Queer Outloud Fest is a concept for a week-long celebration of Queer art in Portland put on by the Portland Queer Film Festival and Pride Northwest’s waterfront festival. The festival seeks to foster further connections within the Queer community and provide a creative outlet for expressions of Queerness through film. I wanted to envision a celebration where folks from all parts of the rainbow could come together in one place.
“Film is a dynamic medium with the power to educate, inspire, intrigue, and bring people together. The festival showcases feature, documentary, and short films from all over the world that are made by, about or of interest to the Queer community.” - Portland Queer Film Festival
Pop art and the art of screen printing make up a solid block of the modern history of Queer art. By utilizing images made with halftone dot patterns, solid but bold colors, as well as chunky text the festival’s art direction helps to bring that history forward. These design aspects also work to connect art to film as a medium for telling Queer stories.
A big piece in this event branding was a booklet that included the plots for each film being shown, genre, show times, calendar of events, locations, ticket costs, a little bit about the festival, and other sponsored events happening around the city.
The festival app is where attendees and other participants can go to watch trailers for films being shown, view a calendar of events, purchase tickets and passes, as well as participate in a weekly video prompt to express themselves and learn the art of filmmaking. It’s a place to fully be a part of the Queer Outloud Fest community.
Around Downtown and parts of Northwest Portland, sidewalks will be spray painted with a small stencil featuring the fest’s website URL as well as the QR code taking viewers to the app. It’s a subtle way of engaging potential attendees and grabbing their attention.
Purchasing an Outloud Pass allows the pass holder entrance to every film and event. They also receive an all access pass lanyard and shirt to celebrate all year long.
Image credits in order:
Film stills, as well as film descriptions, from IMDB and the Portland Queer Film Festival's Facebook page * PridePortland.org * Zane Sparling/Pamplin Media * Afton Hakes