Starting with a kickoff session with Ky and her lead editor and motion graphics artist, Ky shared with the Brim team her goal of showing the inhumane consequences of not having guaranteed paid family leave by following different storylines of people from different backgrounds and circumstances. During our session, we discovered that an effective way to show the pain of this harsh reality is to juxtapose these difficult stories against retro, 1950s-style graphics that evoke the glossy and wholesome idealism portrayed in that era. From there, our creative strategy was born.

Next, Brim designed a moodboard to help actualize the creative direction that the segment illustrations would follow. We established what would become the ‘Zero Weeks’ brand identity – color palette, typography and hierarchies, and image examples.

To illustrate each segment, Ky shared with us a combination of the voiceover for that segment, script, or the accompanying clips to help give us context for creating the segments. We used a combination of custom illustrations, stock photography, brushes, and typography to design each segment.

Brim to provide style direction and graphic design for ‘Zero Weeks’ documentary, about how the United States is the only developed country in the world that doesn't guarantee paid family leave for workers. For this documentary, award-winning director Ky Dickens wanted to feature on-screen graphics to illustrate statistics, concepts, and “how did we get here” history segments. She also wanted lower thirds and other supporting graphics that would give the film an overall unique style.

Goal

Moodboard for Film’s Brand Identity
Custom illustrations
Lower thirds
On-screen graphics
Creative Strategy

Deliverables

Process

‘Zero Weeks’ premiered the trailer at the White House Summit on the United State of Women, hosted by Oprah and Michelle Obama. The film debuted at DOC NYC, The Camden International Film Festival, and The Portland Film Festival. It won the award for Best Documentary Film Editing at the Colorado International Film Festival and Best Documentary at the International Women’s Film Festival. The film’s 20-state impact campaign was coordinated by Working Films, a national non-profit organization that uses documentaries to advance social justice and environmental protection.

The film was also screened for members of the U.S. Congress at the DC Naval Museum in April 2018. The documentary was featured in press including the Chicago Tribune, IndieWire, DNAinfo, Romper, DAME, and The Free Press. ‘Zero Weeks’ has been praised by several activists including Gloria Steinem, Ellen Bravo, and New York U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

Result

Yellowing Productions