A lot of people want to know how to be a graphic designer for film. You want to know how to be a great one. 

Graphic design for film + tv is a wonderful job, but it’s a demanding one as well. And trying to navigate this famously fickle film industry can make it feel impossible. How do film designers prepare themselves to replicate all of the different eras of design, for all of the different print and digital applications, all on supertight deadlines in a constantly shifting industry?

If you see it on screen, that means someone had to make it. The trick to becoming that someone is another story entirely.

The online school for start-to-finish film graphics job training.

A Graphic Designer Made That: How to be a Graphic Designer for Film + Television by Gina Alessi is a brand new, two-part masterclass designed to tackle all your hard-to-answer questions about building a successful film graphics career.

Part 01: DOING the Job

Now Available

Part 02: GETTING the Job

Coming Soon

Psst. Are you brand-spanking-new to the world of film graphics? Check out Film Graphics 101!

No more goin' solo ✸

No more goin' solo ✸

The film industry likes to guard its secrets – but we’re working on fixing that.

I’ll cut to the chase: Hollywood is a tough town. Graphic design for film is a weird and wonderful job – but showbiz is a fickle industry, and it’s famously hard to break in, now more than ever. 

Once you are in, the hard work doesn’t stop. You can spend YEARS (like I did) trying to work out how to become a competitive, sought-after graphic designer that film bosses want to hire. But here’s pep talk #1: Despite the challenges, I love this job. There IS a method to doing it all, and doing it well.

Getting your first film job is just the beginning. The real trick? Becoming the designer film bosses want to hire again.

Join the Course
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What will I learn in this course?

  • Section 1: Who is Gina?

    Section 2: What You’ll Learn in This Course

    Section 3: How to Get the Most From This Course

    Section 4: How I (Personally) Discovered This Weird, Wonderful, and Demanding Job

    ✸

    DOWNLOAD: Course Syllabus

    DOWNLOAD: Course Glossary

    DOWNLOAD: Course Resource Lists

  • Section 01: Job Overview – What does a graphic designer for film + T.V. DO?

    Section 02: What kind of graphics might you make?

    Section 03: Is this job easy / hard / worth it?

    ✸

    DOWNLOAD: The Graphic Designer’s Job Description

    QUIZ: The Graphic Designer’s Job Description

  • Section 01: What does the Art Department Do?

    Section 02: Who's In The Art Department?

    Section 03: Beyond The Art Department – Who Else Will I Work With?

    ✸

    DOWNLOAD: The Art Department Cheat Sheet

    QUIZ: Who’s Who in the Art Department (and Beyond)?

  • Section 1: Working to Scripts and Schedules

    Section 2: Research & Information Gathering

    Section 3: Creative Freedom™ – When You Have It And When You Don't

    Section 4: Developing Designs – Shifting Your Design Thinking

    Section 5: Developing Designs – Using Typography Well

    Section 6: Developing Designs – Color and Camera

    Section 7: Pitching, Approvals, and Revisions

    Section 8: Legal & Clearances

    Section 9: Making it REAL: Preparing Artwork for Fabrication

    Section 10: The Secret to Crushing It? Staying ORGANIZED Through The Chaos

    ✸

    HOMEWORK: Break Down a Sample Script and Schedule

    DOWNLOAD: Design Process Flowchart

    DOWNLOAD: Graphics Breakdown Template, Sample Script, & Sample Schedule

    DOWNLOAD: Legal & Clearances Handout

    DOWNLOAD: Sidebar re: Handmade Graphic Props

    DOWNLOAD: Fabrication Preflight Checklist

    DOWNLOAD: The Graphics Email Handbook (Email templates for all the things.)

    DOWNLOAD: Musings on Managing Graphics Workload

    DOWNLOAD: Stay Organized with a Sticky-Note Calendar (Template and Instructions)

    DOWNLOAD: File Folders and File Templates

  • Section 01: Core Skills for Film + Television Designers

    Section 02: Credentials and Education Requirements

    Section 03: Tools of the Trade – What is / What’s in a Kit?

    Section 04: What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do

    ✸

    DOWNLOAD: The Essential Graphic Design for Film Starter Kit

    DOWNLOAD: The First Day of Work Checklist

  • In this pre-recorded video walkthrough, we’ll put all the pieces together. From breaking down a script to setting up files for print, you’ll get to see all the stages of the Design Process implemented in real-time, on a real graphics project. Afterwards, you’ll get to work on your own portfolio pieces!

