Alamo Drafthouse

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Brand Guidelines

2017

Brand Summary

Mission

To present a unified, cohesive voice across all marketing, written, and visual communications, blending vintage mid-century movie culture with the fun, rebellious spirit of D.I.Y. culture from the second half of the twentieth century. The goal is to create an environment that resonates with patrons and keeps them engaged and coming back for more [^1].

Core Values

fun
honest
authentic
informed
authoritative
passionate
irreverent
thoughtful
articulate
inclusive
excellence
engagement
creativity
professionalism
trustworthiness

Target Audience

Patrons of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, including movie lovers, families, and local communities seeking a unique, engaging, and authentic cinema experience. The brand also targets business partners and the public as it grows in visibility [^2].

Personality Traits

fun
honest
authentic
informed
authoritative
passionate
irreverent
thoughtful
articulate
never boastful
positive
engaging
human
personable

Visual Identity Overview

The visual identity blends vintage mid-century movie culture with D.I.Y. spirit, using bold, minimalist logos, a strong black, white, and yellow color palette, and clean, modern typography. The brand emphasizes high contrast, clarity, and a retro cinematic feel across print, digital, and video assets [^3].

Categories

Brand Voice

As the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema continues to grow, so does the visibility to our business partners and the public. As a result, it’s important to present a unified, cohesive voice across all of our marketing, written and visual communications. Our design aesthetic aims to blend vintage mid-century movie culture with the fun, rebellious spirit of D.I.Y. culture from the second half of the twentieth century. Our voice is fun, honest and authentic. Staying true to our aesthetic and voice creates an environment that resonates with our patrons and keeps them engaged and coming back for more.
The voice of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema can be heard through the style, tone, and manner of our communications. Expressed in everything from the written word to public presence, our voice is informed, authoritative, passionate, irreverent, thoughtful and articulate. We are never boastful, nor do we go negative, especially in the film / theatrical space. The voice should be consistent and constant, as it is the heartbeat of brand.
Language used in social media should be positive and upbeat.
Always use proper English, and keep it free of R-rated profanity or any unnecessary web speak (i.e. OMG, LOL, LMFAO).
Don’t use exclamation marks (!!) unless something is jaw-droppingly-amazing. Even then, try not to.
We are not interested in trivia relating to the making of the film, unless the backstory is so powerful that it makes you want to see the movie
Quotes from reputable sources can be added to blurbs, as long as they are used sparingly and contribute to the selling of the movie. Quotes should be no longer than two sentences and can be placed before or after the blurb on the showpage.
Movie titles are written in all UPPERCASE, but are not bold or italic.
Only positive, never negative. Negativity is not part of the Alamo Drafthouse voice. We encourage blurbs to be funny and charming, but not at the expense of the movies. Write about what you like and inform your writing with why like it. Be passionate. There is no mean-spirited, mocking ironic glee at the Alamo Drafthouse – “so bad it’s good” does not exist in our universe. There is only the horizon-expandingly, mind-bendingly, and sometimes completely unintentionally, brilliant.
We don’t put down one movie to trumpet another. If you think a certain movie is better than something that the Coen Brothers made, it does not matter. There is no need to dampen the enthusiasm of a Coen Brothers fan by making an aside about how you don’t like their movies.
Write seriously about silly things, and be willing to be silly about serious things. This is a general piece of advice about our voice. We want to show “high art” in its most accessible light – Jean-Luc Godard made movies about girls and guns after all – and “low art” often deserves to be taken more seriously than it is.

Brand Imagery

When appropriate, the signature can be used over an image to enhance a particular design concept. In these cases, it’s extremely important to ensure the visibility and readability of all signature elements by using only the two color logo option. Background imagery should be scaled back through duotone or opacity, in order to retain focus on the signature. Make sure to use the version that has the most contrast from the background. The signature elements must not be superimposed over background imagery.
The white primary logo must appear in the bottom-right corner of all promotional photographs.
White Alamo Drafthouse logo must be used set to 65% transparency. A drop shadow should be added with the following specs: Blend Mode: Multiply Opacity: 60% Angle: 30º Distance: 0px Spread: 0% Size: 9px

