Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion Story Behind The Poster

Photo Shoot and Poster Design

On Venice Beach, California the iconic poster for Romy and Michele's High School Reunion was born.

Each actor, Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow during a period of great brand identity came with their own audience draw.Sorvino won the 1995 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Mighty Aphrodite and Kudrow was on the amazingly popular TV Series Friends.

This is the Story Behind The Poster.

On location photo shoots can be difficult not only on the talent, but on the photographer, crew and the creative director overseeing the print marketing and branding design concepts.  The day of the photo shoot the production of Romy and Michele's High School Reunion were filming exteriors for Romy and Michele's apartment and the scene where they rush off to the reunion, well kinda.

 romy and michele

Sorvino and Kudrow were amazing
and worked hard to execute the creative director's concepts.  You have
to understand that often actors are working 12 - 18 hour days and a
photo shoot for marketing can be the last thing they want to do.  It
requires multiple costume changes, different make up and hair styles, in
addition to projecting the mood of the film (ie fun, serious,
mysteries). 

All of this might sound fun, it can be exhausting.Throughout the photo shoot the actors were asked to pose in positions that were part of the initial branding design concepts.  To keep energy and spirits flowing, the creator director needs to provide clear direction and try to keep it fun.The final concept of the poster was not thought of before the photo shoot, but the creative director suggested the actors turn and hug each other, then kick up their heels. 

Good branding design doesn't come from Photoshop image layering, it comes from talented and highly trained creator directors who see what clients, graphic designers and others can't see in the moment.This was one of the last shots of the day and the actors kept their energy up and really delivered.

But now, it was time to assemble the poster.  Just getting the design of a poster can be a very long processes.  First, actors have the right to 'kill' certain images of themselves, then hundreds of branding design posters are mocked up from all of the photographic assets.The story behind the  poster is that it isn't a single photographic image. 

Perhaps you saw some of these subtle 'Hollywood Tricks' before, but here are a few insights.  Sorvino and Kudrow are different heights, so their standing legs had to be adjusted so that their bent legs would be parallel.  Each were given a little 'booty' enhancement to create a more kicky, fun feel to the image.  Face angles, reflections on costumers were all done at the direction of the creative director.

The results is a branding design that relays the fun of the movie.  Of course, the movie stands alone as one of the most hilarious thoughtful, touching and fan loved comedies of all time.