Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Inspiring the Next Generation of African American Filmmakers

The Smithsonian African American Film Festival was a multi-day cinematic experience that celebrated historic and contemporary filmmakers who have told the story of African Americans and the African diaspora.
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Building a brand that inspires a generation

Created to be an annual experience, the 2018 event was the first Smithsonian film festival dedicated to showcasing African American experience, and it needed a distinct brand identity and website. Forum One developed the NMAAHC website and brand identity with the museum’s historic launch in 2016, and working in close partnership with the teams at NMAAHC and CAAMA, Forum One led a discovery process to identify the goals, audience needs, and prospective messages for this landmark event.

Based on our insights, our creative team developed logo designs, visual elements, a style guide, as well as video storyboards that integrated these new brand elements into audience-driven features and enhancements for the website that served users’ unique needs before, during, and after the festival.

Impact

  • An immersive online experience that continues to celebrate and showcase the work of minority filmmakers and serves as a space for collaboration and inspiration for the next generation of filmmakers.

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