Color Palette

The primary colors of the color palette represent the strong, minimal core of the brand. The consistent representation of these core colors help reinforce the distinctiveness of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema brand.
PMS BLACK C CMYK: 60, 40, 40, 100 RGB: 0,0,0 HEX: #000
PMS WHITE C CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 0 RGB: 255, 255, 255 HEX: #FFFFFF
PMS 7409 C CMYK: 3, 32,98, 0 RGB: 245, 179, 36 HEX: #F5B324
The core color scheme revolves around the logo being black and white, and the secondary accent color being PMS7409 or “schoolbus” yellow. This yellow should be used whenever a color background is appropriate. See the examples below for a sense of how the color scheme is applied in different situations.
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema color palettes have been compiled into PMS, CMYK and RGB swatch libraries that can be loaded into Adobe Design programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. This saves time and eliminates error when working with the color palette for both print (PMS & CMYK) and web (RGB) formats.
These libraries have been exported as .ase (Adobe Swatch Exchange) files. Detailed instruction on how to load these pre-built palettes into your design application of choice are below. Contact the Design Department at design@drafthouse.com for instructions on how to access the swatch libraries.
To import custom swatches from a file in Photoshop, click on the swatches panel menu and choose “Load Swatches…” You will be prompted to select a file from your computer or network. Select your choice of Drafthouse_CMYK.ase or Drafthouse_RGB.ase files and press the “load” button. The color palette of choice will load in the swatches menu for your use.
To import custom swatches from a file in Illustrator, click on the swatches panel menu and choose “Open Swatch Library.” Then, open “Other Library…” You will be prompted to select a file from your computer or network. Select your choice of Drafthouse_CMYK.ase or Drafthouse_RGB. ase files and press the “Open” button. The color palette of choice will load in the swatches menu for your use.
To import custom swatches from a file in InDesign, click on the swatches panel menu and choose “Load Swatches…” You will be prompted to select a file from your computer or network. Select your choice of Drafthouse_CMYK.ase or Drafthouse_RGB.ase files and press the “Open” button. The color palette of choice will load in the swatches menu for your use.

Typography

The primary Alamo Drafthouse Cinema typeface family is FUTURA STD. It is available in several weights for maximum flexibility. Use FUTURA STD Bold in capitalization as the standard weight and style in all primary print design headlines.
FUTURA STD Bold
FUTURA STD Book
FUTURA STD Light
The alternate Alamo Drafthouse Cinema headline typeface is Sanderson Shaded. Use this typefaces in capitalization when a variation from Futura Bold is needed. If Sanderson Shaded is used at the headline, then FUTURA STD bold should be used as Secondary Headline font.
PLEASE NOTE: Review the section on kerning on pg. 23 when using these fonts.
sanderson shaded
hellenIc wIde JF
chamPIon - Bantam weIGht
The primary Alamo Drafthouse Cinema body typeface is Adobe Garamond Pro. It should be used as the standard body copy typeface only for applications that require more than two sentences of text, such as movie synopses.
NOTE: It is not used as a headline typeface under any circumstances.
Adobe Garamond Pro Regular
Adobe Garamond Pro Regular Italic
Adobe Garamond Pro Bold
Consistency is important to our brand. It shows that we care about the details and builds trust with our patrons. Although subtle, consistent attention to details is the foundation to appearing professional, stable and trustworthy. Below are some small details on how we can be consistent with the use of type in the communication with our patrons.
menU tyPoGraPhy • Never use the dollar sign on menus. • Never use dotted lines to attach the price to the menu item. • If the price has cents, always present the cents as a superscript Example: 8.50 • Always use the ampersand to save space. Example: PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY
on screen & PrInt tyPoGraPhy • Dates should have the month spelled out, and the number should use ALL CAPS superscript Example: DECEMBER 8TH • Always use the ampersand to save space. Example: SPARKLERS & CONFETTI • Always lay out 35mm/70mm with the “mm” in lowercase and 3/4 the type size as the “35” Example: 35mm
KernInG • Attention should be paid to kerning (ie: the distance between letters.) There is no hard and fast rule for kerning, other than readability is key. When using large text, kern it closer together. When the text is smaller, kern it slightly further apart.