    ✸

    DOWNLOAD: Sample Print and Fabrication Files

    PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT #1: Create a government-issued propaganda notice warning citizens of ⚡️imminent danger⚡️

    PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT #2: Create signage, window dressing, and graphic props for a (struggling) 1980’s camera store 📸

    PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT #3: Replicate a 1944 U.S. patent document for a groundbreaking invention 🔬

  • Section 01: Congrats, Grad!

    Section 02: What’s Coming in Part 02?

    ✸

    DOWNLOAD: Course Completion Badge

    SURVEY: Course Debrief & Testimonials

And anything else you’d like to know.

I’ll be available in the course Discord community and lesson discussions for all your extra hard-to-answer questions.

While Part 01 covers DOING this job, Part 02 (coming soon) will unpack everything you ever wanted to know about GETTING this job. Check the FAQ section for more details!

Made by Gina Alessi: a US-based graphic designer for film + television.

I am a graphic designer with work you’ve (hopefully) seen on Apple TV+, Netflix, FX Networks, and more. I have 10 years of experience in the U.S. film industry and designs featured in 40+ shows and commercials. In my years navigating the rigors, rewards, and pitfalls of a Hollywood career, I’ve become a passionate advocate for this craft, the humans who do it, and those who will do it next.

I have always loved pursuing big, ambitious goals. Like working in film – a goal I set at the bright-eyed age of 11. Then, I ran off and became a graphic designer instead. When I figured out I could merge my love of graphic design and my long-time goal of working in film, I was ALL IN without a second thought. Figuring out how to GET this job was tough. Once I landed that first film graphics gig, I thought the hard part was over.

But I quickly learned that my dream was now also my JOB. I had bosses to answer to, deadlines to meet, industry politics to navigate and soo much to figure out.

There was no easy-to-learn, standardized process for getting this job done and getting it done well – so I made one. And then I made A Graphic Designer Made That: How to be a Graphic Designer for Film and Television to help others launch their creative film careers and launch them on the right foot.

STUDENTS SAY:

  • “This course is not a 'hack' or 'shortcut' into a job; it teaches the tools to break into, learn, and adapt in a fickle, unpredictable industry.”

    JANE ✸ STUDENT, PART 01

  • "Every time I get into a new lesson, I feel even more excited and certain that this is a path I want to pursue seriously....passion and attention to the details come through in every chapter."

    TAYLOR S. ✸ STUDENT, PART 01

  • "Gina is seriously a great educator...her presence was calming but real, open and honest but also excited and encouraging."

    CRISTINA A. ✸ STUDENT, FILM GRAPHICS 101

  • "The course Discord has been incredibly beneficial...the regular "office hours" conversations as well as [personalized portfolio feedback] have helped me improve my work and hone my creative process."

    TAYLOR S. ✸ STUDENT, PART 01

  • I've been an Assistant Art Director for TV/Film for the past two years, but I realized my favorite part of the job [is graphics.] I am considering making the switch...but want to learn more and improve my skills first. This class seemed perfect!

    CHRISTINA W. ✸ STUDENT, PART 01

  • “Before this course, I struggled to find a comprehensive source of information about becoming a graphic designer for film and TV. [Now,] I have built up the confidence that this is a role I could see myself enjoying and actually being successful in."

    TAYLOR S. ✸ STUDENT, PART 01

  • "Gina is clearly still in the trenches, and is not removed from the hustle of the industry. She is very 'in touch' with contemporary practicalities of getting a break and surviving in this field."

    JANE ✸ STUDENT, PART 01

  • "Design for film is something that I’ve been really passionate about getting into...but struggled to find anyone ACTUALLY doing it. It made me stoked to stumble upon [this course]."

    MATT S. ✸ STUDENT, FILM GRAPHICS 101

  • "The Discord community has been invaluable...and in my opinion, is at least half the value of the course."

    JANE ✸ STUDENT, PART 01

Finally, an online course to tackle all your hard-to-answer questions.

Navigating the film industry can be overwhelming and mystifying. How do you get this job? More importantly, once you have it, how do you DO this job?

Once upon a time, I asked you all to send me your biggest questions about working as a graphic designer in the film industry and got hundreds of questions in return.

In this course, we’re going to TACKLE. IT. ALL. Straight down to the nitty-gritty, no stone left unturned.

9+ Hours of lesson videos, assignments, and bonus goodies.

Complete Part 01 at your own pace, plus lifetime access to any and all updates to the course content.

    • 9+ hours of video lessons

    • 20+ Downloadable handouts, template files, cheat sheets

    • 3 Portfolio Assignments

    • 2 Quizzes

    • Lots of extra credit challenges

    • All in ONE globally accessible film graphics masterclass

    • Find magic in the mundane while you create a series of government-issued propaganda notices warning citizens of imminent danger.

