After Emerald City Comicon, I had a couple of t-shirt ideas kicking around in my head. I tend to over-analyze my ideas and smother them before I give them a chance to get off the ground. So this time out, I decided just to roll with my instincts and try not to put too much thought into it.
Maybe I’m not doing myself any favors by putting them out here for your comments at such a formative stage. But I figure at this point, what do I have to lose? Either I entertain the notion of a new t-shirt design and kill it before I ever sit down to design it or I knock one out super quick so I can at least move on to the next thing. Who knows? Maybe you might like it? Maybe it’ll be the biggest-selling shirt I’ve ever designed!
So, what do you think? Leave your feedback in the comments below.
I prefer the spoiler alert shirt. Is the 2nd shirt supposed to be a gun barrel?
I am all over the spoiler alert shirt 🙂 “Spoiler alert” is a phrase my friends and i say CONSTANTLY (mostly in regards to television, but whatever!) I like it a lot–especially the little siren light! That totally jazzes up the shirt.
At first glance, the design on the second shirt looked like a flower. However, this might just be me.
I see there is already some confusion over the second design. That’s good. We’re working out the kinks.
It’s supposed to be a film reel. Like “talking about movies?”
Would it help if there was a little bit of film stock hanging off the side of the reel?
I’ll take one of each in large.
i love the second design, and i understood it without the explaination. i want one!
the spoiler alert is also good, but “film speak” is what i would buy.
thanks.
yes! I think film stock hanging off the side would be very helpful… or perhaps the image could be one of those old-fashioned film projectors?
I think a bit of film hanging off the reel would help, just don’t lose the simple style it’s got going. I really like the talking about film shirt, and would definitely wear it.
The spoiler alert shirt is good too, I really like it, but I wouldn’t personally wear it. That’s just my style though. Still, both are awesome!
At first I thought the second shirt looked like the Flickhead Video employee shirts from Multiplex but after taking a closer look, I realized I was mistaken.
I think the first is certainly clearer, though I like the concept of the second better. A piece of film hanging off would make the second a little clearer, but how about a full on projector?
It took me a few seconds to pick up on it being a film reel as well.
Film stock off the end would be helpful.
I like the film reel shirt, though I agree that it would work better with some film coming from the end of it and I also like the ideas mentioned above about the projector silhouette. Also, would it make more sense is the pointy end of the speech bubble were pointed towards the neck, so that it looked like the person wearing the shirt were talking?
Honestly, I don’t care for the spoiler design, primarily because the phrase is a tired meme.
I didn’t recognize the film reel either, and the reason is that you used the type with the large circular holes. I’m more used to seeing the type with spokes, as in this stock photo: http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/illustrations-vectors/5631058-film-reel.php?id=5631058 . Yes, film hanging off (on the right side, not the left) would look fine.
Mike, I had that thought about upturning the speech bubble, but I wanted to see what reaction there was. The design could either be interpreted as a logo with the pointy end of the speech bubble down or literally with the pointy end of the speech bubble turned up.
Michael, I know what you’re saying about “Spoiler Alert!” being a somewhat overused phrase. But at the same time, one has to think about what is most recognizable / easily understood by the majority. Is it the phrase or the design that doesn’t work for you?
In regards to the film reel shirt, I have a reel similar to the link you shared. I wonder if I tried that one (even without the bit of film stock sticking off the end) if it would be clearer.
I like the idea of using a film projector in the speech bubble. But I also like the simplicity of a circle in the center of the design.
Good ideas here! I’m definitely going to take a few of these back to the drawing board with me! Keep them coming!
I would add a little third dimension to the film reel and have a little film stock hanging off the end as well. You can also use double outlines to add the black of the shirt around the image to give it a little extra definition. I do like the concept. Just needs a little tweaking.
I really like both of them. my thing with the spoiler alert one is a feel you shouldhave some funny saying on the back to go with it.
If I were to buy one I’d probably go with the second one tho.
That’s a fair point. A shirt blaring “SPOILER ALERT!” kind of sets up the expectation for a spoiler to be shared, I suppose.
Maybe if I hadn’t already done the first two shirts, I’d do something about it.
Or maybe I should just combine all three into one SUPER SHIRT!