Logo Usage

The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema logo represents our entire company — including the show, merchandising, advertising, and sponsorships. Be mindful when using the logo. It’s a personal sign-off on our unique ideas, culture, and presentation. The signature consists of the words “ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE CINEMA” set in a custom logotype and encased within a “marquee” housing. It comes with a reversed variation and is available in a wide variety of formats suitable for print, on-screen and online applications.
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema logo can be reproduced using one or two colors. It can also be used in reverse (or negative) when appropriate. The rest of this section contains further details regarding this usage.
The logo should always be used as a complete unit. The words “Alamo Drafthouse Cinema” and its elements should never be used independently of one another. The following pages provide a complete guide to appropriate usage. The logo should not be utilized in any other way, without express written permission from the creative office.
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema logo can be reproduced using one or two colors. It can also be used in reverse (or negative) when appropriate. See the rest of this section for further details regarding this usage.
The mark should always be used as a complete unit. The letter “A” and its elements should never be used independently of one another. The following pages provide a complete guide to appropriate usage.
When placing the logo in a layout, it should never be crowded by other design elements. Regardless of size, the minimum amount of clear space around all sides of the logo should be the height of the A in the logotype.
The full logo is designed to be legible at small sizes. But it should never be sized less than 1.375” wide for print applications and 125 pixels wide for web applications. The condensed logo may be used as small as 0.35” wide for print, and 25 pixels wide for web.
It’s important to never use the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema logo in any of the following ways: Old Logo Using unapproved colors Interior gradients or special effects such as emboss, glows, bevels, etc. Compressed or expanded Rotated or Flipped Filling shield with patterns or photographs Never recreate the logo or symbol Used without the shield Logo used inside another shape Used without the lettering
We have two versions of the logo available, but which version should you use? The logo (or mark) you use is dependant on the background. The Standard Version should be used whenever the background grey value is perceived to be white to medium grey. The Reversed Version should be used whenever the background is of the darker range of grey values. Please see Page 11 for further details.
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema logo (both Standard and Reversed) comes in a one or two color version.
TWO COLOR: The Two Color version uses either black or white to fill the interior of the marquee shape. In these versions, the white is considered a color, even if the paper stock is creating the white.
ONE COLOR: The One Color version uses either black or white for the logo and leaves the interior of the marquee shape transparent. In these versions, the white is considered a color, even if the paper stock is creating the white.
The preferred background for our logo is PMS7409, but in many cases it’s necessary to use the signature over existing colors or images. In these cases, it’s extremely important to ensure the visibility of all signature elements. The chart below shows the approved version and which value ranges work best.
The preferred backgrounds for our signature are PMS7409, black, or white. But in some cases, the signature is used over a color to enhance a particular design concept, or it is necessary to apply the signature over a colored substrate. In these cases, it’s extremely important to ensure the visibility of all signature elements. The exhibits show which signatures to use over various colors to ensure maximum visibility.
Although the black signature may be visible on many mid-range backgrounds, it is preferred that white be used in those cases.
When appropriate, the signature can be used over an image to enhance a particular design concept. In these cases, it’s extremely important to ensure the visibility and readability of all signature elements by using only the two color logo option. Background imagery should be scaled back through duotone or opacity, in order to retain focus on the signature. Make sure to use the version that has the most contrast from the background. The signature elements must not be superimposed over background imagery.

