Sounds True One Original Programming
Branding • Art Direction • Photo Editing • Video & Animation
Award-winning premium shows and docuseries with a deeper purpose.
DELIVERABLES
Show Posters/Covers, Video Graphics, Video Art Direction, Show Pitch Decks
ROLE
Branding, Art Direction, Graphic Design, Animation
TOOLS & SOFTWARE
Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Premier Pro
PROJECT OVERVIEW
KEY OBJECTIVES & APPROACH
Sounds True One is a lifestyle app that offers spiritual exploration, premium shows, and community access to its members via app or browser. My role involved creating show branding and video graphics for all ST1 premium content. I aimed to create visuals that not only reflected the show's messaging but also appealed to users and stood out on the platform.
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Shows often feature multiple teachers; devise creative ways to display several headshots.
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Show graphics & trailers must be vibrant, appealing, and sophisticated to attract new users to the platform.
Branding
Show Poster Designs
Branding & Design Intent
Below is a carousel showcasing the final branding I created for several of Sounds True One's premium shows. Please continue scrolling to learn more about each show and the conceptual thinking behind each design.
Timeless Teachings Design Intent
Timeless Teachings is a show that explores classic wisdom from beloved authors and experts in health, spirituality, and wellness.
While I was on maternity leave, the team created an animated video intro for the show (please view below). Ensuring consistency between the show branding and the video intro was essential. My task was to enhance elements from the video to create cohesive show branding. My design parameters included avoiding a focus on teacher headshots due to the presence of multiple teachers, staying within the ST1 color palette, and drawing inspiration from the video intro's visuals, as re-animating with new graphics was not an option.
I appreciated the paper cut-out style of the video, so I aimed to recreate that effect. The video featured bird silhouettes, which I incorporated, having them fly over natural elements. To create some nature, I designed a retro flower pattern infused with the ST1 colors. Since the video typography had significant movement, I echoed this by slightly skewing the letters, giving the typeface a playful vibe with its lowercase, skewed appearance.
Inside Change Design Intent
Inside Change is a 6-part original series where musician and mindfulness teacher Justin Michael Williams embarks on a songwriting journey to help young activists transform their pain into inspirational anthems for change.
In developing the branding, I focused on appealing to a younger audience, ensuring the graphics were bright, exciting, and youthful. Given Justin's charismatic and inspirational presence, I also wanted to make sure he was prominently featured in the visuals.
To reflect the show's theme of young activists expressing themselves through music, I used an image of Justin with his guitar on a bright neon stage. The circles symbolize the journey and vulnerability required for the activists to reach their breakthrough moments, stepping into the spotlight and healing through song.
Being with You Design Intent
Being with You is a documentary film that delves into the significance of self-compassion, the science behind it, and its societal impact. Amidst rising rates of depression, suicide, anxiety, and addiction, top researchers, scientists, psychologists, and spiritual teachers explain why the true "medicine" for our inner pain, despair, and disconnection is learning to be with ourselves and accept who we are. Being with You demonstrates that we each have the power to heal ourselves, those around us, and ultimately, the world.
Given the film's message that self-compassion and self-acceptance are crucial to preventing depression and anxiety, I designed the visual concept to feature two silhouettes facing each other. One silhouette is filled with darkness, while the other is bright, spacious, and free. This symbolizes the journey to self-acceptance, where confronting and understanding our darker aspects leads to inner healing and freedom.
In the Flow Design Intent
In the Flow is a series of stunning video shorts designed to help you relax and find your center through unique, immersive meditations led by some of the world's greatest spiritual teachers. Combining powerful teachings with music from Grammy award-winning artist Superposition, this series guides you to discover inner peace and find yourself in the flow.
One challenge in developing this branding was ensuring equal prominence for all featured teachers, who are significant figures in the wellness space. I needed a solution that would showcase them equally, despite working with older headshots that were cropped, shot, and edited differently.
Given the creative freedom, I opted for a retro pop art approach for each teacher. The graphics behind each person are designed to correlate with their specific teachings and subject matters, ensuring a unique yet cohesive visual experience.
Mystics Today Design Intent
Mystics Today is a 6-part interview series that takes viewers on a spiritual journey with Tami Simon, CEO and founder of Sounds True, as she uncovers the intimate stories of today’s most revered wisdom teachers. Pulling from various spiritual and intuitive backgrounds and philosophies, she dives deep into conversation with modern mystics about being in touch with the intelligence of life, and what it means to be a mystic today.
Given the show's focus on mysticism and the vast, unique experiences of these teachers, I chose a cosmic backdrop for the visuals. I carefully edited each author's headshot to make it appear as though they were all part of the same photoshoot, creating a cohesive and fitting representation of the show's theme.
Video & Animation
Trailer Graphics
Mystics Today
I based the trailer graphics on the cosmic theme of the show poster design but gave them a brighter and more saturated feel. Additionally, I art-directed the animator on editing the text, aiming for an expansive movement that complements the vast depths of the space background.
In the Flow
The trailer graphics were heavily inspired by the series footage, and my role was to art-direct the animation of the text supers. I opted for a blend of kinetic typography and smooth fades to create a calming effect, ensuring the text is easy to read and quickly understood by the viewer.
In the Flow Animation Art Direction Example
