On Sunday, February 18th, the 2024 EE BAFTA Film Awards winners were announced in a star-studded ceremony hosted by David Tennant at The Royal Festival Hall in London. Celebrating the very best in the past year’s film, the 2024 EE BAFTAs featured a stage designed by award-winning designer Julio Himede from New York design firm Yellow Studio, who orchestrated a set design that not only matched the glamour of the evening, but also spoke to the creation of motion pictures.
For the 2024 EE BAFTA award ceremony, Yellow Studio installed an 8-meter-high installation that takes the form of a pre-film animation device, comprising 12 golden silhouettes shaped in the profile of the iconic BAFTA mask. The 12 frames have been configured onstage in a semi-circle to create a fluent illusion of motion and movie animation. Designed in 1955 by US sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe, the BAFTA mask has since become an internationally recognized symbol of excellence in the art forms of the moving image.
In an ode to the legacy of animation and motion pictures, the New York design studio took inspiration from early animation devices such as the phenakistoscope, zoetrope and praxinoscope to design the central element of the elaborate stage design. The phenakistoscope is regarded as the first form of moving media entertainment that paved the way for the future of motion pictures and the film industry. Yellow Studio adapted this idea for the 2024 EE BAFTA stage design to honor the fundamental features of filmmaking – time progression, movement, lighting, and the art of illusion, reflecting the growth and history of motion pictures, which continue to revolutionize the film industry and captivate audiences worldwide.
The giant installation takes center stage for the 2024 EE BAFTA award ceremony and has been used to frame the winners. LED lights have been integrated into the set design to highlight the installation’s 12 silhouette frames, with sheer drapes creating an elegant backdrop for the night’s proceedings.
Julio Himede, founder of Yellow Studio says “I am thrilled and honored to introduce Yellow Studio’s contemporary and bold sculptural approach to the prestigious BAFTA stage. Our design pays tribute to an exceptionally talented group of creatives, and being part of this endeavor is a true privilege.”
Founded by Julio Himede, Yellow Studio is the world’s leading design studio specializing in production design, creative direction and art direction for television and live events. Over the past two decades, Yellow Studio and its team of creatives have worked on some of the most significant televised events globally, including the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, and the 2024 GRAMMY Awards, which took place at Los Angeles’ Crytpo.com Arena on Sunday Feb 4, 2024.
Further information from Yellow Studio: www.yellowstudio.com