Tone And Messaging

Our voice is fun, honest and authentic. Staying true to our aesthetic and voice creates an environment that resonates with our patrons and keeps them engaged and coming back for more.
The voice of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema can be heard through the style, tone, and manner of our communications. Expressed in everything from the written word to public presence, our voice is informed, authoritative, passionate, irreverent, thoughtful and articulate. We are never boastful, nor do we go negative, especially in the film / theatrical space. The voice should be consistent and constant, as it is the heartbeat of brand.
Language used in social media should be positive and upbeat.
Always use proper English, and keep it free of R-rated profanity or any unnecessary web speak (i.e. OMG, LOL, LMFAO).
Don’t use exclamation marks (!!) unless something is jaw-droppingly-amazing. Even then, try not to.
Use ALL CAPS for movie titles.
Limit using ALL CAPS for other rare instances, such as cancellations or last-minute updates on events, tickets, or times.
If you do use ALL CAPS, please begin the message with them, then switch to sentence case with the announcement.
You should post on your social media channels optimally three times a day. When promoting a specific event or special, post about it no more than three times in one week. When posting multiple times about the same topic, post about it in a new and engaging way. It’s important to get the word out to your followers, but it’s even more vital not to overwhelm them with repeat messages and self-promotion
Content must represent our overall position of inclusivity vs. exclusivity.
Content also needs to strike a balance of being informative (for example: announcing tickets on sale) and engaging to solicit a response (for example: film polls and questions). The more engagement and shares we receive, the deeper the connection with our audiences and the tighter affinity they share with the brand.
Key to all of this is human, personable approach of Alamo Drafthouse - Film brings fun and excitement to people’s lives and we are the embodiment of this spirit.
On-brand, on-point post presented in an honest, matter-of-fact tone that lets the content speak for itself.
Photo tells a joke with a message that complements the content, rather than distracts.
Alternative content that is specifically NOT selling a show, but still engaging to followers.
Inane, cliche-ridden attempt at engaging dialogue that is inconsequential to begin with.
Nonsensical text and phony enthusiasm. Never ask a question such as, “How cool is X?” or “Who likes X?”
Pandering questions that fail to incite actual dialogue.
Gratuitous use of exclamation marks and misinformed hash tags. Never ask a question such as, “Who loves X?”
Showpage copy is a shill – we’re selling our love for movies. The attitude is personal, the voice is informed, authoritative, passionate, irreverent, thoughtful and articulate. The goals are to get people excited about coming to see the movies that we’ve programmed, show pages need to do exactly that - they must be fun to read, and represent the Alamo Drafthouse voice and brand correctly.
Imagine that you are telling a friend about a film they should see. What are the notable points that are most intriguing? What language would you use that would most convince them to go? Whatever you would say to your friends to convince them to come see this movie with you – that’s what we want to communicate to the audience. We like to speak in the first-person plural (“we”) when inviting others to join our fun. But showpage blurbs are never written in the first person singular (“I”). As a rule of thumb, just talk like you talk, we’re shooting for breezy, light, fun to read, and personal. Blurbs should read more like an email than an essay – but a bright, literate email to a friend you are trying to impress.
Blurbs are not synopses, and Alamo Drafthouse show pages are not Wikipedia. A good rule of thumb is to use at most one engaging sentence describing the plot, and only if necessary (“tracking one man’s descent into madness as he tries to . . .”). Many of our best blurbs get away with just a couple of words describing the genre (“fast-pace heist film starring . . .”) or tone (“a nihilist exploration of . . .”).
Only positive, never negative. Negativity is not part of the Alamo Drafthouse voice. We encourage blurbs to be funny and charming, but not at the expense of the movies. Write about what you like and inform your writing with why like it. Be passionate. There is no mean-spirited, mocking ironic glee at the Alamo Drafthouse – “so bad it’s good” does not exist in our universe. There is only the horizon-expandingly, mind-bendingly, and sometimes completely unintentionally, brilliant.
We don’t put down one movie to trumpet another. If you think a certain movie is better than something that the Coen Brothers made, it does not matter. There is no need to dampen the enthusiasm of a Coen Brothers fan by making an aside about how you don’t like their movies. For example, this is what we do not want: “It’s as funny and stylish as the Coen Brothers, without their condescending misanthropy.”
Write seriously about silly things, and be willing to be silly about serious things. This is a general piece of advice about our voice. We want to show “high art” in its most accessible light – Jean-Luc Godard made movies about girls and guns after all – and “low art” often deserves to be taken more seriously than it is.

