Leviathan

To celebrate BATS Theatre’s 30th anniversary, our group was tasked with creating a transmedia campaign inspired by the music of Warren Maxwell. With limited budget and resources, the theatre sought a creative sponsorship approach that would generate buzz, deepen audience engagement, and maintain visual cohesion across various platforms. This project was part of a studio paper exploring the concept of koha — a gift freely given. We interpreted our campaign as a reciprocal gesture, using design as a way to give back to the community through accessible, engaging, and emotive storytelling.

1. Overview

Problem Statement

BATS Theatre needed a cost-effective promotional campaign that promoted an upcoming season of theatrical performances inspired by music, that maintained a strong visual identity across multiple plays and timelines, and did not rely on cast or stage photography (as productions were still in early development)

Solution

My solution for this is to develop a compelling theme and visual language that unified the season, build a campaign that spanned posters, digital platforms, and animation. And lastly, drive interest and engagement while reflecting the values of koha and community.

My Role

I was responsible for creating the core visual assets used across the campaign, ensuring consistency and emotional impact throughout print, digital, and motion platforms. This included designing key visuals and developing a short animated trailer to promote the theatrical season online, capturing the tone and atmosphere inspired by Warren Maxwell’s music.

2. Design Process

For this project we used the Double Diamond method.

3. Research & Exploration

We began by analyzing Maxwell’s music, focusing on its emotional tone, lyrical themes, and how it could be interpreted visually. We also studied examples of transmedia storytelling, paying close attention to how narratives evolve across platforms.

Through collaborative ideation, we experimented with typography, color palettes, and abstract visual metaphors to communicate mood and continuity while allowing for flexibility in individual production pieces.

4. Visual Solution

Our inspiration came from this mythical sea monster called 'Leviathan' for its fearsome size and power. Leviathan is inspired by Thomas Hobbes' influential political treatise of the same name and the lyrics of Warren Maxwell's 'Nature of Man', which both speak to the savage nature of humanity at our worst.

The overarching visual style and the narrative of the motion graphic pay tribute to the grimdark genre and traditional fairy tale tropes, with Victorian paper art, shadow puppetry and the works of Tim Burton and Guillermo Del Toro all acting as visual inspirations.

The campaign included:

• A website featuring info about Warren Maxwell, a section for tickets, new plays, and an 'about us' page
• A poster series representing the different productions
• A short motion graphic for the main show 'Leviathan' for digital promotion

Leviathan website

Poster series

Leviathan animated trailer

5. Reflection

Outcome

The Leviathan campaign successfully communicated the emotional tone of the season without relying on traditional photography. The visuals provided a cohesive system that was both adaptable and expressive, while the motion elements created additional energy and reach online.

Takeaway

This project deepened my understanding of transmedia storytelling and the power of visual rhetoric. It also highlighted how design can act as a meaningful form of reciprocity — using creative work to support and uplift community-led initiatives.

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