    • Learn to tell stories through graphics as you design signage, window dressing, and graphic props for a struggling mom-and-pop store.

    • Practice your forgery skills and re-create a 1944 U.S. patent document from a real-life reference.

    • Share your work to our Discord community for feedback!

    • Resource lists, Worksheets, Checklists

    • Lingo Glossary

    • File + Folder Templates

    • The Graphics Email Handbook

    • and more!

  • All students will have access to the brand new course community on Discord!

    In this wild, tight-knit industry that is RUN by “who you know”, there’s NO substitute for building real connections with future industry friends and colleagues who are riding the same wave as you.

    Ask questions, share resources, get portfolio feedback and practice your networking skills with a community of future film designers from around the world.

A Discord community for the industry that’s built on relationships.

All students who enroll in Part 01 of the course will have instant access to our brand-new, private Discord community. Introduce yourself, get feedback on your work, ask questions, share resources, and make new friends.

In this wild, tight-knit industry that is RUN by “who you know”, there’s no substitute for building real connections with future industry friends and colleagues who are riding the same wave as you.

And who knows…maybe we’ll have some special film industry guests pop in from time to time! 🎥⭐️

→Self-paced video lessons

→ Tons of downloads and goodies

→ Fun and private course community

Join the Course + Community

This course is for you if:

✸ You want to turn your passion for film graphics into a career but have no idea where to start

✸ You want to learn how to *get* film jobs AND how to be a graphic designer your film bosses will love

✸ You’re tired of Googling in a vacuum and want to grow with a community of fellow film designers

✸ You want honest, actionable information about building a career in the famously fickle film industry

✸ You’re an industry newcomer (0-3 years of film graphics experience) and you’re ready to level-up

We’re gonna clear a few things up:

✸ Know who you’ll be working with and what to expect from a day in the working life of a graphic designer for film

✸ Learn how to take a film graphic through its entire lifecycle – from assignment to execution and every nitty gritty stage in-between

✸ Understand which skills, tools, and credentials are required for the job (and which ones aren’t!)

✸ Complete a series of design projects that’ll get your work noticed by your future film bosses and colleagues

✸ Anchor your film career to a systematic workflow, my secret weapon to becoming a graphic designer that film bosses will love (and hire!)

✸ Network and grow with the next generation of film graphic designers in a fun + friendly Discord community

✸ Confidently network with film industry professionals backed by your portfolio and understanding of this job

✸ Demystify film industry access, unpack the American film union system, and learn how to advocate for yourself as you build your career

✸ Get all the info you need to make an educated decision: Is working in the film industry the right career for you?

  • This course should be the definitive standard for all graphic designers entering the film + television world.

    Chloe Arbiture, Production Designer

    ✸

    Manhunt (AppleTV+), American Horror Story (FX Networks), Drunk History (Comedy Central)

  • I wish there was such a well-defined road map for me when I had started. The sheer volume of topics, processes, pitfalls, and standards speak volumes of the instructor's integrity.

    Jonathan Bell Supervising Art Director

    ✸

    Manhunt (Apple TV+), American Horror Story (FX Networks)

  • I highly recommend taking advantage of Gina's knowledge and expertise. I wish a comprehensive course like this was available when I first started out!

    Sarah Stimpson, Graphic Designer for Film

    ✸

    Project Artemis (Lead GD, AppleTV+), Manhunt (AppleTV+), The First Lady (Showtime)

  • The most comprehensive and relevant material available to those who wish to pursue a career in graphic design in the entertainment industry.

    Chloe Arbiture, Production Designer

    ✸

    Manhunt (AppleTV+), American Horror Story (FX Networks), Drunk History (Comedy Central)

  • The way Gina works makes my job easier. I have never worked with someone as thorough, who truly understands the how, and the why film graphics are made the way they are.

    Jonathan Bell, Supervising Art Director

    ✸

    “This course truly breaks down what a graphic designer for film and TV does; not only in terms of skills needed, but the very important role the graphic designer plays in the world of the art department.”

    Chloe Arbiture, Production Designer

    ✸

    “The instruction Gina has provided will allow new students to hit the ground running, tackling the ins and outs of working in a focused, hierarchical, team Art process.”

    Jonathan Bell, Supervising Art Director

“I am grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside Gina in this industry. She is an expert in our craft, and her course, A Graphic Designer Made That: How to be a Graphic Designer for Film + Television is brimming with valuable insights and tips that can only be gained through extensive experience in this often gate-kept career.”

Sarah Stimpson, Graphic Designer for Film
Project Artemis (Lead Graphic Designer, AppleTV+), Manhunt (AppleTV+), The First Lady (Showtime)

Ready to join the course?

