DEPARTMENT OF PROJECTS: Sa Vidya Marketing Materials - Pretty Things to Raise Money for Cute Kids

Chad Robertson is a great guy and he made a great film. After spending time with the wonderful people of the Ashram Paryavaran Vidyalaya, he decided to spread the good word and make a documentary about their practices in hopes of raising money to support the school. Some information on Chad's film:

Sa Vidya Ya Vimuktaye: Knowledge is that which Liberates explores the world of Ashram Paryavaran Vidyalaya (APV), a school and ashram at the forefront of an organic educational revolution. The film enters into classrooms and assemblies, sits in on meditation gatherings, follows the children to their villages, and visits the ashram to learn more about community living. Through candid interviews with headmaster Anand Dwivedi, APV teachers, and students, discover an enlightened form of education and way of life.

Ben and I, both huge fans of Chad/Cute Kids/India/Documentaires, were charged with the task of helping brand the documentary and the screening event.

Beginning with the end, the screening went over amazingly well. The Sa Vidya team got enough butts in the seats and enough donations to fund an entire month of costs for the APV School. Ben posted pictures from the night here.

The lead up to those smiling faces was a doozey of a project. Branding materials galore! Ben and I are super happy with the way everything turned out. Below are some pictures outlining our process. And laugh all you want at the over abundance of kraft paper choices -- when I win my award for "Most Times Using Kraft Paper in One Freelance Design Project Scope" you all won't be laughing then!

The Making of Sa Vidya Pretty Things /

Three Girls in the Ashram Meditating - Reference imagery used to create sketches for branding materials.

Three Girls Sketch - Rough sketch used to add to marketing materials.

Original Comps of DVD Packaging - Kraft cases with custom made ink stamps for printing. Finished with a red string.

Sketches from my journal during my India trip. Used for additional imagery on the posters. We were very excited to get to meld pieces of all of our trips to India in this project.

The final poster! Printed on kraft paper (of course) and posted and sent out alllll over the place.

The final DVD packaging in action at the merch table at the screening.

Butts in the seats! Mission accomplished.

Chad is currently putting the funds to good use in India and working at the APV School to see what the next steps will be for helping this great organization continue their work. You can follow his adventures on his blog.

a poster

Ben, Chad and I finished the flyer/poster for Chad's next screening of his film, Sa Vidya Ya Vimuktaye.

The screening will take place next Tuesday at Brown University--a very impressive location for Chad's film to be shown (despite their request to put references to an pizza party on the flyer). I am not sure if I have any readers in Rhode Island, but if you are for any reason in the area I highly suggest going to see the film.


Brainstorming and sketches in the works for packaging design for the DVD. Stay tuned.

knowledge is that which liberates

You may remember my talk of going to visit the ashram that Chad lived and worked at in northern India and where Ben went to visit during his trip. I ultimately was not able to make it to the ashram due to, umm, typhoid, but I have vowed to go back some day very soon.

In the meantime, I watch Chad's amazing documentary he made to create awareness of both the APV school and holistic education. Jimmy did the editing, Chad did the directing and a bunch of Delhi-Bollywood-yars filmed it. It's truly beautiful. If you have any interest in India, children, holistic education, meditation, art, tabla music, great documentaries or all of the above WATCH CHAD'S FILM!

Sa Vidya Ya Vimuktaye: Knowledge is that which Liberates
For more information on the APV school : www.apvschool.org

(free film removed -- buy a DVD @ apvschool.org you cheap kids!)