A movie in a single image
However, doing the poster for Neram was more challenging, according to Tuney.
Movie poster designing, like cinema, has seen a sea change over the years. While the style itself has evolved, advancements in technology have offered vast possibilities for creative designers. Posters no longer remain just another promotional tool. They play a very big role in creating the first impression of the film; no wonder the release of the first look on social media is quite a big affair these days.
Tuney John, famous poster designer who is known for his creative and attractive works, is the founder and the art director at 24 AM. AM stands for advertising and media, says Tuney. With nearly 190 movies to his credit, Tuney has been making huge strides in Mollywood as well as Kollywood. After taking BCom degree from Bharat Matha College, Thrikkakara, he went to SAE College in Chennai to study Visual Effects which was the first step towards chasing his passion for colours and strokes. Initially, he worked for some agencies and did freelance works. His first work was for Venkat Prabhu’s Saroja, which gave him a lot of confidence to pursue a career in poster designing. Poster for Alphonse Puthren film Premam was one of his greatest hits. The Premam poster with the butterflies won him many praises and applause.
However, doing the poster for Neram was more challenging, according to Tuney. “Almost all the characters were around the centre of the poster and it was so difficult to bring all characters in a single poster,” he says. Madras, Pizza, Kakhi Sattai, Nanbenda, Premam, Rajathandiram, Irumughan, Aruvi, Kannadi, and NOTA are some of his most acclaimed works. The poster for Petta by Karthik Subbraj starring Rajinikanth is now a hit among the superstar’s fans. It has gone viral on social media and more than five lakh people viewed the poster within the first three hours of its launch.
It had been rumoured that Rajinikanth is playing an ageing gangster in the film, but the poster that was released a couple of months ago showed Rajini in a younger look with black hair and mustache. “I am a die-hard fan of Rajinikanth sir, so Petta is like a dream come true not only for me, but for the whole crew including the director. It is a real comeback of Rajini sir to his old look and Guardian Angel is the concept behind the poster work,” Tuney explains his new work.
“What we need in designing a poster is a good idea and concept, with perfect colour combination which can hold the viewers’ attention," says Tuney, the poster boy.