XXS Short Film Festival 2024
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Celebrating 26 Years of Short Film Magic in Dortmund
Celebrating 26 Years of Short Film Magic in Dortmund
In 2024, the XXS Short Film Festival celebrated its 26th anniversary—a local tradition in Dortmund that has brought joy to filmmakers and audiences for a quarter of a century.
When I was asked to take over as Art Director ad Designer for this special edition, it felt like both a huge honor and a personal mission: I simply didn’t want to see this beautiful festival fade away.
When I was asked to take over as Art Director ad Designer for this special edition, it felt like both a huge honor and a personal mission: I simply didn’t want to see this beautiful festival fade away.
As a film editor myself, I know there’s no greater thrill than seeing your own work on the big screen. It’s an experience I wanted others to feel as well.
The festival took place on December 12, 2024, at the historic Schauburg cinema in Dortmund. It was a volunteer-driven project, but with a very clear goal: to capture the magic of cinema—purely from an audience’s perspective.
The festival took place on December 12, 2024, at the historic Schauburg cinema in Dortmund. It was a volunteer-driven project, but with a very clear goal: to capture the magic of cinema—purely from an audience’s perspective.
Rethinking the Visual Identity
At first, I was given a small visual reference created by someone on the organizing board. I tried to modernize and design around it, but quickly realized it didn’t lead in the direction we were aiming for.
The original draft focused more on the creator’s point of view, whereas we wanted to communicate the feeling of watching—of being in the audience when the lights go down and the story begins.
So we made the decision to do a full visual reboot.
A New Logo, A Clearer Vision
Once I had redesigned the logo (see image), things really started to come together. That logo became the anchor for everything that followed. It gave the entire event a consistent tone and energy—and from there, I built the full visual system.
The Poster Journey – or “Designing by Committee”
Designing the official festival poster was one of the more interpretive challenges. Feedback from the board was open-ended to say the least—like trying to design based on a riddle from the Bible.
So I went wide: I developed several different directions, styles, and moods (Which one’s your favorite? For the record, mine isn’t the final one—maybe you can guess which one I preferred).
After lots of back-and-forth, I landed on a concept that struck the right chord:
Popcorn.
A universal symbol of cinema. Everyone connects with it. Everyone has a favorite version—salty or sweet. It was the perfect image for something fun, familiar, and celebratory.
Popcorn.
A universal symbol of cinema. Everyone connects with it. Everyone has a favorite version—salty or sweet. It was the perfect image for something fun, familiar, and celebratory.
From Visuals to Motion – The Intro & Trailer
With the branding set, I moved into the motion design phase—starting with the event intro. The first three seconds were client-mandated (and honestly, I would’ve cut them), but collaboration means compromise. I shared my concerns, as I always believe creative expertise should be accompanied by honest consultation—but in the end, those seconds stayed in.
Then came the heart of the project for me: the official trailer. I received all 13 nominated short films and was tasked with turning them into one cohesive teaser. My goal was to weave them together not just visually, but emotionally—creating a kind of unspoken dialogue between wildly different styles, tones, and narratives, all unified by the feel-good theme. (For the Music i used AI created Music made by me, cause i wasn't able to find a good solution on the stock market.)
Individual Intros & Closing Touches
We needed Intros so I also created short intro clips for each of the submitted films to give them a personal touch before screening. It was inspiring to work with such a broad range of creative voices from all over Europe—each with their own unique take on storytelling. (With the Help of AI (UVR - Ultimate Vocal Remover) i was able to seperate the music from the film, so i could put the music from the short films at the right spot for the intro)
The 2024 edition of the XXS Short Film Festival was deeply personal for me. What started as a volunteer project turned into a full-on creative campaign—from logo, posters, motion design, to trailer production. We wanted to make sure this festival not only lived on, but evolved.
At its core, this was about celebrating the joy of cinema—not just for those who create it, but for those who experience it.
And that’s exactly what we tried to capture.
I want to thank the whole board of directors for your trust and great cooperation, it was a pleasure as always
I want to thank the whole board of directors for your trust and great cooperation, it was a pleasure as always
