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Author Topic: Theatre T Shirt Designs Matt Fields Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 545 From: Ohio, United States Registered: Jun 2005 posted 08-09-2010 06:39 PM                     I'm interested in getting some shirts made for the staff and maybe to sell to the public if I think they are good enough. Anyone out there have some good t shirt design ideas?  |  IP: Logged David E. Nedrow Master Film Handler Posts: 368 From: Columbus, OH, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 08-09-2010 07:40 PM                        This is the Tri City, correct? Your logo is a little plain, so I might try to do something with the Tri part of the name, maybe a stylized map or something. You know, 3 stars laid out in the approximate map locations of the three cities with a star for the theatre, etc. Maybe make your own "constellation". Assuming there are 3 cities. There are 3 cities, right? -David  |  IP: Logged Matt Fields Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 545 From: Ohio, United States Registered: Jun 2005 posted 08-09-2010 10:44 PM                     Well, I didn't name the theatre. It was around ten years before I took over. There are three cities in our county though (Jackson, Wellston, and Oak Hill).  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 08-09-2010 11:33 PM                     Maps, even simple ones, will probably be too complicated to function in a proper logo design. Lots of people think they know how to design logos (and even get paid doing so) when all they're really doing is creating graphical illustrations. The AT&T "Death Star", the Merrill Lynch bull and Target's bullseye are true logos. Dolby's double d is one of the most recognizable logos. A true logo is a symbol that can be reduced to a small size or be legible at long distances (like the McDonald's golden arches). Sometimes a logo is just lettering, like the Coca-Cola script. A brand "signature" can feature a logo along with brand lettering. The most successful designs still strive to keep things simple so the brand is still legible at small point sizes. Logo design philosophy aside, one thing I would do is get consistent with the type families that are going to be used on the T-shirts and anything else. The image I saw on the web site featured a sign on the building with type set in Futura Extra Bold. But the other lettering super-imposed on the image is set in another unrelated typeface. Futura may be a plain looking san-serif type family, but it has many different weights and is more versatile and compatible with various themes than most fancy display typefaces. Futura can be used in attractive ways. I liked how it was used in the trailers and opening titles of Watchmen. I think the real trick with the t-shirt design is deciding on what sort of theme to follow. What kind of imagery best represents the theater? Is there something this theater has which none of the nearby theaters offer?  |  IP: Logged David E. Nedrow Master Film Handler Posts: 368 From: Columbus, OH, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 08-10-2010 11:36 AM                        quote: Bobby Henderson Maps, even simple ones, will probably be too complicated to function in a proper logo design. Right. That's why I noted that it should be stylized. For example, playing on the triple city aspect of the name, a stylized "T" with each of the points representing the relative locations of the towns. Luckily, the layout of the towns works for a portrait oriented device, so a capital T-style logo can be derived. I'm not saying that it's a genius idea, but I think generally theatre/business T-shirts work best if they have some bold, recognizable graphic element. I'm not a fan of just having the business name. Here's a quick and dirty...  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 08-10-2010 12:21 PM                        Matt, once you settle on a design, I suggest you look into these guys: Queensboro Shirt Company We've run thru quite a number of companies and never found one that hit the mark on all fronts -- price, turn-over time, price, embroidery and silkscreen ability with no setup charges, customer service, all cotton shirts of very high quality and, oh yah, price! Then we found Queensboro. Now we get all our shirts, caps and polos from then and couldn't be happier. And they will do a minimum order of, get this, 4 shirts, which is unheard of in the custom shirt business. Highly recommended.  |  IP: Logged Rick Raskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1100 From: Manassas Virginia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 08-10-2010 12:33 PM                     Another vote for Queensboro Shirts Co. We use them and like Frank, will continue to do so. You can save a bundle if you catch one of their sales.  |  IP: Logged Matt Fields Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 545 From: Ohio, United States Registered: Jun 2005 posted 08-10-2010 01:44 PM                     Thanks for the advice. While the name of the theatre is Tri City, we fortunately draw from a larger, multiple county area, so I'm not sure if I want to emphasize the three towns in the logo/shirt. I guess I'm looking for some kind of clever slogan/idea as well as a logo to put on the shirt. A parody of some kind maybe. David- You're with the Grandview, correct? I used to work for the Franks in the late nineties (don't hold that against me) before I struck out on my own. Its been a long time since I've been there, but always liked the Grandview (remember seeing The Full Monty and Run Lola Run there).  |  IP: Logged David E. Nedrow Master Film Handler Posts: 368 From: Columbus, OH, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 08-10-2010 03:58 PM                        quote: Matt Fields David- You're with the Grandview, correct? I used to work for the Franks in the late nineties (don't hold that against me) before I struck out on my own. LOL. It's funny how all of us who've worked for them use the same "don't hold it against me" caveat. I managed the Drexel North from around 85-92 or so. I don't know if you knew, but they shut down the Grandview location in late 2008. My wife and I immediately jumped at the chance before it turned into a restaurant, a condo, or a church. I'm not sure how much longer the Drexel will be around, at least under it's current ownership. There's a non-profit that's been set with an eye to assuming control. -David  |  IP: Logged David E. Nedrow Master Film Handler Posts: 368 From: Columbus, OH, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 08-10-2010 06:09 PM                        quote: Frank Angel Queensboro Shirt Company Cool, they also have blankets. We've been talking about getting these for the winter. People would be able to "sign" them out with a DL and turn them in afterward. We'd just through them in a bag to take to the cleaners. This theatre is old and VERY drafty. -David  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-10-2010 06:55 PM                        cafepress.com does a good job on shirts (and just about anything else that can have a logo on it) and they have no minimum order. Maybe you could design several and have a vote or a contest.  |  IP: Logged Chris Mosel Film Handler Posts: 74 From: New Braunfels, TX, USA Registered: Sep 2002 posted 08-12-2010 11:37 AM                     If you want sort of an yearly shirt, we did a rip off of a concert shirt a couple of years ago. Company name and logo on the front, film titles and release dates on the back. These were put into a film outline blow up with the titles in three frames, spring, summer, and fall/holiday. We threw a few fake titles in as inside jokes.  |  IP: Logged

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