AFM

That stands for American Film Market. It takes place in Santa Monica every November. People come from all over the world to buy and sell films to the international marketplace. These are the same people that go to the Cannes Film Festival - but the ones you don't hear about, the ones stuck in hotel suites converted to offices where they sell their wares...as opposed to the glitzy people you see on the red carpet attending the festival fare.

I design key art (that's the scientific name for movie posters) for movies that most of you will never hear of, although you may see some of them on the SyFy (formerly known as Sci Fi) Channel. It's my bread and butter gig, but unfortunately the recession has turned it into a crackers and margarine gig.

The market starts this coming Wednesday. In good times I would be pulling all nighters from last week until the first day of the market in order to get the avalanche of work done and meet my deadlines. This year it's a light snow. I haven't pulled any all nighters and I expect to have everything wrapped up and at the printers tomorrow.

Here's the front and back of a 4-page presell (which means the movie hasn't been made yet) brochure I did...

I made it from four separate images. Some stock. One I had. And the graphic I created. It's the kind of job I call "something from nothing" because that's what I start with...nothing. Just my imagination.