Overview
City on a Hill is a Showtime crime drama set in early 1990s Boston, exploring systemic corruption, justice, and moral compromise.
The campaign required a visual identity that captured the show’s gritty realism and psychological tension — grounding the characters within an environment that felt cold, unforgiving, and inescapable.
Role & Responsibilities
Role: Art Director
Responsibilities:
Developed key art concepts and multiple creative directions
Created mockups, mood boards, and presentations for executive and showrunner pitches
Selected photographer and planned the photoshoot, including on-site location scouting
Led key art compositing and oversaw retouching and finishing
Delivered final assets across out-of-home, press, and brand documentation
Designed a comprehensive style guide to support campaign consistency
Campaign Concept
The creative direction leaned heavily into atmosphere and environment. Boston’s harsh winter became a visual metaphor for the story itself — bleak, tense, and morally cold.
Textured imagery, restrained color palettes, and controlled compositions placed the characters within icy streets and shadowed spaces, reinforcing the sense of pressure and inevitability that defines the series.
Process & Development
Working closely with photographer Eric Ogden, I collaborated on capturing both key art and PR imagery aligned with the campaign’s tone. Extensive versioning, compositing, and color matching were used to achieve a unified, cinematic finish across all assets.
The press kit was designed as a tactile storytelling piece — resembling a security evidence bag — complete with embossed stitching, a vintage leather strap, and brass-like buckles. High-gloss metallic silver elements and a soft-touch aqueous coating elevated the physical experience, reinforcing the show’s themes of investigation and secrecy.
Final Deliverables
- Key Art - Out-of-Home - Press Kit - Style Guide
Recognition
Gold Winner — Printing Impressions Gold Ink Awards
(Press Kit: Design & Production Excellence)
reflection
This project showcased a comprehensive, end-to-end approach to campaign development — from early concept and photography through execution and premium physical production. The resulting work captured the essence of City on a Hill and helped establish a strong, cohesive visual identity for the series.
credits
Photographer: Eric Ogden
Creative Director: Greg Zadrozny
VP, Creative Services: Larry Merritt
Design Team: Richard Fahey