Kristin Jackson is Director of Communications and a graphic designer for Frostbite Pictures. She has also worked on international and domestic art for Paramount Pictures and Dutch Boy pictures and is a freelance designer for filmmakers. One of her favorite Science Fiction & Fantasy (SF/F) interests is in the TV show Supernatural.
Daily Dragon (DD): Welcome, Kristin! Please tell us a little about Frostbite Pictures.
Kristin Jackson (KJ): Frostbite is a small, independent film studio headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and founded by Ivan Hayden, Jason Fischer, and Kirk Jaques in late 2010—three filmmakers who were part of the behind-the-scenes crew on the TV show Supernatural. They would often talk between shooting and after hours, and decided to team up to tell their own stories during the summer and winter hiatuses! Their first project was the pilot web series Divine: The Series, starring Dan Payne, Misha Collins, and Allen Sawkins, and the pilot episodes can still be found on the series’ Facebook page.
DD: What sorts of graphic design do you do for them?
KJ: I’m sort of an all-purpose designer, creating everything from concept posters and title art to pitch decks and series bibles, one-pagers, social media art, and set photography.
DD: As Director of Communication, what do you handle?
KJ: I’m the “voice” of Frostbite and all its series. If you have interacted with one of the projects like Divine or Demon X on social media, that was me! I also am the person who does all the coordination and communication with print vendors, festivals, fellow filmmakers, and the like. And I’ve even had the opportunity to expand my copywriting skills by writing as well as doing all the research, art, and layout design for a couple of Canadian government production grant applications—which were both chosen out of hundreds of submissions for the $150K grants. I must have done something right!
DD: Why did you move into film work, and what was your path toward that?
KJ: My working in film was certainly an unexpected career path! Before I teamed up with Frostbite, I had zero connection to the industry—Jacksonville, Florida, certainly is about as far from Hollywood and “Hollywood North,” aka Vancouver, as you can get. Art jobs in Jacksonville can be rather boring—basic design needs for manufacturing, production art in a print shop, advertising, and so on. And most times, we artists are only doing one piece of the total project. But one day I saw on Twitter that some of the crew from Supernatural were working on a series of their own, and when I read the little synopsis on the crowdfunding page, I noticed they didn’t have a designer. So I thought, why not me? The worst that could happen is that they say “no.” And actually they DID say no but left the door open to needing art down the line. So, I spent the rest of the summer sending them a piece of art for social media using the Divine pics they were sharing every week to make sure they wouldn’t forget me. And in August I got an email: “Are you still interested in working with us? Can you start right now?” The rest is history!
I really enjoy the opportunity to not only work on highly creative, exciting projects but also have the ability to take ownership of every aspect of the visual development for projects. And to work with equally highly creative and super talented people!
DD: What kinds of artwork have you supplied for Paramount Pictures?
KJ: For Paramount Pictures, I was doing the production art for their International Marketing and Distribution department—working on things like key art and theater posters—as well as a few external “congratulations” announcements for industry awards. Some of the films I helped out with were Smile, Top Gun: Maverick, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Babylon, and a couple of early pieces for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
DD: Is that what you did for Dutch Boy pictures?
KJ: No, my work with Dutch Boy is much more like the work I do with Frostbite—one-pagers, pitch decks, look-books, title art, and concept posters.
DD: Is there a difference in the way you approach graphic design for online entertainment versus projects for the big screen?
KJ: No, I approach both the same way! I take either the short synopsis—or script if they have one—and read it to get a feel for the story’s genre and vibe. I pull a few details from the content and build key art that helps to illustrate something about the plot, characters or action. My job is to help the filmmakers create the best visual images to go with their words, so they will have a great poster or piece of cover art to share with an audience or sell their concept in a presentation during studio meetings.
DD: Do you have any recommendations for someone who might be interested in graphics work in the film industry?
KJ: Absolutely! The most important thing is to be bold; don’t be afraid to ask a production if you can help. As I said before, the VERY WORST thing that can possibly happen is that they say “no,” so what do you have to lose? Also, find your local film office and film community. They are always having meetings and announcements of indie projects looking for crew. So, the odds are good they will be needing art, too, at some point: a poster, an image for social media or Kickstarter, title design, or even something that will be seen on set. Getting to know the local filmmakers and indie studios is the best way to network and make connections. And, of course, be patient and persistent, as they might not need you now, but if they know you’re out there and you keep in touch, they will remember you when they need artwork down the line.
DD: When you’re not working on movie designs, what do you enjoy doing?
KJ: I always have a stack of books to read big fan of my neighborhood library branch—mostly scifi and urban fantasy, occasionally action-thrillers and a few graphic novels. When I’m at ye olde family cottage in NW Michigan every summer, you can typically find me puttering in the big front flower garden I restored, out on the lake in my kayak, or visiting local cherry orchards and picking wild blueberries in the woods because I like making homemade jam. I really enjoy being out in nature; it helps restore my spirit and feel creatively energized.
DD: What draws you to Supernatural, and who’s your favorite character?
KJ: I’m one of the fans who got hooked on the show from when the pilot episode debuted in 2005! I love the always entertaining dynamic between the two brothers and the relationships they build with all the other characters they encounter during their 15-year road trip, saving people, hunting things, the family business. And for the most part, the balance between humor and horror keeps the show from being too dark or depressing, which is appreciated when I want to simply escape real-world news with a good story.
My favorite character is Dean, with Castiel a close runner-up. On a side note, if anyone is interested in checking out a Supernatural-based 10-part documentary also edited into a feature film about the fandom of the show—every aspect from watch parties to cons, actor charities to cosplay—it was a great project created by Clif, Jensen Ackles & Jared Padalecki’s bodyguard, and his brother Mitch Kosterman. I was involved in my art capacity, and I think it can still be found out there online.
DD: You’ve been to Dragon Con several times. Is there anything in particular that draws you back each year?
KJ: The people! Everyone attending who puts so many hours into their cosplay, fellow fans of shows I love, people from the industry and community in the Film Track….all the volunteers and fellow panelists in the various tracks who make me feel welcome and part of their genre family, and the actors, writers and other guests who give their time in the countless panels. Dragon Con is one giant chaotic explosion of creative energy, and every long Labor Day weekend I walk around feeling like shouting “THESE ARE MY PEOPLE!” Being a part of this amazing Geek Tribe is a highlight of my year.
DD: Thank you for your time.