I think the idea of someone wearing the spoiler alert shirt is pretty funny. I wouldn’t wear it, but the idea of seeing someone wearing it is like a warning: “Don’t even TALK to me, because I spill spoilers with every word!”
I understood the film reel shirt immediately, but that’s likely because I’ve been around the real deal a lot. I actually own a couple of large reels that look just like that design (circular holes) as well as the spokes, but I suppose the spokes could be more recognizable. I like the simplicity of it, and the 2 dimensions. I’m not too into the projector idea, because what you’re going for with the shirt is best communicated with the film reel. The movies are on the film, so “film talk”… I think the projector would be more “theater talk”. Well actually, that could be a good idea for a separate shirt. With the arrival of digital projectors in a lot of theaters, some are talking about concern of theaters going full digital one day and doing away with film projectors entirely. Of course, that probably won’t happen, because for theaters to do that it would require producers to abandon film as well… and there’s a lot that want to stick with the medium. ANYWAYS… tangent… it all relates to the shirts though! 😉
Oh man, Super Shirt! You could have a picture of the Spoiler Alert T-Shirt in a speech bubble on a T-Shirt, with a second speech bubble with the film reel on the back as the spoiler. Invoke the dreaded meta!
Seriously though, on the back of the Spoiler Alert shirt, would it work if there was some generic line of text like “The movie ends…” or “Stuff happens that moves along/resolves the plot.” Or something? Just a thought.
Yes, that’s it. I couldn’t figure out what was bothering me, but totalmoviefreak articulated it perfectly.
Ooooh, I’ve got it, I’ve really got it! On the back, just put a picture of a car spoiler, like this one: http://www.madrasi.info/car-spoiler.html
Hmm, okay. So it sounds like there is some interest in having something on that back (Sorry, Michael – not going for the car spoiler idea).
I like the idea of having something on there that might reflect someone’s knowledge / passion for movies. I’m kind of at a loss for what that would be. Doesn’t “Spoiler Alert!” on it’s own kind of reflect that passion for movies?
Maybe something like “Are you sure you want me to tell you?” on the back. It has to be VERY generic.
Hmph. My genius is misunderstood. Oh well.
“Click to reveal”?
Michael – “Highlight Invizotext to reveal…”
Tom – How about going with something so classic and spoiled that it’s practically generic: “Soilent Green is People!” Or just “It’s People!”
I used the Soylent Green line on the first shirt.
Plus, even though it’s my favorite spoiler, I don’t want people to think the shirt is exclusively about Soylent Green.
“Invert text to reveal” or “Click to reveal” are both good because it kind of plays into the geek demo I’m targeting here. But I want to make the shirt accessible to people who aren’t trolling movie news web sites…
EDIT: Ooh! I think I got it. How about “I TRIED TO WARN YOU!”
I think some version of “… reveal” would be geek-accessible anyway. The phrase “Spoiler Alert” is internet generic; it can be found on sites devoted to TV shows, to games and other things, in addition to movie news/rumor sites.
“I TRIED TO WARN YOU!”
Yeah, go with that.
Spoiler Alert is good. It may be more of a gift shirt than a personal purchase but I can see people buying it. Have you thought of printing the “Spoiler” in black ink on the black shirt so a close inspection would reveal the spoiler one is being warned against? I think it is fine the way it is. It is a fun shirt to wear to a movie or at a movie night with friends.
The movie talk shirt is clean and simple. People who want to talk movies will know exactly what it means and people who do not get it will be spared the movie conversation they may not have wanted.
Printing the “spoiler” on the back of the shirt in black ink is very clever. I’ll have to give that some thought.
It ups the cost of the design to have it printed up on two sides. I want to make sure I’m justifying the expense with something people can see / appreciate.
The sad thing is that even if I wanted either one of the shirts, the shipping cost would literally kill my wallet. Hahah. I guess I’ll just have to look at it here. :))
Where are you located, Abbey?
I have often been scolded for “talking in film” . Either I talk too much about movies or I quote them too often. Friends have called me on it so I’d definitely wear a shirt that proclaims it. I’m not too hot on the spoiler one since I already have both Spoiler shirts already.
Me, I live in the Philippines.