Keeping Drive-Ins Alive Guidebook
Book Design
Drive-In movie theaters were an iconic and beloved pass time during the second half of the 20th century. Since then, they have been on a steady decline and the ones we have left must be cherished. The goal of this book is to increase people’s knowledge and interest of drive-in movie theaters by educating them on the history, showcasing what makes drive-ins special, and highlighting some of the coolest and most unique drive-ins in the country still around today. After taking a look through this book, my hope is I will have convinced you to go and support your closest drive-in movie theater.
The Challenge
The biggest message that I wanted to communicate through this book was how drastically drive-in movie theaters have decreased over the years in order to then put out the message of how important it is to support the ones we have left. Therefore, the biggest challenge I faced while designing this book was coming up with a way to visually communicate the decline of drive-ins in the US in a way that was powerful and effective.
Inspiration
Inspiration was pulled from drive-in movie theaters in the 1950-60, a time when they were vibrant, alive, and thriving.
Ideation
Ideation came alive by putting my thoughts down on paper. Themes, book size, and page layouts were brainstormed.
Typography & Color
Type was inspired by the time period when drive-in movie theaters were in their prime. Using a retro script font for headings and a simple and clean sans-serif font for sub-heading and body text.
Colors were pulled from inspiration imagery. Pulling hues of red, blue, and yellow that was found in the signage of drive-in movie theaters.
Iconography
From the entrance signs to the concession stands, drive-in movie theaters are known and loved for their colorful neon lights. Graphic elements were designed to resemble the iconic neon and contrast the black and white photography.
Photography
Photos were specifically chosen to reflect both past and present drive-in movie theaters. To keep a consistent feel, all photographs were edited to black and white.
Infographic Spreads
There is no question that drive-in movie theaters across the US have seen a drastic decline. Through research, I was able to find data on the number of drive-ins each year in every state over the span of the past 70+ years. In order to visually communicate this data, I designed five consecutive spreads with a map of the United States and pinpointed every single drive-in that existed in each state at that time. By flipping the pages, readers can very easily interpret the data and visually see the decline of drive-ins over the years.
Location Pages
Within this book, there is a series of pages dedicated to highlighting some of the coolest and most unique drive-ins in the country still around today. Each location has its own spread that gives some general information, its location, and what makes it special.
Informational Pages
Several pages throughout the book aim to educate readers on the history of drive-ins, what makes them special, and how to support them and keep them alive.