Visual Style

The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema logo can be reproduced using one or two colors. It can also be used in reverse (or negative) when appropriate. The rest of this section contains further details regarding this usage.
The logo should always be used as a complete unit. The words “Alamo Drafthouse Cinema” and its elements should never be used independently of one another. The following pages provide a complete guide to appropriate usage. The logo should not be utilized in any other way, without express written permission from the creative office.
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema logo can be reproduced using one or two colors. It can also be used in reverse (or negative) when appropriate. See the rest of this section for further details regarding this usage.
The mark should always be used as a complete unit. The letter “A” and its elements should never be used independently of one another. The following pages provide a complete guide to appropriate usage.
When placing the logo in a layout, it should never be crowded by other design elements. Regardless of size, the minimum amount of clear space around all sides of the logo should be the height of the A in the logotype.
The full logo is designed to be legible at small sizes. But it should never be sized less than 1.375” wide for print applications and 125 pixels wide for web applications. The condensed logo may be used as small as 0.35” wide for print, and 25 pixels wide for web.
It’s important to never use the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema logo in any of the following ways: - Old Logo - Using unapproved colors - Interior gradients or special effects such as emboss, glows, bevels, etc. - Compressed or expanded - Rotated or Flipped - Filling shield with patterns or photographs - Never recreate the logo or symbol - Used without the shield - Logo used inside another shape - Used without the lettering
We have two versions of the logo available, but which version should you use? The logo (or mark) you use is dependant on the background. The Standard Version should be used whenever the background grey value is perceived to be white to medium grey. The Reversed Version should be used whenever the background is of the darker range of grey values. Please see Page 11 for further details.
The preferred background for our logo is PMS7409, but in many cases it’s necessary to use the signature over existing colors or images. In these cases, it’s extremely important to ensure the visibility of all signature elements. The chart below shows the approved version and which value ranges work best.
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema logo (both Standard and Reversed) comes in a one or two color version.
TWO COLOR: The Two Color version uses either black or white to fill the interior of the marquee shape. In these versions, the white is considered a color, even if the paper stock is creating the white.
ONE COLOR: The One Color version uses either black or white for the logo and leaves the interior of the marquee shape transparent. In these versions, the white is considered a color, even if the paper stock is creating the white.
The preferred backgrounds for our signature are PMS7409, black, or white. But in some cases, the signature is used over a color to enhance a particular design concept, or it is necessary to apply the signature over a colored substrate. In these cases, it’s extremely important to ensure the visibility of all signature elements. The exhibits show which signatures to use over various colors to ensure maximum visibility.
Although the black signature may be visible on many mid-range backgrounds, it is preferred that white be used in those cases.
When appropriate, the signature can be used over an image to enhance a particular design concept. In these cases, it’s extremely important to ensure the visibility and readability of all signature elements by using only the two color logo option. Background imagery should be scaled back through duotone or opacity, in order to retain focus on the signature. Make sure to use the version that has the most contrast from the background. The signature elements must not be superimposed over background imagery.
The primary colors of the color palette represent the strong, minimal core of the brand. The consistent representation of these core colors help reinforce the distinctiveness of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema brand.
PMS BLACK C CMYK: 60, 40, 40, 100 RGB: 0,0,0 HEX: #000
PMS WHITE C CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 0 RGB: 255, 255, 255 HEX: #FFFFFF
PMS 7409 C CMYK: 3, 32,98, 0 RGB: 245, 179, 36 HEX: #F5B324
The core color scheme revolves around the logo being black and white, and the secondary accent color being PMS7409 or “schoolbus” yellow. This yellow should be used whenever a color background is appropriate.

Layout And Composition

When placing the logo in a layout, it should never be crowded by other design elements. Regardless of size, the minimum amount of clear space around all sides of the logo should be the height of the A in the logotype.
The full logo is designed to be legible at small sizes. But it should never be sized less than 1.375” wide for print applications and 125 pixels wide for web applications. The condensed logo may be used as small as 0.35” wide for print, and 25 pixels wide for web.
Menus for specialty screenings are designed in two versions – 2-UP (two to a page) and 4-UP (four to a page).
The templates should be used as a default for all in-theater menus. All custom menus must be either designed or approved by the creative department.
These menus are black & white (color if budget allows) and typically laid out center justified. There should be a Title Treatment at the top over a textured black bar. Our condensed logo should be at the bottom. The items, descriptions, and prices should all be black over white/paper. Font sizes should be no smaller than 11pt. Items and prices should be set in Futura Std Bold. Descriptions should be set in Futura Std Book.
Title Treatment: Use over black
Justification: Centered
Always include the brand mark centered
Paper Size: 8.5” x 11”
Finished Menu Size: 4.25” x 5.5”
Red = Cut lines
Finished Menu Size: 5.5” x 8.5”
The Seasonal Menu Insert (aka the “tall skinny insert”) is a spotlight for the seasonal menu specials at the Alamo Drafthouse. The template is designed with the following goals in mind: • Ease of readability in a dark theater • Clarity in the hierarchy of information • Complements the existing menu design while still standing out on its own
Justification: Left
Use thematic imagery to take up any extra space at the bottom
Screens should always contain: • Original type treatment (if available) or Futura Bold. • Event Name (ie: Sing-Along) in Futura Bold • “@Drafthouse” and any other applicable hashtags • The Alamo Drafthouse mark
Flat Version Dimensions: 1920 x 1080 pixels DPI: 72 Color Space: RGB
Scope Version Dimensions: 2048 x 858 pixels DPI: 72 Color Space: RGB

