get up get down
We Want the Funk
Client
Firelight Media
Experience a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music, spanning from African, soul and early jazz roots, to its rise into the public consciousness in 'We Want the Funk!', the new documentary about one of history’s most important musical genres from PBS’ Independent Lens series.
Main Title and Film Design
BGSTR designed the Stanley Nelson-directed series to graphically support the history of funk music, from early roots to 1970s urban funk and beyond. Our film design was crafted to answer one simple question: What is funk?
Like the film suggests, you’ll know the funk when you feel it and we wanted that feeling to emanate through our design. Bold, unapologetic and stylish—we explored main title lockups that leaned into the era and captured the essence of the genre.
We incorporated color and played with effects turning the dial up and down on era-specific references until we found the right ratio.
Later, silhouettes were incorporated into the animated version of the logo that was used in the title sequence. The backup dancers perfectly fits what the documentary is saying funk is—a danceable blend of R&B, gospel, jazz, blues and more, all rooted in Black culture.
Much of the documentary is dedicated to highlighting funk’s joyful nature, and so we brought that upbeat vibe into the graphics we designed for the archival work. Album covers were brought to life with animation and archival footage is layered with graphics that tie into the musical reference.
Through it all, ‘We Want the Funk!’ presents the music as a primary expression of Black culture that endures— just like Black people have endured. Stream the documentary now on PBS.
Props where props are due
Credits
We Want the Funk Credits
Founder, Executive Creative Director Josh NortonExecutive Vice President, Executive Producer Carson HoodVice President, Head of Production Virgil ConklinSupervising Producer Kristen PritchettProducer Jessica RowleyAnimation Director Casey DroginDesign and Animation Gauthier Bossuyt