For some, the A24 tag is reason enough to check out a film. These books appeal to individual audiences, and A24 core devotees, who go to bat for each A24 film as a part of the collection more than as an individual work. There’s Moonlight, the indie-underdog-turned-Oscar-winner then there’s Ex Machina, the sci-fi hellscape lastly, there’s The Witch, the horror-thriller that made its budget back 10 times over. The films chosen for these books says a lot about the overall project to make screenplays proper collector's items. These are arthouse gems for an expanded audience, the company is aware of its hardcore base but able to invite more mainstream devotees on a film-by-film, item-by-item basis. Because of this, the lifestyle side of A24 matches the films in concept. It’s a little bit retro, often self-aware, and more often than not minimal but stylized. Top to bottom, from trailers to officially licensed T-shirts, the company has honed in on an aesthetic and geared everything towards this vision. This has allowed A24 to flourish outside of its role as a traditional production house. Then there are people that have been a fan of A24 for years and repping the company as a brand is as important as seeing the films. If you’re a fan of Midsommar, you may want something specific to the film, but you may not necessarily want an A24 hat. There are promotional items that are related specifically to films. The production company has built on that, while still expanding their scope. There has always been a core of A24 cult followers. It’s a wonderfully nuanced and precise bible for the devoted filmgoer, or an excellent addition to any bookshelf with an aesthetic bent.Ī24’s dedication to the films themselves is the guiding light for all of their merchandise, which is partly why the books are so densely packed with insider info.
In addition to copies of the shooting scripts, this means the books are filled with a collection of stills, designs, and sketches. These books offer a peek into the process from original idea to final cut. When you read the scripts, you can visualize exactly what they wanted from the very beginning.
In A24’s mind, both are a valuable part of their fanbase.Ī24 has so many films that are by writer-directors, screenplays that are both well written and very precise.
These books are for the fans that obsess over Barry Jenkins’ long takes, and for people that simply like the way Moonlight looks. According to one A24 employee, DVD commentary and bonus footage was the inspiration that led to the idea of these books 18 months ago.įocusing their just-released first batch on Moonlight, Ex Machina, and The Witch, the New York-based production company is trying to create an item cherished by both film nerds and the A24 fan who care as much about an Online Ceramics collaboration as the movies themselves. They’ve created a modern equivalent of the director’s commentary with highly stylized, informative coffee table books. While DVD commentary has gone by the wayside, A24 created a new solution tailored to their core audience. The best way to learn something is to do it, and these directors took the practices of the masters and got to work. Chances are, your favorite director’s favorite learning tool growing up was DVD commentary.