San Francisco Urban Film Festival: Urban Futures
Urban Futures with San Francisco Urban Film Festival
The San Francisco Urban Film Festival (SFUFF) is an annual event exploring how urban environments shape—and are shaped by—the people who live in them. For its 8th edition in 2022, the festival adopted the theme "Urban Futures," focusing on how cities and communities were evolving in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. With 17 films and 6 community programs, the festival sought to spark critical dialogue and collective imagination.
Initial Mockups/Sketches
goal
SFUFF approached me to refresh their brand identity specifically for web and social media platforms. The challenge: create a modern, vibrant visual system that reflected the festival’s thoughtful programming while aligning with the optimistic tone of Urban Futures.
Challenges
• Tone balance: The branding had to be sensitive to the pandemic's impact while remaining hopeful and engaging.
• Content integration: The identity needed to accommodate a wide range of content, from film promotions to community programming, without visual fragmentation.
• Timeline: One month from concept to delivery across all digital touchpoints.
8th Annual SFUFF 2022
Approach
• Theme Immersion: I began with a deep dive into the Urban Futures theme and the festival’s evolving role in civic discourse. This informed a strategy that emphasized resilience, hope, and transformation.
• Visual Identity Design: Developed a cohesive design system inspired by urban landscapes and forward momentum—using layered typography, geometric motifs, and an energetic color palette that symbolized mobility, diversity, and renewal.
• Digital Assets & Strategy:
Designed graphics for social media, the website, and email campaigns.
Created a content mapping strategy to give equal visibility to all 17 films and 6 programs.
Built flexible templates for promoting events while maintaining visual cohesion.
• Implementation: Worked closely with the SFUFF team to integrate the system across all digital platforms, ensuring a seamless and accessible experience for audiences.
Mockups/Sketches for Social Media
Results
• Increased engagement across social platforms, with more active participation in both film discussions and community events.
• Positive audience feedback highlighted the modern and optimistic aesthetic.
• The redesigned digital presence streamlined user navigation, helping audiences discover the festival’s full range of content more intuitively.
Conclusion
Within a month, I successfully transformed SFUFF’s digital identity to match the ambition and emotional tone of Urban Futures. This project demonstrates my ability to blend strategy and creativity under tight deadlines, delivering work that resonates deeply with both clients and communities.