Design a movie poster for the upcoming short film “To Sleep”, a collaboration between musician/artist Menton J Matthews III and director Josh Bedford!

The film’s concept: a modern visual interpretation of Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” soliloquy.

Josh will be entering his movie into the UK and European film festival circuit this year and he needs a kick-ass poster to go with it.  So, we’re inviting all you creative tumblr people to create a design and submit it to MMP before July 1, and the design Josh deems the best will be the film’s official poster!

Anybody can enter; both professional designers and people who just love making something cool!

Click Read More for all info and details about the film and the competition

Unfortunately, we can’t show you the film, but we can tell you some of the details to help you out with the design.

As mentioned before, the movie is a modern visual interpretation of Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” soliloquy.  There’s just two actors: just a guy and a girl, mid-twenties.  The film deals with themes such as love, death and suicide.  Imagery includes flowers, a cemetery, deathbeds and sleeping.  Keep in mind the concept of everything stopping and coming to a pause.

Poster design requirements 

• Name of the film: To Sleep  (required)
• Directed by Josh Bedford  (required)
• Music by Menton J Matthews III  (required)
• Suggested images and ideas to include (not necessarily all of them, one could be sufficient):  
  • Sleeping (related to the title, of course)
  • Flowers
  • Cross/cemetery
  • Deathbed
  • Stopping, pausing
  • Love

• NO TYPOS PLEASE!
• Try to be creative and original
• And remember to keep it simple!

A note on the design from the director: “Although this comes across as fairly morbid subject matter, I don’t want this to be reflected obviously in the poster - so no overly depressive colours or content, giving anything away about the film. I want people to see this poster and for it to be a little ambiguous, so that they want to know more”

Inspiration 

You can read Shakespeare’s soliloquy here: http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/hamlet/soliloquies/tobeornottobe.html

Also check out the main music track here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L90eBBl9RaY

In terms of design principles, take a stroll through MMP’s archive to see what style and composition inspires you: http://minimalmovieposters.tumblr.com/archive 

About the competition

Entries due July 1, 2011

All amateurs and professionals are welcome to enter

Enter by submitting your design to Minimal Movie Posters: http://minimalmovieposters.tumblr.com/submit

Please include your name and a link where we can contact you (eg. tumblr ask, email).  You may enter as many designs as you would like.

You can use whatever program you prefer to create your design (you can even use traditional media if you want, but the design does have to be submitted online)

The winner

The winning entry will be chosen by the director.  Obviously it will be used to promote “To Sleep”, and the poster’s designer will be fully credited in the film and related press.  Plus, it’s a great thing to add to your portfolio!

And that’s it!  If you have any other questions about the comp, contact me through http://littlemovienerd.tumblr.com/ask.  Questions about the film should go to Josh at http://themomentpasses.tumblr.com/ask