Print Assets

Menus for specialty screenings are designed in two versions – 2-UP (two to a page) and 4-UP (four to a page).
The menus are designed with these goals in mind: • Ease of readability in a dark theater • Attractive to customers as a “takeaway” • Clarity in the hierarchy of information
The templates should be used as a default for all in-theater menus. All custom menus must be either designed or approved by the creative department.
These menus are black & white (color if budget allows) and typically laid out center justified. There should be a Title Treatment at the top over a textured black bar. Our condensed logo should be at the bottom. The items, descriptions, and prices should all be black over white/paper. Font sizes should be no smaller than 11pt. Items and prices should be set in Futura Std Bold. Descriptions should be set in Futura Std Book.
NOTE: All drop menus must be approved by the Design Department
NOTE: Templates are available at: DRAFTHOUSE.COM/BRANDING
Title Treatment: Use over black
Justification: Centered
(Use “&” instead of “and” to save space)
Price: - No dollar sign - Cents use superscript
Item Name: - Futura Std Bold - All Caps
Item Description: - Futura Std Book - Use Title Case
Always include the brand mark centered
4-UP DROP MENU EXAMPLE & SPECS Paper Size: 8.5” x 11” Finished Menu Size: 4.25” x 5.5” Red = Cut lines
2-UP DROP MENU EXAMPLE & SPECS Paper Size: 8.5” x 11” Finished Menu Size: 5.5” x 8.5” Red = Cut lines
The Seasonal Menu Insert (aka the “tall skinny insert”) is a spotlight for the seasonal menu specials at the Alamo Drafthouse. The template is designed with the following goals in mind: • Ease of readability in a dark theater • Clarity in the hierarchy of information • Complements the existing menu design while still standing out on its own
NOTE: All tall/skinny menus must be approved by the Design Department
Justification: Left
Item Name: - Futura Std Bold - All Caps - Price (No dollar sign)
Use thematic imagery to take up any extra space at the bottom

Digital Assets

The Host Background Screen has many objectives: • It provides a heightened sense of excitement for customers • Reinforces social media engagement through hashtags and photo ops • Increased level of showmanship and professionalism There are two sets of specs depending on projection for Host Background Screens: Flat and Scope. Make sure that the design you produce is the same specs as the film you are presenting. Screens should always contain: • Original type treatment (if available) or Futura Bold. • Event Name (ie: Sing-Along) in Futura Bold • “@Drafthouse” and any other applicable hashtags • The Alamo Drafthouse mark
Flat VersIon Dimensions: 1920 x 1080 pixels DPI: 72 Color Space: RGB
scoPe VersIon Dimensions: 2048 x 858 pixels DPI: 72 Color Space: RGB
NOTE: All host screens must be approved by the Design Department
NOTE: Templates are available at: DRAFTHOUSE.COM/BRANDING
The condensed logo should be used as the primary image for all social media profiles. Any of the approved color combinations for the logo can be used. Venue and event photography should be posted in albums within sites, but not used as the primary profile image.
Facebook cover images and Twitter header images must coincide with brand standards. The Facebook cover image should be 828 pixels wide by 315 pixels tall (check the web for the latest size). Cover images should display specialty programming or brand initiatives in your market. Images should be changed two or three times a month, and when relevant, link to a show page or blog with more information. The Twitter header image should be 1500 pixels wide by 500 pixels tall. It should display your market’s landmarks, such as an Alamo Drafthouse sign or an example of Alamo branding. Once established, Twitter headers should change no more than once a year.
Posters should be high-resolution and sized to approximately 1080 pixels wide by 1600 pixels tall at 72 DPI Posters should not contain watermarks, incorrect scaling, or overly pixellated imagery Posters should be original studio theatrical one-sheets or approved Alamo Drafthouse posters and not artist interpretations or re-imaginings Mondo posters are not to be used unless specifically cleared by Mondo.
NOTE: All NON-STUDIO digital posters must be approved by the Design Department
The white primary logo must appear in the bottom-right corner of all promotional photographs.
White Alamo Drafthouse logo must be used set to 65% transparency. A drop shadow should be added with the following specs: Blend Mode: Multiply Opacity: 60% Angle: 30º Distance: 0px Spread: 0% Size: 9px
NOTE: Watermark template is available at: DRAFTHOUSE.COM/BRANDING