Choose your tuition plan. Prices are in USD.

Pay in full $900 $750

Save up to $150 off when you pay in full. Lifetime access to the course + community!

Join the Course: Part 01

Flex Payment Plan: Choose 5 Months or 10 Months

Choose between a 5-month or 10-month plan. Terms: Lifetime access to the course + community granted once paid in full. Failed payments will result in interruption to course & Discord access.

$170/month for 5 months ($850)
$90/month for 10 months ($900)

Psst: That’s less than the in-state tuition for a 3-unit class at my own alma mater, Cal State Fullerton. (Go Titans!)

Not sure if you’re ready for the masterclass? Enroll in Film Graphics 101!

FAQs

  • My Film Graphics Masterclass is recommended for anyone with 0-3 years of graphics experience in the film industry. If you’re a designer who has recently broken into the industry, you may find yourself wanting to deepen your understanding of this role, level up your portfolio. You may be interested in getting considered for lead graphics roles. And if you’re finding yourself struggling or overwhelmed by the job, it might be time to overhaul your workflow. The Film Graphics Masterclass is here to help!

    Are you an experienced film graphic designer (3+ years) looking to overhaul your workflow and learn advanced techniques? I want to hear from you!

  • A Graphic Designer Made That: How to be a Graphic Designer for Film + Television is a pre-recorded, online course composed of multiple chapters, quizzes, portfolio assignments, and extra goodies. Students will be encouraged to complete the course at their own pace.

  • The course will be split into TWO parts: Part 01 will cover everything you want to know about DOING The Job, while Part 02 will cover GETTING the job.

    Each part will be composed of multiple chapters, which are further broken down into chapter sections. Students will also receive exclusive access to an online course community, as well as portfolio assignments, worksheets, downloads, resource lists, and more!

  • Yes! This course was split into two parts so you can sign up for the content that meets you where you’re at.

    When Part 02 opens for enrollment, students will have the option to purchase just one part of the course if they wish, or bundle Part 01 and 02 together for the full experience.

    In the meantime, all students who enroll in Part 01 will receive a coupon to access bundle pricing when Part 02 becomes available.

    Not sure which part to enroll in? Email me.

  • Part 01 covers everything you ever wanted to know about DOING The Job. Check out the full course curriculum above!

    Part 02 will cover everything you want to know about GETTING The Job, including:

    • How Do I Find a job

    • What Am I – Employee or Freelancer?

    • Finding and Joining a Film Union

    • How to Meet Film People When You Don't Know Any

    • Location, Location, Location (Where do U.S. Film Graphic Designers live?)

    • The Film Crew Lifestyle: The Good, The Bad, and the Unbelievable

    • Tips to Manage Workload, Workplace Stress, and Work/Life Balance

    • Portfolio Building, Interviews, & Getting Hired

  • Building an online course of this magnitude takes a lot of time (especially in-between busy film crew schedules!) I’m excited to announce that Part 01 is officially LAUNCHED, live, and open for enrollment. More information on Part 02 to come at a later date.

  • You’ll be prompted to set up your student login and you’ll automatically have access to all of the content in your student dashboard.

    You will also get an email invitation to our brand-new Discord community when you pre-order Part 01. Share your work, ask questions, and make new friends. I’ll be hanging out there too!

  • The Film Graphics Masterclass is beneficial for ANYONE who is interested in learning about this career path in detail, but it is primarily geared towards aspiring film graphic designers, and film industry newcomers with 0-3 years of film graphics experience.

    Whether you’re a student, a production assistant, or a working graphic designer – if you’ve considering (or have recently started) a film graphics career, you’re in the right place!

    Are you a department head who wants to better understand and utilize the role of graphic designers on their team? I want to hear from you!

  • This is not a “how to do graphic design” course, nor is it a computer skills course that teaches students how to use design software. There are plenty of other resources out there that teach about that!

    This course is designed to help graphic designers at varying skill levels translate and strengthen their existing skills for a film industry environment. We do cover some design theory basics and share plenty of design tips in the course Discord! But having at least a beginner-level understanding of graphic design skills and softwares will help you make the most of the experience and portfolio assignments.

  • Nope! It IS good to know that there are some differences in how films are produced in different geographic areas, as well as differences in the rules and regulations that govern the industry in one country versus another.

    This course is taught from the perspective of a graphic designer working in the United States. However, the majority of the concepts we will discuss in Part 01 are applicable to all graphic designers for film, regardless of your geographic location!

    Meanwhile, Part 02 does focus a little bit more specifically on the American film industry since we’ll be digging into the nitty gritty of finding jobs and getting hired in the US film system.

    If you’re not sure which part to sign up for, just shoot me an email!