Moodboard
A moodboard is a collection of images, colours, typefaces and references that sets a direction before anything original exists. It does not replace design, it settles expectations: two people saying "premium" often mean very different things.
What it is good for
Language is unreliable when the subject is images. "Modern", "elegant", "fresh" and "serious" mean something different to everyone, and the difference only shows once the first result lands. A moodboard makes that difference visible while it still costs nothing.
It is also the tool with which you explain something to us faster than we can ask. Five images you like say more than a briefing call, especially when you write down what you like about them.
What belongs in it and what does not
- In: images with a note on what is meant by them. Counter-examples, meaning what it explicitly should not become.
- In: colour world, lighting mood, materials, including from fields other than film.
- Not in: finished competitor films as a template to copy.
- Not in: thirty images without comment. Ten with reasons are more useful.
Where the moodboard ends
It shows other people's images. The next step is our own: styleframes in the actual visual language of the film, on a shot from your project. That is where decisions happen and where there is an approval. A moodboard is preparation, not an approval point.
Frequently asked questions
What is a moodboard?
A moodboard is a compilation of images, colours and references showing the creative direction of a project before original drafts exist. It serves understanding between client and designers.
Do we have to supply the moodboard?
No, but it helps. If you do not have one, we put one together and you strike what does not fit. That is often faster, because rejecting is easier than describing.
May other people's images be used in a moodboard?
For internal understanding yes. A moodboard is not published, and someone else's film is not copied. It is about direction, not template.
Related terms
Read on: All terms in the glossary • Our films
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