Brand Identity Development for Alchemist Drafts

Ethel England approached us to establish a brand identity for their film production studio, Alchemist Drafts, as they prepared for rapid team expansion.

Our challenge? Create a brand that could embody both their maverick spirit and their serious dedication to uplifting marginalized voices in film.

As is customary, we dove into the discovery process first, carefully sifting through the raw material & inspiration that Ethel gave us to discover the Alchemist Drafts brand. This is one of my favorite parts of the branding process, as it allows us to get intimately acquainted with the brand we’re about to bring to life.

During this process, we confirmed what we had already suspected—this was an absolute dream client & project.

Here’s what we discovered:

Alchemist Drafts exists to provide a stage for marginalized voices and create lasting positive change in the film industry through their focus on ethics, diversity, and mental health. They aim to transform how stories are told and who gets to tell them.

And because they are neurodivergent-led, Alchemist Drafts approaches production differently. They transform creative visions into profitable and magical productions while inspiring their audience to live eccentrically. This promise manifests in both their finished work and their production process.

Diversity. Understanding humans is at the center of everything they do. They recognize that the human experience is varied and vast, actively seeking to provide platforms for marginalized voices to broaden collective understanding.

Advocacy. Through storytelling, they encourage marginalized voices—POC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent creators and more—to take their place at the table. This extends beyond content creation to ensuring diverse representation at all levels of their organization.

Creativity & Innovation. As a neurodivergent-led agency, thinking differently is inherent to their approach. They value creative problem-solving and push conventional boundaries to broaden perspectives—both their own and others'.

What sets Alchemist Drafts apart from the competition is their advocacy for marginalized communities & commitment to uplifting those who don't tend to have a voice in traditional filmmaking. Not only do they provide a stage for marginalized voices, they also seek to provide relatable stories that also act as an escape for their consumers. Their neurodivergent led team allows them to see differently, so they can do differently.

At its core, Alchemist Drafts is the perfect combination of eccentricity and excellence. Think of them as the child of Elton John and Dolly Parton—confident, unapologetic, and deeply compassionate. They refuse to water down their style to make others comfortable, and their authenticity inspires others to embrace their own uniqueness.

The brand voice maintains a delicate balance:

Upfront & honest, yet casual

Mature without being too serious

Quirky & unapologetically transparent

Non-intimidating while remaining professional

Our discovery & strategy phase left us deeply inspired & ready to dive into crafting our visual approach. Our next phase in the process involves us first coming up with a comprehensive brief, then an initial creative direction & moodboard, & finally, our brand identity & collateral. We check in with our client at multiple points along the way so we can ensure we are all on the same page, & to instill confidence in the project.

To help illustrate our visual direction, we assign a primary, secondary, & tertiary archetype to each brand. These help inform our design decisions & make them more tangible to our clients. From our discovery process, we decided on these archetypes for Alchemist Drafts.

The Creator. Valuing originality and transformative vision.

The Maverick. Embracing risk-taking and radical authenticity.

The Hero. Standing up for what's right and inspiring change.

These archetypes allowed us to narrow our focus & ultimately guide us on fleshing out the visual direction for the brand.

We developed a brand identity for Alchemist Drafts that balances grandeur with approachability. It’s elegant, while also being magical, inviting, eccentric, & fun. This dynamic allows them to stand out from the crowd of other studios who can tend to feel more business-like.

Color Palette

The color palette combines earthy tones with vibrant accents, evoking the feeling of an intimate garden party—a space where magic feels possible, but comfort is paramount.

Our two neutral colors, coffee & cream, ground the brand while creating breathing room & warmth. The bright colors of marigold & crimson bring a sense of energy & optimism to the palette, while our softer hues of moss, lilac, & rose add whimsy & provide a gentle contrast with the bolder players in the palette.

Typography

The typography selection reinforces both the brand's elegance and its approachability through a carefully considered hierarchy.

Logo System

The logo system is ornate & detailed—a nod to Alchemist Drafts' eccentric personality & the attention to detail they put into their work.

Brilon's ornate letterforms lend their mystique to the primary wordmark for Alchemist Drafts. The design maintains readability while incorporating subtle flourishes that suggest both classical filmmaking tradition and magical intrigue—core elements of the brand's identity.

More versatile versions incorporate Work Sans into more simplified horizontal lockups to provide options for space-constrained applications while maintaining brand recognition. These variations bridge the gap between ornate branding and practical application, perfect for contexts requiring a more contemporary touch.

The "AD" monogram serves as a refined maker's mark. Its interlocking letterforms create an emblem that works beautifully at both large and small scales, from website favicon to merchandise applications & beyond.

Business Cards

Working closely with Ethel, we designed a set of tarot-inspired business cards, conveying Alchemist Drafts' commitment to magical storytelling and unconventional thinking. A total of 4 different designs come together to create a complete collection, much like the brand intends to do with its production library of various works.

The intent with these cards was to transform a standard, run-of-the-mill business necessity into a memorable brand touchpoint that sparks conversation and demonstrates Alchemist Drafts’ unique approach to filmmaking.

Digital Social Media Frames

Taking inspiration from the business cards we designed, we created similar designs for the brand to use across social media platforms like Instagram & Tiktok. These frames elevate the brand’s online presence, & ensure that even quick, casual content feels intentional and aligned with the brand's sophisticated yet approachable aesthetic.

Translating these designs to a digital application allow Alchemist Drafts to maintain brand consistency across both physical & digital realms while allowing for creative expression.

Our goal with this project was to find a visual way to communicate Alchemist Drafts' ability to be masters of their craft while still maintaining a warm playfulness that is inviting to their audience. It was important to us to ensure that their brand identity has a unique yet timeless feel, ensuring it will be unforgettable to all who experience it.

Their new brand identity & design system supports their expansion plans while staying true to their core mission of advocating for marginalized voices in film. As they grow, the brand will scale with them, supporting various initiatives all while maintaining their distinctive mix of magic and mission-driven focus.

Alchemist Drafts is positioned to fulfill its vision of becoming a multi-faceted production powerhouse that puts people first, & we couldn’t be more excited & honored to have been a part of their journey.

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