Design I Like: Jonas Bergstrand's Monopoly

Design is indeed everywhere. No matter where we look, we come across designs that assign an object its uniqueness and visual appeal. Whether it is the engraving on a piece of napkin, or an arty amalgamation on a poster – I have always been fascinated by design and how it comes to be. Design for me is not only an aesthetic piece, but an insight into one’s creativity and ultimately his or her perspective of the world.

Although I myself am not too proficient when it comes to drawing, printmaking or graphic designing in general, I enjoy following the works of Milton Glaser, Andy Warhol, Jonas Bergstrand and David Carson. These artists have designed several notable posters, and also had a profound influence on the way visual representation is interpreted.

Stockholm-based graphic designer and illustrator Jonas Bergstrand has many interesting designs in the gallery section of his official website, but his recreation of the Monopoly board game cover is one that I am particularly fond of. Aside from the intelligent use of typography to indicate aspects of the game itself, Mr. Monopoly’s lively pose through the sunroof of the limousine keeps the illustration’s spirit consistent with actual covers of the well-known game. When analyzed closely, you can see that Bergstrand utilizes the technique of balance in his image by placing even numbers of buildings and billboards in the background. There is also equilibrium in composition in the foreground with the positioning of Mr. Monopoly and his chauffeur, separated by an even number of doors. The decision to add yellow and red in the traffic lights does not quite spoil the “retro” feel, but gives it a contemporary, adventuresome twist.

What I See: 'Paranormal Activity'

A few months ago while browsing the Yahoo! homepage in hopes of finding something interest to read, I came across a news item about a low-budget indie film that is both impressing and scaring the living daylights out of audiences. Unfortunately, at that time ‘Paranormal Activity’ had still not mustered enough support from distributors to attain a theatrical release nation-wide. Intrigued not so much by the “scariest film of the decade” tag, but more so by the director’s decision to capture the film in a singular location with only two main characters – I immediately signed up to “demand” the film in New York City.

Oren Peli’s ‘Paranormal Activity’ tells the story of a young couple, Katie and Micah, who recently moved into their new house in suburban San Francisco. Through the dialogue exchanged between Katie and Micah in the opening scenes, we learn that the couple has been experiencing some rather unusual noises, like knocking and footsteps, in the middle of the night. Hoping to capture on camera whoever or whatever is haunting them, Micah decides to film their home while they are sleeping.

The concept of recovered footage has been utilized before in films like ‘Cloverfield’ and ‘The Blair Witch Project,’ but never have I seen it so well executed; especially without the help of an established crew and a vast list of production equipment. Most of the night scenes were filmed on a tripod in the couple’s bedroom with wide-angle lens and deep depth of field in order for the audiences to have a clear view of Katie and Micah, as well as the hallway outside. In the scenes that the camera is taken out of the bedroom, Katie or Micah operate it by hand and frame the shots presented on screen. With Peli directing their actions from afar, it is obvious that the two actors also take on the role of cinematographer in ‘Paranormal Activity.’

Unlike contemporary horror flicks with excessive amounts of blood and gore, Oren Peli manages to get inside of the viewer’s head with minimal special effects and improvised, realistic circumstances. His limited budget of $15,000 in all likelihood did not allow him to employ sophisticated lighting either, but the night vision add-on attached to the camcorder is sufficient to make out the ominous shadow against the door or the lifting of the bed sheet just before Katie is violently dragged down the hall by the demonic perpetrator. To ensure the realistic quality of the film, Peli’s technical choices for the visuals remain consistent throughout. It is the amateurish home video feel of ‘Paranormal Activity’ that lingers in our minds long after we leave the theater, and makes us believe that the same may happen when we go to bed and close our eyes…