TV and movie posters can be so iconic. But how are they made?

I spoke to THE expert, Kenny Gravillis, who represents a unique side of the marketing industry, one that I find particularly fascinating — the creative side. As both the CCO and CEO of Gravillis Inc., Kenny leads a company that creates posters for many significant movies and TV shows, such as “Challengers” and “The Boys.”

Having watched and enjoyed some of the media his company has worked on, I was intrigued by how creativity plays a vital role in marketing. Before this, I had never considered that there is an entire industry dedicated to the intersection of advertising and film, an industry that often goes unrecognized. Kenny pointed out how niche this field is, saying, “The industry is very niche, so many people don't even know it exists. A lot of kids don't realize there's a job designing movie posters.” His emphasis on raising awareness about this industry, especially among teenagers, highlights the importance of creativity in media marketing. Learning about this “niche” industry was eye-opening, and the fact that it’s so creatively driven made it even more compelling.

Rio Damata: Alright, so what's your name and what do you do?

Kenny Gravillis: My name is Kenny Gravillis, and I am the Chief Creative Officer at our agency, called Gravillis.

Rio Damata: What does that job entail? What do you do in that role?

Kenny Gravillis: Basically, we come up with creative for marketing for films and television, and I oversee that creative. For instance, you know, Zendaya just came out with "Challengers," and there's a movie poster with sunglasses on it—we created that.

Rio Damata: Really? I've seen that movie, it's really good. I've seen that poster as well. So, you oversee the creation of what's going on?

Kenny Gravillis: Yeah. So what happens is, let's say you're MGM, you call us up and say, "Hey, we have this movie called 'Challengers' starring Zendaya." We read the script, and sometimes we set up a photo shoot with Zendaya. Other times, we just get photography from the film. Then, we come up with ideas to show for marketing the actual film. We can go back and forth, sometimes there can be hundreds of options, and finally, they pick a poster.

Rio Damata: So, you oversee that process?

Kenny Gravillis: Yes, I oversee that process. We are a boutique agency with about 35 people, 20 of whom are creatives, designers, and illustrators. I oversee that side of the company.

Rio Damata: What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career similar to yours?

Kenny Gravillis: Well, the industry is very niche, so many people don't even know it exists. A lot of kids don't realize there's a job designing movie posters or editing trailers. It’s just one of those jobs that you might not realize exists. My advice would be to research and see what's out there. There's a website called IMP Awards that has every poster that's out and lists the design agencies that created them.

Rio Damata: So, start by researching and seeing what you can do?

Kenny Gravillis: Exactly. We're in a world where you can come up with your own ideas too. Start creating your own posters, find out how to design them. It's all about being creative.

Rio Damata: Thank you very much for your time, I really appreciate it.

Kenny Gravillis: Thank you, bro. Nice one.