Video

The white standard logo must appear centered for all video that will appear on social media.
The logo must appear at the beginning of the video for 1.5 seconds with a 2% zoom.
The video must end with a 4 second screen using the Alamo mark in white, with the URL underneath.
Any video posted on an official Alamo Drafthouse Cinema channel must be approved by the creative department.
NOTE: All videos must be approved by the Video Department
START SCREEN White ALAMO logo stays on screen for 1.5 secs with a 2% zoom.
END SCREEN White ALAMO mark and URL stays on screen for 4 secs with no zoom.
Videos uploaded to YouTube and Vimeo must be titled and tagged correctly. The conventions below must be followed.
Name all videos in Title Case, with the first letter of every word capitalized. Use hyphens, with a space on either side, to separate when needed. You must include a year when naming a reoccurring event. Example: Don’t Talk PSA: Angry Voicemail (Uncensored)
Tag the video with unique key terms, and always provide a link to drafthouse.com in the description.
When creating on screen content for use in Alamo Drafthouse theaters, the following criteria must be met. All stingers must be approved by the Alamo Drafthouse creative department before they appear on screen.
Source materials should be of highest resolution possible. Blu-ray is ideal, and if available, mandatory
Frame size must be 1920 pixels wide x 1080 pixels tall. Even if the aspect ratio is less than that, the final output must be these dimensions
Frame size can also be 2k Flat 1998x1080 or 2K scope 2048x858 if source material is higher resolution than bluray/HD
Frame rate must be 23.976 or 24 frames per second
29.97 or 30 are also acceptable frame rates if it is native to source material, but 23.97 or 24 is preferred
Frame rates and aspect ratios must be consistent throughout the entire piece
Stingers should be no longer than 30 seconds with a 5 second grace period. Stingers longer than 30-35 seconds require special approval
For DCP creation, deliverable files provided to video deparmtent must be a minimum resolution of 1920x1080, preferred codecs are DNxHD or ProRes, though we can take a .tiff sequence or high bitrate h264 as well. Please provide audio separately as a .wav file (stereo, interleaved multi-track or mono stems are all acceptable)
Use the following naming convention for exported files: aVertIsment: type_location-title_trl (example: AD-AUS-VERTIGO_TRL) Preshow: PS-[film_title][segment#][aspect_ratio_Flat_or_Scope] (example: PS-DIE_HARD_1_S) don’t talK Psa: DT-[name_of_message]_POL (example: DT-ANGRY_VOICEMAIL_POL) BUmPer/host screen: FILM_TITLE_BUMPER_DATE CREATED_FLAT OR SCOPE (example: LAST_DRAGON_HOST_SCREEN_032417_F, BREAKIN_DANCE_CONTEST_BUMPER_022416_S)
NOTE: All stingers must be approved by the Video Department
When adding text to stingers, please follow the formatting rules below: • Use only Futura Bold and Futura Book. • Use only white type over black background or over footage with reduced opacity to ensure type is readable. • Type should always be justified center. • Create dynamic layouts by varying type size and highlighting key phrases using Futura Bold. • Use ALL CAPS unless you are using a press quote. • Quotes should use upper/lowercase and should use Futura Book and be italicized. • Type should stay well within the standard type safety area • Months should never be abbreviated • Dates should be written using a superscript (ie: 23RD)
SPECIAL NOTE: Please review Page 23 for other type guidelines.

Collateral

Items chosen as Alamo Drafthouse Cinema merchandise should be of the utmost quality. They should represent our culture, style, and timelessness. Below are examples of acceptable merchandise options. Again, all logo usage and background control rules should be expressly followed as detailed in the LOGO section.
Please use the Promotional Material Approval form when a design is ready: drafthouse.com/austin/support
Contact design@drafthouse.com for further information.
NOTE: All promo merchandise must be approved by the Design Department
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema paper system is simple, fun, and easy to use in every scenario from printing on letterhead to sending an electronic document via email.
If you require new or updated cards, please fill out the form located at: drafthouse.com/austin/support
The Alamo Design Department will create the art and email you the necessary files and the link to our online card printer.
You will be required to place the order and upload the art.
The envelopes and letterhead are 2/0 (2 colors on the front, blank on the back) and should be offset printed on a bright white, uncoated text with a minimum weight of 100 lb.
A template of the letterhead exists in both InDesign and Word forms.
Contact design@drafthouse.com if you require either physical printed materials.
NOTE: Templates are available at: DRAFTHOUSE.COM/BRANDING

Email

emaIl sIGnatUre In an effort to simplify, email signatures should include only the following:
Font should be set to Sans Serif (normal). You may use one of the following quotes below: “Best theater in America” -Entertainment Weekly “Coolest movie theater in the world” -Wired.com “The best theater ever” -Time Magazine