And Now, the Feature Application

The Client
Sundance Film Festival

The Players
Rastar Print Communications (www.rastar.com);
We Are Gigantic (www.wearegigantic.com); Schaefer Design.

Tools & Supplies
HP Scitex XL 1500, HP Scitex ink, LG Chem Vizuon Bannux 1100.

The Job
Every winter, Park City, Utah transforms into a haven for independent filmmakers, actors and actresses-the burgeoning and the bona fide-and thousands of moviegoers as the Sundance Film Festival comes to town. And for the past five years, as Park City makes its transition from ski town to something a bit closer to Tinseltown, Salt Lake City-based marketing agency Rastar Print Communications has played a starring role in producing signage and graphics for the festival.

This year, the company produced approximately 11,000 square feet of signage for the event, which was held January 17-27, including 75 street-pole banners that lined Main Street, the main strip of Park City where celebrities and visitors come to shop, dine, see, and, of course, be seen.

Production
Designed by New York City-based agency We Are Gigantic, the files were prepared for printing by Schaefer Design in Salt Lake City. Rastar first printed proofs of the graphics on the various types of media to be used for final output. For the street-pole banners, Rastar used its HP Scitex XL 1500 with Scitex ink to image onto LG Chem Vizuon Bannux 1100, a 13-ounce matte-finish vinyl.

After approval from Sundance, Rastar output the 75 banners, measuring 29 x 144-inches. The graphics were then folded on themselves and welded on all four sides to create 29 x 72-inch finished banners. Four-inch pole pockets were created and grommets were inserted in the lower corners of the banners. All finishing was done by hand. The signs were printed and finished within a three-week period during which all the graphics printed by Rastar for the festival were produced. Sundance coordinated the installation of the banners, which were on display throughout the duration of the festival.

Comment
Allen Bowen with Rastar says the race against the clock proved to be a challenge. “Graphics came in right up until the beginning of the festival, and it all needed to get done at break neck speeds.” The payoff for their hustle? “Seeing the signage and how that adds to the branding that Sundance has on Main Street of Park City. And having a happy customer.”