaps around 8-10; two posters for Pooja, two for audio and a couple of them during the release. These are the ones that find place on the walls. In addition to them, we have posters for newspaper ads. Of course, there are films where I have done just three designs.
In Neram I had to do many designs because the story happens in one day and I had to bring out variations. Most of the characters are in the same costume.
In Pizza, there was a challenge of not revealing people. Vijay Sethupathi during those days was not that popular. So if you see those posters, it would be kind of dark, not disclosing much. I had done just a couple of concepts in that poster. After the release of the film, we slowly divulged the face of the characters. Villa also had the same requirement of not exposing much. They were more concept oriented. In Madras, in the first look, most of it was covered.
And there are also 50 day posters. These are the usual templates.
In Pizza, there was a challenge of not revealing people
A film that was challenging for you to work upon?
Neram was challenging, almost all the characters will be in single poster around the central logo. It is difficult to bring that many characters within a single poster. Premam was also challenging; its logo with the butterfly had become viral.
Premam was challenging; its logo with the butterfly had become viral
What differentiates Tuney’s designs from others?
I don’t know! Perhaps the usage of colors and the concepts based design?? I think that’s what gives the difference.
Have you faced situations of discordancies with director as regards the designs?
Yes, almost on a daily basis! I look at things from a creative perspective but the director may look at it from a practical/financial angle. Both of us are right in our own way. We have to strike a compromise somewhere.
I look at things from a creative perspective but the director may look at it from a practical angle
Creative freedom
It’s a highly creative field but one needs freedom to express ideas. With Alphonse and Karthik Subbaraj, I have total freedom and I experiment a lot. For Jigarthanda poster, the pink that I had used, many will be skeptical to choose such shades but Karthik was very supportive.
With Alphonse and Karthik Subbaraj, I have total freedom
Who are your competitors?
There are many. You don’t need a big set-up for this. All that you require is a system and a good team. Single person cannot handle many projects. I have been inspired by Mithra Media designs who are the pioneers in this field. Their body of work is huge.
How do you sustain in such a competitive environment?
Finance is an issue, getting the remuneration for the work that you have done is becoming difficult these days. When there is a smooth cash flow, we can also work without stress as I need to pay my staff.
Appreciation from the industry
Suriya liked my work in Masss and congratulated saying that the response was as 'masss'ive it could get. Jyothika had good words about 36 Vayadhinile poster. Premam poster went almost viral. I got a lot of laudatory messages for it from Kerala. Anjaan first look also fetched me good feedbacks. Vineeth Srinivasan liked my Mankatha posters. Nivin Pauly is a good friend of Alphonse and he always lauds my work. He also had referred a lot of movies to me.
Suriya liked my work in Masss and said that the response to the poster was 'masss'ive
Venkat Prabhu
He is a very friendly and a jovial director. We would generally discuss a few concepts and designs, and arrive at the final output. There will be clarity in what he wants and there would not be any confusion. As regards Mass first look, he told me what he wants the previous night, I sent him the design the next day for corrections, he approved it and the next day it was ready for release. Things move pretty fast with Venkat Prabhu.
Things move pretty fast with Venkat Prabhu
Awards for poster design?
A web portal has selected our poster for the Top 10 movie posters from India in 2014. The other movies that had figured in the list were all arty ones and were very good. My Jigarthanda poster was selected in the list. It was selected by a lecturer in NID.
How is the response to your work? Do people understand your creative labor?
Earlier the understanding was not that much. But now people recognize and appreciate the work. Social media comes handy here. With minutes of uploading something, you get to hear comments, messages and feedbacks.
The trend is changing and people understand the role played by posters in promotions as these pull the audience to the theatre in the first few days which help in the initial collections. It is similar to what we see in a shop, the more colorful and attractive an item is, the more attention it gets. And if it is economical, people will choose that. That is the customer mentality. Same thing applies here. Trailer and the first look posters are the two important things that take the film to the audience at the very first level. But still the importance of this is not realized by many.
How do you think, this industry would be few years down the line?
I am not sure. Interactive elements may come into play and I am also trying out a few things. Now everybody has smart phones which was not the case two years back. I feel the number of posters might come down in some time. Online medium only will rule. Even now, although the posters are released in the newspapers, 90% of the reach is only through virtual media. Most people that I know, especially the current generation access the online portals if they want to know about films. They don’t watch TV or read newspapers. Therefore, I feel the promotions will be based only in the cyber space in future. Perhaps augmented reality may take on different proportions. I had tried something like that for Premam poster when the butterfly will appear to come alive from it.
Perhaps augmented reality may take on different proportions
Will posters exist in the next few years?
It may not be there in the cities as there is no space here. Even in the available space, it is more of political content then cinema. But in towns and villages you may still find them.
Do you make two different kinds of posters- one for city and the other for towns and villages?
We tend to mix them. In the villages, people would like to see a poster where there is heroine and also they look for glamour in it. We would blend in both the sensibilities and deliver. But these days the dubbed English movies also have good number of patrons in the B and C centres. So in that sense there is a mix of audience everywhere. We tend to bring in elements that would appeal to all types of audience.
What are your upcoming projects?
I am working in 24, Sandakozhi 2, Devadas Brothers, Meendum Oru Kaadhal Kadhai, Vinodhan, Nivin Pauly’s new film, Anand Shankar’s next, Sivakarthikeyan’s next, Puneeth Rajkumar’s Kannada film.
Wish you the very best Tuney in all your endeavors!
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