A vertical promo Reel for Athiradiby Dripwave Collective
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If the funky vertical Reel promos for the viral numbers ‘Jaada’, ‘Illuminati’ and ‘Galatta’ from Fahad Faazil’s gangster-comedy film Aaveshamcaught your eye, you have already seen Johney Varghese’s work. Better known professionally as Johney Frames, the 23-year-old creative director from Kochi has been working to build a visual identity for Malayalam cinema through digital content and campaigns.
Vertical promo Reel for Athiradi by Dripwave Collective
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Special Arrangement
Johney’s creative studio, Dripwave Collective, specialises in motion graphics, lyric video, poster designs and other promotional content for Malayalam cinema. His most recent work that brought in praise was the quirky and contemporary promo Reels for the songs ‘IYKYK’ and ‘Patti Show’ for Basil Joseph’s Athiradi. One of them used a gaming theme, which instantly resonated with the audience.
Johney Frames, founder and creative director of Dripwave Collective
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Special Arrangement
Having spent over five years in the industry, and worked for over 15 Malayalam films, including Alappuzha Gymkhana, Vyasanasametham Bandhumitradikal, Premalu, Rifle Club, Neelavelicham, Lovely, Chatha Pacha, Sookshmadarshini and Painkili,Johney says it all boils down to the love of cinema. “I had always been fascinated by film posters and their visual language. To design for films, one needs to really love films.”
Journey into cinema
His journey into cinema was rather unexpected. “When director Tharun Moorthy announced his debut film, Operation Java, I sent him a ‘Best Wishes’ note on Instagram. He responded and saw my poster design experiments. It was lucky for me that he was looking for graphic designers for the film’s social media campaigns and asked me to create some fan art based on the first look posters of the film. That clicked and here I am today!” says Johney.
A poster for Operation Javadesigned by Johney
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Special Arrangement
While he was a student of BA in animation and graphic design at Sacred Heart College, Thevara, he was already working in films. Johney also got the chance to work with director Aashiq Abu’s production house, OPM Cinemas, which he considers a learning experience.
Since he founded his company, Johney has been working with a network of freelancers. “Kerala has a pool of creative talent and I enjoy bringing in illustrators, 3D artists and motion graphic artists together. It is a give and take of ideas. Many of our high-energy mixed-media promos, trailer title cards, and visual effects work are a result of a collective effort,” says Johney.
In today’s cinema landscape, a film often begins making an impression long before its release—through posters, teasers and lyric videos. “Dynamic promotional content holds great power to influence the audience and that is the exciting part,” says Johney. While static posters are also important, short motion video formats seem to be more effective. “Even a simple ‘Booking Open Now’ announcement can help connect with the audience if done creatively,” says Johney.
While he enjoys the creative highs of his job, working freelance comes with its challenges, says Johney. “A nine to five job has a structure and a routine, but freelance professionals need to build that for themselves — create a routine and stick to it. One has to build that discipline in order to achieve one’s goals,” he says.
A poster for Alappuzha Gymkhana
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Special Arrangement
For Johney, understanding a film’s emotional language is just as important as its technical execution. “The content has to reflect the mood and feel of the film, while also aligning with the director’s vision.” One of his inspirations as a creative entrepreneur is Arun Ajikumar, founder of Aesthetic Union. “His journey made me believe that building something similar was possible,” says Johney, who also dreams of becoming an actor and filmmaker.
Published – July 03, 2026 03:35 pm IST
