The Sonke Gender Justice Network (Sonke) website was designed and built by Flow Communications to showcase Protection, an educational film sponsored by Sonke and produced by Fireworx Media.
The film focuses on HIV and AIDS, specifically on the challenges faced by men and boys due to cultural and peer pressures surrounding condom use.
After creating the website’s look and feel, Flow designer George Xafis went on to design an A2 movie poster, a DVD cover, the DVD cliché (the design on the DVD itself) and a 48-page facilitator’s guide for the movie.
“Before I started working on the design, I researched the movie and spent some time familiarising myself with the types of print and digital work that would be required for a project of this nature,” says George.
“Once I got started on the project I learnt an enormous amount about people’s feelings on HIV and AIDS,” he adds.
Protection takes a hard look at men’s attitudes towards condom use and the risks involved in the resultant behaviours. The film focuses on experiences and emotions of men in South Africa, Kenya and Sierra Leone.
“As a man living in Africa I felt a certain kinship with the characters in the film, which made this project very personal,” says George. “It actually grew into a journey of understanding for me. It encouraged me to explore different ways of thinking and to create print work that would help to illustrate the sexual protection challenges faced by boys and men in sub-Saharan Africa, where the lives of millions are affected by HIV.
“To do this I used grungy, hard textures offset by clean, prominent type to create contrast – the same contrast I felt when I considered high-risk versus low-risk sexual activity.”
Once all the visual elements were in place, George went to work …“with the help of a very patient, extremely understanding Dan Jawitz of [production company] Fireworx Media, ” … over the course of a month or so.
“We produced some very interesting print design which I believe supports the film’s message,” says George.
“All in all I found the entire process very exciting. I have learnt a lot about HIV and AIDS and about my own attitudes towards the pandemic. We need a lot more of this type of movie. Education is the key!”